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Posted: 24 Jun 2012, 19:14 

North by Northwest #45A (1959) [CC1226L]

I just watched this Criterion CLV edition which adds a digital version of the mono soundtrack not featured on the CAV release.

Image is very good for the age, but obviously Criterion used a show print of some kind as there is damage inherent throughout the film. Color timing is very pleasing to the eye and unlike other editions I've seen. Think of the look of the new Blu-ray/DVD edition but lighter and you have an idea of what it looks like. Framed at about 1.75:1, and as this is a VistaVision film there are many ways to go about this. 1.66, 1.7, 1.75, 1.78, 1.85 are all acceptable choices and each will give a slightly different amount of information in the frame. Criterion's image gives more on top and bottom but does lose a bit on the sides. Just look at the opening titles, as the bottom credit text and logo is cut off completely on the right side. But this is a great disc for it's age. Funny to think it's as old as I am. ;)
Image: 6 or 7/10

The mono soundtrack is the original version and not a remix. Once you've heard this track there's no going back to the fake modern 5.1 which has the music overpowering the still mono dialogue. It's perfectly balanced and for all the talk about Bernard Herrmann's score being recorded in stereo and pitifully put into the mono mix it sounds wonderful. Natural soundfield with a nice bit of bass too-this especially comes across when score cues. Here on the Criterion disc, the mono sounds well preserved on the digital track but has some occasional issues. In the first scene with VanDamm, the audio becomes extremely hissy and every line of dialogue is engulfed in a hiss. It's still audible but slightly distracting. The beginning of Side 3 has a big volume spike which gently lowers after about a minute or so. Finally, I don't know if this is just my disc but there are two places where the sound is completely garbled with some kind of digital noise. It's not either of my players and the disc seems to be perfect so perhaps this is a mastering error? Anyway, this occurs:
-In the opening dialogue scene right after Thornhill has picked up a newspaper, and the second half of his line if obscured by mysterious garble.
-When Thornhill and Mother enter the Plaza Hotel.
Sound gets a 10/10 for presenting the mono mix faithfully. The real quality rating with these issues would bring it down to say a 7/10. Still it sounds really really good !

I really enjoyed this disc, and it has become my favorite copy, though it lacks in the high resolution of the DVD/Blu-ray transfer which came from an 8K scan of the original negative. I want to see the MGM widescreen release as it has a cleaner mono soundtrack (but the opening titles are in stereo), a different color timing and more open 1.66 framing.

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 Post subject: Re: Who here likes vinyl ?
Posted: 07 Nov 2015, 23:48 

Agreed. I've never much liked 7"es other than the greater fidelity of 45rpm. But the 12" UK 45rpm singles are my favorite music format period and what I try for for any song I truly adore.

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Posted: 12 Nov 2015, 23:27 

Just wondering since at some point I'd either like to service or replace my still soldiering on 702. With a LX900 or D704, is there much visible improvement? Ever since getting my hdcrt xbr960, LDs have become noisy and unwatchable to the point of making me want to build a cart to use my old 4:3 480i Sony CRT again just for them.
My DVL-700 has less noise in the image than the 702, and of course the ac3 rf out. But the DVNR is so prevalent that I never use it other than testing ac3 tracks.

With the absurdly high cost of players on ebay, little guarantee they work right or will be shipped well, and the local avenues practically nil, I've never been able to justify shelling out several hundred dollars for what may or may not be much improvement.

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Posted: 27 Jul 2020, 04:27 

Phantom Menace-theatrical Dolby EX never again released
Mission Impossible-theatrical mix with more LFE-mix redone for dvd with less LFE and has carried to all later releases.
Star Ware SE 1997 trilogy boxset-great mixes despite the changes. Last good sounding trilogy release
Goldeneye-heavy LFE mix on all early Dolby versions. It carried over to the DVD and was later remixed.
Tomorrow Never Dies-GREAT mix. DTS is better but ac3 no slouch.
Long Kiss Goodnight-DTS is better but ac3 still same great master
Alien-scarier test Sensurround mix
Clear and Present Danger
Cutthroat Island
The Crow
Ghost and the Darkness
Stargate
Twister
True Lies
The Phantom

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 Post subject: Re: 007 on LD
Posted: 14 Dec 2020, 02:24 

The LDs have the best sound presentations hands down. The letterbox discs are the way to go, MGM slightly outdid the Criterions on the first three in PQ, GF and TB got the big upgraded CAV boxsets.

The others mostly are average MGM letterbox transfers but are pure and hands off so their color timing and audio is superior to any other release. Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies are among the top 5 discs on the format and their DTS audio versions are definitive outdoing any other edition I've tried.

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Posted: 29 Jan 2022, 05:33 

I think you may be referring to my channel Damn Fool Idealistic Crusader. Thanks for the shoutout.
With the Alamo and its roadshow cut there is now another pricey option. Koch Media did a deluxe Blu-ray German release of the theatrical cut and included a second disc with the roadshow version. They had to use the LD master to splice in the extra material into the HD master of the theatrical cut. It's not perfect but they did the best with what they were given access to. Unfortunately this set sold out before I could get one and also didn't use the 5.1 ac3 of the later and much rarer Laserdisc-instead it's using the 2.0 surround of the older LD boxset.

You can see the theatrical cut easily on DVD or elsewhere or even get the cheap letterbox theatrical LD and see if you like the film at all first. The roadshow version is better and the studio did indeed let the lone 70mm print rot. The first LD box has Dolby surround and can be found for $20-40 when it does pop up if people aren't over charging. The ac3 reissue is much harder to find, came out years later and has nearly identical cover art. It can go for $50-100 when it pops up but it you're patient you can find either LD box for cheap on the rare occasions when it does appear. Our local Half Price Books put out a lot of discs recently that were mostly overpriced but they did have the first non-ac3 box for $15.

The Japanese versions will use the same MGM/UA master and thus should be equivalent but add subtitles.
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