Director Alan J. Pakula's intelligent, disturbing conspiracy thriller, "The Parallax View" has never been adequately presented before now.  The Paramount presentation preserves the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio, crucial in capturing the incredible compositions Pakula carefully orchestrates from the first scene 'til the last.   While colors aren't as consistently sharp as on other Paramount dvd releases, they're generally bright, and the fleshtones are consistent throughout.  The mono sound is unremarkable.

Jane Fonda's never looked as good as she does in "Barbarella" and this is the best presentation we've ever seen of the film, either in theaters or on the two previous letterboxed laserdiscs available.  The 16:9 enhancement brings out the color and clarity to every nuance of the dazzling production design.  The 2.35:1 aspect ratio is intact, and the mono sound is in great condition, perfectly replicating the vocal and music tracks flawlessly.  A trailer is included.

Our choice for the best film of 1998, "A Simple Plan" has received a magnifcent transfer for the dvd release.  To begin with, Danny Elfman's moving, hypnotic score works its way through the speakers with a powerful force due to the dolby digital 5.1 sound mix.  The transfer also makes some of the best use of directional effects we've experienced on dvd so far!  The image looks wonderful with greys and blacks that are easy to distinguish in even the darkest scenes.  Add the wonderful 16:9 enhancement process, becoming a standard for Paramount DVD releases, and this makes for one of the best dvds of 1999!!!

There's not enough praise we can give to "Witness", Peter Weir's finest film to date!  Although both laserdisc versions were fine, it takes this 16:9 enhanced dvd to really present the film correctly.  The film's setting is as important as any other element of the film, and now we can finally make out every blade of grass in the film's opening funeral scene as the Amish mourners move throught the field.  The majestic score by the great Maurice Jarre is perfectly complimented with the dolby digital 5.1 sound mix, offering true full range for the most effective representation.   Included is a wondeful interview with Weir, in which he gives some intriguing information as to how and why he cast the film as he did, justifying the film's realistic ending.

Another fine film from Peter Weir, "Gallipoli" has also received the star treatment on DVD from Paramount.  Although it's been released twice in the letterbox format on laserdisc, neither version comes close to the perfection acheived here in either color values or sound quality.  The 2.35:1 aspect ratio offers a necessary epic quality to the film's vast landscapes and design.  The colors are sharp and details are flawless whether depicting the dull color of desert, or various color patterns under shrapnel-filled oceans.  The dolby digital 5.1 sound mix is a little dated, but the .1 frequency adds greatly to the action scenes.