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DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Hello DOLLY! (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) (1 Viewer)

DaViD Boulet

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 1999
Messages
8,826
Greg,

Thanks for sharing your comments! Just what I was hoping someone would post...

The sound on most laserdiscs has always sounded better then their DVD counterparts. Laser had better sound.
I'm right there with you that typically (though not in Dolly's case) the uncompressed 2.0 PCM of laser sounds much better than the DD soundtracks usually made available on DVD. And often the 5.1 AC-3 (and DTS) soundtracks on laser also sound better because they weren't typically "dumbed down" for "home-theater" like we so often get with DD and DTS soundtracks on DVD.

However in the case of Dolly, the differences in sound are not a matter of compression, bit-rate, or EQ/mixing for the home vs the theater. It's a simple case of the LD sounds like it's been left alone to reveal the full color of the source recording whereas the DVD has been noise-reduced (I'm assuming to remove the hiss that's audible on the LD) which has also compromised the musical signal.
 

Jefferson

Supporting Actor
Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
979
This is my first post in awhile.
I guess, like Dolly, "I went away from the lights of fourteenth street and into my personal haze".

Yes, indeed, I see only "ONKERS"
on this dvd,
and I see a different take as Dolly runs down
the sidewalk and does NOT hold her hat,
and a different take as she dances with waiters...

and am i RELIEVED that i'm not the only one
seeing it this way...
or hearing the "dolbyized" sounding muffled
less sparkly sound.

Oh, and yes, chris tassin is correct,
I watched PUT ON YOUR SUNDAY CLOTHES seven times
in a row.

Interestingly, that number is just about
my favorite musical number in any film...
although the film as a whole is not my numberone...
but thats ok.
"You salt your beets and I'll salt mine"
:)
 

Mark B

Screenwriter
Joined
Sep 27, 2003
Messages
1,070
Location
Saranac Lake, NY
Real Name
Mark
On my PC The full YONKERS sign is visible. I am stunned by the alternate shot used in "Parade." Now I have to watch every frame in comparison to the 35mm to see what else is there. As you can assume, I haven't had an uninterrupted viewing of the entire disc yet....

Love this board for this exact reason. Thanks to all.

Mark
 

RobertSiegel

Reviewer
Joined
Mar 10, 2004
Messages
1,290
Well, being one of my favorite film musicals, I thought the picture looked great, but not even a trailer? Boy, imagine the great stuff sitting in the Fox vaults on this one. Plus, did you notice the high end on the soundtrack has been cut off to remove hiss. I may be picky, but I think this was put together very quickly. Oklahoma sounds 100% better, and that was almost 20 years earlier.
 

RobertSiegel

Reviewer
Joined
Mar 10, 2004
Messages
1,290
rECENTLY SAT DOWN TO COMPARE THE hello dolly 5.1 LASERDISC with the dvd. The DVD sound is richer, but the high end is gone. The laserdisc has a beautiful upper range that's completely missing on the dvd. SAD!
 

Paul Linfesty

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 15, 2001
Messages
216
What is most frustrating is that the high-end (along with, admittedly, a little "hiss") was present during the presentation of the new 70mm print. Which proves it wasn't just an aging soundtrack that caused it to lose the highs.
 

RobertSiegel

Reviewer
Joined
Mar 10, 2004
Messages
1,290
It seems as if someone with no brains wanted to take that hiss out, and at the same time it took away the very high end of the soundtrack. When will they ever learn , LEAVE THE TAPE HISS AND THE HIGH END there!
 

john.M

Auditioning
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
Messages
2
Reading this thread compelled me to watch this DVD, today. My son has owned it, since its release; but I've not watched it. I agree with what has been said, regarding the muffled sound. Also, I can assure you that the take on the LD, during 'Parade', where Dolly holds her hat, right before the switch to 14th Street, is the one that was in the Todd-AO print that was shown in Center City Philadelphia, at the Randolph Theater, during its originial 1969 release. I saw it there, 9 times.
 

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