Congo on PAL Laserdisc

• Cat.no: PLFEB 34131
• Cert: 12
• Running time: 104 minutes
• Sides: 2 (CLV)
• Year: 1995
• Pressing: 1996
• Chapters: 16 (8/8)
• Sound: Dolby Surround
• Widescreen: 1.75:1
• Price: £24.99
  

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  Director:

  Frank Marshall

  (Arachnophobia, Alive)

Producers:

Screenplay:

(director of “Joe Versus The Volcano”)

Music:

Cast:

Karen Ross: Laura Linney (Primal Fear)
Peter Elliot: Dylan Walsh
Monroe Kelly: Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters 1 and 2, Leviathan)
Herkermer Homoika: Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue)
R.B. Travis: Joe Don Baker (Cape Fear, Goldeneye)
Moira: Mary Ellen Trainor (Executive Decision, Die Hard, Ricochet)
Charles Travis: Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead trilogy, Adventures of Brisco County Jr.)

FromMichael Crichton, the author of “Jurassic Park”, comes “Congo” the storyof gorillas in the jungle in which YOU become the endangered species… makingfor obvious comparisons to be drawn with the aforementioned dinosaur-starringclassic.

Following the discovery of a new civilisation in a remote part of the jungle byCharles Travis and his crew, they are promptly bumped off by an angry mothergorilla.

So the scene is set for Peter Elliot, a man who has taught a younger gorillato talk; Karen Ross, played by Laura Linney, one-time girlfriend of RichardGere, in the Laura Dern-type role seeking to find out what exactly went on,especially as a favour to her boss R.B. Travis, the father of Charles.

Also along for the ride is Tim Curry as Herkermer Homoika, a Romanian versionof Richard Attenborough’s authoritative figure who five years ago led adisasterous expedition looking for the city of Zinj which resulted in thedeaths of most of his party.

The question remains: does the city of Zinj really exist, as Homoika seems tothink? After all, he’s been looking for it the whole of his life; or is it,as Monroe Kelly seems to think, nothing more than a myth? If it really doesthen everyone will be very rich considering it’s a massive diamond mine…

Picture quality is very good, with colours coming through well, and the soundis first-rate with surround sound coming into its own any time gorillas makethemselves heard to all concerned, and an unexpected explosion at the airportpacks a meaty punch at exactly 24 minutes 30 seconds into side one. Alsothe sound of the finale certainly sorts out the men from the boys so to speak.

The aspect ratio is approximately 1.75:1 (no ratio is stated on the sleeve) andnothing appears to be missing from the sides, but no doubt the film would havebeen screened in cinemas masked to 1.85:1.

No theatrical trailer is included on the laserdisc which would have been nice,and a few more chapters would have helped to break up some of the longer ones.

For computer owners, a PC CD-ROM game has been released to rave reviewsentitled “Congo: Descent Into Zinj”.

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1996.