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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    What Dreams May Come
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 33 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Annabella Sciorra & Max Von Sydow

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3.5
    Sound Rating: 5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): PolyGram Video
    (Catalog Number): ID5486PG
    (MPAA Rating): PG13
    (Retail Price): $39.99
    (Running Time In Minutes): 113
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 03/99
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Vincent Ward
    (Screenplay/Written By): Ron Bass
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Michael Kamen
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Eugenio Zanetti
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): David Brenner, ACE & Maysie Hoy, ACE
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Ted Field, Scott Kroopf, Erica Huggins & Ron Bass
    (Co-Producers): Alan C. Blomquist
    (Producers): Stephen Simon & Barnet Bain

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Super 35
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.40:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.32:1

    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:
    Based upon the novel by Richard Matheson, What Dreams May Come stars Robin Williams as Chris Nielsen, a man whose spirit tries to stay close to his wife Annie (Sciorra) after he is killed in an accident. But when the distraught woman kills herself, Chris sets out to rescue her from eternal damnation.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    Sadly, the LaserDisc is slightly yellow and marred with distracting noise in some scenes, obviously more noticeable on larger home theatre displays. Images are sharp and finely detailed, with excellent contrast and shadow delineation. The most impressive aspect of the picture is the magnificent colors, which are nicely rendered and vibrant throughout. The sweeping cinematography is wonderfully perplexing. The picture measures 2.32:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 soundtrack is nicely holosonic. The sound is beautifully dimensional throughout and in some scenes full scale dynamic. There is a great rain storm sequence with moments of subtle but dimensionally descriptive split surround ambient sounds of nature. Other moments create aggressive directionalized and motion split surround soundscapes that only a discrete 5- or more-channel system can delineate. The nicely recorded orchestral music score is expansive with a soundstage that wraps deep into the surrounds. The soundtrack is supported with powerful bass and is further enhanced with .1 LFE to below 24Hz. Dialogue is the least satisfying, sounding rather ADR-processed.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
    (Aggressive System Surround): No
    (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:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    When compared to the anamorphically enhanced, dual-layered DVD viewed in component video, the LaserDisc is slightly yellow and marred with distracting noise. While the DVD is more solid, with beautiful colors, there are often irritating digital compression artifacts and at times excessive image detail enhancement. Images are sharp and finely detailed on both versions, with the DVD exhibiting superb resolution, contrast and shadow delineation. With the film being known for its magnificent colors and breathtaking images, the DVD is preferred. The overall digital appearance may distract on better home theatres, but the sweeping cinematography is wonderfully perplexing. The LaserDisc and anamorphic and letterbox DVD measure 2.32:1. The Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 DVD and LaserDisc soundtracks are nicely holosonic. The sound is beautifully dimensional throughout and in some scenes full scale dynamic. There is a great rain storm sequence with moments of subtle but dimensionally descriptive split surround ambient sounds of nature. Other moments create aggressive directionalized and motion split surround soundscapes that only a discrete 5- or more-channel system can delineate. The nicely recorded orchestral music score is expansive with a soundstage that wraps deep into the surrounds. The soundtrack is supported with powerful bass and is further enhanced with .1 LFE to below 24Hz. Dialogue is the least satisfying, sounding rather ADR-processed.