• Login
    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Almost Heroes
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Chris Farley, Matthew Perry, Eugene Levy, Kevin Dunn, Bokeem Woodbine, Lisa Barbuscia

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3.5
    Sound Rating: 4
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number): T6557
    (MPAA Rating): PG13
    (Retail Price): $29.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 90
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 12/98
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Christopher Guest
    (Screenplay/Written By): Mark Nutter, Tom Wolfe & Boyd Hale
    (Story):
    (Music): Jeffrey CJ Vanston
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Joseph T. Garrity
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Ronald Roose
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers): Mary Kane
    (Producers): Denise Di Novi

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.78:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): DTS, SDDS & Dolby Digital
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Chris Farley and Matthew Perry are Almost Heroes in this comic adventure across the wild frontier. Bartholomew Hunt is a hard-living, trash-talking tracker who is hired by fussy Leslie Edwards to guide his exploration of the Northwest. Of course, the trip is not all downstream as the explorers face bloodthirsty squirrels, a conquistador with split ends, a wild river run and an angry eagle out for revenge.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The 1.78:1 picture exhibits good color fidelity, accurate fleshtones, warm colors and deep, solid blacks. Images are generally sharp and detailed, though some scenes are softly focused. Contrast and shadow delineation are nicely rendered. There is noise apparent, especially in interior scenes, but artifacts are minimal. Most of the film lacks a natural quality, but color balance is quite pleasing.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    Both the Dolby® Digital discrete and matrix Dolby Surround PCM soundtracks are spatially dimensional though the matrix version sounds more enveloping. Surround is often aggressive and effectively stirring in moments of action. While the Dolby Digital version is credited as a 5.1 mix, there is virtually no .1 LFE enhancement. Music and dialogue are well recorded, but dialogue is wanting in spatial integration due to ADR processing.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): No
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): No
    (Aggressive Split Surround): No
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 No
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: