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Dom Robinson reviews

Multiplicity

Distributed by

Columbia TriStar

Cat.no: CDR 94250
Cert: 12
Running time: 113 minutes
Year: 1995
Pressing: 1998
Region(s): 2, PAL
Chapters: 28 plus extras
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround
Languages: English
Subtitles: English, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Icelandic, Hindi, Hebrew.
Widescreen: 2.35:1
16:9-Enhanced: Yes
Macrovision: Yes
Price: £19.99
Extras : Scene index, Theatrical trailer

Director:

Harold Ramis

Caddyshack, Groundhog Day

Producers:

Trevor Albert & Harold Ramis

Screenplay:
Chris Miller, Mary Hale, Harold Ramis, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel

Music:

George Fenton

Cast:

Doug Kinney: Michael Keaton

Batman, Batman Returns, Clean And Sober, Desperate Measures, The Dream Team, Jackie Brown, My Life, Pacific Heights

Laura Kinney: Andie MacDowell

Bad Girls, The End Of Violence, Four Weddings And A Funeral, Green Card, Groundhog Day, Michael, sex lies and videotape, Short Cuts

Del King: Richard Masur

And The Band Played On, License To Drive, The Man Without A Face, My Girl 2, Stephen King's IT, The Thing

Multiplicity is the tale of a man, Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) with too many demanding responsibilities, namely his job, his wife (Andie MacDowell) and two children who have baseball matches and ballet classes to attend. As anyone will tell you, there simply aren't enough hours in the day!

As he approaches the verge of a nervous breakdown he meets the world famous geneticist, Dr. Owen Leeds, who gives Doug the chance to get his life back on track and literally put him in two places at once... or more if he so desires. This film is proof that Dolly The Sheep was just the beginning as events have taken a step forward...

The picture quality damn near perfect with motion artifacts hardly present. The film is presented in its original widescreen ratio of 2.35:1, is enhanced for 16:9 widescreen televisions - thus allowing for higher resolution - and the average bitrate is a low 3.91 Mb/s. Normally this could result in blocky artifacts all over the screen, but this certainly isn't the case here. Even close scrutiny reveals only minor artifacts which won't be noticeable to anyone who doesn't have their face pressed against the screen, so the low bitrate doesn't hinder the film one bit.

The 2.35:1 ratio is essential for a film like this. It isn't a ratio that Harold Ramis often makes a point of using it seems, but when all hell breaks loose and there are a number of Doug's in existence, they fill the screen collectively. As one of them makes a statement, the rest will react. In fullscreen you'll lose the essence of this altogether, so thankfully Columbia TriStar have done the ratio justice.

The sound comes in two formats: Dolby Digital 5.1 which will benefit all of those with the suitable hardware and Dolby Surround for everyone else with a surround setup. The sound comes across very clearly, so no complaints there, but - being a comedy - this isn't exactly an explosion-fest so your system is unlikely to get a major workout with this title.

Extras :

Chapters/Theatrical Trailer :

There are 28 chapters spread throughout the 113 mins of the film which is just about enough here, although it would be nice to have a separate one at the end for the closing credits.

There's no confusion this time over the "Trailer" option from the main menu. It seems Columbia have learnt their lesson after providing a compilation trailer on earlier releases as this is the original theatrical trailer.

Languages/Subtitles :

There's just the one language on this disc - English - plus subtitles in English, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Icelandic, Hindi and Hebrew.

Menu :

The interactive menu works well. Just dragging the mouse pointer over an option highlights it, although the menu is static. On playing the disc you get the Columbia TriStar logo before the main menu appears.

When you select the "Start Movie" option, before it begins you'll be presented with a "Sony Pictures DVD Center" logo, followed by the Dolby Digital helicopter demo, then the copyright logo and finally the film itself.

Overall, to this reviewer this comedy never quite breaks into full stride. A number of interesting ideas crop up as Doug - and himself three times over - get into different situations, but they're never taken to the comedy limits that they could have reached.

Still, if you're a fan of this film then it will be worth getting this disc as the picture and sound are superb, it comes bundled with the theatrical trailer and Columbia have now brought their prices back into line with most other DVD distributors by charging just a penny under 20quid.

FILM	 		: ***
PICTURE QUALITY		: *****
SOUND QUALITY		: ****
EXTRAS			: *½
-------------------------------
OVERALL			: ***½

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1998.

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