VHS Sound Mixing (1 Viewer)

[moviebuff75]

Were films remixed for the vhs release back in the day? Example, would a film in mono still have to be mixed on the vhs? Would a new composite track have to be produced?

 

[JoeStemme]

Were films remixed for the vhs release back in the day? Example, would a film in mono still have to be mixed on the vhs? Would a new composite track have to be produced?

Interesting question. I assume that the major releases did get at least tweaked for home video. In the early days, most VCRs (and TV setups) were just basic stereo or even mono.

 

[Worth]

I'm pretty certain that for most of their history, tapes and early laserdiscs just used existing mono and stereo optical tracks. I don't think remixes started becoming common until digital sound and multi-channel audio became standard in the mid-90s.

 

[JoeStemme]

I'm pretty certain that for most of their history, tapes and early laserdiscs just used existing mono and stereo optical tracks. I don't think remixes started becoming common until digital sound and multi-channel audio became standard in the mid-90s.

Naw. There were some high end VCRS as early as the mid-80s. I plunked down $800 for one that came with it's own sound mixing capabiltiy. A crude one, but, still it existed. And, there were articles in "stereo" magazines about using VCRs to record and listen to music. I'm sure there were remixes long before the 90s

 

[DVBRD]

Would those Chace Stereo remixes of mono films that started showing up in the late-80s count?

 

[JoeStemme]

Would those Chace Stereo remixes of mono films that started showing up in the late-80s count?

Very good example. A friend of mine worked there at the time. Chace also did a lot of noise reduction work on old movies and TV shows for home video and cable broadcasts

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm pretty certain that for most of their history, tapes and early laserdiscs just used existing mono and stereo optical tracks. I don't think remixes started becoming common until digital sound and multi-channel audio became standard in the mid-90s.

I remember some VHS releases from MCA/Universal - more the exception than the rule - that would have a disclaimer on the box stating something to the effect of “Home Video Version - Some Music Rescored”. I know my copy of “Jaws” had that text but I’m not sure what else did.

 

[JoeStemme]

I remember some VHS releases from MCA/Universal - more the exception than the rule - that would have a disclaimer on the box stating something to the effect of “Home Video Version - Some Music Rescored”. I know my copy of “Jaws” had that text but I’m not sure what else did.

That's a whole other topic! The most infamous example of score replacement were for the old AIP films of the 60s (released on VHS by Orion) in the 1980's with synth scores by Kendall Schmidt, including PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES, THE CONQUEROR WORM, SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN, CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CULT, etc

 

[UHDvision]

Stereo conversions of mono tracks were already appearing by mid, to the end of the 80's, witness the Dirty Harry films for example, which were expanded from the stems into stereo in 1989, then 1995, before finally being destroyed by 5.1 with new foley tracks in the DVD era.

Also, the 1985 VHS of The Terminator, the first release on VHS, is a mono remix in fake stereo by Chace.

Most of them however were made for LDs, and fan preservations use the LDs, they only go VHS when there is no option.