Press Release Shout Factory Press Release: The Exorcist III (1990) (4k UHD) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Kaskade1309]

Re: the 5.1 track on the DVD, notice it says "Remastered in 5.1", not remixed.

Yes, noted.

Since that 5.1 track seems to have the same active channel separation as the actual original matrix-surround 2.0 track as heard on the old Laserdisc and Arrow Blu-ray release, this is why I suspect it's not an actual remix, but a repurposing of the Dolby Stereo stems. While the final Dolby Stereo delivery format is 2-channel that's then meant to be decoded to left-center-right-surround, the mixing stems are actually 4-channel discreet. I suspect that "5.1 remastering" for the DVD simply involved splitting the mono surround into 2-channels and redirecting bass to the .1 subwoofer channel. However they arrived at it, it sounds like it matches the characteristics of the original theatrical mix.

Could very well be. Warner had a habit, as I said, of slapping that "Soundtrack Remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1" moniker on almost all their discs that contained films from certain time periods (usually as presented in their snapper case packaging) -- some of the titles I still own which boast this presentation include Out for Justice and Enter the Dragon 25th Anniversary Special Edition (the Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen snapper DVD I had at one point also included a "Soundtrack Remastered in Dolby Digital Surround EX" notice on the back, being that this "director's cut" was given an audio overhaul for its theatrical re-release run; indeed, IMO, this was one of the most effective re-imaginings of a soundtrack ever done, opening up the back channels to encompass crowd sounds, demon growls and directional action cues...so much so that the first U.S. Blu-ray of the title in digibook form, which I own, utilized this platform for the DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1 track on that "Unrated Director's Cut" disc).

But I digress.

And yes, the Arrow Blu-ray is region locked, so you'd have to have a region free player to view it.

Indeed.

Re: the 2-channel mix on the Shout Factory Blu-ray- by all accounts, it's NOT the original, very active mix as offered on the Arrow release, but a fold-down of the anemic remix. I suspect it sounds "better" to you on playback precisely because you're simply playing it in 2-channel due to your particular limitations re: decoding 2-channel DTS to surround. If you change your player's output to PCM and then engage the surround decoding on your system, the sound will collapse back into mostly the center channel and sound very similar to the terrible 5.1 remix.

Exactly right -- and, yes, it does sound better to me because I get to experience at least some of the directionality lost in the 5.1 variant (I cited the example of the waitress sequence). I realize I can switch the player's output to internally decode the 2.0 Master Audio track instead of bitstreaming it (thus changing it to a PCM stream and being able to use the matrixing hardware in my AVR), but it's just not worth it to me; I'd rather live with the limitations of my system and eventually upgrade the receiver (which I am going to do at some point because certain aspects of my Onkyo are starting to fail, including the HDMI OUT port, which I use only to see the receiver's menus on my 4K screen from time to time).

I don't have their UHDs of THE FOG and THE HOWLING so can't comment on the quality of the multichannel mixes on those, but I know they went to great lengths in both of those cases to offer the original mono theatrical mixes from the best sources available, and by all accounts they both mono tracks sound really good.

Okay, so we're talking about the MONO tracks on these; as I mentioned, my ears told me there were no differences between the "Digitally Enhanced 5.1 Surround" mix on the last U.S. Special Edition DVD of The Fog and Scream's Blu-ray (including the steelbook I own) with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track.

I do know the Studio Canal UHD of THE FOG doesn't have the original mono track, and the 5.1 track is at the wrong pitch on that release, and I believe Shout also fixed that pitch error on their release for their 5.1 track.

I didn't notice a pitch problem on The Fog's soundtrack (but that awful pitch change mistake should have been fixed on the original Halloween's soundtrack when Michael is driving past the girls...not sure if Scream changed that on their UHD release); what part of the film did it occur? When the camera is panning across the grass as Andy runs home?

I also forgot to mention before, but Shout also had the audio restored on their recent UHD release of BLACK CHRISTMAS, both the original mono AND 5.1 remix, and I've heard the results there are superb, as well, and they even include a new featurette about the extensive audio restoration. Given their newfound attention to including high-quality versions of the original theatrical sound mixes on their releases like they did with these, I'm hopeful they will include the proper, original sound mix for THE EXORCIST III on their UHD like Arrow did on their Blu-ray.

Vincent

As I said, if they give us an engaging, somewhat aggressive mix for the Exorcist III, I MAY consider selling my Blu-ray copy (which I have absolutely no issues with otherwise).

 

[Vincent_P]

The ENTIRE soundtrack on the Studio Canal UHD release of THE FOG is in the wrong sound pitch.

Vincent

 

[Kaskade1309]

"Soundtrack remastered in 5.1" was Warner's standard boilerplate for years durring the snapper era. They even used it on films like Batman Returns and Under Seige that were 5.1 in the first place.

Correct about Warner using that moniker on most of the snapper case releases during this run, as I pointed out; I own Under Siege in its original snapper case form but didn't remember it carried this information. That's interesting. I also own Batman Returns, but it's included in the Batman Anthology set I won't get rid of, so the back cover applauds the fact that there's a DTS track on it (which was rare for Warner in portions of the DVD era; I believe Twister was the first release for the studio that boasted a DTS option).

**The back of my copy of Under Siege doesn't have the "Remastered in..." labeling; it looks like this:

Some pics of other releases:

 

[Kaskade1309]

The ENTIRE soundtrack on the Studio Canal UHD release of THE FOG is in the wrong sound pitch.

Vincent

 

[Worth]

The ENTIRE soundtrack on the Studio Canal UHD release of THE FOG is in the wrong sound pitch.

The standard blu-ray, as well, or just the UHD?

 

[Alex...]

Update Via The Bits

Also today, Shout! and Scream Factory have announced the details on their forthcoming 4K Ultra HD release of The Exorcist III, which is set to street on 3/28. The 3-disc set will include the Theatrical Cut freshly-remastered from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative with Dolby Vision HDR, and a new 2023 restoration of both the stereo and 5.1 sound mixes in DTS-HD Master Audio.

The Blu-ray version will include a deleted scene, alternate takes, bloopers, a deleted prologue, vintage interviews with writer/director William Peter Blatty, George C. Scott, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders, and more, a vintage featurette, theatrical trailers, radio and TV spots, and photo galleries.

Another Blu-ray in the package will include Legion (the Director’s Cut) “assembled from the interpositive and select scenes from the VHS dallies” and approved by Blatty, along with an audio interview with Blatty, and the Death, Be Not Proud: The Making of The Exorcist III feature-length documentary.

 

[Kaskade1309]

Looks like all the Blu-ray material will be a carryover from the standalone Collector's Edition release.