[versions] Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

[pipefan413]

I finally got one of those not too long ago and it's a 1998 LD IIRC. The first DVD should be a port of it and I'm planning on doing a comparison very soon between it, the Criterion CLV, 2007 bd and 4K.

Did you get round to comparing the mixes?

Around the time of the 4K release, they boasted that the audio was restored from a 70mm print. So does it differ from the mix on the 30th anniversary Blu-ray?

I'm wondering this too. I haven't watched this in years and only just bought the 40th Anniversary BD (1080p) but then saw this thread saying that there is some colour meddling on the newer release and mentioning the missing SE line on the earlier (30th Anniversary) BD so now I'm not sure which is likely "best". I doubt I'll watch the Special Edition cut anyway and I see there's 24-bit audio on the older disc, so if that's the best audio apart from the missing line and the colour is thought to be more accurate, that's likely going to be my go-to. However, if the audio is from a different source and the new one is 70 mm, that may not necessarily be the case. (And frankly I'm unlikely to be that bothered by 16 vs 24 bits during playback.)

Of course, the colour difference may not necessarily be indicative of the new transfer being less accurate, since for all I know it might be the other way round...

[Chewtobacca]

There's also the first (pre-30th Anniversary) BD from Sony, but I can't comment on the audio. It sounds as if LD 12646 is likely to remain the best bet when it comes to audio fidelity.

[pipefan413]

There's also the first (pre-30th Anniversary) BD from Sony, but I can't comment on the audio. It sounds as if LD 12646 is likely to remain the best bet when it comes to audio fidelity.

I sadly don't have access to that myself but would love to hear it. As it stands, I have the 2011 release (which I think is just the 30th Anniversary repackaged) en route and the 2017 40th Anniversary BD already here. I might use the 2011 audio with the 2017 video but if the 2017 colour is also inaccurate then maybe not.

[Wisp of Smoke]

While I haven't had a chance to compare the Criterion LD mix to the UHD, I did previously compare the UHD to the previous 2007 BD audio. Aside from the 16 bit vs 24 bit, the two mixes sound identical with the same split surround activity.

[NeonBible]

I sadly don't have access to that myself but would love to hear it. As it stands, I have the 2011 release (which I think is just the 30th Anniversary repackaged) en route and the 2017 40th Anniversary BD already here. I might use the 2011 audio with the 2017 video but if the 2017 colour is also inaccurate then maybe not.

I think the general consensus is that the 2017 / 40th BD is pretty bad in terms of picture. The UHD HDR disc however is seen as very good, though the colours are still different to previous releases.

While I haven't had a chance to compare the Criterion LD mix to the UHD, I did previously compare the UHD to the previous 2007 BD audio. Aside from the 16 bit vs 24 bit, the two mixes sound identical with the same split surround activity.

That’s good to know. I didn’t want to upgrade to the 40th UHD as I’m quite happy with the 30th 2007 BD. But a more accurate 70mm mix could have swayed it.

[pipefan413]

I sadly don't have access to that myself but would love to hear it. As it stands, I have the 2011 release (which I think is just the 30th Anniversary repackaged) en route and the 2017 40th Anniversary BD already here. I might use the 2011 audio with the 2017 video but if the 2017 colour is also inaccurate then maybe not.

I think the general consensus is that the 2017 / 40th BD is pretty bad in terms of picture. The UHD HDR disc however is seen as very good, though the colours are still different to previous releases.

While I haven't had a chance to compare the Criterion LD mix to the UHD, I did previously compare the UHD to the previous 2007 BD audio. Aside from the 16 bit vs 24 bit, the two mixes sound identical with the same split surround activity.

That’s good to know. I didn’t want to upgrade to the 40th UHD as I’m quite happy with the 30th 2007 BD. But a more accurate 70mm mix could have swayed it.

Aye... I might return the 2017 BD but the extra bonus content might sway keeping it. I'm a hoarder.

Chances are next watch will just be the as-is 2012 BD (which I think is just a repackaged 2007 disc) but I'm keen to hear the LD mix too.

[NeonBible]

There's also the first (pre-30th Anniversary) BD from Sony, but I can't comment on the audio.  It sounds as if LD 12646 is likely to remain the best bet when it comes to audio fidelity.

Indeed it does. Just saw the comment it might be the only release with mono surrounds.

Wonder if anyone has it.

[Chewtobacca]

The UHD HDR disc however is seen as very good, though the colours are still different to previous releases.

Yeah, the UHD is generally seen as good.  It's not so much the colors that ended up putting me off the UHD (although I do think that they are revisionist): it's the "upgraded" effects shots.  (And as y'all know, there's also the fact that the standard BD that came with the UHD has levels issues that the latter lacks.)  That and the lack of 70mm fidelity led me to stick to the 30th Anniversary BD.  It's not perfect, because of the missing line and the fact that it is arguably a bit bright, but it's good enough in terms of picture quality, and the audio is in need of rescuing whichever release one buys, so that can't be the deciding factor.

[pipefan413]

Does anybody happen to own and/or have captured either 12646 or PILF-7384?

I am considering buying a copy of one or the other but I don't yet have an AC-3 RF demodulator or indeed a player with AC-3 output. My primary focus is mono and Dolby Stereo preservation but this is an important one. I could potentially buy the discs with AC-3 mixes that I want to preserve and try to get a player / demodulator later on.

[AudioSeeker]

I've heard that the Director's Cut was first released on VHS and LaserDisc, and I thought maybe those would contain the original magnetic audio fans are referring to. However, considering Spielberg's audio-butchering reputation of home media releases, I wouldn't be surprised if the VHS and LaserDisc audios suffered the same fate as well.