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Profile of John Lancaster

John Lancaster

Site Reviewer

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Vital Statistics

Age Group Mid-life crises (45)
Video Likes Sensitive cinematography, intelligent use of location scenery to complement but not distract from the film.
Video Dislikes Dark movies that need to be watched at night to see how much we're not seeing in the murky shadows.
Audio Likes Ambience by subtle use of surrounds. Complementary but unobtrusive score. Imaginative Foley effects.
Audio Dislikes Unrealistic & excessive use of rear surrounds / muffled dialogue.
Favourite DVDs Damage, Pulp Fiction, Ninth Gate, English Patient, Top Gun, Pushing Tin, Mars Attacks, Ronin
Least Favourite DVDs Yellow Submarine, Lethal Weapon 4, Van Halen Live, Green Mile, Perfect Storm, American Beauty
Most Eagerly Awaited DVDs Star Trek Voyager Series

Opinions About Specific Movies and their DVDs

Titanic What is it about LdC that inspires such overwhelming nausea? Probably jealousy I guess. Anyway, it distorts all movies I see with him in them - I guess he's a good actor and he freezes well!
The Matrix The plot is imaginative and credible, the martial arts superb, the soundtrack is awesome and Keanu Reeves fits in well with the machines - so what more do you want? Reference action DVD.
Terminator 2 My Linda what big muscles you have. You can quite easily ignore Arnie in this movie and still have much
Star Wars Deep moral stuff about the choices in life we all have - the dark side or the light side of the force - it's now an old movie (though not in 2001's league of antiquity). It's got it all really. Having not seen it for several years, I fear that it will be a disappointment when it finally reaches DVD.
Godzilla I'd like to know how it got out of Jurassic Park. Run-of-the-mill stuff, though reference quality sub-woofer hoofprints.
Independence Day OK action and interesting CGI till it gets depressingly Americano jingoistic towards the end - could

Equipment

DVD Player Panasonic DMR-E20 , using RGB output
Display Pioneer SD-T50W1 (127cm) . Calibrated with Video Essentials. This display device is 16x9 capable.
Audio Decoder Built in to DVD player . Calibrated with Video Essentials.
Amplification Theta Digital Intrepid
Speakers B&W 602 front/rear. B&W LRC6 Centre / Solid (AKA B&W) 500 SW

Top 10 DVDs

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1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Special Extended Edition (2001)
Best film ever made overall
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2. Gladiator: Deluxe Collector's Edition (2000)
Has everything - film, music extras,
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3. The Matrix (1999)
Visual & audio spectacular - made for HT
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4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Atmospheric, ground-breaking and a plot
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5. A Bug's Life (1998)
Groundbreaking animation
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6. The English Patient (1996)
Beautiful film, soundtrack and Juliet Binoche
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7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Collector's Edition (2000)
Best watched in Mandarin - Beautiful & magical
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8. Three Colours: Blue (Trois Couleurs Bleu) (1993)
Best of the 3 - JB at her best!
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9. Blue Oyster Cult-Long Day's Night, A (2002)
Fabulous concert and sound - current favourite live concert
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10. Dune: Special Edition (1984)
A classic - whether you love it or hate it

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