WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Days of Heaven
Genre:Drama

Reviewed In Issue 22 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz.

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 3.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Video
(Catalog Number): LV 8942-WS
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 95
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1978
(LD Release Date): 10/9/96
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Terrence Malick
(Screenplay/Written By): Terrence Malick
(Story): NA
(Music): Ennio Morricone
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Jack Fisk
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): Patricia Norris
(Editor): Billy Weber
(Supervising Sound Editors): NA
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Jacob Brackman
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Bert Schneider & Harold Schneider

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.82:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital
(Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A & 70mm 6 Track Dolby
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Days Of Heaven is the beautifully filmed, critically acclaimed story about two men who love the same woman. In the early 1900s, three poverty-stricken wanderers—Bill (Richard Gere), a fugitive from the slums of Chicago; his sister Linda (Linda Manz) and his beloved Abby (Brooke Adams)—set out in search of work. They get a job harvesting wheat for an ill, but wealthy Texas farmer (Sam Shepard), who falls in love with Abby and asks her to stay with him after the harvest. In order to offer Bill and Linda a better life, Abby marries the farmer. Although her love remains true to Bill, it is a decision that leads to jealousy and destruction. The movie won an Academy Award® for Best Cinematography.

LaserDisc Picture:
Shown theatrically as a 70mm blowup, the matted 1.82:1 picture is natural looking in fleshtones and color, although slightly aged and a bit dark. Shadow detail is poor but the picture is generally sharp and detailed with slight noise and artifacts.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The original magnetic 70mm six-track soundtrack is delivered by the discrete 5.1 Dolby® Digital data-reduced format. But the bass sounds unnatural on this discrete version and while stereo effects and the music have a wider spread, the fidelity and dialogue rendering on the matrix PCM version is superior.
(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: