USHE Announcement: Conan: The Complete Quest (Blu-ray Double Feature) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Headline Date: TBA
Release Date: 6/14/2016

CONAN: THE COMPLETE QUEST (CONAN THE BARBARIAN / CONAN THE DESTROYER)
Product Source: Made for Video (2004)
Theatrical Studio:
Theatrical Release:
Synopsis:
Blu-ray Widescreen Multi-Feature(61178880) : Disc 1 (Side A): Conan the Barbarian
Format: Blu-ray UPC: 0-2519-23575-5-8
Unit Type: Multi-Feature Number of Media: 1
Street Date: 6/14/2016 PreOrder Date:
Run Time (HH:MM): 2 Hours 11 Minutes
Language: English Disc Type: BD-50 (Single Sided)
Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
French

Edition: - Picture: Widescreen
Version: - Color/B&W COLOR
Rating: PG
R CARA Rating: -
Bonus Features: • Feature Commentary with Director John Milius and Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Conan Unchained: The Making of Conan
• Art of Steel: Sword Makers and Masters
• Conan: From the Vault
• Special Effects
• The Conan Archives
• Theatrical Trailers
• My Scenes
• Pocket BLU APP


Blu-ray Widescreen Multi-Feature(61178880) : Disc 2 (Side A): Conan the Destroyer
Format: Blu-ray UPC: 0-2519-23575-5-8
Unit Type: Multi-Feature Number of Media: 1
Street Date: 6/14/2016 PreOrder Date:
Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 42 Minutes
Language: English Disc Type: BD-50 (Single Sided)
Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French DTS Digital Surround 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH

Edition: - Picture: Widescreen
Version: - Color/B&W COLOR
Rating: PG
R CARA Rating: -
Bonus Features: • Theatrical Trailer
• BD-Live
• My Scenes
• Pocket BLU App

The link below will take you directly to the product on Amazon. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

 

[Konstantinos]

I wonder if they will have corrected both video and audio of the first film...

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Highly doubtful.

Again, what were the discrepancies with CONAN? I never bought the Blu-ray because all I kept hearing was that there were music problems.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Highly doubtful.

Again, what were the discrepancies with CONAN? I never bought the Blu-ray because all I kept hearing was that there were music problems.

Apparently the choral overdubs weren't on the 35mm music masters for some parts of Riders of Doom.

Anyhoo this looks like a repackage. Wake me when Shout! Factory gets the rights to do a full on remaster of the european cut.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

This is a tricky question...

I realize we want the studios to do the right thing and fix these problems.

Anytime a Blu-ray release does not reflect the intended version it's a problem.

However, in the scope of things, when considering a purchase, is this a deal-breaker? I have been wanting to purchase CONAN for the longest time and might opt for this double-feature.

 

[Konstantinos]

Apparently the choral overdubs weren't on the 35mm music masters for some parts of Riders of Doom.

Anyhoo this looks like a repackage. Wake me when Shout! Factory gets the rights to do a full on remaster of the european cut.

And in a couple of cues in other scenes. Also a percussion was missing too in The Orgy scene.
I think it's not that it wasn't in the masters, but i think since the music sounded so good in the bluray, they had assembled all the elements from scratch to make the audio, and they simply forgot to add those overdubs.

However, in the scope of things, when considering a purchase, is this a deal-breaker? I have been wanting to purchase CONAN for the longest time and might opt for this double-feature.

the french steelbook, if you find it, includes the original mono audio, and a 5.1 one, although that one is not good.
Also they have corrected the day for night scene.
http://www.amazon.fr/Conan-the-Barbarian-and-Conan-the-Destroyer-Blu-ray/dp/B00DRFJNOE

i see these don't ship to US (only the used one is shipped internationally), but this release in the only one in the world that is correct with no errors.
if you do get it, there is a trick to watch the uncut version and not the UK cut one.

 

[YanMan]

Ron,

You can read the replies in Kevin's review thread for the initial BD release for more discussion on the audio issues:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/conan-the-barbarian-blu-ray-review.307522/

I will quote his summary of the audio issues from the review here, as it pretty much covers everything wrong with the 5.1:

AUDIO QUALITY 2 ½ /5

Conan The Barbarian is presented in an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that is full-throated when it comes to the big battle sequences, but which stumbles over some basic matters that should not have been a problem. Specifically, there are several key moments in the movie where the choral part of Basil Pouledoris’ score has been simply removed from the sound mix. One of these comes during the pivotal opening battle that Conan witnesses as a child. Another comes during the key moment when Conan prepares for the climatic battle with a display of swordsmanship on the beach. This glitch is apparently present on all current Blu-rays of the title, and it’s perplexing. I have no idea why the chorus was eliminated from these cues. I'll clarify here to say that the DTS HD MA mix is the only one on the disc. The mono mix available on the prior DVD is not on the Blu-ray.


There was also a standalone re-release at the end of March for the first film... still waiting to see if someone is brave enough to pick it up and see if it has corrected 5.1 or at least the mono track:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AHWLXH4...UTF8&colid=26ODMQLG3R6XD&coliid=IVETOVC0JU1TE

 

[Lord Dalek]

In regards to the missing percussion on The Orgy, this was originally posted on Intrada's message board some time ago...

"Here's what light I can shed on this, and it's not a whole lot. I hope it helps, though. Regarding "The Orgy", the tam tam and gong roll at the end actually appears to have been an effect added during post production to assist in a smoother audio edit into the subsequent kitchen battle music, which was all done editorially. It was not recorded onto the 2" 24-track tapes. Being those are the actual tapes running on the Italian tape machines at the sessions, they probably should be considered authoritative in what Basil intended, or at least actually recorded. Everything else mixed down, combined, edited, tweaked or otherwise monkeyed with would have to have come from them.

The later 1/4" two-track mixes (discussed briefly in our liner notes) were used for the album and cassettes in their day and it appears the tam tam roll edited into the picture made it into those mixes, hence their inclusion on our third disc. You do get it both ways on our release: what was composed and recorded initially AND what was editorially added to the film and the subsequent two-track record mix downs. Whether this roll was added into the two-track mixes by accident or design, I sure can't say. In fact, there were also four-track mix downs made on half inch tape (actually three tracks plus a synch pulse for track number four) so keep in mind that was yet another generation introduced into this massive project."

So basically its akin to something along the lines of that metal blade sound from The Terminator that never shows up on the soundtrack albums or the 5.1 remix. It was an overdub the sound guys added in post that got lost.

Also the old R2 Fox dvds used the Varese soundtrack masters which mostly used what was left of the 1/2" film and album mixes (the tapes were falling apart). Rest was rechanneled mono.

 

[joshEH]

...Yeah, looks like I'll still be sticking with my French Steelbook. Oh well.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

I can't confirm this, but I've read elsewhere that there's apparently something wrong with the 5.1 on Destroyer, too. Some owners have claimed the entire soundtrack sounds like it came from a sped-up 25fps version of the audio, which was slowed back down to the correct speed, but retained the PAL pitch-shift. I don't own the US Blu-ray, so I'm not sure, but the Region B UK does seem to have the original mono for that.

As for Barbarian, I really wish Universal would do what they did for Touch of Evil and release a disc with all three cuts: the US theatrical (which has been off and on of Netflix recently), the international theatrical (which is on the current US Blu-ray, albeit with the audio errors), and the extended international, which is on the French steelbook.

 

[Konstantinos]

In regards to the missing percussion on The Orgy, this was originally posted on Intrada's message board some time ago...

"Here's what light I can shed on this, and it's not a whole lot. I hope it helps, though. Regarding "The Orgy", the tam tam and gong roll at the end actually appears to have been an effect added during post production to assist in a smoother audio edit into the subsequent kitchen battle music, which was all done editorially. It was not recorded onto the 2" 24-track tapes. Being those are the actual tapes running on the Italian tape machines at the sessions, they probably should be considered authoritative in what Basil intended, or at least actually recorded. Everything else mixed down, combined, edited, tweaked or otherwise monkeyed with would have to have come from them.

The later 1/4" two-track mixes (discussed briefly in our liner notes) were used for the album and cassettes in their day and it appears the tam tam roll edited into the picture made it into those mixes, hence their inclusion on our third disc. You do get it both ways on our release: what was composed and recorded initially AND what was editorially added to the film and the subsequent two-track record mix downs. Whether this roll was added into the two-track mixes by accident or design, I sure can't say. In fact, there were also four-track mix downs made on half inch tape (actually three tracks plus a synch pulse for track number four) so keep in mind that was yet another generation introduced into this massive project."

So basically its akin to something along the lines of that metal blade sound from The Terminator that never shows up on the soundtrack albums or the 5.1 remix. It was an overdub the sound guys added in post that got lost.

Also the old R2 Fox dvds used the Varese soundtrack masters which mostly used what was left of the 1/2" film and album mixes (the tapes were falling apart). Rest was rechanneled mono.

thanks but it's not only the roll that is missing.
there are multiple tam tam (or gong) hits that are missing earlier. (those weren't too in the intrada film version and the bluray but they were in the album version, and in the mono audio of the film. i'm not sure about the 5.1 on DVD).
here's what i meant:


that hit at 3.14'' and on (every 4 seconds) is missing.

But you can hear it in previous releases, eg here at 3.29 and on:

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Is there an import version of the Blu-ray where the original track is fully intact?

I would probably prefer to go that route rather than buy this release, which I bet has not been fixed.

 

[YanMan]

Is there an import version of the Blu-ray where the original track is fully intact?

I would probably prefer to go that route rather than buy this release, which I bet has not been fixed.

Just the French steelbook that Konstantinos linked to in reply #6.

It looks like it may be OOP now, though. It seems to only be available from third-party sellers on Amazon.fr at the moment, at much higher prices than it was previously.

 

[Konstantinos]

Just the French steelbook that Konstantinos linked to in reply #6.

It looks like it may be OOP now, though. It seems to only be available from third-party sellers on Amazon.fr at the moment, at much higher prices than it was previously.

yeah, i made the mistake and didn't buy it earlier when it was cheap. i didn't know it would become OOP.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I'll just.....wait.

For the record, I don't know what I am waiting to eventually happen.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I'll just.....wait.

For the record, I don't know what I am waiting to eventually happen.

Shout! Special Collectors Edition. I know that's what I'm waiting for.

 

[Lord Dalek]

thanks but it's not only the roll that is missing.
there are multiple tam tam (or gong) hits that are missing earlier. (those weren't too in the intrada film version and the bluray but they were in the album version, and in the mono audio of the film. i'm not sure about the 5.1 on DVD).
here's what i meant:

I know what you meant. The same post mentioned the Tam Tams were never recorded onto the 24-tracks but apprarently added in post.

I should give a listen to the Tadlow to see if they were on there (probably not).

 

[Konstantinos]

I should give a listen to the Tadlow to see if they were on there (probably not).

they aren't there.
Oddly enough, neither the cymbal hits on the strong beat are there...

 

[Race Bannon]

This is a tricky question...

I realize we want the studios to do the right thing and fix these problems.

Anytime a Blu-ray release does not reflect the intended version it's a problem.

However, in the scope of things, when considering a purchase, is this a deal-breaker? I have been wanting to purchase CONAN for the longest time and might opt for this double-feature.

It's worth there price of admission just for the Milius/Schwarzenegger commentary track. Epic win.

 

[Konstantinos]

Well since this is 2017 I think that the first film at least should be released in a 35th Anniversary definite edition, restored coming from a new 4K scan and with the 5.1 audio corrected and including the original mono audio.
(of course there are options about these in other non-USA editions, but it would be good to get a new scan too)

This and Predator deserve it, in a time that unknown b-movies get outstanding 4K restorations.