DVD Reviews

John Grisham’s The Rainmaker

If nothing else, The Rainmaker is one of the most satisfying Grisham adaptations to date, armed with Coppola's lean, witty screenplay and masterful direction, a glossy cast and impeccable technical credentials (John Toll's cinematography and Elmer Bernstein's score). There's an ease and a charm to it -- you want it to keep going even as it begins to wind down. It's poignant without being maudlin, uplifting without being sentimental.

I'm unsure what brought on Coppola's intense interest in contributing commentary tracks at such a rapid clip -- most of his films (and their accompanying special edition DVDs) have been master classes in cinema, so it's delightful that the filmmaker is opening himself up with such regularity. The supplements here, as with most Coppola special editions, are expertly produced by longtime Coppola associate Kim Aubry.

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“Most Impressive DVD of 2005”

Bragging rights this year go to Paramount's Danger: Diabolik. Mario Bava's super-criminal comic strip is a visual mother lode of color-saturated comic-book dynamism. We had no right to expect more than a revisit of the compromised laserdisc presentation from ten years ago, and were delighted when Paramount allowed producer Kim Aubry and Zoetrope to put together a great combination of improved picture, recovered original soundtrack and surprising extras that include a commentary with Tim Lucas and ("Ummmm - moo-oo-ha ha hah HAH HAH!") Diabolik himself, John Philip Law.

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For reviews of Apolcalypse Now - The Complete Dossier, go here

Apocalypse Now Redux

"Sound Designer Walter Murch's excellent 5.1 channel soundtrack remix from the previous DVD and laserdisc editions carries over to this new edition, though I suspect some additional tweaking took place when the film was reconstructed. Certainly this is one of the best sounding 22 year-old films one is likely to find. The multi-channel format is used effectively to create a cohesive 360 degree soundfield that manages to maintain the focus of attention on the onscreen action for the most part. There is the occasional directional effect in the surrounds, but for the most part, the surround mix serves to enhance rather than distract."

OBIS REVIEWS

Review by: Robert A. George

"Anyone who saw Apocalypse Now during the initial 70mm run likely remembers the rush from hearing the helicopter literally travel across the auditorium in the opening scene. (Murch and Coppola were way ahead of their time with the film's six-track Dolby Stereo sound mix. Even though 1978's "Superman" is generally acknowledged as the first film to utilize split surrounds, it was "Apocalypse" that codified the process for future sound designers.) Murch and Coppola remastered the soundtrack for the new release. Not only is the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio intact on the new DVD, but in some respects sounds even better than the original DVD. "Redux," just like its predecessor, offers a very aggressive soundfield, with active surrounds, wide dynamic range (you don't have to strain to comprehend Brando's occasional mumbling passages) and dramatic front, back and side audio pans. The LFE channel finally gets the workout it deserves, especially during the "arc light" sequence."

DVDREVIEW

By Ed Peters

"The sound has been remixed into a new Dolby Digital 5.1 track that washes over you as if you were seeing a live performance, especially during such show-stopping moments as the elaborate mid-film dance sequence."

"Zoetrope's lavish two-disc set does a sterling job with very difficult source material in every possible sense.. The 5.1 audio mix is simply dynamite, filling the speakers with a smooth blend of music and ambient sound that punches up even the quietest scenes without becoming distracting."

"Also strong was the remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack of The Conversation. This version took the original monaural audio and spread it out nicely. The sound field remained appropriately modest for much of the film. The stark piano score echoed neatly from the front speakers, and both the forward and surround channels consistently provided gentle but involving ambiance with occasional modest panning between them. During a few scenes - such as the convention and Harry's dream - the audio kicked in more actively and offered some quite engaging sound.

The quality of the sound seemed relatively positive. Dialogue came across as somewhat hollow and thin at times, but it generally appeared crisp and acceptably natural. A little edginess appeared in the speech on occasion - especially during the convention scenes - but these instances were infrequent. Effects also showed some light distortion at times, but for the most part they were clean and accurate and they offered good bass when necessary. The music seemed clear and rich, and also showed fine depth at times. Ultimately, the soundtrack of The Conversation appeared very strong for a film of this era."

"Certainly the 5.1 audio track will not wow those accustomed to the overdone surround tracks on contemporary releases. But this remix is quite impressive considering the sound for this film was evidentlyoriginally monaural. That is why it is no surprise that the surrounds are limited to subtle ambient use, with the preponderance of the sound coming from the front soundstage. Directional effects are few and farbetween.

The music, including both Harry's saxophone playing and the piano score, is very pleasing to the ears and does not suffer from thinness or harshness. Surprisingly there are a few effective moments in the film that woke up my subwoofer. I did notice some background hiss, but it did not bother me too much considering the overall high quality of the soundtrack."

Those familiar with the films of George Lucas know that the filmmaker is quite attentive when it comes to the soundtracks of his films and TUCKER is no exception. Although not as flashy or overtly active as the STAR WARS or INDIANA JONES sagas, the English 5.1 soundtrack for TUCKER does provide an expansive sound experience that immerses the listener in both quality effects editing and a grand score by Joe Jackson (He of "Steppin' Out" fame). Fidelity is excellent, although the lower reaches of the soundtrack rally don't have much to do. Surrounds are most active with the Jackson score, but sound lush with good imaging along the sides to the front channels. Dialog is natural sounding and the track as a whole sounds smooth although some background hiss could be heard on occasion.

Tucker has been remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. But, as noted above, when George Lucas is the Executive Producer, you get a bit better treatment. The film is THX certified and the sound positively radiates out of all channels. While dialogue is clean and clear, the background music chimes away at the surrounds and fronts as well. While most of the action is located in the front three channels, there are several scenes that have the surrounds working overtime. A great example of this is when the Tucker car is going through it's 24 hour test. All in all, a great sounding mix for Tucker.

I was startled to get such a rich and sumptuous Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack from what I assumed would be a quiet, unassuming film. Actually, much of the movie did provide a relatively modest soundfield, since it's a character-driven film. However, the mix opened up the experience nicely and spread the atmosphere across the front channels effectively and convincingly. Segments in the factory and on the road came across particularly well, and even quiet scenes offered solid ambiance. Joe Jackson's score blasted effectively from all the channels, and the surrounds also offered very involving and engaging audio. Sound quality seemed fine as well. Dialogue appeared crisp and natural and showed no signs of edginess or problems with intelligibility. Music was bright and brassy; highs seemed accurately and clearly reproduced, and some moderate but solid bass appeared as well. Effects also were clean and realistic, and they packed a modest punch at times; in scenes such as those from World War II, driving and factory sets, and thunderstorms, the mix boasted a nicely dynamic presentation. Tucker won't replace Apocalypse Now as a killer soundtrack, but it made for a strong experience nonetheless.