With these releases...

2013 - Shout Factory

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Prince-of...ray/73170/

2018 - Studio Canal

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Prince-of...ay/214721/

...I am wondering if the 2.0 track is original stereo (Ultra Stereo) and not a downmix. Does anybody know?

If it's not, anyone have the "Prince of Darkness" laserdisc and can capture the audio to obtain the original track?

if thats the case id like to know if they live is as well
tho the laserdisc sounds muffled compared to the studio canal version.

I'd suspect the Shout! Factory release is possibly original, though I'm no expert. I do know Studiocanal seems to have a track record of using sped-up downmixes though.

Would love to hear how that Ultra Stereo mix originally sounds like as it's probably my personal most favorite John Carpenter movie with a fantastic score to boot.

Pretty sure i have the original Universal R1 DVD (that was released by Image entertainment) so could rip that and upload if i can find it. That should have the original mix on it. It's reviewed below (cover with the orange banner)

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_revie...rkness.htm

Definitely would like to know. I was just about to splurge on some Carpenter UHDs!

The JP LD mentions Ultra Stereo on the cover, the US LD just says 'matrixed surround sound'. I should imagine the mixes are the same.
Ultra Stereo and Dolby Stereo were essentially the same system but Ultra was free to license so lots of independents used it especially in the 80s/90s. The first time I remember seeing the logo at the end of a film was Society, and my local cinema had Ultra Stereo sound right up until it went digital.
POD is proper gem of a Carpenter film, one of the all-time best scares at the end.

(2021-07-21, 11:12 AM)Bigrob Wrote: Pretty sure i have the original Universal R1 DVD (that was released by Image entertainment) so could rip that and upload if i can find it. That should have the original mix on it. It's reviewed below (cover with the orange banner)

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_revie...rkness.htm

Thanks, but it's a lossy track, that's why I want the Laserdisc one. In any case, maybe the lossless 2.0 tracks (Shout and Studio Canal) are the original Ultra Stereo. But I don't know how to confirm this for sure. I would like to because this film has a superb sound.

It doesn't look like anyone here has the LD Onti, however Bigrob has kindly offered to rip the DVD track. At the very least it could be compared to the recent HD/UHD releases to determine whether they are the same mix or downmixed/remixed.

Alternatively you may want to consider purchasing a LD copy and having it sent to one of the many fanressers who can capture LD soundtracks, providing you with a bit-perfect PCM file which you could then sync to your preferred video source

(2021-07-21, 08:12 PM)zoidberg Wrote: It doesn't look like anyone here has the LD Onti, however Bigrob has kindly offered to rip the DVD track. At the very least it could be compared to the recent HD/UHD releases to determine whether they are the same mix or downmixed/remixed.

Alternatively you may want to consider purchasing a LD copy and having it sent to one of the many fanressers who can capture LD soundtracks, providing you with a bit-perfect PCM file which you could then sync to your preferred video source

Yes, I meant that I didn't want him to go to all that trouble for a lossy track.

But it's true that it could be compared to the HD versions, although I don't know how to do it.

actually escape from new york has the original 2.0 so i dont see why the other ones wouldnt