Heat (1995) (Director's Definitive Edition)

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by luis figo

The audio for the current Blu-Ray and DVD is extremely low for the dialogue, can't remember how many times I had to rewind or use subtitles to make sure I could hear what was being said.

Hopefully if enough people let Warner Bros. know about how unhappy they are with the current low audio then they will make sure it's improved come release day.

Obviously improved picture quality would be excellent but without the audio fix It would deffinitely spoil the release.

I could imagine it being a deal breaker for some.

I had the same problem with the audio when I watched my copy years ago, but if it truly is the way Michael Mann had the audio be mixed originally, then the movie should be presented the way the director intended it to be.

[Blu-21]

What is the dialog level like on the AC-3 LD?

[mikesncc1701]

I can't believe people are still whining about the audio on this even though it's exactly as it should be...

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

I had the same problem with the audio when I watched my copy years ago, but if it truly is the way Michael Mann had the audio be mixed originally, then the movie should be presented the way the director intended it to be.

I don't agree with this! The viewer cannot enjoy a movie, if the audio is severely unbalanced, especially when the dialogue is incomprehensible because it's been recorded too low, and you can not hear what's being said at a normal volume. That can ruin a movie!

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by Jakdonark

I got the Japanese digipack last fall, and having only watched the U.S. version on blu once, I felt it was a better and or louder mix with the DTS hd.

As someone with poor (well, cheap) audio equipment, I can confirm that the difference in dialogue between the two versions is still huge, like night and day.

Man, am I glad that I picked up the Japanese edition when I did. Seems to be out of print now and the lowest new price on amazon.co.jp is $125!

As for this edition, I think that it will probably be just a re-package. Partly because it's Warner's first re-release of this film and partly because the first release wasn't poor to begin with. I've heard someone here describe it as the worst looking blu ray out there, the most ridiculous statement I've read on this forum.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by Blu-21

What is the dialog level like on the AC-3 LD?

[moviedude 2K15]

If this gets a 4K remaster I'd likely double dip. This is one of my favourite movies. Absolutely stellar crime movie.

[JimDiGriz]

Im sure everyone knows about this now (I didnt until recently!) but if you love Heat, you really need to watch Thief.

[Ray_Rogers]

Isn't L.A. Takedown the precursor to HEAT?

[Geoff D]

Not so much a precursor as the same basic story on a TV budget IIRC.

[Ray_Rogers]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Not so much a precursor as the same basic story on a TV budget IIRC.

Oh right!
Was a TV movie before Michael Mann got around to making a bigger budget movie of it specifically HEAT. Now I remember.

[Show spoiler]Didn't want to look it up on Wikipedia or IMDB.

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Isn't L.A. Takedown the precursor to HEAT?

Its an interesting watch if you are used to Heat.

[rickah88]

Very interested to hear more about this.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by slimdude

I don't agree with this! The viewer cannot enjoy a movie, if the audio is severely unbalanced, especially when the dialogue is incomprehensible because it's been recorded too low, and you can not hear what's being said at a normal volume. That can ruin a movie!

The dialogue wasn't "recorded too low." Maybe mixed low, but that's two different things.

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Isn't L.A. Takedown the precursor to HEAT?

It really isn't very good, even if you hadn't seen Heat first. I have a copy of it and it's relatively hard to sit through.

[javi92]

Not sure how I've missed this; maybe I've been unconsciously ignoring this thread in the main list. Remaster would be great, hopefully without revisionism from Mann.

[jscoggins]

Public Enemies was basically the third version of this, lol.

[wesslan]

The JP disc have better audio than US but hope this anniversary disc will be even better

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Whenever this 20th Anniversary Edition is release, I hope Warner Brothers will fix or remaster the audio on this re-release because, there was something definitely wrong with the audio on the first blu-ray. The volume was variable, inconsistent and way too low. The listener could barely hear the dialogue at normal volume. I had to turned the master volume up a few decibels higher, to actually hear what the actors were saying!

You had to push down on the "volume up" button on your remote for two seconds in order to enjoy the film? Oh, the horror!

I never got the complaints about the audio with this release. I never had a problem understanding what anyone was saying. The incessant whining about the audio on this release seems completely out of proportion to any actual problems.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by noirjunkie

I never got the complaints about the audio with this release. I never had a problem understanding what anyone was saying. The incessant whining about the audio on this release seems completely out of proportion to any actual problems.

I've heard "I can't hear the dialog!" complaints about damn near every disc out there. It's especially common on my Doctor Who and Star Trek fan forums, where (mostly older) fans constantly complain they can't hear the dialog through the music.

I think it's just a hearing loss issue. Most people don't realize they have hearing loss.

[motsm]

Just watched this on BD for the first time, and I did have to turn up my receiver a bit more than most movies, but the dialogue was perfectly audible. I half expected the gun battle to then blow my ear drums apart after reading all the complaints, but I thought it was great, mixed loud as it should be. So I'm happy with the current disc, I'll never say there shouldn't be something better of course, but I'd likely pick up something else before a remastered Heat, if it even gets that treatment.