Musicals and/or movies-with-notable-soundtracks that could really use a stereo mix, but remain available in mono only (1 Viewer)

[Drew Salzan]

High Society was a VistaVision release and would be lovely in blu-ray or, of course, 4K. I was watching the short documentary on the new Tender Trap WA blu-ray. The scenes from High Society looked quite good. The stereo recording of the songs on Sinatra’s Hollwood boxed CD set is excellent. Louis Armstrong’s selections from that film also sound great in stereo on one of his compilation CDs. Any word on High Society coming to us at some point?

The stereo session recordings of High Society do indeed sound great. The laserdisc and TCM broadcast are in stereo. Depending on the condition of the original camera negative, a blu ray would be most welcome.

 

[Matt Hough]

And the clips from High Society used in the That's Entertainment! films look wonderful.

 

[verneaux]

That's funny I was just thinking the exact same thing. I passed up the bluray because there were those complaining that on a large TV the images were less than what should have been expected from a Vistavision release and my 4k TV is on the large size. We shall see. A Funny Face 4k release I can't imagine is on the top of any executives list but hope springs eternal. Maybe the film was done in Perspecta?

The bluray of Funny Face was strange indeed. In the number ‘Clap yo’ Hands’ there were rim-shots added in the original sound mix to accentuate Astaire’s kicks. These rim-shots are missing on the bluray.

 

[Tom St Jones]

Among that last list I posted are several films that do not contain all that much music (or are carried by variations on the same one or two themes), but are notable for their sound FX/design -- the other "music" of the movies, ofcourse -- and overall audial atmosphere (for want of the right words). For example: "Straw Dogs" (outdoor scenes, men attacking/breaking into Dustin Hoffman's home in the climax, the infamous rape scene), "The Birds" (the bird attacks, ofcourse), "The Getaway"s explosive shootouts, "A Man & A Woman"s (English-dubbed version) radio/backgrnd voice-overs, and the non-scored (NPI) love scene featuring only the sounds of the lovers set to a subtle howling-wind sound.
All of which sound fine in mono on disc/digital, but i think would have greatly benefited -- and still could -- from a (orig. or digitally-created) stereo or surround mix option.

 

[JSLasher]

Yes, but the SLEEPING BEAUTY orchestra was recorded in Germany, not at Disney Studios.

During the AFM Local 47 musicians strike a good many soundtracks were recorded in Germany with Kurt Graunke's Symphonie Orchester Graunke in Munich. As for Hitchcock's "Vertigo", the initial recording took place in London with Muir Mathieson conducting his Sinfonia of London in 3-track stereo. After the British Musicians Union sided with the AFM, the remaining sessions took place in Australia [Graunke was fully booked out at this time] with an ad-hoc orchestra featuring musicians from the Vienna Philharmonic, among others. The Vienna sessions were recorded in mono. The 3-track Sinfonia of London recordings were licensed to Mercury Records, who released the original LP in mono. However, decades later they were released in stereo on Mercury Records Golden Imports series. I was somehow involved in the stereo re-release, having liaised with the Mercury management in Chicago regarding the location of the original 3-track masters.

 

[roxy1927]

In Australia? Why not some other place in Europe?

 

[richardburton84]

I’m assuming he meant to type Austria, but ended up putting down Australia (possibly the result of an autocorrect glitch).

 

[roxy1927]

I thought that might be the case but I wanted to be sure.

 

[Douglas R]

The stereo session recordings of High Society do indeed sound great. The laserdisc and TCM broadcast are in stereo. Depending on the condition of the original camera negative, a blu ray would be most welcome.

I have the LP (or vinyl if you prefer) of High Society which has one of the most extreme stereo separations I've ever heard. I loved playing it as a stereo demo disc.

 

[Drew Salzan]

I have the LP (or vinyl if you prefer) of High Society which has one of the most extreme stereo separations I've ever heard. I loved playing it as a stereo demo disc.

As mentioned earlier the LP was a strange mix. The music was fake stereo mixed with separate vocal tracks.

 

[JSLasher]

I’m assuming he meant to type Austria, but ended up putting down Australia (possibly the result of an autocorrect glitch).

You are both correct. Bloody autocorrect, however, I should have caught my typo before posting.

 

[JSLasher]

In Australia? Why not some other place in Europe?

I typed Austria, but autocorrect replaced it with Australia [where I live]. I should have caught the typo before posting, however.

 

[Daniel_BB]

I am not sure if I may call it a musicial but the score of "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (M-G-M, 1955) was recorded in stereo. It is available on Rhino CD's but it was never mixed with the movie.

 

[YANG]

Well... on DVD...

... on BD re-release ...

I've no idea what's the kind of improvement with the new release to re-create the "SENSURROUND" experience...​

 

[Matt Hough]

I am not sure if I may call it a musicial but the score of "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (M-G-M, 1955) was recorded in stereo. It is available on Rhino CD's but it was never mixed with the movie.

I had NO idea. I'd love for Warner Archive to get its hands on this terrific and powerful movie and give us a great sight and sound presentation.

 

[Daniel_BB]

Sorry, about the score of "I'll Cry Tomorrow", it was FilmScore (FSM) that released the CD in stereo in 2004, not Rhino. Here is the link:

Film Score Monthly CD: I'll Cry Tomorrow