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DVD Review
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What Women Want

"Finally....a man is listening!

Reviewed by Matt Goldsmith

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Director

Nancy Meyers

Cast
Mel Gibson,
Helen Hunt,
Marisa Tomei,
Lauren Holly,
Ashley Johnson,
& Alan Alda

Music
Alan Silvestri

Screen Format/s 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio Track/s DD5.1 English
DD2.0 English, Commentary
Subtitle/s English
Region Code 4
Chapters 23
Disc Format DVD9 (Layer Change at Ch 15 72:50)
Running Time 121 minutes
Extras - Animated Menus (with 5.1 music)
- Featurette x2
- Trailers x2
- Showtime Interviews
- Dolby Digital Rain Trailer
- Cast and Crew Bios
- Audio Commentary
Classification PG (Medium Level Sex Scene, Low Level Course Language
Distributor Roadshow
Release date 20th June 2001

This DVD is NOT Anamorphic Widescreen

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It probably won't be until the human race evolves into asexual beings that we will we know what women really want.  Do Women know what they really want?  I mean they always give the impression they're fine, nothing is wrong, but then can completely turn around and say what they mean and feel.  It's a woman's perogative to change her mind afterall?  right?  oh boy!  :)

When Nick (Mel Gibson), a sexist womanising advertising executive has a rather bizarre accident while wearing a few "feminine" products he undergoes a life altering experience that enables him to hear the inner thoughts of anyone or anything female.  
His boss Dan (Alan Alda) just screwed him over for promotion by hiring hotshot ad exec Darcy (Helen Hunt) and Nick decided to use his new-found power to its limit by listening in on Darcy's thoughts and ideas and use them against her to bring her down!! 

All goes well and Nick is on the up, while Darcy is on the down.  Problem is Nick gets to know the real Darcy and is pretty soon conflicted. 
To make matters worse, poor 'ol womanising Nick discovers to his horror that all the women who cross his path hate him, as so does his somewhat estranged teenage daughter Alex (Ashley Johnson)

So how does this transfer hold up?

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VIDEO
Well ya know, for such a new, and big budget movie I was expecting a first rate transfer.   This Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer is nice, but i've seen better.   Sharpness ranges from spot on to just a wee bit soft, and image depth is too flat overall.  The Level is black is also a bit low for the most part and you lose some shadow detail most notibly in people's clothing (the blacks sink into each other and as a result you miss out on that nice fine layering) 
Colour saturation is also a little overdone, with fleshtones taking on a pinky/orange look (i understand this transfer was sourced from an interpostive, which do tend to make things a little pinker than normal, but that's the nature of the beast :). 

This is still a very watchable DVD, but i was kinda hoping for something better (and it does have it's shining moments).

Spread over 2 layers of an RSDL DVD, the layer change occurs at the most unfortunate of spots from chapter 14 to 15, smack bang in the middle of Frank singing...BLASPHEMY!!!!!  :)!
It's also to do with the song juuuuust crossing over into the next scene, so from a Visual POV, the layer change is very good, just not aurally :)

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AUDIO
The Audio certainly won't let you down.  The default Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is surprisingly active for what is at the end of the day another romantic comedy.   Dialogue is always intellegable, even if on occasions a little ADR sounding, but musically it's very very much alive and for once an Alan Silvestri score which didn't sound like another homage to Predator :) 
The surrounds get a nice workout, both musically and sound FX wise. (love the thunder and rain stop.  on a trival note, was it me or did that clap of thunder during the movie sound veeeery much like the thunder used over the Icon Pictures trailer ..hmmmmmm
Also included for your listening pleasure is a Dolby 2.0 mix.  it's good, but not as dynamic or as detailed as it's bigger and better 5.1 brother.

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EXTRAS
A nice compliment indeed.

The animated menus are great, some snazzy little spinning icons can be found on the Special Features menu and there is also sound bits from the movie (in Dolby 5.1, with surrounds in mono)

  • Audio Commentary - Director Nancy Meyer and Production Designer Jon Hutman lend their voices.   Nancy does 95% of the talking and while not a life altering comm track was worth a listen to just to find out a few things about the usuage of the "inner voices"
  • A look Inside - 16 minute featurette which you DO NOT want to watch before seeing the film for the first time as it's almost a step by step descripotion of the film plot!  4x3 DD2.0
  • The making of.....  the usual fluff. 4x3 DD2.0
  • Theatrical Trailers (2) Anamorphic Widescreen DD2.0
  • Cast and Crew Bios
  • Showtime Interview with Andrew Warne.  a 5 minute look at with interviews, etc.  (a region 4 exclusive...nice) 4x3 DD2.0
  • Dolby Rain Trailer
  • English Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired

This film had box office smash hit written all over it well before it's release, and i'm sure the DVD will be the same.  It's a nice little package overall.

PICTURE QUALITY   8/10 lacking a bit on fine detail
SOUND
- Quality
- 5.1 WOW Factor


  9/10 clean and clear
  7/10 better than expected

EXTRAS    7/10 a decent load of goodies

 

Review Equipment
TV: Pioneer SD-T50W1 (16:9 RPTV)
DVD: Pioneer DV717  (using RGB outputs)
Receiver : Denon AVC-A1SE THX Ultra (Dolby Surround EX, DTS-ES Discrete)
Speakers:-
     Mains: Quadral Amun
     Centre: B&W CDMC-SE
     Surrounds Left/Right: B&W 602 (Direct Radiating)
     Surrounds Back : M&K SS500 (THX Diplole)
     Subby: M&K V125 

- Reviewed 13th June 2001

*  jpeg files for internet promotion use only. Copyright© exists on all aspects of these files by Roadshow

 

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