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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Return To Paradise
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 33 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche & David Conrad

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 2.5
    Sound Rating: 3.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals
    None

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): PolyGram Video
    (Catalog Number): ID5483PG
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $29.99
    (Running Time In Minutes): 112
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 02/99
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Joseph Ruben
    (Screenplay/Written By): Wesley Strick & Bruce Robinson
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Mark Mancina
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Bill Groom (Production Designer)
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Andrew Mondshein & Craig McKay, ECE
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): David Arnold & Ezra Swerdlow
    (Co-Producers): Michael E. Steele & Charles Wang
    (Producers): Alain Bernheim & Steve Golin

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Super 35
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.40:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.32:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital 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:
    Based on the French movie Force Majeure, Return To Paradise stars Vince Vaughn as Sheriff, a New York limousine driver who, two years prior, spent a wild time in Malaysia with friends Tony (Conrad) and Lewis (Phoenix). Unexpectedly, he is approached by a lawyer (Heche) who tells him that Lewis (who remained in Malaysia), will be executed for a drug crime unless he and Tony return and admit their involvement.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The 2.32:1 LaserDisc exhibits a generally natural appearance, with sharp and detailed images and good contrast and shadow delineation, though the picture is sometimes slightly dark. Color fidelity is inconsistently balanced from scene-to-scene and is sometimes naturally rendered. Other times, colors appear oversaturated, with orange fleshtones. Noise, edge enhancement and artifacts are apparent.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The discrete 5.1 soundtrack is largely monaural directed with spurts of spatial dimensionality, aggressive surround and deep, powerful bass enhanced with .1 LFE. Bass when fully engaged is extended to below 25Hz and powerful. Dialogue is close miked or ADR-processed and often wanting in spatial integration. The orchestral music score is nicely recorded with an expansive soundfield. Incredibly, the matrix PCM delivers a more involving spatial soundfield that sounds open and airy with better low level ambient resolution. There are numerous missed opportunities to create soundscapes that would have enhanced the telling of this emotional drama.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): Yes
    (Deep Bass Challenging): Yes
    (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:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The LaserDisc exhibits a generally natural appearance, with sharp and detailed images and good contrast and shadow delineation, though the picture is sometimes slightly dark. The anamorphically enhanced DVD is slightly sharper with improved resolution, but images are sometimes digitally harsh. Color fidelity is inconsistent from scene to scene and is sometimes naturally rendered. Other times, colors appear oversaturated, with orange fleshtones. The DVD exhibits slightly improved clarity, but the picture is over-enhanced with ghostly outlines around objects. The DVD exhibits excessive compression pixelization and occasional video artifacts throughout. The LaserDisc, and anamorphic and letterbox DVD ratios measure 2.32:1. The Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 DVD and LaserDisc soundtrack is largely monaural directed with spurts of spatial dimensionality, aggressive surround and deep, powerful bass enhanced with .1 LFE. Bass when fully engaged is extended to below 25Hz and powerful. Dialogue is close miked or ADR-processed and often wanting in spatial integration. The orchestral music score is nicely recorded with an expansive soundfield. Incredibly, the LaserDisc’s matrix PCM delivers a more involving spatial soundfield that sounds open and airy with better low level ambient resolution. There are numerous missed opportunities to create soundscapes that would have enhanced the telling of this emotional drama.