In this review, I am comparing the US release
Slipstream (1989) [ID6764VV] and the Japanese release
Slipstream (1989) [SF047-1653]It is a rather unknown film, so a few words on it first. For the good part, the films stars Mark Hamill(Luke Skywalker y'all), Bill Paxton, Ben Kingsley and F. Murray Abraham. Got interested? I know....but why didn't you hear about this film before? Well.., now the bad part, it is a bad film! It's a cheesy sci-fi from late the 80s but we love that, don't we?
Let's talk some technical stuff. The US version is listed P&S whereas the JPN version is LBX for a 1.78:1 frame. I have a reason to believe they are both framed and masked differently from the original 35mm print. The US version has a little more information on top and bottom but still cropped from sides. I gave up watching the Japanese version after 10 minutes, more on that later. Per imdb, the intended ratio is 1.75:1 so the JPN version is the correct one for the purist but the US version is so well framed, it is my choice.
Now let's evaluate the video. Neither version can be considered good. They are different masters for sure. The Japanese version is orange tinted and the US version is blue tinted. The JPN version has heavy chroma noise. Orange is made up of secondaries which is even weaker on the NTSC signal on LD than other colors. This might be a good reason the JPN version is chroma noisy. Teal/blue is among primaries, although well saturated colors isn't LD's main strength, it suffers far less on primaries. The US version is reasonably well in noise levels for both chroma and luma. You can even see some film grain and texture. This is not a superNTSC master so most colors are dull as usual. To sum it all, if you want the original aspect ratio and orange tint, you will have to put up with heavy chroma noise. If you ask my opinion, I prefer the clean US version, in fact, the blue tint isn't as pronounced as the orange tint on the JPN version. For the record, the JPN disc has Japanese subtitles within partially in picture.
The audio is good, not magnificent but good. The score is well Star Wars'ic, the composer must have been carried away with Mark Hamill's presence. Remember, this film was made only 5 years after the Jedi and Hamill is still fit. It is a Dolby Surround encoded sountrack and rear surrounds are active the entire film. A lot of ambient and orchestral scores filling the room. I think the soundtrack of this film is very enthusiastic and well above average. Both JPN and USA discs have the same soundtrack for the record. They are both consistent with each other.
Neither jacket is interesting. They are both single disc with CLV encode. The JPN disc comes with obi. The US disc has the theatrical poster on the front.
Notes: This film appeared to have been shot in Capadoccia in Turkey. It is a several millennia old natural valley with some of the oldest human settlements traces such as an underground city with many caves. It is said that the local people today speaks Aramaic natively (which Jesus spoke two millennia ago)