Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) [LV 31859-2L]

My least favorite of the trilogy is a better overall experience on LD than the Lowry overscrubbed DVD.

The first of the trilogy to get a widescreen release, the video master is unquestionably inferior to those of RAIDERS and especially TEMPLE. It's not a bad transfer, just one that pales in comparison. There is a very tiny bit of motion blur on one occasion or two, detail is a bit washed out but color is nicely balanced with very good skin tones. This is a very good Paramount title for the era, much better than most the studio released around the same time. It also kicks the crap out of the P&S master used on LD/VHS.
Comparing to the DVD, this seems balanced more naturally.

But again, it's the audio that really excels. Only being the Dolby Stereo reduced version for 35mm general release, this still is a powerhouse track, filled with all kinds of sonic wizardry and definite range that absolutely obliterates the remixed 5.1 track. There is more information in the high end compared to the initial films, but in turn less of that wonderful sound panning in the dialogue and score. (There is still panning usage however, that is as usual removed from all later copies)

Sadly, my copy has a touch of rot on Side 2 and half of Side 3 that manifests as faint but distinct colored pixelated lines flickering up the screen.

The audio makes this a must own despite only being the 4 channel matrix version. When the credit "Re-recorded in a THX sound system theater" comes up, you darn well believe it. It's a great detailed and involving mix, just not quite in the same awe inspiring way that RAIDERS and the truly aggressive mix on TEMPLE were.

Again, simple elegant beautiful gatefold artwork.

PQ: A solid 3/5
AQ: 5/5. Reference track.

I saw ...Last Crusade in 70mm a few years ago and the 4-track discrete (with baby boom) mix was not impressive at all. Surround effects were not continuous and switched on and off, drawing attention to them and the fidelity wasn't all that great. The 70mm print condition was excellent, as was the condition of the mag sound - the theater even had the alignment film to set up the EQ for the mag tracks correctly. The Dolby Stereo MP Matrix mix is much better and the preferred way to hear it- especially if you have a Shure HTS-5300 Acra-Vector decoder (which was used on the sly to monitor the Dolby Mix.) One neat thing about the showing was the theater had a 90 degree curved screen and used the curtains properly, opening and closing them between trailers and the film so you never saw a blank screen - the way it should be.

Hmm..that's odd for a Lucasfilm production in 1989 to not sound good in 70mm discrete. Could it have something to do with being done on the Sprocket system or being one of the first if not the first to be processed by THX? The screen credit reads "re-recorded in a THX sound theater" instead of recorded.

This Dolby matrix track is really really good, even in just plain old ProLogic decoding. It is even better on headphones.

I bet the 70mm RAIDERS and TEMPLE are knockouts.

I have both pressings and find them to be all right.

Last Crusade is a cool film that I noticed when it first played in 70mm at the local Cannon cinema screen 1 on its first day release, Friday June 30th 1989 afternoon show.

I noticed the dialouge panning and the use of the split surrounds with voices in the cave over at rear as that was where the surrounds where fitted in the cinema 6 along the back wall.

I didn't notice the low end I can hear the tone but feeling it was not impacting enough as it was when I saw it again, Wednesday 13th September 1989, Empire Leicester Square screen 1 70mm Dolby Stereo (THX sound system). It sounded and it could be felt wow, way, way many times better. The impact of the Indy, punch knocked me back with scary jolt in the rocker seats that I noticed and I never sat in such a cool seat before.

I heard the same or could remember the same positing of the sound panning having seen the film at the local at least 4 times or so in 70mm Dolby. So it was etched onto my memory. 1 one many best films of 1989.