Liquid crystal display device with a pair of discotic liquid crystal compensating films

A liquid crystal display device comprising:nfirst and second polarizing plates which are arranged such that respective transmission axes thereof are perpendicular to each other as seen from an observation side of the liquid crystal display device;a liquid crystal cell which is arranged between the first and second polarizing plates, and which has a rectangular shape as seen from the observation side; anda backlight which is provided on a side of the liquid crystal cell opposite from the observation side, with one of the polarizing plates positioned between the backlight and the liquid crystal cell;wherein the liquid crystal cell includes:na first substrate having at least one first electrode on one side;a second substrate which is arranged to face said one side of the first substrate, and which has at least one second electrode facing the first electrode on one side of the second substrate facing said one side of the first substrate; anda liquid crystal layer, including liquid crystal molecules, which is provided between the first and second electrodes, and which is in a homogeneous state when an electric field is not applied between the first and second electrodes;wherein the liquid crystal layer is set such that, when in the homogeneous state, as seen from the observation side, the liquid crystal molecules are twist-aligned from a first molecular aligning direction on a side of the liquid crystal layer adjacent to the first substrate toward a second molecular aligning direction on a side of the liquid crystal layer adjacent to the second substrate, wherein a line substantially bisecting a twist angle defined between the first and second molecular aligning directions is parallel or perpendicular to each peripheral side of the liquid crystal cell and is parallel or perpendicular to each of the transmission axes of the first and second polarizing plates; andwherein the liquid crystal display device further comprises:na first viewing angle compensating film which is arranged between the first polarizing plate and the liquid crystal cell, and which comprises a first layer of discotic liquid crystal molecules which has a negative optical anisotropy, wherein an optical axis of the first layer is parallel with the line substantially bisecting the twist angle as seen from the observation side of the liquid crystal display device, and wherein inclination angles of the discotic liquid crystal molecules continuously change along a thickness direction of the first layer; anda second viewing angle compensating film which is arranged between the second polarizing plate and the liquid crystal cell, and which comprises a second layer of discotic liquid crystal molecules which has a negative optical anisotropy, wherein an optical axis of the second layer is parallel with the line substantially bisecting the twist angle as seen from the observation side of the liquid crystal display device, and wherein inclination angles of the discotic liquid crystal molecules continuously change along a thickness direction of the second layer;wherein a direction of the optical axis of the first layer of discotic liquid crystal molecules is opposite to a direction of the optical axis of the second layer of discotic liquid crystal molecules.