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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Bagdad Cafe
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 22 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Marianne Sägebrecht, CCH Pounder, Jack Palance, Christine Kaufman, George Aquilar, Monica Calhoun, Darron Flagg, Baby Ashley, Hans Stadlbauer, G. Smokey Campbell, Alan S. Craig, Apesanahkwat & Ronald Lee Jarvis

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 2.5
    Sound Rating: 3.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): PolyGram Video
    (Catalog Number): 800638695-1
    (MPAA Rating): PG
    (Retail Price): $34.95
    (Running Time In Minutes): 91
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1988
    (LD Release Date): 9/9/96
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):

    Credits Information
    (Director): Percy Adlon
    (Screenplay/Written By): Percy Adlon, Eleonore Adlon & Christopher Doherty
    (Story): Percy Adlon
    (Music): Bob Telson
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Bernt Amadeus Capra
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Norbert Herzner
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): NA
    (Co-Producers): Percy Adlon & Eleonore Adlon
    (Producers):

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Bagdad Cafe is the “totally original” story about a sad little roadside hotel deep in the Mohave Desert. The hotel’s desperate need for a good cleaning is only part of the problem when it comes to it’s foul tempered owner, Brenda (CCH Pounder), who is trying to make a living the only way she knows how. Salvation arrives in the form of a plump sweaty German woman named Jasmin (Marianne Sägebrecht). With a scrub brush and a bag full of magic, she uncovers a sense of strength and beauty in the lives of the few residents. Brenda resists the strange Jasmin at first, but when she finally comes around, together these two women light up the desert sky.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The matted 1.85:1 picture exhibits natural fleshtones and deep blacks. The inconsistent color fidelity leaves images often looking as though they were painted. Poor shadow detail, slight noise and artifacts add to the sometimes grainy and out-of-focus picture.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack has a monaural character but delivers completely natural sounding dialogue, although the level is often too low. The music score and ambiant stereo sound effects provide subtle surround envelopment
    (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: