WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Single White Female
Genre:Thriller

Reviewed In Issue 03 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Bridget Fonda, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Steven Weber, Stephen Tobolowsky.

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

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Columbia/TriStar Home Video
(Catalog Number): 51436
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $34.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 107
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1992
(LD Release Date): 01/01/93
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Barbet Schroeder
(Screenplay/Written By): Don Ross
(Story): NA
(Music): Howard Shore
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Milena Canonero
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): Milena Canonero
(Editor): Lee Percy, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors): Tim Holland & Gloria S. Borders
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Jack Baran
(Co-Producers): Roger Joseph Pugliese
(Producers): Barbet Schroeder

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.63:1

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:
Single White Female is a contemporary thriller based upon the novel, “SWF Seeks Same” by John Lutz. A want-ad opens the door to unrelenting terror and murder in this stylishly chilling psychological shocker with Fonda as a Manhattan computer software designer and Leigh as her deceitful psycho roommate.

LaserDisc Picture:
An interesting aspect of the transfer is the matting at 1.63:1 as read on our Pandora cursor generator. This begs the question: “Why bother?” Theatrically, the film was intended to be projected at 1.85:1 and composed as such. Otherwise the transfer looks fine with accurate fleshtones even in scenes with unusual and difficult lighting.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby Surround® sound is pleasant with a good sense of ambiance in the surrounds, but lacks the definition that would earn this further recognition.
(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: