Method of making and using a normally white twisted nematic LCD with negative retardation film on each side of liquid crystal

A method of making and using a normally white twisted nematic liquid crystal display comprising the steps of:

• sandwiching a liquid crystal layer between first and second substrates;
• providing electrodes for selectively applying voltage across the liquid crystal layer in a number of different pixels;
• providing a front orientation or rub film and a rear orientation or rub film on opposite sides of the liquid crystal layer, the rear and front orientation films having orientation or rub directions substantially perpendicular to one another;
• providing a rear polarizer having a transmission axis and a front polarizer or analyzer having a transmission axis on opposite sides of the liquid crystal layer, the rear and front polarizers oriented so as to define a normally white display;
• providing a first negative retardation layer having a retardation value (d.multidot..DELTA.n) of from about 80-200 nm between the liquid crystal layer and one of the polarizers, the first negative retardation layer having an optical axis substantially perpendicular to substantially planar surfaces of the substrates;
• providing a second retardation layer located so that the liquid crystal layer is located between the first and second retardation layers;
• and
• directing light from a backlight through the rear polarizer so that the liquid crystal display exhibits a white light contrast ratio of at least about 10:1 over a vertical angular span of greater than about 60.degree. and over a horizontal angular span greater than about 100.degree..