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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    From Dusk Till Dawn
    Genre:Horror

    Reviewed In Issue 31 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis.

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 4
    Sound Rating: 3
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Dimension Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 12160 AS
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $49.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 108
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1996
    (LD Release Date): 8/98
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Robert Rodriguez
    (Screenplay/Written By): Quentin Tarantino
    (Story): Robert Kurtzman
    (Music): Graeme Revell
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Cecilia Montiel
    (Visual Effects): VIFX
    (Costume Designer): Graciela Mazón
    (Editor): Robert Rodriguez
    (Supervising Sound Editors): Dean Beville
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Lawrence Bender, Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino
    (Co-Producers): Elizabeth Avellan, Paul Hellerman, Robert Kurtzman & John Esposito
    (Producers): Gianni Nunnari & Mier Teper

    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): DTS Digital Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): SDDS & Dolby Digital
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    From Dusk Till Dawn is a non-stop blood-and-guts vampire spree. When the Gecko brothers—disturbed sex-offender Richard (Quentin Tarantino) and thief Seth (George Clooney)—escape from prison and head for the border, they leave a bloody trail behind them. On their way, they kidnap the Fullers—a former minister (Harvey Keitel) and his two kids, Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott (Ernest Liu)—ending in a seedy strip bar filled with vampires. The Geckos and the Fullers engage in an all-night battle resulting in death, gore and strewn body parts.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The DTS® LaserDisc appears to be the same pleasing transfer as the LaserDiscs reviewed in Issue 22. Images are slightly yellow in hue. Images are generally sharp and detailed throughout, though some scenes are slightly out of focus. The picture is matted at 1.82:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The matrix PCM soundtrack is superior in spatial dimension. Discrete surround envelopment is disappointing, except when aggressive split surrounds and the .1 LFE channel is engaged—which doesn’t occur until the confrontation with the vampires. The DTS Digital Surround soundtrack slightly improves on low level ambience resolution and split surround deliniation. But as a whole, this is a inconsistent soundtrack experience that sounds bright and overly produced.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): No
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): No
    (Aggressive Split Surround): No
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The DTS® LaserDisc appears to be the same pleasing transfer as the LaserDiscs reviewed in Issue 22. When the LaserDisc is compared to the non-anamorphic DVD, the DVD exhibits slightly better clarity in both sharpness and color fidelity. The LaserDisc appears slightly yellow in hue, while the DVD is a little redder. Scenes that are slightly out of focus on the LaserDisc exhibit better clarity and detail on the DVD. The LaserDisc and DVD are both matted at 1.82:1. As previously reviewed, the Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 soundtrack was not preferred. The LaserDisc matrix PCM soundtrack was superior in spatial dimension. The DVD’s Dolby Digital soundtrack is the same as the previously reviewed LaserDisc and surround envelopment is disappointing, except when aggressive split surrounds and the .1 LFE channel is engaged—which doesn’t occur until the confrontation with the vampires. The DTS Digital Surround LaserDisc soundtrack slightly improves on low level ambience resolution and split surround deliniation. But as a whole, this is a inconsistent soundtrack experience that sounds bright and overly produced.