Hammer Horror Blu-ray Releases

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by Paul Arnette

I have to stop pre-ordering Hammer Blu-ray Disc, especially since I live in the US. Hassle upon hassle.

They haven't all been problematic - The Reptile and Plague of the Zombies were snafu-free, and I haven't heard any negative feedback on Mummy's Shroud. Overall though, it has been a very bumpy beginning.

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

Oh.My.God.

I just remembered that I had the old Anchor Bay disc (double pack with THE DEVIL RIDES OUT) so I had a listen. The difference is Night and Day...

Have you had a play with your amp settings? Suggestion from another forum that it provides a solution?

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by John Hodson

Have you had a play with your amp settings? Suggestion from another forum that it provides a solution?

I saw that, John, but my amp is an Onkyo and I dont know what the equivalent setting would be. I've tried everything I can think of.

Also, THE MUMMY'S SHROUD is exactly the same spec - Dual Mono PCM - and it sounds fine on my normal settings (as indeed does TCOF). I mean, it won't win any awards but it's as I would expect it to sound for its vintage. So even if there is a workaround, it still indicates some sort of encoding cock-up. I've never encountered this problem before and I have literally thousands of BDs.

I've also tried this disc on two machines - a PS3 through an Onkyo receiver and a Panasonic standalone direct to TV. So if this is about an encoding mismatch, it looks like it'll be widespread.

I don't know - I've had my fill of BD issues, quite frankly, so I don't want to add to the mountain of misery. Believe me, what I'm hearing is so egregiously wrong that we'll soon hear all about it. It struck me the minute I put it on. I daresay the ear becomes accustomed to it but now I've listened to the AB disc, I'm afraid it's unwatchable for me. I'm just trying to figure out whether I send it back or whether there's going to be a recall/replacement programme.

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

I saw that, John, but my amp is an Onkyo and I dont know what the equivalent setting would be. I've tried everything I can think of.

Are you currently applying a surround decode to your feed or is it coming from the amp 'straight'? Whatever is it, try the opposite...

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by John Hodson

Are you currently applying a surround decode to your feed or is it coming from the amp 'straight'? Whatever is it, try the opposite...

All I can tell you is that it's playing on a PS3 which isn't,afaik, applying any additional surround decoding. That's going into the Onkyo amp.

The Onkyo amp has a load of different output settings but defaults to "direct" which I presume is the unadulterated source. I've then cycled through all the other options - various different surround encodings, Full Mono, Full Stereo, Pure sound etc - and there's no difference in sound quality, except I can get the tinny music to come out of different speakers.

Sorry, I'm not the most technical when it comes to these things. I still don't see why I should be searching for workarounds when EVERY other disc I have - including all the Hammer ones - work fine on my normal settings. This is quite obviously a cock-up, however one paints it.

[duggie walker]

By the way - some people seem to be saying that the problem clears up after the main titles. This is not accurate, imo, when compared with the AB disc. It may seem to get better but I think that's only because we don't have another uninterrupted stretch of music, which is where it is most heinous. But even individual lines of dialogue are thin and lacking depth and background music exhibits the same problems as the main titles.

Comparison is key here. I'll also repost this youtube link for quick and easy access:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=UZUqcXGawDY#

I have a funny feeling that link may disappear at some point.

[insomniac013]

I dont know. After these recent revelations about audio problems and added cgi (wtf) on The Devil Rides Out i think i should just stop pre-ordering hammer BD's since there in most cases are something wrong with them.

[Braktastic]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

They haven't all been problematic - The Reptile and Plague of the Zombies were snafu-free, and I haven't heard any negative feedback on Mummy's Shroud. Overall though, it has been a very bumpy beginning.

This is just from memory, so excuse me if I forget something, but, by my count:

OK:

Quatermass and the Pit
Plague of the Zombies
The Reptile
The Mummy's Shroud (Maybe)


NOT OK:

Dracula Prince of Darkness (DNR'd Opening Scene)
The Curse of Frankenstein (PQ and OAR issues)
The Devil Rides Out (George Lucas-style revisionism)
Rasputin the Mad Monk (AQ)

At least half the releases have some kind of issue. You're clearly more forgiving than I. There will be no more pre-orders on my part, and I won't even dream of placing an order until about 2-3 weeks after release and many reviews are read.

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by Paul Arnette

This is just from memory, so excuse me if I forget something, but, by my count:

OK:

Quatermass and the Pit
Plague of the Zombies
The Reptile
The Mummy's Shroud (Maybe)


NOT OK:

Dracula Prince of Darkness (DNR'd Opening Scene)
The Curse of Frankenstein (PQ and OAR issues)
The Devil Rides Out (George Lucas-style revisionism)
Rasputin the Mad Monk (AQ)

At least half the releases have some kind of issue. You're clearly more forgiving than I. There will be no more pre-orders on my part, and I won't even dream of placing an order until about 2-3 weeks after release and many reviews are read.

And Quatermass and the Pit wasn't even released by Hammer.

THE MUMMY'S SHROUD seems good - found no problems yet.

[bgart13]

Technically, none of them have been released by Hammer. StudioCanal/Optimum released Q&TP, THE REPTILE, DPoD, PLAGUE, RASPUTIN, MUMMY'S SHROUD, and DEVIL RIDES OUT.

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by bgart13

Technically, none of them have been released by Hammer. StudioCanal/Optimum released Q&TP, THE REPTILE, DPoD, PLAGUE, RASPUTIN, MUMMY'S SHROUD, and DEVIL RIDES OUT.

Yes, ok. Overseen by, then.

Has nobody got RASPUTIN yet? If somebody doesn't back me up, I'm going to start looking like a crank,

[evilzedar]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

Has nobody got RASPUTIN yet? If somebody doesn't back me up, I'm going to start looking like a crank,

Yes I have it, and watched it last night. I did think the titles were a bit tinny, but once it got into the film it seemed fine. The mono was only coming out of my centre speaker so that in itself meant it was less bass than usual.

[Braktastic]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

And Quatermass and the Pit wasn't even released by Hammer.

Well, that explains why it's OK!

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by evilzedar

Yes I have it, and watched it last night. I did think the titles were a bit tinny, but once it got into the film it seemed fine. The mono was only coming out of my centre speaker so that in itself meant it was less bass than usual.

Only a bit? Seriously?

Have you compared it to this youtube link?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=UZUqcXGawDY#

I find it hard to believe people aren't more emphatic about this. Then again, it probably depends on your set-up. In fact it's Dual Mono so the direct sound should be coming from two speakers. You must be processing it into a single mono track.

[Braktastic]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

Only a bit? Seriously?

Have you compared it to this youtube link?

Duggie, once my, most-likely, defective copy crosses the pond to the Colonies, I'll be happy to do a compare. It could be a couple weeks though. By then who knows how many more cockups we'll find.

[evilzedar]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

Only a bit? Seriously?

Have you compared it to this youtube link?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=UZUqcXGawDY#

I find it hard to believe people aren't more emphatic about this. Then again, it probably depends on your set-up. In fact it's Dual Mono so the direct sound should be coming from two speakers. You must be processing it into a single mono track.

Yeah the intro on that link sounds more meaty, but like I say once the film starts I thought it was alright.

I'm leaving my player on the standard setting. On the 3 new Studio Canal Hammers (back of box says dual mono) the mono sound only comes through the center. On Dracula, Reptile and Plague (back of box says mono 2.0) the sound comes out of Front L&R. I prefer mono to come from just the centre as then there are no issues with phase differences, and the mono sound should appear to come from the centre anyway.

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by evilzedar

Yeah the intro on that link sounds more meaty, but like I say once the film starts I thought it was alright.

I'm leaving my player on the standard setting. On the 3 new Studio Canal Hammers (back of box says dual mono) the mono sound only comes through the center. On Dracula, Reptile and Plague (back of box says mono 2.0) the sound comes out of Front L&R. I prefer mono to come from just the centre as then there are no issues with phase differences, and the mono sound should appear to come from the centre anyway.

So what does Dual Mono actually mean? I did see that it showed as 1 Channel on the PS3 and I'd thought the direct source was coming from 2 speakers.

Doesn't make a difference anyway as I played it through the centre channel and it still sounded terrible.

You don't have the AB or Optimum disc do you? Because I thought it calmed down too until I compared them. For instance, check out the waltz scene around 20-21 minutes in. You can clearly hear that the sound is weak there as well.

Sorry to bang on - I'm just trying to figure out whether I'm hearing something different here. As far as I'm concerned this is recall worthy but I can't really harangue Hammer if I've just got a bad pressing.

[duggie walker]

Good to see this excellent review updated.

http://www.cathoderaytube.co.uk/2012...-mad-monk.html

Relieved to know I haven't turned into an internet loon. Or that at least I have company.

That said, I still feel it's understated. The audio track is very clearly botched - there is virtually no bass register, no matter how high you raise the volume. As opposed to the CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN issue, there is no debate to be had as Hammer themselves have posted a video clip with the correct sound. This disc must surely be recalled.

I have posted twice on their blog and, a day later, my comments are still awaiting moderation.

[insomniac013]

I should return these (Devil and Rasputin) as soon as i get them. I do not want to spend money on botched releases... I might keep Rasputin but Devil Rides Out with it's added CG i can do without.

[duggie walker]

I still think there'll be a recall of RASPUTIN. There has to be, really.

I just had a quicklook at THE DEVIL RIDES OUT. No audio problems and the PQ is spectacularly good, up there with QUATERMASS AND THE PIT.

As to the CGI - I don't know what to say. Yes, by and large, the additions are an improvement, and most of them are blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments. However, there is so much else that's ropey in the film, I hardly see the point of it. The spider is still clearly a normal size spider in a box, only now a couple of shots of it moving have had shadow added and the colour made more coherent with the rest of the frame.

I'm just not sure where the demand for such changes came from. I know Hammer are sniffing around a remake anyway, which would seem the best way to update this film.

Personally, the CGI effects won't spoil my enjoyment of the film (unlike the audio problems on RASPUTIN). But if they can include two OAR versions of RASPUTIN, I don't see why on earth they wouldn't include the original version of TDRO.

The original neg was scanned at 4k and then it was worked on as a 2k project, which must have been when the CGI was added and all damage removed. Could it be that the CGI was done in tandem with the damage reduction, rather than after? That would mean that the only original scenes that remain are in their damaged state?

Anyway - the CGI scenes are, for the most part, tastefully done. If you can live with the principle behind it, it would be a shame to miss out on what is, otherwise, the strongest of the SC/Hammer releases so far.