WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Die Hard with a Vengence
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 18 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Graham Greene, Colleen Camp, Larry Bryggman, Anthony Peck, Nick Wyman, Sam Phillips

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

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): 8858-85
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $49.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 130
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1995
(LD Release Date): 1/96
(THX® Digitally Mastered): Yes

Credits Information
(Director): John McTiernan
(Screenplay/Written By): Jonathan Hensleigh
(Story): NA
(Music): Michael Kamen
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Jackson DeGovia
(Visual Effects): Mass Illusion, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Buena Vista Effects, Pacific Title Digital
(Costume Designer): Joseph G. Aulisi
(Editor): John Wright, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors): Mark Mangini
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Andrew G. Vajna, Buzz Feitshans & Robert Lawrence
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Michael Tadross

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Panavision
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.39:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.32:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital
(Theatrical Sound): DTS, SDDS & Dolby Digital
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
McClane once again finds himself having a really bad day in Die Hard With A Vengeance. This time he joins forces with Zeus, a reluctant civilian (Samuel L. Jackson), to try and outwit a riddle-speaking terrorist (Jeremy Irons) who plans to empty the Federal Reserve Bank—and blow up New York City if he doesn’t get his way.

LaserDisc Picture:
The THX® digitally mastered picture has variable quality, sometimes sharpa nd detailed, but overall soft. Fleshtones are natural and blacks are generally deep with good shadow detail, but the pressing is marred by excessive noise to the point of distraction. The aspect ratio is 2.35:1.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
Both the Dolby® Surround and Dolby Digital AC-3® encoded discrete soundtrack versions employ aggressive surround mixes, but the discrete 5.1-channel version is more defined in spatial localization and sound effect pans, providing a far greater holosonic experience. Bass extension is deep to below 25Hz, even in the surrounds, and the LFE channel jolts with explosions. The music is more spatial with better depth and soundstage imaging in the discrete format, and dialogue is equally excellent in both versions, but more articulate in the discrete presentation.
(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:
No
Collector Edition:
No
DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: