What started out as a mind-altering experience, soon begins to alter Dr. Jessup's physical being as well. Look for Drew Barrymore and John Larroquette in small supporting roles. Warner's transfer is very detailed, with a consistently sharp image. Additionally, colors reproduce with the amazing accuracy. The vivid, highly saturated hues never become distorted, nor do they display any traces of chroma noise.
Blacks are a deep velvety black, and the transfer delivers good contrast.
Digital compression artifacts are never overt, thanks to solid DVD authoring. The 1980 vintage soundtrack has been re-mixed into Dolby Digital 5.1, with marvelous results. Instead of just transcribing Dolby Surround stems into the 5.1 channel format, this mix seems to be a lot more aggressive and broadly mixed than anything from 1980. Sounds seem to swirl around the viewer enveloping them in the sonic assaults that accompany the film's psychedelic excursions into altered states of consciousness. Sure, the soundstage is definitely more open than standard Dolby Surround, however the track isn't as intense as something recorded within the last three years.