WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Alakazam the Great!
Genre:Classic

Reviewed In Issue 20 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
The Voice Talents Of Frankie Avalon, Dodie Stevens, Jonathan Winters, Arnold Stang & Sterling Holloway

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3.5
Sound Rating: 1.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Orion Home Video
(Catalog Number): ID3398OR
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Retail Price): $39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 84
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1961
(LD Release Date): 3/1/96
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Lee Kresel
(Screenplay/Written By): Osamu Tezuka, Lou Rusoff & Lee Kresel
(Story): NA
(Music): Les Baxter
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): NA
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Salvatore Billitteri
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Lou Russoff

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:
Alakazam The Great! is a colorful Japanese-made animated film about an arrogant monkey who passes the test of courage and becomes the King of Majutsoland. But Alakazam is obsessed with power and when he learns of Merlin’s magic, he becomes even more confident that he could be more powerful than any other creature, including humans. On his journey to seek the magic of Merlin, he joins the human Prince Amat and learns the meaning of virtue. Together, the prince and Alakazam make new friends and fight battles with wicked foes and menacing creatures. When they return to the palace, the Great King Amo commends Alakazam for his bravery and for teaching himself to be a true leader, using humility, mercy and wisdom to rule.

LaserDisc Picture:
The Toeiscope frame, credited as “Magiscope,” is 2.32:1. The picture appears aged with colors more subdued than the animation of the ’90’s, but nevertheless visually entertaining. Blacks are always deep and generally solid, except for slight noise in some scenes. Artifacts are slight and generally are not distracting.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The sound is loud, compressed mono.
(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: