STM-NEW 4 DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD-WHAT?!! NO ORIGINAL 1978 SOUNDTRACK??!!!!! (1 Viewer)

According to a post on supermancinema.co.uk, as well as capedwonder.com the original 1978 stereo surround soundtrack which was supposed to be included with the original theatrical version of Superman the Movie on the new dvd apparently is NOT PRESENT despite Warner's press release that it would be.

I had the opportunity to view the packaging of both yesterday, and while the separate 4 disc edition lists the soundtrack as remastered DD 5.1, the bottom of the ULTIMATE SUPERMAN box stated that the original 1978 stereo surround soundtrack WAS included.

One of the reasons I and many other fans of this series lobbied for the original theatrical version of STM was to be able to re-experience it as I SAW and HEARD it in 1978(especially the effects sounds during the opening credits) . Otherwise, there was no reason to double dip. For Warner to promise and yet fail to deliver the 1978 OST after so many requests from fans is an absolute travesty. I have lost ALL enthusiasm for this release.

I am seriously considering cancelling my pre-order for the Ultimate set and urge others to do the same unless Warner delivers the 1978 OST as they promised, either by recalling or offering a disc replacement if necessary.

Otherwise, I'll just take the Donner cut of S2,

ERICKA

I believed this stems from the fact that the R3 version does not contain the original theatrical mix. This, however, is believed to be due to the fact that the R3 release contains many foreign language audio tracks that the R1 or R2 releases do not, and hence the most "outdated" original language track was dropped from that release.
At least that is my understanding of the situation. I hope that is the case, but i really don't care that much for the whole original mix versus remix debate.

Mike,
Thanks for the reply. I normally don't get into sound mixes either. The original mono mixes for the Connery Bond films are all present on the new dvd's. I prefer the DD 5.1 remixes, but it's still nice to have the originals. But Superman-the movie was one of the most important films for me as a kid, and I really want to re-experience it as I SAW and HEARD it. I'm really bummed that after all the effort Warner put into this release to not include it afterall really stinks! It should be there!

It's confirmed. It's not on there. There is a 5.1 track and a 2.0 track on the disc. Both are the 2000 re-mix.

I was on the fence, but I'm now NOT going to buy this. I have the previous set, and the cartoons. They're good enough, if WB isn't willing to give us a true representation of the film, then there is no reason for me to rebuy it. I'll spend my money on something else.

John,
Thanks for the confirmation.

I have CANCELLED my pre-order. There was NO EXCUSE not to include the ORIGINAL SOUND MIX! WARNER, ARE YOU LISTENING?!!

I understand why you guys are bummed but do you really think that Warners is worried about the very few sales that they will lose due to the lack of the original sound mix?

Scott,
I agree with you. I was willing to even re-buy the 2001 (which I already have)
and even an inferior film (SR) to get this set with STM theatrical. WHY RE-ISSUE THIS W/O the COMPLETE 1978 PRESENTATION AS IT WAS, WARNER?!!!
WHAT YOU RELEASED FIVE YEARS AGO WAS FINE AS IT WAS IF YOU WEREN'T GOING TO! THIS IS THE WORST CASE OF DOUBLE DIPPING I'VE EVER SEEN!

Travis,
IT WILL BE MORE THAN A FEW.

Then you've not looked very hard...

I don't care if WB is worried about losing my sale or not....I'm just stating that I am disappointed and that I will buy something else (hey, it may even be a WB product, but it won't be this.)

I'm not trying to argue but I really doubt it. Look at the Superman box set thread, I bet you won't find too many people there that are going to not buy it solely due to the lack of the original sound mix.

This forum has grown tremendously since 2001, and I'm not sure how many people who post regularly now were here back then...but in 2001, a heck of a lot of people on here were furious at the remix. They thought it sounded terrible.

Add me to the list of people not buying this set now. This was the deal breaker.

Scott,
If WHV comes thru on Blade Runner and releases all four versions as promised,
I'll buy it the day it comes, as well as that ARTHUR (1981) RE-MASTER when they get around to it!

I'm just saying that my current 2001 dvd of STM works for me if they're not going to deliver what their press release promised! They really raised my hopes and let me down. That's all.

I don't get excited by dvd announcements anymore. Not until I have sat down and watched the movie do I get my hopes up. Too many of them are not what is either promised or implied. And when I say implied, I mean "original theatrical version" and "ultimate" used on the package.

Deal breaker for sure. I'll probably buy the Donner Cut but not the Ultimate Box set which I was originally set to buy.

Rumors are that S1, S2, S3, and S4 do not have new transfers either.

That means that I would have been buying the box set only for the extras, Superman Returns, and the Donner Cut.

I'm sticking with the Donner cut. Will probably rent the rest.

Not to mention that the cartoons will probably be reissued separately down the road.

My recommendation is to rent that one first before committing to a purchase.

Getting back to the 1978 film, what is the point of having a 2.0 fold-down of the 5.1 remix?

That's exactly what I was wondering. When I heard the R1 would have a 2.0 mix, I thought "well that's GOTTA be the original audio...other regions just aren't getting it." Warners very rarely sticks a gratuitous 2.0 track on any of its releases, unless there's a specific reason to do so (like an original theatrical mix). A mixdown of the 5.1 track seems like a waste of disc space.

I will say that I actually like the re-mix a lot and think it's superior in many ways. However, having the original mix as an option with the theatrical version did seem like a key justification for including that cut in the set in the first place. It seemingly makes a lot more sense than re-jiggering the remix to fit that cut, AND downmixing that to 2.0...weird.

Anyway, I'm still keen on probably getting this (and the theatrical 'II') at some point just for the cartoons alone. However, the Donner cut of 'II' has priority at the moment.