DVD Etc Poll: List Your Favorite Demo Selection (1 Viewer)

[Gary Coker]

I like the opening (first 2 chapters) of The Mask of Zorro. It has everything: in addition to a mix of bright outdoor visuals and darker indoor scenes, the audio is phenomenal and really shows off the impact of *dynamic range*, going from quiet conversation to high-volume action. The title sequence, with Zorro's footsteps, the scabbard of his sword clinking, then the swish of the sword coming out of the scabbard and the "cuts" of the sword to make the title sounds fantastic. Then, in Chapter 2, you have the all-around crowd noise as background to very crisp dialogue, gunshots, sword fights, all backed by a huge orchestral score with lush strings, piercing horns, and those amazingly-clear castanets. When Zorro's horse rears up, the score will give you goose-bumps. Zorro's black costume in the bright daylight is also a good test of your TV's ability to hold black level detail during high-contrast scenes. Overall, a very impressive sequence and a great demo.
- Gary

 

[Keir H]

Dangit Gary, now ya makin me really want to go for the Superbit version of MoZ.! Id DD it's great I can only imagine what its like in dts...
Some of my Favs (no part. scenes):
U571 dts
SPR dts
Yes, The Haunting (dts es)
Toy Story II, hey no one mentions that TS I is not too shabby either..
LOTR...i have DD version, does the dts ver. sound better than the cooked DD vers.?
many others..

 

[Dan Kaplan]

I've skimmed the last couple pages of this thread and haven't seen it mentioned, so here's a vote for Blue Crush. You know from the opening scene that you're in for an experience!
I seem to be one of the few people not overly impressed by The Fast and The Furious, either from a cinematic or demo standpoint. So-so, in both categories, in my opinion. Sure, the soundtrack is very agressive, but very convoluded and harsh at times. In a similar genre, I consider the Gone in 60 Seconds remake to be a vastly superior demo disc.
Oh, and as for the ultimate demo disc, hands down... I just picked up a THX demo disc on eBay for $28 shipped. 17 THX trailers (I believe that's all of them), 9 Dolby Digital trailers, 4 DTS trailers, the Star Wars Episode I pod race scene, and THX's WOW! montage. Pretty much covers the best demo material out there. I asked the seller if he would mind my mentioning it, to which he said yes. It's obviously bootleg material (hey, if THX would actually sell the demos, people would surely buy them), so advertising it directly isn't preferred... You can PM me for more info if you're interested, or you can find it on eBay easily by searching for "THX demo disc". It's a R0 DVDr that plays perfectly in my R1 player. I get nothing out of it; just happy to share an awesome demo disc opportunity with others.
Dan

 

[Joshua_Y]

Im gonna add Die Another Day...whoa!

 

[Anthony Urzi]

Whenever i bring a new toy home, the first dvd's i pop in are:

...:::AOTC EP II Clone War in the coloseum

...:::TPM EP I Pod Race (thsi doens't aply to my system yet, but one of the few movies that has intense directional BASS
a new one to the list from what i've seen so far...

...:::Opening sequence of Disney's Dinosaur DTS from the intense bass of the running trex, subtle splashing in the surround, delicate breathing, ear spliting crys, intense music utilizing all speakers, waves crashing against the rocks as you glide through the canyons, finally ending in a thunderous storm, scattering of birds, and dead silence..

Another new one to the list:

...:::The island Scene of True Lies between the flamethrowing tanker, missle flying and explosions and the use of surround as the machine gun tumbles down the stairs, the sound covers body hits, metal casing bouncing individually down wood steps, all sorts of nice effects
If we're staying unique, and don't shoot me....

...:::Mewtwos psycic voice in the first Pokemon movie. and the use of surrounds in the various intercut scenes like the farfeched transistion, a hell of a mix considering what it is.

...:::The jackle with Brtuce willis shakes the house, great use of bass both musiclaly and through sfx liek the van mounted canon.

Another movie i was surprized didn;t apear in the first 3 pages was

...:::T2 UE The opening sequence is a great demo, form laser blasts, crystal clear crushing of sculls, hard hitting music, wierd ambient affects clear dialog, the bar scene with it's "terminator hearing" breakign of que sticks, and the bruning fo flesh on the grill, ending with Bad To The Bone, and a motocycle, whats not to love

 

[Anthony Urzi]

One movie i need to add is Big Trouble.....Befor ei upgraded my subwoofer, that movie overloaded in so many places....now, damn, that case is soooo heavy! It really has a life of it's own, the bomb case, pprobably the best use of lfe to give somthing personality i've heard.

Cool, Dinosaur was mentioned a few times on page 3 and 4

 

[Joshua_Y]

One movie i need to add is Big Trouble.....Befor ei upgraded my subwoofer, that movie overloaded in so many places....now, damn, that case is soooo heavy! It really has a life of it's own, the bomb case, pprobably the best use of lfe to give somthing personality i've heard.

I second that...I just watched that again over the weekend and was like "whoa" whenever someone moved the case...real cool!

And Gary...Mask of Zorro is quite the demo disc...I popped it in the other day and watched it and in the first minute was floored! And its a great flick too!

 

[Jon Moss]

The 25th Hour has an amazing scene in a dance club, with a DJ mixing Grandmaster Flash's "White Lines". The scratching is played alternately through the left & right rear speakers, and the bass is insane!! My surrounds have never been so active!
It's the most unlikely movie to have a demo-quality soundtrack, but then it is a THX mastered disc
It's my new favourite demo disc

 

[Keir H]

Have to add that Die ANother Day dvd..everytime a scene where the ring is used (esp the demo to James) I had to hunt down the remote to turn it down! Also, folks nearly jumped their seat when the scientist on the Island gets shot in the head...made me look around too as I was goin out of the room...and this was not nearly set at reference level! I need a HOUSE! SVS 22-31..rules!

 

[Anthony Urzi]

Just watched ST: Nemesis.....the end sequence where the "weaopn" is powerign up, thats got some mad bass, thats a good "how much stuff can i shake off the walls" test as it is sustained bass over he corse of near a minute frum background audio to full on focus

 

[Dan Shogren]

My reference disc for sound and picture is Chapter 7-9 on the STAR WARS Episode II: Attack Of The Clones. The speeder chase really helps show how sound can help a viewer be sucked into the movie. The effect of the speeders whizzing by your head helps me convert some standard television/VHS owners. The Picture also is amazing, because of the extreme variety of each scene. The lush, colorful landscapes of the city contrast with the harsh, grainy landscape of the industrial area outside of town, and then the nightclub scene allows more normal diologe to be heard, and fleshtones to show the detail of DVD.

 

[Jonathan Dagmar]

Everyone mentioned Star Wars Ep 2. I have not yet had the pleasure of hearing or seeing this movie at home. in the theatre I saw a crappy film print, and I honestly don't notice the audio much...I've been holding out on this since I don't like the movie much, and can't stand the acting...

My favourite scenes to show off my rather humble system are the prologue in Fellowship of the Ring, and Gandalf and the Balgorg at the begining of Two Towers. I also have a great time with "We Both Reached for the Gun" from Chicago. Sounds great.

 

[Lanny_B]

I just ordered Saving Private Ryan DTS, so I'll finally get to hear this for myself. I know for a fact though, that I would almost never show that intro as a demo of my system just because of the nature of it. Nobody who would come see my system would be happy I showed them that just as a demo.

I'm going to have to say:
ColdPlay Live 2003 DTS - A Rush of Blood to the Head
Fellowship of the Ring EE - Sauron, and Balin's Tomb
Star Wars Episode II - Speeder Chase

 

[PeterK]

Any THX movie opener scene. my favourites are from Starwars I and II the one from Finding nemo and the one from Terminator 2

 

[Ernest Rister]

Fantasia/2000 is reference audio. It has everything you could ask for in a great audio presentation. It should almost come with a warning for the power of the LFE channel in the concluding Firebird sequence.

Other discs of note in terms of audio:

Amadeus: Director's Cut
Band of Brothers
The Bourne Identity
Bruce Springsteen Live in New York City
Cast Away
Chicago
Contact
GoldenEye
Open Range (wow)
Saving Private Ryan
Tron: 20th Anniversary