WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Alvarez Kelly
Genre:Classic

Reviewed In Issue 15 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
William Holden Richard Widmark, Janice Rule, Patrick O’Neal, Victoria Shaw & Roger C. Carmel

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 2.5
Sound Rating: 1.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Columbia/TriStar Home Video
(Catalog Number): 10466
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Retail Price): $$34.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 109
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1966
(LD Release Date): 6/1/95
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Edward Dmytryk
(Screenplay/Written By): Franklin Coen
(Story): NA
(Music): John Green
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Walter M. Simmons
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): NA
(Editor): Harold F. Kress, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors): Charles J. Rice
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Sol C. Siegel

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.32:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Mono Sound
(Theatrical Sound): Optical Mono
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Alvarez Kelly is an action western based on a true Civil War incident that stars two of the biggest box office attractions of the 60s: William Holden and Richard Widmark. Holden plays Alvarez Kelly, a war profiteer in 1864 who sells several thousand head of cattle to the Union army. Widmark is a Rebel colonel who tries to steal the herd to feed the starving Confederate troops defending the city of Richmond, Virginia.

LaserDisc Picture:
The Panavision® scope picture is framed at 2.32:1. The widescreen composition and cinematography are well crafted and heighten the depiction of this rousing adventure. Colors are rich and vivid with natural flelshtones and deep solid blacks. While shadow detail is generally good, the picture quality suffers from noise and artifacts throughout.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The original intended soundtrack was mag stereo with the roadshow treatment, but mono prevailed which is a disappointment.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield):
(Aggressive Split Surround):
(Center Back Surround Imaging):
(Directionalized Dialogue):
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: