A Few Words About A few words about...™ Jaws -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Jason_V]

For what it's worth, Amazon dropped the price on the non-digibook (obviously) version of Jaws. I checked my preorder last night. I was going to cancel and get it at BB, but there is no difference now.

 

[Robert Harris]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/08/fisherman-spots-great-white-shark-off-venice-beach.html

Universal must be behind it!

RAH

 

[Steve Schaffer]

As long as the shark goes Kapow! and doesn't make a noise like a CRT imploding, I'm happy.
I don't know why they had to put in that glassy-sounding bang, because the Universal sound library is chock-a-block with suitable explosion sounds as used in stuff like Battlestar Galactica.

Dunno about the shark exploding but the sound effects as it sinks were borrowed from Spielberg's Duel tv movie.

 

[TonyD]

I've heard some. Discussion that concludes Jaws is a remake of Duel.

 

[Anthony_H]

Has anyone learned what the Best Buy exclusive will consist of, other than being packaged in digibook format? There are no details on BB's site or anywhere else that I can find.

After reading the description Ifind no mention that the digibook will include a dvd copy... so, there's that. If it matters of course....

 

[Trentrunner]

After reading reviews and this thread, I'm still confused: Were we originally intended to hear Brody's final "...bitch" as he shoots the shark, or not?

 

[TravisR]

After reading the description Ifind no mention that the digibook will include a dvd copy... so, there's that. If it matters of course....

The ad says that it contains the "Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + Book" so the only difference is the digibook.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by Trentrunner /t/322696/a-few-words-about-jaws-in-blu-ray/120#post_3961362
After reading reviews and this thread, I'm still confused: Were we originally intended to hear Brody's final "...bitch" as he shoots the shark, or not?

Its my understanding that the original 1975 film had that line more clearly heard and that the 7.1 remix lowers the line so its not quite as clear.

 

[Kevin EK]

Malcolm is partly right. The original mono mix has the line more clearly audible, as it can be heard without issue on the clip used for the Bouzereau documentary. The mixes done for DVD release began to dial the volume of the last word down a bit, and the new 7.1 mix continues this trend. It's not a dealbreaker for me, as the line is still audible, but it's a noticeable change.

 

So, is the mono correct? Is it dialed down a bit there too compared to the documentary? Or has the audio been leveled on the doc so that everything is louder but even?

 

[Kevin EK]

I'll recheck the mono this afternoon for that line.

 

[Kevin EK]

I just listened to that moment in the film in all four mixes on the Blu-ray. The word "bitch" is dialed down in every case, even in the French and Spanish.

I prefer the 7.1 mix for its overall quality, but I can understand if people are disappointed that the mono mix is not the original one. Again, it's not a dealbreaker for me and I can still hear the word, but there is a definite change in emphasis.

 

[Robert Harris]

deleted

 

Isn't that an important line in the film? Why would they change it? Was the laserdisc version more audible? How do we know that it wasn't dialed down in '75?

 

[Adam_S]

Originally Posted by eric scott richard /t/322696/a-few-words-about-jaws-in-blu-ray/150#post_3961461
Isn't that an important line in the film? Why would they change it? Was the laserdisc version more audible? How do we know that it wasn't dialed down in '75?

We don't know it wasn't, in fact it probably was. But people's memories are plastic, not accurate, so it's not surprising many think they heard it, it's an easy to use filmmaking trick, an auditory illusion, if you will, where the filmmakers know that everyone's brain will automatically 'fill in the blank.' So people remember it not as it was but instead remember what their brain processed, and if their brain automatically filled in the blank they'll remember the line as being present and prominent.

 

[haineshisway]

We don't know it wasn't, in fact it probably was.  But people's memories are plastic, not accurate, so it's not surprising many think they heard it, it's an easy to use filmmaking trick, an auditory illusion, if you will, where the filmmakers know that everyone's brain will automatically 'fill in the blank.'  So people remember it not as it was but instead remember what their brain processed, and if their brain automatically filled in the blank they'll remember the line as being present and prominent.

This happens so much with film - good post! If it's dialed down in the foreign tracks then that's the way it was. Has anyone anywhere provided one iota of proof it was louder - I mean, can they prove it.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by Adam_S /t/322696/a-few-words-about-jaws-in-blu-ray/150#post_3961524
We don't know it wasn't, in fact it probably was.

I disagree, nothing to do with memory, all TV showings ( UK ) always had the word higher up the mix, the Laserdisc version has it higher up the mix, the VHS versions had it too, am i supposed to believe that they only got the audio right for the 30th anniversary release on DVD in 2005, we know they altered things from that point onwards in order to create a surround mix, no reason why they couldn't put the original audio mix on the disc, there is space.

 

[Kevin EK]

It's pretty clear that the original mono mix was not included by choice. If I had to guess, I would say that Mr. Spielberg liked the new mix and wanted that on the Blu-ray, given that he discusses the sound mix in the HD featurette. It would have been better to include that original mono mix and let the viewer choose, but the differences are really minor - this isn't a matter of switching rifles for walkie talkies.

 

[Douglas Monce]

I disagree, nothing to do with memory, all TV showings ( UK ) always had the word higher up the mix, the Laserdisc version has it higher up the mix, the VHS versions had it too, am i supposed to believe that they only got the audio right for the 30th anniversary release on DVD in 2005, we know they altered things from that point onwards in order to create a surround mix, no reason why they couldn't put the original audio mix on the disc, there is space.

In late 70's and early 80's, I worked in a restaurant, that had one of those big screen projection TVs that would bounce the image into a mirror, and then up on a big slightly concave screen. They had one of the first Laserdisc players I had ever seen, and they had the original MCA DiscoVision copy of Jaws. They must have played that thing 4 or 5 times a week, so I probably saw the film hundreds of times in parts. I remembered thinking at the time that it was clever that the audio of the explosion covered Brody's curse word. The explosion was in effect cursing for him. I don't remember ever actually hearing the word "bitch" until seeing the Laurent Bouzereau documentary.
Doug

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce /t/322696/a-few-words-about-jaws-in-blu-ray/150#post_3961560
I don't remember ever actually hearing the word "bitch" until seeing the Laurent Bouzereau documentary.
Doug

At school we used to mimic that last line and always used the word bitch, therefore it must have been clear to us otherwise why would we mimic it, i can accept the new mix as long as the word is there even if it's lower in the mix.