Story Synopsis:
Dolores Claiborne is an emotionally engrossing and intensely unsettling story based on the Stephen King novel. Kathy Bates stars as the strong-willed woman, who, after years of abuse from her husband is believed to have murdered her husband and is now accused of murdering her bedridden employer. It is at this time that her estranged daughter Selena (Leigh), an investigative journalist, re-enters her mother’s life to relive a painful past that Dolores tells via flashbacks.

DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced DVD, viewed in component video, exhibits stylized colors throughout. Exterior scenes are rendered with blue filters. Images are sharper than the LaserDisc reviewed in Issue 18, with finer detail and definition, though often the picture appears "digital" and hard-edged. Minor compression pixelization is apparent, though there are no artifacts for a picture that is generally pleasing throughout. The DVD measures 2.32:1, anamorphic and letterbox.

Soundtrack:
The matrix Dolby® Surround soundtrack sounds virtually the same as the previously reviewed LaserDisc. This is basically a straightforward mix, with mono-directed dialogue, and predominantly mono sound effects. Danny Elfman’s music score is the only element of the soundtrack with dimension and spatial depth. It is well-recorded, expansive and occasionally has an aggressive presence. Bass extension is sparsely present.