Films (Almost Entirely Surround)

[4-earredwonder]

Last night I watched Shout Factory's amazing BD~V remaster of Cat People with Nastassja Kinski, William Heard and Malcolm McDowell. Music by Giorgio Moroder and David Bowie. I've had the movie on Laserdisc and DVD but this "Collector's Edition" which is NOW on sale @ Amazon is like watching a Criterion restoration. Discrete use of surround but don't expect to be overwhelmed but there are definitely discrete elements. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Cat-People-Blu-ray/61776/

And still a VERY kinky film....after all these years.

Also on order is Shout Factory's remaster of The Howling also in 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio 48/96. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Howling-Blu-ray/25056/ Also on Sale.

 

[Lute]

I love 80s horror films. They once seemed so gory and over the top, but watching them now I am often surprised by how quiet and calm they were.
Everything today seems so gory and over the top. :yikes LOL! I am finally getting into Penny Dreadful. It started a little slow, but so did Hannibal. Btw, how's the surround mix on the Hannibal Blurays?

 

[4-earredwonder]

I love 80s horror films. They once seemed so gory and over the top, but watching them now I am often surprised by how quiet and calm they were.
Everything today seems so and over the top. :yikes LOL! I am finally getting into Penny Dreadful. It started a little slow, but so did Hannibal. Btw, how's the surround mix on the Hannibal Blurays?

Brett, LOVE the first two episodes of Penny Dreadful, Season 3. ALL Three Seasons of Hannibal on BD~V are amazing and the surround is fantastic. They were blowing them out at Amazon, el cheapo and the sets do include unaired episodes as bonuses.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Now watching: Dark City - BD - 7.1

 

[Snood]

Now watching: Dark City - BD - 7.1

OMG one of SNOOOOOOOOOD's Fave movies - freaaaaaaaaaaaaky, lotta peeps not get it.

Jennifer Connelly is yummmy tooooooooooooooooooooo

Kiefer's best

Hmm snood have old dvd should me upgrade?

 

[edisonbaggins]

OMG one of SNOOOOOOOOOD's Fave movies - freaaaaaaaaaaaaky, lotta peeps not get it.

Hmm snood have old dvd should me upgrade?

I haven't seen the DVD, but I'll report back on the picture and sound, k? Do you have the director's cut or theatrical? The BD comes with both.

 

[ji eff]

I haven't seen the DVD, but I'll report back on the picture and sound, k? Do you have the director's cut or theatrical? The BD comes with both.

I had the DVD for years and watched the theatrical version countless times.. When I upgraded for the Blu-ray and saw the Director's Cut for the first time it was like watching a whole new movie; a bunch of new scenes, less plot giveaways, characters I'd never seen before.. It's waaaay cool ! The only "downgrade" to me is the singing performances on stage by Jennifer Connelly (yummy indeed, Snood!). In the Director's Cut it's her voice we hear, while on the Theatrical Version it's an overdub by professional singer Anita Kelsey.. Night and day.. @: But that version of the song "Sway" featured on the film and the soundtrack CD... WOW!! They made a bluesy-jazzy song out of it.. All the other versions I'd heard out there are somewhat "peppy", fast tempoed dance music.

 

[Snood]

I had the DVD for years and watched the theatrical version countless times.. When I upgraded for the Blu-ray and saw the Director's Cut for the first time it was like watching a whole new movie; a bunch of new scenes, less plot giveaways, characters I'd never seen before.. It's waaaay cool ! The only "downgrade" to me is the singing performances on stage by Jennifer Connelly (yummy indeed, Snood!). In the Director's Cut it's her voice we hear, while on the Theatrical Version it's an overdub by professional singer Anita Kelsey.. Night and day.. @: But that version of the song "Sway" featured on the film and the soundtrack CD... WOW!! They made a bluesy-jazzy song out of it.. All the other versions I'd heard out there are somewhat "peppy", fast tempoed dance music.

Ugggggggh just upgraded and bought the bluray lol - will blow my buddies mind in a couple weeks when he comes over - which version should Snood select for my bud the scifi noob?

 

[ji eff]

Ugggggggh just upgraded and bought the bluray lol - will blow my buddies mind in a couple weeks when he comes over - which version should Snood select for my bud the scifi noob?

Hmmm.. hard to say.. I think the Theatrical version was done for the very reason you mentioned: If a lot of people get a bit lost and don't quite "get" the film when watching the theatrical version, the Director's Cut? Forget it.. You lose everyone who isn't quite "alert", or isn't sober for that matter.. lol ^_^

A big difference between the two versions is the big giveaway at the very beginning of the film in the Theatrical version; A narration by Kiefer that explains a big "chunk" of the "plot/twist".. While on the other one you're thrown in the Dark City universe blindfolded..

 

[salsdali]

Last night I watched Shout Factory's amazing BD~V remaster of Cat People with Nastassja Kinski, William Heard and Malcolm McDowell.

Speaking of Shout Factory, their release of They Live Collector’s Edition is awesome. The video is pristine and the 5.1 mix, while not that immersive in surround, is a pretty cool sounding soundtrack for being so low key and simple.

Can't believe I've never heard of Dark City, I just ordered it from amazon.

I'm usually up on weird movies like Altered States, Blade Runner, Donnie Darko, Apocalypto, Gattaca, Jacob's Ladder, etc but Dark City just slipped under my radar.

For any Jennifer Connelly fans, don't miss Requiem for a Dream (7.1), A Beautiful Mind or Hulk (can you tell I have a crush on her lol)

 

[ji eff]

Speaking of Shout Factory, their release of They Live Collector’s Edition is awesome. The video is pristine and the 5.1 mix, while not that immersive in surround, is a pretty cool sounding soundtrack for being so low key and simple.

Can't believe I've never heard of Dark City, I just ordered it from amazon.

I'm usually up on weird movies like Altered States, Blade Runner, Donnie Darko, Apocalypto, Gattaca, Jacob's Ladder, etc but Dark City just slipped under my radar.

For any Jennifer Connelly fans, don't miss Requiem for a Dream (7.1), A Beautiful Mind or Hulk (can you tell I have a crush on her lol)

They Live... ha! ^_^ Obey... Marry and Reproduce... (I want those glasses.. mine don't do that!)

If you like weird movies, there was one from 1990 called Braindead (not to confuse with the other dozen of films with the same name..). It features Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton. here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099173/

I imagine you must be familiar with David Cronenberg's films? Naked Lunch was f***ed up! Crash (1996) was a surprisingly entertaining. Existenz is a classic. And Maps to the Stars was sooooo cool! (the scene were Julianne Moore is "sitting" while talking to her new help/maid.. sooo good ^_^)

I haven't had the chance to watch Altered States, but I heard the soundtrack by John Corigliano (The Red Violin composer) and I was surprised when I realized John Carpenter used a long sample from it in his movie In The Mouth Of Madness... it's even on the soundtrack.

Requiem for a Dream? that was so "cruel"... Almost as hard on a sensitive viewer as the original "Last House on the Left".. (and the rooooad leads to nowhere..) that bit of lyrics stuck with me ever since.

 

[salsdali]

Naked Lunch was f***ed up!

The Criterion edition is fantastic.

Burroughs: The Movie (The Criterion Collection) is an interesting supplemental blu-ray if you're into Burroughs real life.

Existenz is a classic.

Agreed. A very under-rated film. IMO, it was the fore-runner to Inception.

I haven't had the chance to watch Altered States,

one of my favorites, in the same vein as Cat People.

 

[4-earredwonder]

They Live... ha! ^_^ Obey... Marry and Reproduce... (I want those glasses.. mine don't do that!)

If you like weird movies, there was one from 1990 called Braindead (not to confuse with the other dozen of films with the same name..). It features Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton. here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099173/

I imagine you must be familiar with David Cronenberg's films? Naked Lunch was f***ed up! Crash (1996) was a surprisingly entertaining. Existenz is a classic. And Maps to the Stars was sooooo cool! (the scene were Julianne Moore is "sitting" while talking to her new help/maid.. sooo good ^_^)

I haven't had the chance to watch Altered States, but I heard the soundtrack by John Corigliano (The Red Violin composer) and I was surprised when I realized John Carpenter used a long sample from it in his movie In The Mouth Of Madness... it's even on the soundtrack.

Requiem for a Dream? that was so "cruel"... Almost as hard on a sensitive viewer as the original "Last House on the Left".. (and the rooooad leads to nowhere..) that bit of lyrics stuck with me ever since.

Talk about a really F**CKED UP film, look no further than Philip Ridley's "The Reflecting Skin" starring a young Viggo Mortensen. As Roger Ebert Surmised: It was in the same vein as Blue Velvet and other David Lynch films but it's better.

I despised TRAFFIC [TRASHic}. I thought it to be manipulative and condescending. The Academy Award should have gone instead to Ang Lee's masterwork Brokeback Mountain. Ironically, LEE won Best Director but so ruefully overlooked was Heath Ledger's brooding, angst~ridden performance. He should definitely have won BEST ACTOR. Special mention should also go to Gustavo Santaolalla's haunting and eclectic score blending old and new into a soundscape commensurate with Lee's bleak but beautiful images.

LOVE Existenz. Map to the Stars is an acquired taste........Julianne Moore of course gave a beautiful performance but the film left me cold. Altered States with that wonderful John Corigliano score is a bit dated and truth be told, the score sounded so much better in the movie theater where I first saw AS. Maybe I should raise the volume on the blu ray to replicate that magnficent theater sound.

I have Reflecting Skin on laserdisc. Its currently available in a superbly [from the reviews] restored steelbook version for region B players. My next player will definitely be all region. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Reflecting-Skin-Blu-ray/138895/

 

[Snood]

They Live... ha! ^_^ Obey... Marry and Reproduce... (I want those glasses.. mine don't do that!)

If you like weird movies, there was one from 1990 called Braindead (not to confuse with the other dozen of films with the same name..). It features Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton. here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099173/

I imagine you must be familiar with David Cronenberg's films? Naked Lunch was f***ed up! Crash (1996) was a surprisingly entertaining. Existenz is a classic. And Maps to the Stars was sooooo cool! (the scene were Julianne Moore is "sitting" while talking to her new help/maid.. sooo good ^_^)

I haven't had the chance to watch Altered States, but I heard the soundtrack by John Corigliano (The Red Violin composer) and I was surprised when I realized John Carpenter used a long sample from it in his movie In The Mouth Of Madness... it's even on the soundtrack.

Requiem for a Dream? that was so "cruel"... Almost as hard on a sensitive viewer as the original "Last House on the Left".. (and the rooooad leads to nowhere..) that bit of lyrics stuck with me ever since.

Wow some of Snoods faves there especially Crash & Naked Lunch........and Altered States is a classic along with Videodrome with a hot Deborah Harry

Not familiar with Maps to the Stars or 4 earred's Reflecting skin - but looking into

Anyone ever hear of a messed up movie starring David Caruso called Session 9? it really eerie haunting urgh

 

[ji eff]

@salsadi

I'll have to check a few of those you mentioned, as I didn't see all of them .. :upthumb


@4-earredwonder

Hey.. thanks! I'll keep an eye out for "The Reflecting Skin". And, just to be clear.. I didn't say "Maps to the Stars" was "tasteful".. ^_^ I just liked it.

Wow some of Snoods faves there especially Crash & Naked Lunch........and Altered States is a classic along with Videodrome with a hot Deborah Harry

Not familiar with Maps to the Stars or 4 earred's Reflecting skin - but looking into

Anyone ever hear of a messed up movie starring David Caruso called Session 9? it really eerie haunting urgh

ooooo... Session 9 !! I forgot to mention this one.. (one of my all-time favs!) Did you see it's coming soon on Blu-ray? Been waiting almost 10 years for that... they posted about it on Blu-ray.com a few weeks ago. August 16, Scream Factory, US release. :banana:

I haven't seen Videodrome, but I have the score by Howard Shore and it's really "out of the ordinary".. It's funny people only noticed about his music when he scored LOTR.. It's sooooo not like what he used to do before.. The "all guitars" score he provided for Crash is excellent! I gave it a spin in DPLII not long ago..

 

[Philip Spinner]

Saw Altered States at Loews Astor Plaza in Times Square. The soundtrack was advertised as Megasound, whatever that was.

 

[kap'n krunch]

Well, I love Amy Adams...and we were watching "Enchanted" on DVD today and the soundtrack is quite discrete...

 

[edisonbaggins]

Thoroughly enjoyed Dark City, btw. Given that it was produced in '98, is the 7.1 an upmix or is there a possibility that it is entirely discrete?
Either way, during the "syncing" moments it is positively intense.

 

[ji eff]

Thoroughly enjoyed Dark City, btw. Given that it was produced in '98, is the 7.1 an upmix or is there a possibility that it is entirely discrete?
Either way, during the "syncing" moments it is positively intense.

Chances are it is discrete. Digital era so I'm pretty sure they still have the multis.. I have a few movies from the late 70s/early 80s here that were originally released in mono that now have a 5.1 mix... and you can't really upmix mono. Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, John Carpenter's The Fog.. And from what salsadi is telling, there are a bunch that were remixed that sound good.

Sleep... Now... :kitty:

 

[salsdali]

Saw Altered States at Loews Astor Plaza in Times Square. The soundtrack was advertised as Megasound, whatever that was.

you intrigued me so I googled it

Megasound was the name of a movie theater sound system created by Warner Bros. and was officially deployed during the early 1980s. Warner Bros. used it to provide deep-bass enhancement to premiere engagements to only a handful of their features, including:

Altered States (1980)[1]
Outland (1981)[2]
Superman II (1981)
Wolfen (1981)

Theaters equipped for Megasound had an additional battery of speakers, consisting subs and horns; usually all were placed on the stage, behind the screen. This system also came along with extra power-amps and specialized processing equipment. Megasound selected soundtrack events with lots of low-frequency content (thuds, crashes, explosions, etc.)[3] were directed to these speakers at very high-volume, creating a visceral-effect intended to thrill the audience. Megasound has been best remembered for its infrasonic rumble capability.

Megasound was similar to MCA/Universal's Sensurround. However, unlike Sensurround, Warner Bros. never attempted to market Megasound to other studios as a high-fidelity, high-impact bass enhancement sound system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megasound