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    WSR Detailed DVD Review
    Pitch Black


    R-rated
    Genre: Science Fiction

    Reviewed In Issue 43 (Nov 2000) Of Widescreen Review®

    Stars:
    Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Vin Diesel, Keith David, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Claudia Black & Rhiana Griffith

    WSR Review Scores
    WSR Picture Rating: 5
    DD Sound Rating: 4.5
    DTS Sound Rating: 5
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score: 3
    Internet Links
    http://www.universalstudios.com/home
    http://www.dtsonline.com
    Special Features
    Includes a making-of featurette and two audio commentaries: one with David Twohy, Vin Diesel, and Cole Hauser; the other with Twohy, producer Tom Engelman and visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang. There are also production notes, cast and crew biographies, theatrical trailers, and a Raveworld Pitch Black Events (dance parties promoting the movie) video.


     DVD General Information

    (Studio/Distributor): Universal Studios Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 21110
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Rating Reason):

    		 Rated R for sci-fi violence and gore and for language.
    (Retail Price): $26.98
    (DVD Type): Single Side, Dual Layer (DVD9)
    (Widescreen Edition): Yes
    (Full Screen Edition): No
    (Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
    (Running Time In Minutes): 109
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): No
    (Regional Coding): 1
    (Theatrical Year): 2000
    (Theatrical Release): Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release): No
    (DVD Release Date): 10/24/00
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

     Credits Information

    (Director): David Twohy
    (Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
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    (Supervising Sound Editors): Subscribe Now!
    (Re-Recording Mixers): Subscribe Now!
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      DVD Picture Information

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    (Measured DVD Letterbox Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!

      DVD Sound Information

    (DVD Soundtrack): Subscribe Now!
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    (WSR Superb Sound Qualities): Subscribe Now!

      WSR Narrative Review
    Special Notes:
    Also available in an unrated version (catalog number 21106).

    Story Synopsis:
    When mechanical failures cause the crash landing of a spaceship on an abandoned planet, the surviving passengers

    DVD Picture:
    The anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 DVD exhibits the same excellent quality. The picture is sharp and finely detailed, with crisp details and impeccable clarity. The alien planet under the yellow & red suns is an absolutely engrossing picture, as are scenes when the blue sun rises. As discussed in the audio commentary, cinematographer David Eggby used filters in front of the light sources, instead of using red or blue filters on the camera lens, then made an unprecedented decision to bleach-bypass the original negative-as opposed to the interpositive. In normal cases when an interpositive is bleach-bypassed, the process is visually done to enhance blacks (as in Se7en), and every scene is affected. Eggby and director David Twohy wanted an overexposed, radical look for the exterior scenes only, while scenes on the spaceship and during the eclipse to be processed normally. Colors are vibrant and balanced in the normally processed scenes, while appearing surreal and beautiful in the bleach-bypassed scenes. Lighting was weighed heavily during filming because, during the eclipse, the only light on the planet would originate from whatever the space travellers had available (flashlights, candles, or fiber optics from the space ship). Backlighting was used during the rain sequences, but most of the time, blackness fills the backgrounds. This is a visually stunning picture on all accounts. (Suzanne Hodges)

    Soundtrack:
    The Dolby

    This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
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