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The FOX Logo, why can it sound so different on different discs? (1 Viewer)

Mark Kalzer

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The FOX logo intro at its best is one of the strongest cinematic intros out of all the studios. On the Die Hard discs it has the greatest punch through the sound system. It seems odd though that so many other FOX discs with the exact same musical score do not have the same force with the logo, not even the Star Wars DVDs have matched it.

It makes me wonder what goes on in sound mixing studios that the Die Hard logos can sound so much stronger yet on other action movies in can be so muted and rather dull.

What is going on here? It's the same clip practically!
 

jim.vaccaro

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My understanding is that have been several different recordings of the Fox Fanfare over the years, which explains why they sound different in different movies.
 

Stephen_J_H

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There are several different recordings, and if I'm not mistaken, in some cases the fanfare has been rerecorded as part of the film's original score.
 

Simon Howson

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The weirdest one is the inclusion of the fan fare for The Ghost & Mrs Muir soundtrack CD, even though it isn't used in the film.

The funniest one is for Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter, apparently contractual fine print meant Tony Randall had to perform the fan fare himself. :D
 

Lord Dalek

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The Fox Fanfare through the years...

1931 Version - Used back durring the 20th Century Films days, a bit shrill on the high end which is regrettably extentuated by Fox's fake stereo dvd mixes. Used extensively from 1931-1954 and revived briefly folowing the death of CinemaScope from 1967 to the early 1970's

CinemaScope Version (Newman recording) - Arguably the most famous version of the fanfare. Exists in 4-track and mono versions. Ran from 1954-1967 exclusively on CinemaScope and Grandeur 70 pictures. Was famously revived by George Lucas for Star Wars in 1977 and is the oldest fanfare to be heard over the current Fox logo. Most recently spotted attached to Down With Love.

1931 Version (70's rerecording) - Basically the original short fanfare arranged in the style of the CinemaScope version. Debuted in the early 70's and alternated with the next recording off and on until 1994. Exists in 4-track, 6-track, and Dolby versions.

CinemaScope Version (Williams recording) - John Williams did this special digital rerecording of the classic scope version for The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. Used on all redrawn cell logos with an extended opening in the 80's and early 90's as well as some early CGI tower openings.

CinemaScope Version (Broughton recording) - Introduced in 1995 arround the same time as Fox Searchlight. It's a bit less harsh than Williams's version in terms of snare but I kinda miss that harshness. Heard to this day on nearly every Fox release except for silent logos or Star Wars films (those use either the Newman or Williams recordings).

CinemaScope Version (Broughton Fox Searchlight version) - Personally I prefer this to the current Fox logo's. It's much more thunderous and angry but thats my opinion.

Many custom recordings do exist for films like Cannonball Run II, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, Alien3, and others.
 

andySu

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Now I have done a FOX intro comparison test, it’s somewhere on the pc, but I can always do it again.

What I found was the original FOX fan fair introduction has the best sounding, and over the years it’s gone though some slight changes to modernize it with the new logo.

Now I have found the introduction though the 1980’s to have a lot of low end slam! Each of the (Star Wars) films has a different sound to the FOX introduction, also the (John Williams) score has some low end in and some has less.

Now I’ll do a FOX intro test sometime this week and compare each intro with an SPL db level test, has well as monitoring the frequency response.

Joel

Do you have a full list of this information?
 

Richard Kim

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Except for A New Hope, all the Star Wars films use John Williams' recording of the fanfare. However, I noticed a difference in Revenge of the Sith, in which the ending is shortened compared to the other SW films.

Also, I've never heard the Williams recording is used for other Fox films in the 80s and early 90s. The fanfare used in those films sounds very different. The 80's and early 90s' films used the shortened version, not the CinemaScope version. It's also been used in many Fox TV shows as well. As far as I can tell, the Williams fanfare has only been used in the SW films.
 

Steve Christou

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Was it Alien 3 that had an eerie and 'loud' extension to the end of the Fox Fanfare segueing into the films score? I'm sure it was one of the Alien films, or was it Alien Resurrection? Pretty sure it was one of the two.
 

JohnRice

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Personally, I think Joel Henderson needs to increase the size of the font in his posts. I'm having trouble reading them.
 

andySu

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Twentieth Century Fox introduction


The Fox fan fair introduction is probably the most renowned musical opening for any Fox film since it was first heard back in the 1950’s with the cinemascope format of the (Robe) over the past five decades now it has become a house hold name the introduction can be hummed, it has gone though so many changes in the last few decades with (computer generated integration) CGI with the newer 1990’s version and a newer theme being added, but ever now and then the old theme tends to pop up.

Loudness variances and bass extension to the theme adds a good impact and it’s one of my interests with
each one from the 1950’s though to the 1970’s 80’s 90’s and testing the length of time has made it into the 21st Century, would expect the name to change to 21st Century Fox, Somehow that just doesn’t sound right.

So what I have done here is looked over nearly all the Fox titles that I have that have an musical introduction, and there are a few that don’t so I have just concentrated on the musical ones. I will list the one that don’t carry a musical intro just so that you know.


1# The King and I 1956,
Description of introduction
This sounded like a classical introduction with a fairly wide range for it’s time, the editing of the fade out6 was spot with the theme to, (The King and I) cut in just right on cue!

Maximum SPL db peak 85dbC


2# South Pacific 1958,
Description of introduction
No sound and no Fox logo.


3# The Sound of Music 1965,
Description of introduction
No sound with the Fox logo.

4# Star Wars episode 1 the Phantom Menace 1999, THX DVD
Description of introduction
The introduction was a bit on the bright side, but still you can feel the bass in the opening.

Maximum SPL db peak 83.5dbC

5# Star Wars episode 2 Attack of the Clones 2002, THX DVD
Description of introduction
Well might have noticed each introduction has got different sound pressure level readings, thou the opening to title crawl has got quite a bit, and mean quite literary some LFE.1 in the mix, the Fox fan fair is a bit on the weak side.

Maximum SPL db peak 80.5dbC

6# Star Wars episode 3 Revenge of the Sith 2005, THX DVD
Description of introduction
This had a nice Fox fan fair opening with a gentle slam.

Maximum SPL db peak 86dbC

7# Star Wars episode 4 A New Hope 1977-2004, THX DVD
Description of introduction
Now I have heard this type of introduction lord knows how many times and I haven’t got tired of it yet, an absolute classic for this Sci-Fi classic, it fades out over the Lucasfilm logo very nicely.

Maximum SPL db peak 88.7dbC

8# Star Wars episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back 1980-2004, THX DVD
Description of introduction
This one had a bit of bass range in with slight kick!

Maximum SPL db peak 84dbC

9# Star Wars episode 6 Return of the Jedi 1983-2004, THX DVD
Description of introduction
The range was a bit bright sounding one this version of the Fox introduction.

Maximum SPL db peak 85dbC


10# Alien 1979, original
Description of introduction
This one I take it was one of the later earlier versions, thou my Fox catalogue is not as huge as my Warner or Paramount and Universal catalogue, I guess I would have to buy some more earlier Fox titles. Still it was rather interesting.

Maximum SPL db peak 87dbC

11# Aliens 1986, original
Description of introduction
This had a huge bottom end to it with a nice 40Hz slam!

Maximum SPL db peak 88.5dbC

12# Alien 3 1992,
Description of introduction
Now this one was (Just Bloody Loud) JBL, it starts of as monaural in the centre with a dry sound to it, has the intro gets closer to the end the fronts become active followed by the split-surrounds with a crashing sound!

Maximum SPL db peak 92.5dbC

13# Alien Resurrection 1997,
Description of introduction
A bit on the bright sounding side for this Fox introduction, has is most of the Alien sound effects, chilling!

Maximum SPL db peak 85.5dbC

Well that’s just a foretaste of what I have done there are more titles that I have tested, I’ll post them later on, this alone as taken me a few hours to do.
 

Richard Kim

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Die Hard uses the extended CinemaScope fanfare, but it's not the same as Williams' version used in the Star Wars films.
 

Robert Anthony

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Joel's font size isn't a problem with me, nor is his info. However, I would like to find the font that makes AndySu's posts something greater than pointless for once :)
 

Seth=L

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Either you are returning sarcasm or didn't realize he was being sarcastic.

"I am fluent in sarcasm" my dad

Seth=L
 

Steve Christou

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That wasn't very nice Robert, with or without the smiley, at least he puts some effort into his posts. What have you posted lately, apart from the odd smirky comment? :cool:


Back to topic I remember The Cannonball Run messed about with the Fox logo and music.

I'm not absolutely sure but I think Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes did something weird with the logo too.
 

Lord Dalek

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Probably, Burton's famous for messing around with the logos on all his post-Batman films no matter which studio he's at.
 

Sten F

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The Day After Tomorrow incorporates lightening & thunder into the Fox Fanfare Extended. A nice touch and it sounds great in DTS.

The Die Hard Fox Fanfare Extended is a nice one, and in DTS. Good bass and has good sound seperation.
 

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