MovieChat Forums > Halloween (1978) Discussion > If you want to hear the ORIGNAL original...

If you want to hear the ORIGNAL original mono.

posted 8 years ago by recklesscow
18 replies | jump to latest

Not sure how many fans are aware of this, but the DVD and Blu-ray releases that allegedly contain the "original" mono soundtrack were not the true, original mono soundtrack that played with the film in 1978. Fans who had heard the actual mono soundtrack upon its original theatrical release and on subsequent VHS copies knew something was up with Anchor Bay's claim that their releases contained the original mono soundtrack to the film, as anyone who had seen it previously knew otherwise. Note: The Criterion LaserDisc of the film did contain the actual original mono soundtrack of the film, making it the only digital release with the true, original soundtrack.

Anyway, fans have been calling out Anchor Bay for it's "original" mono claim for years. There are literally postings on the net you can dig up going back to the early 2000s when the THX DVD with the holographic cover was released talking about it. The new "original" mono placed on the DVDs was apparently a mixed-down version of a re-recorded soundtrack, whose origins I have trouble tracking down. But in essence, it's a downmix and not the original. This has been no secret, as fans have even taken it upon themselves to create Blu-ray and DVD copies with the soundtrack from the Criterion disc ripped and dropped over the picture. There are fan projects out there with this soundtrack.

For years, unless you owned the Criterion disc or a VHS copy, fans had no access to the original mono.

Tonight, I came across a Hungarian VHS rip of the film on YouTube that contains the actual original mono and thought it was worth sharing.

The film has been dubbed in Hungarian, but it's the soundtrack I intended to show.

If you skip to 1:07:53, you can hear the difference when Laurie crosses the street to check on Lynda and the others. The difference is not as drastic as you would be led to believe, but it is noticeable in the discordant sounds that the remix ironed out. You will notice VHS hiss but that's to be expected considering the source.

1:13:40 is the beginning of the chase scene, so it's also worth listening to since the sounds when Laurie is in the kitchen sound a lot more harsh (I don't know my instruments enough to state what they are).

Anyway, just thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOnP2d2Z-UY

[–] GorchBrother 8 years ago

The 2007 Blu ray and the version of 35th anniversary disc that comes with the Deluxe Halloween boxed set both have the original mono track . All other DVD and Blu ray releases (inlcuding the standalone 35th Anniversary disc) have a pointless mix-down of whatever new multichannel track was created for that release.

"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

Is it that important?

Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.

[–] recklesscow 8 years ago

I would argue from a historical preservation standpoint it is. Not that the original mono is lost, but many prefer seeing films the way they were intended to be seen in their original theatrical runs. Film is moving image with sound, so the soundtrack is one of the most important elements in film. In the case of Halloween, the re-recorded track isn't substantially different but it is noticeable for being cleaner and less "dirty" than the original. Considering John Carpenter scored the film, the original is important since the new one is not John playing, it just uses his notes.

Anchor Bay did the same thing with Suspiria but that change was much more damaging to the film. They took out entire sound effects and remixed it to half its original volume, so that to this day there are people in the U.S. that have never properly heard what the film is supposed to sound like. Seeing it in theaters is a completely different experience.

I don't know what our obsession with changing things to make them "better" is. I doubt anyone in 1978 was complaining about the soundtrack. In fact it was one of the most effective elements. Why mess with it?

[–] GorchBrother 8 years ago

Considering John Carpenter scored the film, the original is important since the new one is not John playing, it just uses his notes.

On which release was the music performed and re-recorded by someone else?

"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof

[–] recklesscow 8 years ago

Honestly, after some more research even *I* am confused about this...again.

I just came across a forum post on Blu-ray.com where a user states that the mono track heard on the 35th anniversary disc--NOT the one included in the box set--is the real-deal original mono and that the Criterion track was already one of the compromised Anchor Bay mixes they passed off as the original mono starting all the way back in the 1990s.

This user claims he discovered the 35th anniversary disc got it right by comparing sound cues from a VHS copy of the film and confirming they are identical to the track on the 35th anniversary disc. He/she has other reviewers backing them up and now there seems to be some assent that Anchor Bay did not get it wrong on that disc. They state it sounds "wonky" because it always sounded wonky in '78 due to its budget.

Years ago, I had also heard the track was re-recorded by Anchor Bay to iron out some issues and make it more polished, but I can't find that post any more.

The issue is so confusing.

Here's a link to the thread I'm referring to:

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=8167738&postcount=4177

[–] GorchBrother 8 years ago

Later on in that thread though there seems to be the consensus that after complaints about the 35th Anniversary release making the false claim of having the "original" mono (verifiable by the thunder SFX that were added in the nineties), the disc that was included in the boxed set did finally include the actual original track in lossless quality. The 2007 release had the original track but in a Dolby Digital compressed format.

Personally speaking, it doesn't bother me when watching although I do think that there's little reason not to preserve the sounds that were adequate for the movie to be a success thirty odd years ago. But the experience of watching Halloween with its current 7.1 track does not suffer one bit from being deprived of the ability to detect the limitations of the format it was originally released with.

"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

I think it sounds wonderful, regardless.

Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.

[–] ReturnOfWhiskey 8 years ago

yea no kidding. i could care less about about mono or remix or whatever. As long as it's got sound and it's clear to my ears that's all that matters. I swear, some people are SO picky. Sheesh.



[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

They really are, Return.

Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.

[–] recklesscow 8 years ago

I watch the film with the new audio, but some people are all about authenticity and original soundtracks. Regardless, it's film and some people are passionate about making sure it isn't altered too much, like Star Wars. Also, films do win Oscars for sound, so messing with a film's original audio can obviously be sacrosanct to some.

I am very anal about color-timing, though. Don't f with the way a film looks in the color department. That's blatant revisionism. It goes beyond having a clear picture. You can have a clear picture but the colors were chosen for a reason. They don't have cinematographers for kicks.

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

What about when they take black and white movies and color them? Like the Three Stooges shorts, or It's a Wonderful Life. Does that drive you crazy, Reck?

Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.

[–] recklesscow 8 years ago

I personally wouldn't purchase a version like that but if other people want to, go for it. The black and white versions still exist. When it's a case of only one copy existing and that copy is altered, it's a different story. Halloween has different color timing versions out there but at least the correct one is available.

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

Fair enough.

Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.

[–] GorchBrother 8 years ago

What if the cinematographer supervises the transfer and the colours don't look like you remember them when you first saw it, maybe on TV or on cassette?

"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof

[–] recklesscow 8 years ago

Unless I saw the film in theaters more than once a few months before its video release, I wouldn't trust myself to accurately remember what it looked like. Usually I think most people who claim to are full of it. You can't accurately remember what you saw in 1978, for example. But in the case of Halloween, we had Dean Cundey, Carpenter, and others involved saying some of the transfers were wrong, so in those cases we don't need to rely on personal memory.

Other times we can tell because a previous cinematographer-approved transfer is replaced by one that's not even remotely similar. Other times, the cinematographer themselves is responsible for revisionism. Did you ever see what Vittorio Storaro did to his transfer of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage? He changed the aspect ratio to cut off the sides of the picture and made the colors like a 1990s German crime film. Whaaaatttt...

Another Argento film, Suspiria, has gotten some bad European Blu-ray releases that our American one is supposed to fix. I've seen Suspiria in theaters recently and the colors are almost exactly like they were on the cinematographer-approved Anchor Bay transfer. The European Blus have colors so hot they bleed. It'll be a relief to see that mess fixed in HD.

[–] GorchBrother 8 years ago

What sounded good? Regardless of what?

You've already stated you have no interest, experience or use of blu ray and don't understand any of the distinctions. How exactly can you have an opinion on it "regardless"?

We're talking about availability. The original picture is still available so the original sound should also still be available.

"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

You are correct, Gor. I wonder what version is on the extended cut?

Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.

[–] etienneusa (1) 2 years ago

The 1997 Anchor Bay DVD edition actually has the original mono audio track. It’s probably the only DVD edition that has it. Blu Ray/4K/UHD is another story. I’m hoping the 2020/21 edition from Shout Factory at least has it.