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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Straw Dogs


Criterion
Genre: Drama

Reviewed In Issue 73 (June 2003) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, Peter Vaughan, T.P. McKenna, Del Henney, Jim Norton, Donald Webster, Ken Hutchison & Colin Welland

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 3.5
DD Sound Rating: 1.5
DTS Sound Rating: NA
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 4.5
Internet Links
http://www.criterionco.com

Special Features
Disc One of this two-disc Criterion Collection DVD set includes the original 118-minute edition of the movie, an isolated music and effects track, and audio commentary by film scholar and author of Savage Cinema: Sam Peckinpah And The Rise Of Ultraviolent Movies Stephen Prince. Disc Two starts with the 82-minute documentary Sam Peckinpah: Man Of Iron, a vintage 26-minute on location featurette with Dustin Hoffman, an original behind-the-scenes featurette (eight minutes), 2002-conducted interviews with Susan George and Daniel Melnick, a trailer and three TV spots, and controversial reviews and correspondence with Sam Peckinpah regarding the movie. There is also a booklet included in the packaging.


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): The Criterion Collection
(Catalog Number): CC1584D
(MPAA Rating): R
(Rating Reason):

NA
(Retail Price): $39.95
(DVD Type): Two-Disc Set: DVD-9 x 2
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 118
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 1971
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 03/25/03
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Sam Peckinpah
(Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
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  DVD Picture Information

(Principal Photography): Subscribe Now!
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  DVD Sound Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
In Sam Peckinpah

DVD Picture:
Compared to the previously released and decent-looking non-anamorphic Anchor Bay DVD, this new anamorphically enhanced Criterion Collection edition (framed at 1.78:1) is slightly improved in apparent detail and definition. The picture does have dated characteristics, but the color scheme is nicely balanced with lots of brown hues, generally accurate fleshtones, and deep brownish blacks. A considerable effort was made to clean up the source element used for this DVD, but artifacts and flecks of dirt are still noticed throughout. Edge enhancement is occasionally present, but pixelization is not much of a problem. (Suzanne Hodges)

Soundtrack:
The Dolby Digital 1.0 soundtrack sounds nicely restored, but is also fraught with distortion. There