Shane in stereo sound?

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Lost, like a majority of Paramounts 3-channel tracks, from what I understand.

However, as mentioned, the three track wasn't recorded on the set that way, just mixed in the studio (Paramount was already recording on mag for their optical tracks).

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

............And it still exsists! If you have a copy of the DVD from Paramount, it is mixed into stereo-not a mono 2.0 mix, but REAL stereo! It's just not mixed for Dolby 5.1

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

3-track?

There are several films (such as WAR OF THE WORLDS) where Paramount has the dialog and music and effects tracks separate. They're not the original mixes, however.

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Paramount - like Columbia - was not very careful about saving their early stereo tracks from this period. The 3 track 35mm magnetic films were either erased, junked, or allowed to deteriorate in the vaults.

These were originally shipped to theaters on separate reels that were interlocked with the standard mono optical prints. It's very doubtful that any collectors would have held onto these either.

Bob Furmanek

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Roland, please check your mailbox. I just sent a note. Thanks!

Bob

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Having worked with Paramount to remix several of their films for stereo laser (TenCommandments, Summer and Smoke, The Carpetbaggers) I certainly know what material they have and do not have.
Paramount did very few stereo films at all and the few they did they did not keep.
However, there were many films in some sort of stereo released on interlock film in 1953 and most of these are lost.
A few films were redone for stereo but not true stereo, i. e. stereo dialog stereo music and sound effects. I think that two of these films are Shane and war of the worlds. It seems that they added some sound effects that bounced around behind the screen at key moments.
I listened to some remaining music tracks (recorded on mag) at paramount for both films and they were on orginal mags and both mono music tracks.
The stereo dvd of War of the Worlds is a remix done at chace and I assume Shane is the same. Worlds is probably much more stereo than the theatrical release.
MGM kept a lot, but not all, of its early interlock tracks, but a few key ones are missing.
Valley of the kings seems to be mono only now (my pressbook has ads proclaiming stereo).
Another lost mgm stereo is All the Brothers Were Valiant, which was stereo on just a few reels, the oening, the finale, and the whale hunt scene.
Warners is the only studio that actually had surround on their early interlock films. The interlck print had the usual three channel behind the screen and the opticla print had ony the surround track on the optical track. Warners has a few optical prints that have nothing but surrounds on them.
For me, the saddest loss here is the Doris Daymusical Calamity Jane. I saw this on revival around 1966 in the original interlock stereo. Hearing the Deadwood Stage and Secret Love in full stereo was awesome.

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Since we're on the subject. How many Paramount Perpsecta tracks survive?

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Anyone can recreate perspecta as it is NOT stereo sound at all but merely mono bounced around behind the screen.
You wouldn't want to hear it in your house.
Somone talks on the left of the screen and the dialog is moved over there along with ALL opf the sound effects and music.
Yuck !!

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

As I recall, you can do a pretty decent job with Perspecta if you respect its limitations. There's not only a "direction" control but also a "gain" control, so you can have different levels in the three channels. It isn't real stereo, but Dolby Surround isn't real 4-channel, and both served for their intended purposes.
I think some of the 70mm six-track productions had Perspecta surround.

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Perspecta is not just sound bounced from speaker to speaker. It's also a careful mixing of gain control to create a very impressive "stereo" stage. After all, there's a good reason MGM, Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers and Allied Artists were all using it.

We ran FORBIDDEN PLANET and several shorts in an all Perspecta show at the Loew's Jersey movie palace in 2002. They sounded mighty good on a 50 foot screen and many members of the audience thought it was true magnetic stereo. I sat in the 10th row center and it was quite effective. The booth was utilizing a restored Fairchild integrator from 1954.

The new Perspecta tracks using the Chace card are not authentic because the card is poorly designed and lacking the essential gain control feature. I've heard dozens of films with an original integrator, and the MGM and Universal titles are the best. THIS ISLAND EARTH is terrific in Perspecta.

Paramount only utilized the process on their VistaVision films from 1954 through 1956, and they are the least effective of all the studios. They only used the left or right speakers for occasional dialogue or effects. 99% of the audio was out of the center speaker. As far as I know, all the tracks survive.

I've never heard the Paramount 3 channel interlock tracks, but one review cited the effective use of stereo on SCARED STIFF and how it added to the comedy. I'm not sure what they did, but it was enough for the reviewer to take notice!

Bob

Re: Shane in stereo sound?

Roland; Few (if any) of the early Columbia stereo tracks survive. We tried to find MISS SADIE THOMPSON for the 3-D Expo, as it was only the second time that 3 channel was recorded on a location shoot.

The studio has nothing but mono optical materials.

Bob