The Exorcist III: Legion coming to Blu-ray

[Brett C]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

Just watched more of EXORCIST III Blu tonight -- I actually believe this 5.1 DTS MA track is downright bad. As in defective.

You don't even need the laserdisc or ancient video release to tell either. Just select, say, the Portuguese track at any point during the film and compare it to the 5.1 DTS MA English mix:

-There is actual stereo separation on most of the foreign tracks. Left/right balance, especially evident during sound effects and music. To cite just one example, Check out the moment at 99:00 when a door opens and closes behind George C. Scott. The audio pans from left to right as it should -- but not on the English track!

-The 5.1 English track is all CENTERED, to a fault. There's little stereo separation, sometimes none, where there ought to be. Not just dialogue but the bulk of the audio comes driving out of the center -- and that's not how the original mix was recorded (which you can tell on most of the foreign tracks). Something just isn't right here.

-There's an overpowering amout of bass-heavy LFE on the 5.1 DTS MA track as well to a ridiculous degree. Switch back to the Portuguese track or most of those foreign mixes and there's little comparison on how unbalanced the 5.1 English track is.

Warner should recall this disc and give us a proper stereo track of the actual soundtrack...I have the old laserdisc and its stereo audio is 10X more satisfying and balanced than this Blu-Ray mix (which is the same, ineffective 5.1 audio from their DVD too).

Bottom line is we shouldn't have to put on a foreign dubbed track to hear the proper mix of the film. Given it has taken this long for this Blu-Ray to be released, and this may be the only one we ever get, I can't stress what a disappointment this disc is.

I agree, it sounds inferior to the original mix contained on the PCM track on the Laserdisc.