WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

BASEketball
Genre:Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 31 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Yasmin Bleeth, Jenny McCarthy, Robert Vaughn

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 4
Sound Rating: 4.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Universal Studios Home Video
(Catalog Number): LD83658WS
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $34.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 104
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1998
(LD Release Date): 1/99
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): David Zucker
(Screenplay/Written By): David Zucker, Robert LoCash, Lewis Friedman & Jeff Wright
(Story): NA
(Music): James Ira Newborn
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Steven Jordan
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Jeffrey Reiner
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Cleve Landsberg
(Co-Producers): Jeff Wright
(Producers): David Zucker, Robert LoCash & Gil Netter

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

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Joe Cooper (Trey Parker) and Doug Remer (Matt Stone) find national success when they invent a simple game combining the premise of baseball with the basketball free throw and the anything-goes attitude of a schoolyard pickup game. Writer/director David Zucker actually invented BASEketball in the driveway of his home eventually garnering media attention.

LaserDisc Picture:
The LaserDisc is nicely rendered, with sharp and detailed images. While fleshtones appear orangeish, colors are otherwise rich and vibrant, though oversaturated, with deep, solid blacks. There is a slight veil of minor noise as well as occasional artifacts. The picture is matted at 1.85:1.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack is more spatial sounding than the matrix PCM soundtrack. Dialogue sounds very forward and ADR-processed with poor spatial integration. Surround is quite aggressive with the discrete distinguished by split surround envelopment. Bass extension is deep and even more powerful on the discrete version due to .1 LFE enhancement. This is a very active soundtrack that sounds loud but is sure to please young audiences.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
(Aggressive System Surround): Yes
(Intense 25Hz Bass): No
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): Yes
(Aggressive Split Surround): Yes
(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:
The anamorphically enhanced DVD picture, when viewed in component video, exhibits improved sharpness and clarity when compared to the otherwise nicely rendered LaserDisc. While fleshtones appear orangeish on the LaserDisc, they are more subtly rendered on the DVD, but slightly reddish. Otherwise, colors are rich and vibrant, though oversaturated, with deep, solid blacks. Images are sharp and detailed, especially on the DVD with its increased vertical and horizontal resolution. The LaserDisc exhibits a slight veil of minor noise, and while there is no distracting noise on the DVD, artifacts are occasionally apparent on both. Though neither version is rendered accurate, the colors are pleasing. The DVD’s anamorphic and letterbox aspect ratios are matted at 1.85:1, as is the LaserDisc. The DVD and LaserDisc Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack is more spatial sounding compared to the LaserDisc matrix PCM soundtrack. Dialogue sounds very forward and ADR-processed with poor spatial integration. Surround is quite aggressive with the discrete distinguished by split surround envelopment. Bass extension is deep and even more powerful on the discrete version due to .1 LFE enhancement. This is a very active soundtrack that sounds loud but is sure to please young audiences.