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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Odd Couple II, The
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 31 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau

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

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Video
    (Catalog Number): LD335783WS
    (MPAA Rating): PG13
    (Retail Price): $34.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 97
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 10/98
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Howard Deutch
    (Screenplay/Written By): Neil Simon
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Alan Silvestri
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Dan Bishop
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Seth Flaum
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): NA
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Neil Simon, Robert W. Cort & David Madden

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Super 35
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.40:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.25:1

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    It’s Oscar and Felix together again in The Odd Couple II, Neil Simon’s sequel to the 1968 hit from the 1965 Broadway comedy. This time, the sparring friends meet up 30 years later to attend the marriage of Oscar’s son to Felix’s daughter. The sparks begin to fly as soon as they meet at the Los Angeles airport to drive to the wedding outside of the city. Oscar and Felix may not be getting any younger, but this pair’s antics will never grow old. Both Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau still know how to make us laugh.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The LaserDisc exhibits good color resolution, clarity and sharpness. Color fidelity is fully saturated, with fleshtones that appear slightly orangeish. Contrast and shadow delineation are nicely rendered throughout. Minor artifacts are apparent, but noise is not distracting for an overall pleasing visual presentation. The LaserDisc is framed at 2.25:1, slightly altered from the Super 35 2.35:1 composition.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The LaserDisc’s matrix PCM version is wonderful. The music score is terrific, with the familiar Odd Couple theme often at the forefront of scenes. The music recording is superb with exemplary imaging and soundstage width and depth. Low level ambience is nicely resolved on the matrix PCM version. Dialogue sounds completely natural and is at times nicely integrated spatially. With a pleasant music score and overall effective sound design.
    (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:
    		 Yes
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 No
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The DVD is not anamorphic, but when compared to the nicely rendered LaserDisc, it exhibits improvements in color resolution, clarity and sharpness. Color fidelity is more fully saturated on the DVD, with subtle, more natural fleshtones that appear orangeish on the LaserDisc. Contrast and shadow delineation are nicely rendered throughout both versions. Minor artifacts are apparent on both versions, but noise is not distracting for an overall pleasing visual presentation. The LaserDisc and DVD are framed at 2.25:1, slightly altered from the Super 35 2.35:1 composition. There is no Dolby® Digital soundtrack on the LaserDisc, but the DVD discrete 5.1 soundtrack sounds great, as does the LaserDisc’s matrix PCM version. The music score is terrific, with the familiar Odd Couple theme often at the forefront of scenes. The music recording is superb with exemplary imaging and soundstage width and depth. The discrete is distinguished by split surrounds which are effectively used. Surround envelopment is often aggressive. Low level ambience is slightly better resolved on the matrix PCM version. Dialogue sounds completely natural and is at times nicely integrated spatially. With a pleasant music score and overall effective sound design, either soundtrack experience is sure to please, though the Dolby Digital is preferred.