[Proposal] Mad max (1979) audio preserv

[Stamper]

Hey guys,

So I've been spending some time on the first Mad Max trying to sort out the craziness of the different mixes.

There is a little information out there, but scattered. Let's all put it in one place.

The goal is to gather here a reference page of all the different mixes, so that anyone with an interest in this film should finally be able to pick of the correct tracks they want.

Here's french canadian Retromike video review of the problems about the sound on this film:

https://youtu.be/X_jhrIWohjQ

EDIT 2020: following the release of the UHD and additional research and debates amongst fans, it appeared that two different australian mixes of Mad Max are in existence, one domestic (the original), one international (using AIP M&E the track with some tweaks). As Retromike notes "a ton of sound effect from the US dub are still missing (in the international Oz mix as heard on the Warner Europe DVD) like the "crash" sound effect when Goose has an accident right after Johnny damaged his motorbike." This unique "international" mix featuring the Aussie voices can only be found on the original Warner European DVD of Mad Max.


DVD releases:

- AIP print American dub mono from the original 1997 Image snapcase DVD.
American dub. The sound is 1.0 channel and the DVD is non-anamorphic, but widescreen. The colors are clearly from a print, vivid and superior to the Blu-ray that look like someone switched off the light. A nice archival print capture.

- Warner europe DVD from 2001
This is one of the best looking Mad Max on video out there, and it's in 16/9 1024x576, with the Australian, English, French, German, Spanish and Italian original mono mixes in 1.0. It features the correct colors, akin to the AIP print, unlike every MM HD release after.

2020 addition: the australian mix found on that disc is the international version that uses most of the american M&E track, just like every foreign dub do. I can vouch that this is the version I always heard in cinemas but this was from 1982 on. It may be that the film was remixed for worldwide re-release after the success of Mad Max 2 and this is what's featured on the Warner Europe DVDs.

After this, MGM had Chace Stereo do a Stereo remix for Mad Max in December of 1999 for a new 35mm print they struck for theatrical showings in early 2000. However they used as base the original domestic mono mix, instead of the AIP M&E track like every foreign dub do. Then they decided to work on a 5.1 remix based on that one, alas they generally did a terrible job. That is what was included on the US video releases thereafter. So this feature on:

-  2001 R1 America - MGM Home Entertainment Special Edition
...which has this Australian Dolby Digital 5.1 track remix (complete with the missing Johnny The Boy line in the end scene as shown in the video above), the original domestic Australian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono that is actually different from the international mix, and the U.S. Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono dub.
Australian Dolby Digital 5.1
Australian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (australian domestic original mono mix different from the Warner DVD mono mix and same as the 4K UHD mono mix)
U.S. Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono


- 2002 R4 Australia - Village Roadshow
In 2002, Roadshow created their own 5.1 remix that is notably superior to the MGM one though it has the same crap reverb. It was included on the R4 DVD as DTS/1509kbps and DD/448kbps tracks. It sounds totally different from the MGM though it uses the same source tracks (aka domestic mix). Also this DVD release as a unique, interlaced master, that looks a lot like the Image DVD one color wise.
Australian DTS 5.1 special Remix of the Chace remix
Australian Dolby Digital 5.1 same as above but in lossy DD.

Blu-rays:


- Blu-ray A America - MGM Home Entertainment
Then comes Mad Max remastered for Blu-ray and it looks like crap. The shine of the original prints is gone, and it looks like someone switched the lights off. It's grey and dull and washed out and sadly it looks that way on every Blu-ray release. In addition, the sound is a disaster:
- Australian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz/24-bit) This is the Chace remix with some tweaks. The end scene is edited differently on that one, like they tried to fix it.
- Australian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Those idiots have not included the original mono there, despite the label. It's a downmix of the 5.1, resulting in out of phase sounds during the whole film!
- U.S. dub Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono This is the correct track.
- French Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo I'm not sure but it maybe this stereo track is taken from the french 1985 stereo Laserdisc. It sounds excellent and is mostly mono, with some slight differences between the channels.
- Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Sounds like the correct track.
This release comes with the MGM DVD as bonus, so you actually get the different 5.1 and 2.0 australian original australian mono tracks from that one.

Blu-ray A America - Shout! Factory Collector's Edition
You think the indie label would have fixed those problems. They didn't. Their master is DNRed resulting in some details erased from the picture, too. Collector's only by name.
- Australian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Still the same remix as the MGM Blu.
- Australian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo This is supposed to be the mono track again, but it's not. On first impression it sounds like a stereo downmix of the 5.1 track. But it could be in fact the original stereo mix made in 1999 by Chace before the 5.1 remix, as it's way more dynamic than the downmixed 5.1 when you switch between the tracks.
- U.S. DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo. Surprise, this actually isn't the mono US dub, but a stereo version. It's mostly mono with some differences between channels. 

- Blu-ray ALL France - Warner Home Video
Same master as the others above, just sightly cleaned up with a DNR pass to make room for the additional languages. Also released across Europe. Japanese language options available only when player's language is set to Japanese.
The French subtitles translate the U.S. English audio track.

- Australian Dolby Digital 5.1 useless as it's the MGM Chace remix fix in DD.
- U.S. dub DTS-HD Master 2.0 Stereo same as Shout! track.
- Czech Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- French Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- German Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- Hungarian Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- Italian Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- Japanese Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono This is absurd because in Japan, the movie was released in 4 tracks stereo.
- Portuguese Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- Russian Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- Spanish (Castilian) Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono.
- Spanish (Latin) Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- Polish Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono (Voice-over)

- Blu-ray B Australia - Roadshow Home Entertainment
- Australian DTS-HD Master 5.1 it seems this is the Roadshow remix fix so the best place to get it!
- Australian Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo This sounds like a mono downmix of the Roadshow 5.1 mix but maybe it's just the same downmix of the Chace mix. In any case, it sounds totally crappy with out of phase sounds, do not bother with this.
- English Descriptive Audio Service Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Note:The disc's menu incorrectly claims the Stereo mix is the US dub, but it plays Australian audio.


- 4K remaster
A few years ago, an HDR 4K version stream appeared, based on the Blu-ray scan featuring the Chace 5.1 remix usual. It's now been superseded by:

- 4K UHD
2020 NEW! The new HDR-Dolby Vision 4K version out now on UHD is in way better shape. Alas, it still fails to represent exactly how the film originally looked as they applied the grading from the HD master as base! You can see it right from the beginning when the shots lighting differences are obvious and don't match between the cops during the chase, as they don't obviously on the negative, (due to changing weather) whereas this was seamless on the original Interpositives and on the Warner Europe DVD.

As for the mono mix in lossless included, it's finally back to the original Australian domestic mix same as the MGM DVD. However it's not in the best of shape. Still a recommend!

[bendermac]

I have the US LaserDisc -> https://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/05411/ID2594OR/Mad-Max

What about the Blu-ray from Shout-Factory? It supposedly has the original aussie mono mix in lossless.

[Stamper]

Nope it's a fold down of the remix and it's actually thus stereo LOL, I'm reviewing the discs right now, will add the Blu-ray breakdown to the original post later.

The Image LD is the same as the DVD.

[jonno]

I have a couple of UK sources that may be of use: the 1986 PAL laserdisc with the US mono in analogue, and the 1992 widescreen VHS with Australian mono (not Hi-Fi as far as I can tell).

[Evit]

If anyone has a PAL VHS and needs to rip the audio I'm well equipped on the VHS front (usually two tapes are required though). Just throwing it out there.

[marin888]

Maybe this can be helpful.
Here is R4 review with screenshots.
https://web.archive.org/web/201712071839...d-max.html
Audio
Thankfully some of the problems with dialogue being drowned out by effects and music have been rectified, this problem only cropping up in a couple of instances throughout the film.

R4 review
Audio - http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=1787
Originally made in flat as a tack mono, anybody who hasn’t experienced Mad Max for a while will almost literally be blown away by either the Dolby Digital or full bitrate DTS 5.1 remixes served up here. As is generally the case there is little easily discernable difference between the two other than the DTS version being noticeably louder, however those with bionic hearing may pick up a bit more with the beefier mix. Sadly purists miss out on the original mix, and we also aren’t given the option of the ludicrous and often extremely comical American dub which the region 1 DVD contains.

Naturally most of the dialogue is delivered from front and centre, however quite a bit of work has obviously been done on stereo effects across the front, as well as shaking the surround channels from the ennui they’d have endured if we’d just been given the standard old sound mix the film originally had. Revheads will be in rapture at the thunderous throaty rumbles which burble across the room throughout the film, many of which are given added oomph with what could only be described as gloriously in your face (or should that be bones?) subwoofwoof usage. All is synched to perfection, and dialogue comes up beautifully clear.

The score comes from the late ABC stalwart Brian May, and it’s an interesting affair. Running the gamut from being all mushy and swelly in the rare romantic moments, to sounding much akin to a marriage of the themes from Division 4 and Homicide colliding head on with Bernard Herrmann’s creepier work for Alfred Hitchcock, it is an orchestral soundtrack which truly adds no end to the tense atmosphere of the film.

[MrBrown]

Maybe this can be helpful.
...Sadly purists miss out on the original mix, and we also aren’t given the option of the ludicrous and often extremely comical American dub which the region 1 DVD contains.
...

This was helpful, as the disc can be avoided, because lacking what is searched for...

[Stamper]

Actually if that mix is unique to the R4 DVD it's worth being tracked and preserved

[marin888]

Here is deeper review for audio. 
http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Reviews/Rev...iewID=1830

[Stamper]

I wonder if this audio is on the Australian Blu-ray too.