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 Post subject: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 12 Aug 2012, 22:04 
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Independence Day: ID4 (1996) [0411885]

The Movie:
You are advised not to discharge your firearms at the alien spacecraft - it might inadvertently trigger interstellar war.
With the special effects boom in the mid to late 1990s, the disaster film reared its ugly head once more, with such extravaganzas as Dante's Peak, Armageddon, Deep Impact, Volcano, and my favorite of them all - Independence Day.
Mixing the disaster elements of toppling cities and large explosions with the classic sci fi plot of an alien invasion, Independence Day represents all I enjoy in film making. With a stellar cast featuring Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, and Robert Loggia an alien invasion has never hit the screen with such style and splendor.
Wait - what the hell am I telling you all this about? EVERYONE has a copy of Independence Day on Laserdisc. It's the top disc in everyone's collection, and if you don't already have a copy or two(I have two myself) you're probably collecting Laserdisc wrong. I don't need to tell you about Independence Day, you've probably already seen it 6 six times on six different copies.
Bottom line is that even though it's cheesy as all hell and has plenty of shallowness and hammy dialogue, I absolutely love Independence Day through and through. For many years it sat atop my list of favorite films and was only recently dethroned by The Dark Knight Rises. If you haven't seen it, go out and form your own opinion - mine seems to be that of a small minority.

Video:
Exploding onto Laserdisc with a 2.35:1 letterboxed transfer, Independence Day looks....ok on Laserdisc. Despite it's high regards with the ratings on its LDDB page, I find that for the most part, it's merely adequate. Most scenes don't pop off the screen compared to several other films in its class, especially in the third act of the film. Fine details, even for Laserdisc occasionally seem obscured for the last half hour or so. To be fair however, Independence Day does shine when ever something explodes, as the rippling explosions look fantastic. The special effects scenes are top notch, while everything else seems moderately flat.
Signal noise is present in moderation through out the film though it never really becomes distracting.

Audio:
Be prepared to crank your 5.1 surround receiver as ID4 may have one of the most impressive AC3 encoded digital surround tracks on the format. Lows are constantly being pumped out of the .1 LFE track, while the devastation echoes all around you as building crumble under the heat of the gaining explosions. The annihilation of Los Angelos on the first side of the film is especially impressive, with the sound of buildings shattering all around you as the score pumps through the front speakers. Be warned, playing this film at anything less than 11 is seen as unfair treatment of your surround field. That's how good it sounds.

Import Dissection:
For those of you who collect Japanese Laserdiscs, this one may seem less than enticing. It shares the exact same video and audio transfers, plus an additional layer of subtitles on top of the letterboxed frame. There seems to be no motivation to pick this one up other than an excellent front jacket art. Only for the most hardcore of Japanese LD collectors who have everything else and can find it cheap.

Overall:
Buy it if you don't already have it, and skip it if you can't handle a little cheese on the side of your epic cinema. It's fun above all, and those who expect a deep and thought provoking movie should look elsewhere. I however, love every minute of it, and will continue watching it for years to come.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 13 Aug 2012, 19:42 
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Good job! :thumbup:
  
 
 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 13 Aug 2012, 19:59 
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While its the same video transfer, the DTS LaserDisc release seems to be mastered and pressed better than the AC-3 discs and the DTS sound is even more impressive than the already amazing Dolby Digital soundtrack. The AC-3 disc used a 16-bit master while the DTS release used an 18-bit master which provides more audible detail and slightly better sound imaging. Like the AC-3 release, the DTS version of ID4 has the Volcano teaser trailer and it sounds fantastic.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 01:25 
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That may be the case, but until I can toss around 80+ dollars on the DTS release, I'm going to have to settle with the AC3 track.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 01:52 
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flcl4evr wrote:
That may be the case, but until I can toss around 80+ dollars on the DTS release, I'm going to have to settle with the AC3 track.


That being said, does the DTS release sounds 79.99+ dollars better?
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 02:24 
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mikeystoyz wrote:
flcl4evr wrote:
That may be the case, but until I can toss around 80+ dollars on the DTS release, I'm going to have to settle with the AC3 track.


That being said, does the DTS release sounds 79.99+ dollars better?


It depends on the individuals preferences. I got both my AC-3 and DTS copies for free when they were originally released since I worked for DTS then as their Internet representative and wrote their newsletter.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 04:39 
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Did you by any chance write a newsletter about a long lost storage container of DTS discs willed to the select group of Laserdisc collectors crazy enough to continue collection in 2012? That would be astounding.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 05:09 
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flcl4evr wrote:
Did you by any chance write a newsletter about a long lost storage container of DTS discs willed to the select group of Laserdisc collectors crazy enough to continue collection in 2012? That would be astounding.


They were willed to me and I gave them all away last week... :lol:

I have about 100 DTS CD-ROM's for the theatrical system - all completely useless now without matching 35mm prints and a working DTS-6 player. I have probably 75 DTS Trailer discs too - also useless. At least the 35 or so DTS LaserDisc's I have are still usable... And unlike some of my AC-3 titles, none of the DTS LaserDisc's have rotted... My AC-3 copies of Volcano and Speed are speckled messes. My AC-3 DADC pressing of Contact is still pristine, thank God... Although it uses a lower bitrate than the DVD, it sounds much better - and from the info I got from Dolby, the same 18-bit digital sound master was used on both.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 12:50 
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I have a pristine copy of Contact as well. Perhaps sometime I'll have to write up a review of that one, I enjoyed my first viewing. How did you acquire DTS CDs without the prints? What kind of movies do you have the CDs for? I find stuff like this to be very interesting
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 16:54 
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I also have a big spindel of DTS discs that came from a cinema that closed, even harry potter in DTS ..... i am like WTF!

I also have the 3 cd tray decoder
  
 
 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 17:25 
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One of the most expensive I've seen an LD sell for on Ebay was the Japanese DTS version of Independence Day. Went for $675!
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 17:32 
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flcl4evr wrote:
I have a pristine copy of Contact as well. Perhaps sometime I'll have to write up a review of that one, I enjoyed my first viewing. How did you acquire DTS CDs without the prints? What kind of movies do you have the CDs for? I find stuff like this to be very interesting


I was a 35mm projectionist and later projection manager of the Century Rio 24 in Albuquerque, NM. So I had ample opprotunty to collect DTS-6 discs and the Trailer discs. I have discs from Jurassic Park to Titanic and Godzilla, H20, Armageddon, Deep Impact, etc. I left Century in 1999 to move to Kansas City and became an IMAX (actually iWerks) projectionist which used the DTS-P8 Special Venue 8-channel system or full-coat 35mm mag interlock with Dolby SR Noise Reduction. I have a 35mm print of Die Hard 3, but although it was released in all 3 digital sound formats, it was a dual print release, with SR-D/SDDS and SR-D/DTS prints -mine is the SDDS version. I have hundreds of 35mm teasers and trailers and policy snipes.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 17:35 
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nllaserdiscnl wrote:
I also have a big spindel of DTS discs that came from a cinema that closed, even harry potter in DTS ..... i am like WTF!

I also have the 3 cd tray decoder


Is it the blue fronted DTS-6D unit? If so, unless it was updated with DVD-ROM drives, it probably doesn't work. The CD ROM drives turned out not to be too reliable in the long run.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 20:22 
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In my travels I've met a few projectionists, and I actually had the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the Imax booth here in Rochester, it was quite a sight to behold. How was working with the Imax/Iwerks equipment? I know they're awfully touchy about taking pictures in the booth, as I learned from experience.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 23:19 
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disclord wrote:
flcl4evr wrote:
I have a pristine copy of Contact as well. Perhaps sometime I'll have to write up a review of that one, I enjoyed my first viewing. How did you acquire DTS CDs without the prints? What kind of movies do you have the CDs for? I find stuff like this to be very interesting


I was a 35mm projectionist and later projection manager of the Century Rio 24 in Albuquerque, NM. So I had ample opprotunty to collect DTS-6 discs and the Trailer discs. I have discs from Jurassic Park to Titanic and Godzilla, H20, Armageddon, Deep Impact, etc. I left Century in 1999 to move to Kansas City and became an IMAX (actually iWerks) projectionist which used the DTS-P8 Special Venue 8-channel system or full-coat 35mm mag interlock with Dolby SR Noise Reduction. I have a 35mm print of Die Hard 3, but although it was released in all 3 digital sound formats, it was a dual print release, with SR-D/SDDS and SR-D/DTS prints -mine is the SDDS version. I have hundreds of 35mm teasers and trailers and policy snipes.



How does that die hard 3 SDDS sound like?

from what i read,SDDS is A+++ and only in some cinema s

It s the 8 channel sound system from sony right?
  
 
 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2012, 23:25 
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disclord wrote:
nllaserdiscnl wrote:
I also have a big spindel of DTS discs that came from a cinema that closed, even harry potter in DTS ..... i am like WTF!

I also have the 3 cd tray decoder


Is it the blue fronted DTS-6D unit? If so, unless it was updated with DVD-ROM drives, it probably doesn't work. The CD ROM drives turned out not to be too reliable in the long run.



I have the one with the DVD drives called the XD10 also included is a DTS HEADER for reading the print

I have no cables, only power and serial and i think an usb cable/block
  
 
 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 15 Aug 2012, 00:16 
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nllaserdiscnl wrote:
disclord wrote:
flcl4evr wrote:
I have a pristine copy of Contact as well. Perhaps sometime I'll have to write up a review of that one, I enjoyed my first viewing. How did you acquire DTS CDs without the prints? What kind of movies do you have the CDs for? I find stuff like this to be very interesting


I was a 35mm projectionist and later projection manager of the Century Rio 24 in Albuquerque, NM. So I had ample opprotunty to collect DTS-6 discs and the Trailer discs. I have discs from Jurassic Park to Titanic and Godzilla, H20, Armageddon, Deep Impact, etc. I left Century in 1999 to move to Kansas City and became an IMAX (actually iWerks) projectionist which used the DTS-P8 Special Venue 8-channel system or full-coat 35mm mag interlock with Dolby SR Noise Reduction. I have a 35mm print of Die Hard 3, but although it was released in all 3 digital sound formats, it was a dual print release, with SR-D/SDDS and SR-D/DTS prints -mine is the SDDS version. I have hundreds of 35mm teasers and trailers and policy snipes.



How does that die hard 3 SDDS sound like?

from what i read,SDDS is A+++ and only in some cinema s

It s the 8 channel sound system from sony right?


SDDS was Sony's system and was the best sounding of the theatrical digital systems, IMO, once they got its reliability up to snuff. It was the most expensive system and found mostly in AMC and Century theaters - most installations were only 6 channel since the SDDS units could downmix an 8 channel mix to 6 or 4 discrete channels... And there were not that many 8 channel installations or films released with 8 channel mixes. It was Sony who developed the special printer that could put all 3 digital sound formats plus the analog track on a single print, and although Sony discontinued SDDS operations, prints are still released with SDDS tracks since the encoders are already in place.

The SDDS Die Hard 3 print I have is very unreliable - it reverts to optical quite a bit. The Dolby SR-D isn't that much better. But when it's working, it sounds fantastic.
How does that die hard 3 SDDS sound like?
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 15 Aug 2012, 00:21 
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nllaserdiscnl wrote:
disclord wrote:
nllaserdiscnl wrote:
I also have a big spindel of DTS discs that came from a cinema that closed, even harry potter in DTS ..... i am like WTF!

I also have the 3 cd tray decoder


Is it the blue fronted DTS-6D unit? If so, unless it was updated with DVD-ROM drives, it probably doesn't work. The CD ROM drives turned out not to be too reliable in the long run.



I have the one with the DVD drives called the XD10 also included is a DTS HEADER for reading the print

I have no cables, only power and serial and i think an usb cable/block


Ah, so you have a DTS Reader too - now you need a 35mm projector and some prints to match your discs. I hate that DTS sold off the theatrical division and it's now Datasat in theaters - not that many CD-Rom discs are made anymore since everything is going digital and most 35mm theaters have Dolby Digital or SDDS anyway, so there is no problem running digital sound if enough discs weren't made or shipped to the theater. DTS had a big lead at first, but Dolby slowly took over to the point where it didn't matter if you had the DTS discs or not because you could run the print in Dolby Digital.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 16 Aug 2012, 01:44 
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flcl4evr wrote:
In my travels I've met a few projectionists, and I actually had the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the Imax booth here in Rochester, it was quite a sight to behold. How was working with the Imax/Iwerks equipment? I know they're awfully touchy about taking pictures in the booth, as I learned from experience.


Somehow I missed answering this post. Yes, it was part of the theaters contract that no pictures could be taken in the booth - trade secrets and all. Working with 70mm IMAX was easier than 35mm - the Rolling loop projectors are easy to thread, but if something goes wrong, they literally shred prints - and an IMAX print costs over $20,000. Luckily, that was rare. I loved working with large format - we were 3D, so it was 2 iWerks projectors synced by Show Contol software and tach pulses.
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 Post subject: Re: ID4: Independence Day [0411885] NTSC/LBX/AC3/THX (1996)
PostPosted: 16 Aug 2012, 03:14 
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The only downside I can see to large format is the amount of time it takes to construct the platters - the projectionist supervising the booth said it took 10 hours to build The Dark Knight Rises platter, and that it was worth roughly $90,000. Perhaps Imax films raised in price with the fluctuating prices of silver and all, as well as the increasing size of Imax platters. Holy hell was that thing massive.
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