Susan Powter-Building Strength with Susan Powter (1993)

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General		Extras
Category	Sports	Main Menu Audio & Animation
Rating
Year Of Production	1993
Running Time	57:04
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Nancy DiToro
Studio Distributor	A Vision Entertainme Warner Vision	Starring	Susan Powter
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	$34.95	Music	Lincoln Apeland Richard McHugh

    This is the second in a series of Susan Powter fitness videos now released on DVD. Susan is an "author, businesswoman, outstanding champion of women's issues, and wellness expert" (according to her biography). Her main claim to fame is that she used to be really fat and lost 133 pounds, so if she can do it so can you, and she is determined to show you how - through books, audio tapes, videos, seminars, ...

    Unlike the other two videos, this is not an aerobic workout but a strength training programme. For maximum benefit, you need dumbbells and ankle weights, but you can vary how heavy these are depending on how fit/strong you are. I did the exercises with hand weights but no ankle weights. You could also try wearing heavy shoes - like hiking boots.

    You also need a straight-backed chair, a long bench or step platform approximately 12-14" off the floor (I used a long ottoman) and a floor mat (if you are exercising on a hard floor like me).

    The programme is shot in a pastel coloured studio and features the same "cast" of fellow exercisers as Susan's first video - Lean, Strong & Healthy.

    As usual, there is only 1 programme on the disc. Susan does a quick introduction, then we get warm ups, followed by a sequence of arm and leg resistance movements of 3 sets of 10 each. There are no abdominal exercises, but there is a stretch warm-down, followed by some congratulatory remarks and final words of wisdom from Susan.

    There are not many variations and modifications in the routines (a classic Susan trademark), but as you can choose the size of the weights you can make the workout as difficult or as easy as you choose.

Video

    This is a full frame transfer, taken from an analogue video source intended for duplication onto VHS tapes.

    The quality of the composite video source is pretty much as you would expect - rather soft, with smeary colours.

    The quality of the video is probably acceptable if you are watching this on a small screen display, but will be somewhat painful on a projector.

    Given that the duration of the feature is less than 1 hour, I did not expect significant compression artefacts. In any event, the only artefact I noticed is an occasional Gibb's effect ringing, which sometimes cause the vertical lines on the back of the studio to flutter. I also noticed a slight blurring of detail in the exercisers as they go through the movements - I am not sure whether this is a transfer fault or inherent in the source.

    There is no subtitle track on this single sided, single layered disc, but you don't need one.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    There are two audio tracks present: English and German Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s). The default audio track is English. I'm not sure how you would select the German audio track without using the DVD player controls since there is no audio selection menu.

    The quality of the audio transfer is pretty average for an analogue video source.

    I did not notice any problems with the audio, and there were no audio synchronization issues.

    I found the dialogue relatively clear and easy to understand. Background music is non-obtrusive.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    There is absolutely no extras on this disc, however the menu is animated and includes background audio. There is a short intro prior to displaying the menu.

    This title has yet to be released in Region 1.

    Susan Powter - Building Strength with Susan Powter is another fitness video from Susan Powter. This one contains strength/resistance training.

    The video quality is rather soft and based on an analogue composite video source.

    The audio quality is average.

    There are no extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall