Worst sounding blu-rays

[LMFAObros]

Ive seen countless threads for worst video quality blurays, but not many for thew worst sounding blurays. this could be for tracks that sound bad because of compression, being remixed terribly or just having poor source. I think the worst sounding one's in my eyes was the first mission impossible or four brothers both released by pari in the early days with crappy dolby digital tracks, with 4 brothers being worse with the dts mix.

[Dailyan]

The MGM release of “Spellbound” sounds particularly muffled. I’ve heard older 40s, even 30s, films that sounded better than “Spellbound”. The stereo mix on Twilight Time’s “How to Steal a Million” is quite boxy; thankfully the mono mix is included and sounds much better.

[UltraMario9]

Speed Racer doesn't sound as good as it looks.

[drush9999]

The DD 5.1 track on Out for Justice sounded awful and lacked oomph when guns were fired or when Seagal was bone breaking

[Monterey Jack]

An American Tail with the fudged-up 5.1 audio track and no option for the theatrical mix from the initial VHS and laserdisc editions.

[originalHDphantom]

The Mill Creek double feature release of Hollow Man and Hollow Man 2. While Part 2 sounded fine, Hollow Man's DTS HD-MA track sounded pretty tinny and, well, hollow. Not sure how Columbia/Sony's official Blu ray of Hollow Man sounded, but there's something definitely wrong with the Mill Creek version.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. Consistent static sounds whenever there is action. Hopefully this gets a better blu ray.

SF's 8MM. The 5.1 is quiet as hell and it's hard to say if the 2.0 isn't messed up as well even though it is better than the 5.1.

[GeoffOliver]

Originally Posted by UltraMario9

Speed Racer doesn't sound as good as it looks.

That’s because the disc was released in 2008, back when Warner’s discs all still had lossy audio (since they used the same encode as the HD-DVD editions, as well as BD-25s).

[cakefactory]

Innerspace is really messed up.

This is petty and to say they’re worst is an exaggeration, but the last bunch of Disney/Marcel blu-rays are quiet to the point of not being able to be made loud enough.

[agenda]

BLADE RUNNER 2049 (Sony Pictures) LFE channel over boosting. One of the WORST ever!!!
CUT AND RUN (Code Red Releasing)
DELIVERANCE (Warner Bros.) Turn your master volume UP if you like to here anything.
EMERALD FOREST (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
FIRST BLOOD (Optimum Releasing)
THE GOONIES (Warner Bros.) LFE channel over boosting here and there!
NEVERENDING STORY (Warner Bros.) LFE channel over boostin all over!
PET SEMATARY ('84 Entertainment) Dialogue is way too quiet, and there's hardly any LFE channel use.
ROGUE ONE: A Star Wars Story (Walt Disney Pictures) LFE channel over boosting!
STAR WARS: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Pictures) LFE channel over boosting, really BAD!
WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005) (Paramount Pictures) LFE channel over boosting!

[Shemp]

Scream! Factory's release of John Carpenter's BODY BAGS has a very annoying sibilance audio issue.

[drush9999]

Originally Posted by Shemp

Scream! Factory's release of John Carpenter's BODY BAGS has a very annoying sibilance audio issue.

Yep this has put me off buying it for many years. It's the only Carpenter I have left to upgrade from DVD (I have the uncut Italian DVD)

[Shemp]

Their release of DAY OF THE DEAD has it too but it's not too harsh. They did a replacement program for BLACK CHRISTMAS which had the same issue.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by Shemp

Scream! Factory's release of John Carpenter's BODY BAGS has a very annoying sibilance audio issue.

Yeah. Got jipped into buying this by a SF cheerleader who told me there were no sibilance issues whatsoever. Got rid of it right after due to being unwatchable.

[charlieray1]

I bought a region free English import of Sintara's "The Man With The Golden Arm." The film is public domain and has seen may poor releases. The blu-ray is a nice step-up in quality from my old DVD, but strangely, the audio was a big step down. I compared them, and there's no question, the blu-ray sounds muffled with little high end compared to the DVD, which is bright and clear. It's bad enough that it's hard to choose which copy to watch.

[Richard--W]

The worst sounding blu-ray in the history of the medium is Night of Dark Shadows (MGM 1971):



Warner Brothers controls the film. There is a long version, which they refused to restore,
and a short version. The short version is on the blu-ray, but it has the audio of the long
version. So, during the dinner table scene, audio from the cut scene of the car driving
away overlaps with dinner table dialog. Car doors slam, the engine starts up, people say
goodbye, and the car drives off with music accompanying while everybody sits at the
table eating. There are several other instances of the wrong audio track overlapping with
the correct audio on the blu-ray.

A crying shame, because Night of Dark Shadows is a seriously intelligent, well-made
and effective ghost story that merits all the care and attention the studio can give it.
Very few people have actually seen the film that Dan Curtis intended us to see. The
short version makes no sense.

Warner Brothers refuses to acknowledge the mistake or correct it.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

The worst sounding blu-ray in the history of the medium is Night of Dark Shadows (MGM 1971):



Warner Brothers controls the film. There is a long version, which they refused to restore,
and a short version. The short version is on the blu-ray, but it has the audio of the long
version. So, during the dinner table scene, audio from the cut scene of the car driving
away overlaps with dinner table dialog. Car doors slam, the engine starts up, people say
goodbye, and the car drives off with music accompanying while everybody sits at the
table eating. There are several other instances of the wrong audio track overlapping with
the correct audio on the blu-ray.

Warner Brother refuses to acknowledge the mistake or correct it.

Explains why it's out of print.

[Shemp]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

The worst sounding blu-ray in the history of the medium is Night of Dark Shadows (MGM 1971):



Warner Brothers controls the film. There is a long version, which they refused to restore,
and a short version. The short version is on the blu-ray, but it has the audio of the long
version. So, during the dinner table scene, audio from the cut scene of the car driving
away overlaps with dinner table dialog. Car doors slam, the engine starts up, people say
goodbye, and the car drives off with music accompanying while everybody sits at the
table eating. There are several other instances of the wrong audio track overlapping with
the correct audio on the blu-ray.

Warner Brother refuses to acknowledge the mistake or correct it.

Damn! I own this and haven't got around to watching it yet so that's a huge bummer.

[Richard--W]

Yikes! You guys quoted me while I was editing the post.

I didn't know Night of Dark Shadows is out of print. I'm not
optimistic WB will bring it back into print. It was not a big hit on
blu-ray. The ridiculous audio mistakes and senseless edit did not
help the sales.

[GeoffOliver]

Weirdly, it's review here doesn't even mention that issue.

There's also the terrible Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Blu-rays (released by Anchor Bay when they were on their deathbed), which sometimes cuts back and forth between the English and Japanese tracks. The glitch was similarly never corrected, as far as I know.