DVD Verdict - The DVD Verdict Manifesto

The DVD Verdict Manifesto

Mission Statement

Truth, cinematic justice, and the digital way...we hold these values dear at DVD Verdict. We are a DVD review site not just for home theater enthusiasts, but for film lovers in general, whether they like their films served on shiny silver discs or not. Our goal is to present unique, informative, and thoughtful film criticism, coupled with—though never overshadowed by—an assessment of each film's DVD presentation.

Our Principles

Our Mission Statement begins with three principles: truth, cinematic justice, and the digital way. These values reflect our approach to our reviews and DVD coverage.

Truth
The public regards film reviewers with suspicion. Unfortunately, attention-grabbing journalists, seduced by the studios, have sullied the reputation of film criticism by allowing their names to be attached to marketing department blurbs. Not so with DVD Verdict. While we do receive review copies of many discs from the studios or their public relations firms, our reviews and editorial coverage are in no way influenced by a desire to curry favor with those who give us free films. We give you our straightforward opinion, uninfluenced by any outside force.

Justice
You will find reviews at DVD Verdict that you will find at no other online review source. Why? Because we believe that each film, whether high-profile or unknown, deserves equal representation under the law. If a studio proffers us a title to review, we accept it and review it, giving equal treatment to each. We treat all films equally on their own merits. As part of this principle, we make every effort to pair each disc with a judge who will give it fair treatment. Each judge brings his or her own sensibilities to a film. We go to great lengths to ensure that every defendant, from the latest Van Damme opus to a rarefied Dogme 95 film, appears before the judge best suited to appreciate it and evaluate the case on its merits.

The Digital Way
We love DVD—naturally, because we chose to review films in that medium rather than theatrically or on television. DVD is the best technology currently available to bring the theater experience to home audiences. We feel strongly that all studios, film directors, DVD producers, and other parties in the publication of a DVD title should respect DVD presentation quality standards (as outlined later in this document) that are just and fair and right for both film aficionados and home theater enthusiasts.

Our Purpose

Many DVD publications, both online and offline, give cursory notice to a film in favor of a breakdown of its technical merits in excruciating detail. Not at DVD Verdict. We believe that the prime motivation for the purchase of a DVD should always be the film (or other main program) itself. Certainly, a poor technical presentation can ruin the experience of even the best films, but high bitrates and stacks of supplemental features do nothing to improve poor films. When reviewing a disc, our reviewers give primary importance to a critique of the film itself. We endeavor to back up every opinion with facts and interpretation that will enable you to see that our critiques are justly founded. Since this is a DVD review site, we also give a thorough critique of the disc's technical presentation and supplemental features. However, we are not a site staffed by or written for hardcore technophiles. Our staff members' review systems consist of mid-range consumer grade equipment, and their critiques of the technical presentation are made through careful observation, not scientific analysis. Their comments on the technical quality of any disc should be considered subjective opinion, not objective fact.

Scoring Methodology

The Scales of Justice—the 0-100 scores given to Video, Audio, Extras, Acting, and Story—are the opinion of the reviewer and should never be considered a replacement for comments made in the body of the review. Our reviewers use their own formulae for assigning the numeric ratings, and the ratings are subject to a certain degree of reviewer tilt or bias. Generally, we assign scores keeping in mind the scales most teachers use when assigning letter grades—91-100 is an A, 81-90 is a B, and so on.

DVD Verdict's Decree of DVD Presentation Quality Standards

The following standards are what we expect of every single DVD to be presented in our courtroom. Though these standards only address the technical and physical presentation on a DVD, we believe these rules will result in satisfaction for any member of the public wishing to view a film on DVD. Studios, directors, and DVD producers should adhere to these standards so consumers will receive optimum value from their purchases, film lovers will be able to witness a film in its original theatrical presentation (or as close as the home theater can approximate), and home theater enthusiasts will not have purchased top-of-the-line equipment in vain.

Video Presentations
All films must be presented in their theatrical aspect ratio. Where a differing aspect ratio is desired by the director, studio, or other interested parties, it must be as an alternative to the theatrical aspect ratio, either as part of the same disc or as a separate release. All widescreen films with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 or greater must be presented as anamorphic transfers. All video transfers should be as free of negative defects as possible given the extant source materials and age of the film. However, digital defects of all manner should be held as close to nonexistent as possible. Edge enhancement is unnecessary and should not be used.

Audio Presentations
All films must be presented with their theatrical audio formats intact. Audio remixes to current standards are welcome and encouraged where appropriate, but they must be included as an alternative to the theatrical audio format rather than as a replacement. An exception to this rule is when the remix is a parallel move, such as from 2.0 surround to Dolby Digital 5.1, or from Dolby Digital 5.1 to Dolby Digital 5.1 EX. All audio transfers should be as free of defects (such as hiss, pops, or other background noise) as possible given the extant source materials and age of the film.

Subtitles
All English-language films must be presented with optional English subtitles. Additional language subtitles should be included for languages spoken in areas where the disc will be reasonably expected to be distributed. In case of Region 1 discs, French and Spanish subtitles should be included where possible. Closed captioning is not an acceptable substitute for optional subtitles.

Extras
The extras included on a disc must be proportionate to the retail price, when compared to the prices of discs published by peer studios. A theatrical trailer must be considered the bare minimum of extras on a DVD.

Packaging
DVDs should be packaged in plastic keep cases, such as those manufactured by Amaray or Alpha. Where alternative packaging is desired, it should be of quality and durability comparable to that of the standard keep case.