1984 CBS/Fox Hi-Fi VHS: This is fake stereo, but the kind that emphasises frequencies differently across both channels and that folds perfectly to mono. Excellent fidelity, especially quieter dialogue-centric scenes which reveal that the SE DVD does have some moderate hiss reduction. Unfortunately, louder moments lack detail compared to the SE DVD (indeed the entire track lacks a bit of dynamic range), and more pressingly there are strange volume fluctuations every 2-3 seconds in the capture I have.
1989 MGM LaserDisc [ML101565]: Okay, but globally lacking detail. More hiss reduction and bass attenuation than later editions, so it sounds a bit dead. Everything sounds thin. One segment of the film (~29 minutes in to the ~40 minute mark) is pitched 0.8 semitones higher than in later editions. I haven't formally checked whether this pitch is incorrect by comparing fragments of music from this section to the official score releases, but anecdotally I think Connery sounds off here.
1993 MGM LaserDisc [ML104539] - Connery Collection: Identical to the 1989 LaserDisc.
1993 MGM LaserDisc [NJEL-52730]: Like the 1989 and Connery Collection LaserDiscs.
2000 R1 MGM DVD - Special Edition: Superb. The best sounding Bond track of the first five films I've heard yet (was this the first Bond film with a magnetic mono track?). Less hiss and bass reduction than the LaserDiscs.
2006 R1 MGM DVD - Ultimate Edition: The SE DVD transfer but with noise reduction. After ~50 minutes in, the bass also rolls off significantly. Better than the LaserDiscs, but not nearly as detailed as the SE DVD.
2012 MGM Blu-ray: Like the SE DVD but with some additional distortion above 12 kHz, which I'd say is inaudible. There's a segment from 01:06:03 to 01:06:13 that has further noise reduction, but everything else sounds the same - which makes this the best of the mono Bond blu-ray tracks I've heard to date. NB: the 5.1 has loads of new sound effects and differently timed music cues.
Edit: On closer analysis, the additional distortion is frequently audible, albeit subtly. For example, at 00:03:01 ("Get back in"), there's some extra high-frequency noise that isn't present on the SE DVD, and again on the lines at 00:03:57.
It’s wild that the SE is better. My guess is they grabbed the master and didn’t mess with anything. Since the others from that series that did get final thx issues were messed with audio wise it’s incredible this one escaped and sadder that an LD with this track in pcm didn’t happen.
ReplyDeleteYOLT had greater sonic fidelity in the mix which I can only assume came from the bigger budget and getting better gear. I think Barry was able to jump to a better multitrack recording for the score and Norman Wanstall goes all out in his final EON Bond sound mix. It’s not as punchy a track as the earlier films but far more dynamic and far ranging-much like comparing Last Crusade to Temple of Doom.
It is possible it was magnetic. Just as rumors persist there was a 70mm blowup in Japan and possibly 70mm test footage shot. For years I’ve tried to figure out which Bonds could have had mag runs and find all the rumors. Sonically there quality jumps forward with each film from this point onward. LALD and TMWTGG have a stereo fee to them at times and then on TSWLM you have the mono and first ever known four track mix.