WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Apollo 13
Genre:Drama

Reviewed In Issue 21 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris & Kathleen Quinlan

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 5
Sound Rating: 5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals
This autographed collector’s edition, features a making of Apollo 13 58-minute documentary, Lost Moon: The Triumph Of Apollo 13. The featurette abruptly begins on Side 4 with no title treatment and combines cast and crew interviews, behind-the-scenes visuals, explanations of the special effect sequences, comparison of the film’s key sequences with the original NASA footage and more. James Horner’s complete near-hour-long soundtrack album occupies the analog tracks on Side 4. Plus there is an informative running commentary by Ron Howard and the real James and Marilyn Lovell making this edition an outstanding production.

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): MCA/Universal Home Video
(Catalog Number): 42679
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $99.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 140
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1995
(LD Release Date): 7/96
(THX® Digitally Mastered): Yes

Credits Information
(Director): Ron Howard
(Screenplay/Written By): William Broyles, Jr. & Al Reinert
(Story): NA
(Music): James Horner
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Michael Corenblith
(Visual Effects): Digital Domain
(Costume Designer): Rita Ryack
(Editor): Mike Hill & Dan Hanley
(Supervising Sound Editors): Stephen Hunter Flick
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Todd Hallowell
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Brian Grazer

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Super 35
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.39:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Based on the book “Lost Moon” by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger, Apollo 13 is an astonishing space epic that celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. This is the true story of a routine space flight gone wrong in 1970. Three astronauts—Jim Lovell (Hanks), Fred Haise (Paxton) and Jack Sweigert (Bacon)—face a desperate fight for their lives when an oxygen tank explodes over 200,000 miles from Earth. While they labor frantically in the space capsule, the NASA Mission Control Center ground crew races against the odds to get these brave men back safely.

LaserDisc Picture:
The picture’s aspect ratio is 2.35:1. The presentation quality is exemplary in every visual aspect.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
But there are soundtrack character differences with this new edition sounding noticeably more muffled and less defined overall. Definition in the earlier edition is dramatically better, otherwise the mix elements are the same. Surrounds are for the most part subtle, except for the powerful shuttle blastoff, with 25Hz bass.
(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: