Taras Bulba Blu Ray Disappointment (1 Viewer)

JPCinema · Sep 23, 2014

I was looking forward to watching Taras Bulba tonight. The music score is incredible and has always been in rich full stereo.
Although it says 2.0 . The sound is definitely mono! What happened? The colors of the film are rich and vibrant and it has a decent video quality. The sound is awful. I put on my DVD of it as well as the HD version I have from MGM HD...both are are great stereo. The Blu Ray finally comes out and it's mono :-( Ugh...

Mark-P · Sep 23, 2014

I kind of suspected this one would be mono. I think the original stereo tracks from the 70mm blowup have been lost. And wasn't the stereo track on the DVD faux-stereo? I always assumed it was because the DVD included the mono track as well.

JPCinema · Sep 24, 2014

The DVD sound is so mush richer. The Blu Ray has the sound that I remember when I went to the drive-in ...and that tinny speaker.

bujaki · Sep 24, 2014

I saw the laserdisc for sale the other day and I believe it included the stereo tracks. I didn't buy it, so I could be wrong.

Jacksmyname · Sep 24, 2014

You have me curious now, Ken. I've had the DVD for a while now, but haven't as yet watched it. Too late to do it now (1:30am), but will tomorrow. Label says stereo and mono tracks on the disc.

JPCinema · Sep 24, 2014

I have an HD DVR'd on from MGM HD...the stereo is directional and really sounds wonderful. Glad I have that at least.

JoHud · Sep 24, 2014

Can anyone compare it to the Australian blu-ray? I thought that one looked pretty good (marginally). Then again I watched it years ago...

Would be interesting to see if they are different transfers

schan1269 · Sep 24, 2014

The "other forum" doesn't have much on this yet either...

But one guy said if it is the same transfer as the AU...then nobody is going to like it...

davidmatychuk · Sep 24, 2014

The DVD's stereo track is beautiful, real (not faux) stereo. I'm unscientifically listening to it in Pro Logic IIx mode as I type this, and the room is full of sound. The mono track on the DVD is weak by comparison. It sounds like they've botched this Blu-Ray of my old Up-With-Ukraine favourite.

DP 70 · Sep 24, 2014

Kino seem to put on every Blu just DTS it should also have Mono or Stereo.

Alan Tully · Sep 24, 2014

I love sixties stereo, lovely unsubtle stuff. If the DVD is true stereo, then on headphones it'll be one instrument in your left ear & another instrument in your right, not just a wide field. I'm not surprised the Blu-ray is mono, apparently the Australian Blu was mono, & I'd think this is the same transfer. This is MGM Holdings we're talking about, & we know what they're like...just look at The Alamo thread.

Andre Dursin · Sep 24, 2014

Just like METEOR. Sorry I preordered a copy

GlennF · Sep 24, 2014

Ugh! This all sounds pretty disappointing. I wasn't expecting spectacular, but this sounds like a miss now. The Franz Waxman score is terrific, so tinny mono doesn't sound like a worthwhile purchase. It was one of my favourite schlocky (spelling?) movies too!

Douglas R · Sep 24, 2014

If I recall correctly the DVD default track was mono. It was necessary to select the stereo track on the menu screen. Is that where confusion has arisen with MGM mistakenly mastering the mono track to BD? HD TV showings have also been true stereo.

Brian Sharp · Sep 24, 2014

Disappointed to hear the comments but, fortunately, managed to cancel my order. Shame as it looked good in 70mm (although a touch grainy at times) and, with a rousing Franz Waxman score, should have been an above average release on blu ray. An opportunity lost.

So which is the best dvd version to buy?.

JPCinema · Sep 24, 2014

A bit off topic. I also watched Elmer Gantry last night...a mono movie but the music sounds warped all through the main title sequence.
I'm still so disappointed with the Taras Bulba sound :-(

DP 70 · Sep 24, 2014

Brian Sharp said:
Disappointed to hear the comments but, fortunately, managed to cancel my order. Shame as it looked good in 70mm (although a touch grainy at times) and, with a rousing Franz Waxman score, should have been an above average release on blu ray. An opportunity lost.

So which is the best dvd version to buy?.

see if you could buy the 70mm print, could be a bit faded but that 6 Track...wow.

Paul Rossen · Sep 24, 2014

Ken Koc said:
A bit off topic. I also watched Elmer Gantry last night...a mono movie but the music sounds warped all through the main title sequence.
I'm still so disappointed with the Taras Bulba sound :-(

Re: Elmer Gantry. Skipping this fine film due to the music problem in the titles...

Steve Christou · Sep 24, 2014

Meteor gets released with mono sound and now Taras Bulba, two films I own with stereo sound but not in HD. What is going on?

I suppose I'll still have to buy Taras Bulba just for the superior PQ.

(I have Franz Waxman's score on CD)

Nhoj Rolyat · Sep 26, 2014

"Take your sword in your hand and stick it, not in a Pole, but whoever at Kino is responsible for
releasing Taras Bulba with Waxman's magnificent score in mono!"

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