This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

2.0 - 

 

1998 Criterion DVD: Very good; clear, detailed, no mastering issues. The only release here to have what is presumably the original Dolby Stereo mix.

2009 MGM Blu-ray: The 2.0 track here is a new mix that resembles the 5.1. Fidelity is fine, but the music sequences are narrower than in the original mix and are mixed more like modern music (instruments at nearly the same volume, more aggressive, etc.). The track as a whole has less dynamic range.

 

Content discrepancies (Criterion UHD timecodes):

• 00:07:05: The deep bass has been nearly mixed out from the ambient music
• 00:59:57: In the line "you seriously suggesting...", "you" is missing
• 00:41:31: New car foley
• 01:06:54: The first 1.5 seconds of the long feedback squeal are missing
• 01:20:05: The line "putting it on a farm" uses a different take 

2009 Optimum Blu-ray: Like the MGM blu-ray 2.0 but lossless.

2025 Criterion UHD Blu-ray: Like the Optimum blu-ray 2.0.