| Staring:
Amitabh Bachchan, Sundariya, Kadar Khan, Anupam Kher and Mukesh Rishi
Director: E.V.V.
Satyanarayan
Producer: G.A.
Seshagiri and Krishna
Music: Anu Malik
Running time:
176 minutes
Year: 1999 (cinema),
1999 (DVD)
DVD: Single sided
single layered
Authored by: Super
Digital
Release by: Video Sound
Alternate versions: Available
on Eros DVD too;
Eros cover
Extras: None
Video:
Aspect ratio:
~1.95:1 stretched to 1.70:1 frame
Anamorphic enhanced:
No
Format: NTSC
Source:
6/10 Artifacts:
5/10 Sharpness:
5/10 Colour:
7/10 Contrast:
7/10
Comment: Oddity
of a transfer, has two major problems. Framing is incorrect with ~1.95:1
aspect ratio video stretched to 1.70:1 in an non-anamorphic 4:3 frame
resulting in long faced and thin characters. Kind of a pseudo anamorphic
(without the correct flags sets) if you have a widescreen TV to correct
the aspect ratio, otherwise you’re stuck with the incorrect framing.
Second problem is that a near 3hr film has been squeezed onto a single
layered disc with compression problems abundant throughout (bit rate
averaging a low 3Mb/sec). Add on top the excessive video filters applied;
noise reduction and edge enhancement. Having said that video still looks
decent if not DVD quality, the transfer is in progressive/film mode
with OK-ish colour fidelity and contrast (looks a bit murky/orange tint).
Sharpness is just mediocre.
Language/Formats:
Hindi Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: None
Source:
7/10 Clarity:
7/10
Comment:
good proper Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack that mostly delivers lively
and dynamic audio although at times it feels a little shallow and empty
Overall DVD rating:
6/10
- few fundamental problems; framing, single layered disc, no chapter
selection and no subtitles leaves this DVD lacking yet manages to look
better than most recent DVD titles from the likes of Eros, Spark and Yash
Raj Films. An oddity of a DVD indeed.
Links:
- Faddy's
review of Sooryavansham DVD
- Films reviews;
- Rediff
- Planet
Bollywood
- Forum threads;
- Sooryavansham
DVD: Eros vs. VideoSound
Screen shots:
DVD main menu
DVD chapter
tashy Mukesh
in charge
very happy?
down and out AB
cropped video
colour and contrast are generally good
comic relief
regrettable decisions
new style
Click for here full
size image
- same image here
with aspect ratio corrected |
