Westworld [WS]

"Before there was the ""dinosaur theme park goes amuck"" story of Jurassic Park, there was the ""old west theme park runs amuck"" theme in Westworld. Directed by author Michael Crichton (who also wrote the novel Jurassic Park), Westworld was the first film to utilize digital images, as well as Yul Brynner as a walking, stalking, robotic gunslinger. Originally released on DVD by MGM a few years ago, Warner soon acquired the rights and re-released Westworld in the same basic package as MGM. Sporting a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, Westworld suffers from a weak image due to its age. There are many scenes where grain and dirt are present, and many sequences look darker than normal. The transfer also suffers from slight edge enhancement and shimmer, though these imperfections are not as bad as the dirt and grain problems. Colors are usually bright but tended to have a washed-out look. Overall this is a passable, if very weak transfer from Warner. Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 (English and French), and while clear and concise, is nothing impressive. The dialogue, music, and effects show no sign of distortion, and the bulk of the film's audio comes directly from the center speaker. Also included on the Westworld disc are optional English and French subtitles. Since this is the second release of Westworld, one might think that it would get a special edition this time around. Alas, Warner's version of Westworld is about on par with the MGM release. The only supplement included on this disc is a boring theatrical trailer that won't be worth much more than a single viewing. Fans of Westworld will want to pick up this disc; otherwise, this edition of Westworld is mainly shooting blanks."