Topic: Favourite DVD for Sound

[Najemikon]

Tonight I watched 'Oldboy'. A bit silly really, what with attempting an alphabet marathon and having already done "O". Anyway, I'd seen it before and loved it, but now, I love it more.

When I first bought the DVD, I hadn't got a DTS surround sound setup and now I have. I hadn't rushed to rewatch this one because a Korean revenge drama doesn't sound like it lends itself to a decent surround experience. How wrong I was! Even having heard the standard surround track (albeit on worse speakers) I wasn't prepared.

This DVD has one of the best arrangements I've heard yet. The volume was lower than I normally have it (or need it, you might say!), but it had an astonishing presence. Punchy bass, but crisp and clear in the top ranges, and something perceptible always going on in the rear channels. Also, the film plays with sound anyway. Just watch the opening credits for that.

All in all this felt like effort had been put in to make a real performance. Oldboy DTS-ES6.1 is now my demo track. Normally I use Pixar as a benchmark, because they are usually perfect (I suppose coming from an entirely "manufactured" source), but this had a playful unpredictable nature, suiting the films twisted moral story and Korean "slaps you in the face" filmmaking in general. The use of the sound on various levels really shows off a system.

In comparison, I watched 'Kingdom of Heaven' the other night. The DTS track was magnificent, but all the same, it falls way short of this; I even caught a little distortion on the centre channel at one point. Another favourite is 'Master and Commander'; you really feel like your on a ship being pounded by cannons, but it doesn't have Oldboy's subtlety.

So anyone else have a favourite for the sound?

[Touti]

So anyone else have a favourite for the sound?

U-571

[RossRoy]

So anyone else have a favourite for the sound?

I've not watched the movie yet, but I've sampled a few spots, and I'm guessing Transformers will become a favorite.

As of now, I'm always impressed with Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

[lyonsden5]

So anyone else have a favourite for the sound?

U-571

  That would be mine as well.

[Najemikon]

I've heard that U571 is supposed to be good sound, however, I saw it at the cinema and have no intention of subjecting myself to it ever again. There's nothing wrong with the production as a whole, but the story hinges on the most brazen piece of history rewriting I think I have ever come across! I can't watch it and dismiss it as mere entertainment. I just can't!

[Touti]

Could you help an illeterate north american french speaking person and explain what is a "brazen piece of history rewriting" 

[Najemikon]

 

From the Wikipedia entry: "The film attracted criticism for its portrayal of an Enigma capture by an American, as opposed to a British crew, early in the war."

And in a little more detail: "The first capture of Naval Enigma machine and associated cipher keys from a U-boat was made in May 1941 by HMS Bulldog, commanded by Captain Joe Baker-Cresswell, who captured U-110. There were some 15 captures of Naval Enigma material during World War II, of which the Americans and Canadians carried out one each (Unterseeboot 505 and Unterseeboot 774, respectively), while the British performed the rest. The U.S. Navy did not seize German Naval Enigma material until June 1944, when it captured U-505. The British captures provided critical information for breaking Naval Enigma, so that by the time of the U-505 capture the Allies were reading Naval Enigma routinely.

The film caused irritation and anger in Britain. The film was raised at Prime Minister's Question Time where Tony Blair agreed with questioner Brian Jenkins MP that the film was "an affront" to British sailors. In response to a letter from Paul Truswell, MP for the Pudsey constituency (which includes Horsforth, a town proud of its connection with the ship that captured U-110), U.S. president Bill Clinton wrote assuring that the film's plot was only a work of fiction. David Balme, the British Naval officer who led the boarding party aboard the U-110, was positive about the U-571 ("a great film"), arguing that the movie would not have been financially viable without being Americanized."

There are more quotes at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-571_(film) supporting both sides of the argument.

Normally I'm not to bothered about historical accuracy. I see it as more important to introduce an audience to some of the story, rather than very accurately keeping your mouth shut and not telling anyone at all. For instance, I had never heard of William Wallace, which I think is a greater crime than Mel Gibson's dodgy accent and even dodgier suggestions that the Royal family is a direct descendant. No-one from the UK was stepping up to make Braveheart, so good on him for producing an excellent film that puts some flesh on the statues. I even put up with the British being rendered as cartoon villains in Patriot (hang on, that's Gibson again!)... 

But the Enigma mission is in recent memory and so very important to the course of the war. For the U.S. to claim it for a popcorn movie is several shades of wrong. I can't even defend it with the lack of a UK effort. 'Enigma' wasn't far behind it and must have been in production. It wasn't great, but it was right. Switch the Enigma machine for a standard MacGuffin and U571 would have been fantastic.

[Touti]

I've seen this movie many times and as I recall it never claimed to be historically accurate.  I think the movie's intention was to show how things would/could have been in a U boat that was under attack.  They used the enigma as a premise for the movie to show what it was and how important it was to understand it and decode it.

I do not think that the movie is trying to show/say that the capture of one enigma by the americans put an end to the war or had, all by itself, a big impact.

In short.....I think you brits are paranoid 

[Najemikon]

 

How very dare you! 

Seriously though, the fact it never claimed to be accurate makes it worse! If you read the Wikipedia entry you'll see even the writer realises it goes too far and he regrets it. The British have a right to be proud and a popular film has a habit of becoming forefront in peoples mind. In a few decades, U571 might be called a classic war movie and people will start remembering the movie before the fact.

They could have used a British crew and had an near enough identical movie. Ah, but you colonials wouldn't have believed it, even if you could follow the accents... 

And someone would have posted a pic in the screencap game and Kathy would have gone "EEE! British actors! I can't get that!"   

[Touti]

Ah, but you colonials wouldn't have believed it, even if you could follow the accents... 

I resent that comment.  I'm not american, I'm a french canadian, I am not colonial sir  .

I'm conquered, that's different.

[Kathy]

And someone would have posted a pic in the screencap game and Kathy would have gone "EEE! British actors! I can't get that!"   

 
Hey, wait a minute...how did I get pulled into this?!?

[RossRoy]

I'm conquered, that's different.

Yep. Conquered by them Brits, working alongside them colonials. Quite a crowd really! 

[lovemunkey187]

I'm going to ignore all of the comments about U-571, as like Najemikon, I feel that it's an affront to the memories of those who gave their lives.

and breathe..............

Anyhoo, back on topic.

Mickey Blue Eyes: Specifically the scene where Hugh Grant is walking through a crowd at a party and the conversations follow his movement and travel through the speakers.
Speed: At the start, during the rescue of the hostages trapped in the lift.
Armageddon: Pretty much all of it.

Another  for Master & Commander: Farside of the World.

Would it be a good idea to have another post created/stickied/locked at the start of this section so that we can have a list of stand out moments to show off our systems, and nominations are submitted and discussed here, leaving the other post as a clean resource.
Just my  worth of an idea.

[Touti]

Would it be a good idea to have another post created/stickied/locked at the start of this section so that we can have a list of stand out moments to show off our systems, and nominations are submitted and discussed here, leaving the other post as a clean resource.
Just my  worth of an idea.
[/color]

Start one and I will "stick" it.

[lyonsden5]

@ Jon and lovemonkey - No offense meant using U571 as a reference movie. I honestly had no idea it was re-written as you have pointed out. There are movies I wont watch for similar reasons so I think I can relate with what you're thinking. Thanks for pointing it out. I'll keep it in mind next time I recommend a movie with great sound (although this one still has that  )

Back on topic but a bit off topic ( ). I have to point out just how much better any HD disc seems to be for sound. I'm not talking about the high def sound formats using HDMI (my receiver doesn't support that), just regular old DD5.1 through an optical digital connection sounds so much better on either format it's incredible. I'm guessing the audio tracks are less compressed or something like that on the HD discs. Whatever the reason for it, take your favo(u)rite movie for sound and listen to it from an HD disc and it will blow you away. 

Can't wait to upgrade my system to take advantage of the HD sound formats. That's down the road a bit though.