A Question About Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist on Blu... (1 Viewer)

[Malcolm R]

There are rumors of another upcoming attempt at a reboot/remake directed by the Russo brothers (Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: End Game).

 

[Kaskade1309]

There are rumors of another upcoming attempt at a reboot/remake directed by the Russo brothers (Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: End Game).

 

[JimJasper]

Was the Dolby TrueHD mix given to these releases that bad?

I recall the Dolby Digital 5.1 track on Warner's original flipper disc was pretty aggressive for the format and vintage of the title...

Thanks Kaskade.....sure, it's fair that the Dolby TrueHD mix is fine...... I just keep thinking of the audio remix OPTIONS (not an outright replacement) for mono "Jaws" and for mono "Evil Dead" sweetened deeper bass, filled in surround effects during quiet moments and just made the experience more "airy" and "immediate," imo. So because 1982's Poltergeist is a dazzling film, I don't think most fans, like myself, would mind a careful remix that would breath more life into the quiet sections. (Unlike a drama like On Golden Pond). Jaws and Evil Dead's remixes were not obnoxious and surprisingly refined and enhanced the experience.

 

[JoshZ]

The reason behind that it is Ghostbusters is more in public's collective consciousness , whereas as Poltergeist isn't.

Ghostbusters is more family friendly, whereas Poltergeist isn't is what it comes down to.

Perhaps more importantly, Ghostbusters is also much friendlier to licensing opportunities: Ghostbusters action figures and toys, Ghostbusters video games, Ghostbusters t-shirts and novelty items, etc. The Ghostbusters logo is iconic and can be slapped onto pretty much any product. All of this has kept the property alive in the popular zeitgeist.

Poltergeist is much harder to merchandise in the same way.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Thanks Kaskade.....sure, it's fair that the Dolby TrueHD mix is fine...... I just keep thinking of the audio remix OPTIONS (not an outright replacement) for mono "Jaws" and for mono "Evil Dead" sweetened deeper bass, filled in surround effects during quiet moments and just made the experience more "airy" and "immediate," imo. So because 1982's Poltergeist is a dazzling film, I don't think most fans, like myself, would mind a careful remix that would breath more life into the quiet sections. (Unlike a drama like On Golden Pond). Jaws and Evil Dead's remixes were not obnoxious and surprisingly refined and enhanced the experience.

Keep in mind that Poltergeist is a slightly different situation, as it was mixed for Dolby Stereo and any remix would be influenced by that matrix format. Some early tracks were quite aggressive.

 

[Kaskade1309]

Keep in mind that Poltergeist is a slightly different situation, as it was mixed for Dolby Stereo and any remix would be influenced by that matrix format. Some early tracks were quite aggressive.

I can attest to the fact that this film's reworked Dolby Digital 5.1 remix, culled from the Dolby Stereo stems, is pretty aggressive on that first generation flipper DVD...quite impressive for an otherwise stripped presentation.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Keep in mind that Poltergeist is a slightly different situation, as it was mixed for Dolby Stereo and any remix would be influenced by that matrix format. Some early tracks were quite aggressive.

Yes Poltergeist's original mix was 70mm Six-track Dolby 4.1. I would assume the 5.1 tarcks just added some reverb and light steering effects in the rear

 

[JimJasper]

Yes Poltergeist's original mix was 70mm Six-track Dolby 4.1. I would assume the 5.1 tarcks just added some reverb and light steering effects in the rear

.....somewhat going back to what I'm saying: A full on, careful remix option....into Atmos....would be exciting. Is it irrelevant for comparison that Jaws and Evil Dead got remixes into 5.1 FROM MONO and sound terrific ? (granted, not all mono to 5.1 remixes do) .....sooooooo 1982's Poltergeist, which has a leg up being "newer" and already mixed for 35MM in "Dolby Stereo" and/or 70MM's "4.1" (as Lord Dalek referenced) seems like a thrilling candidate for a specific Atmos/DTS:X upgrade. Just my "hell yeah!!" opinion.

+Love to hear zod2080 's thoughts..... Dreamin big for the 4K ....

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/poltergeist-se.250426/post-2999639

 

[Todd Erwin]

I was thinking...

You know what this visionary masterpiece -- that still entertains like few other haunted house tales can to this day -- from Hooper and Spielberg needs? The Scream Factory treatment. Back to the original film element vaults to strike a clean new master to work from; if ever a title from that era deserved that treatment, it's this.

Surprisingly, Scream/Shout put out the two sequels in Collector's Edition Blu-rays, and they were MGM properties too; wonder why they haven't picked the original up to rework.

Owned by Warner.

 

[Kaskade1309]

Owned by Warner.

Good point; why we haven't seen a Scream release of the first Exorcist (though Warner's digibook presentation is nice enough; this film is screaming -- no pun intended -- for a 4K remaster).

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Good point; why we haven't seen a Scream release of the first Exorcist (though Warner's digibook presentation is nice enough; this film is screaming -- no pun intended -- for a 4K remaster).

I suspect "Exorcist" is also enough of a "video evergreen" that WB wouldn't want to license it.

WB probably wants a 4K UHD of "Exorcist" down the road...

 

[darkrock17]

I suspect "Exorcist" is also enough of a "video evergreen" that WB wouldn't want to license it.

WB probably wants a 4K UHD of "Exorcist" down the road...

WB only licenses it out for merchandising, as they rarely make items themselves.

 

[Kaskade1309]

I suspect "Exorcist" is also enough of a "video evergreen" that WB wouldn't want to license it.

WB probably wants a 4K UHD of "Exorcist" down the road...

The fanbase has been drooling for a 4K remaster of this, though it would be hard to give up my digibook Blu; I always said there are parts of that seminal film that could definitely use some sprucing/cleaning up.

 

[Mikey1969]

Shout apparently tried to get the rights to the original film, but were denied by Warner.

I was thinking...

You know what this visionary masterpiece -- that still entertains like few other haunted house tales can to this day -- from Hooper and Spielberg needs? The Scream Factory treatment. Back to the original film element vaults to strike a clean new master to work from; if ever a title from that era deserved that treatment, it's this.

Surprisingly, Scream/Shout put out the two sequels in Collector's Edition Blu-rays, and they were MGM properties too; wonder why they haven't picked the original up to rework.

 

[Lord Dalek]

The fanbase has been drooling for a 4K remaster of this, though it would be hard to give up my digibook Blu; I always said there are parts of that seminal film that could definitely use some sprucing/cleaning up.

The Exorcist already is a 4k transfer.

 

[Kaskade1309]

The Exorcist already is a 4k transfer.

On the Blu-ray releases? Is the 40th Anniversary a different transfer than the previous digibook?

 

[JoshZ]

On the Blu-ray releases? Is the 40th Anniversary a different transfer than the previous digibook?

Not only is the 40th Anniversary release the same transfer, it's literally the same discs. The 40th Anniversary set was a repackage of the first two discs released previously (theatrical cut disc + director's cut disc) with a new third disc that added two new featurettes. Warner Bros. never remastered or re-authored anything. The discs first released in 2010 are the same ones still in print today.

I am unsure whether the master used for the Blu-ray originated as a 2K or 4K scan. I don't recall any publicity about it being a 4K source.

 

[Kaskade1309]

Not only is the 40th Anniversary release the same transfer, it's literally the same discs. The 40th Anniversary set was a repackage of the first two discs released previously (theatrical cut disc + director's cut disc) with a new third disc that added two new featurettes. Warner Bros. never remastered or re-authored anything. The discs first released in 2010 are the same ones still in print today.

I am unsure whether the master used for the Blu-ray originated as a 2K or 4K scan. I don't recall any publicity about it being a 4K source.

This is what I thought, Josh; thanks for the confirmation. I know you and I discussed the intricacies of the audio mixes on the Blu-ray thoroughly in the past.

 

[Kaskade1309]

Shout apparently tried to get the rights to the original film, but were denied by Warner.

Interesting...

 

[darkrock17]

Shout apparently tried to get the rights to the original film, but were denied by Warner.

Interesting...

WB holds tightly onto to most of their big catalogue titles, if they didn't Shout would have already released Beetlejuice in a beyond long overdue special collector's anniversary edition by now.