The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Mono

[NeonBible]

The movie was originally released with a mono mix. The LaserDisc has this and I read that the R1 DVD also has the mono track.

Was listening to P&S capture and noticed there are some scenes missing on the LD compared to the BD, and that the track is analog.

So was wondering if anyone has the track from the R1 DVD which would be interesting for comparison.

[Moshrom]

Hmm, which R1 DVD has the mono? I thought they all had a 2.0 surround track.

I haven't properly aligned the LD to the blu-ray, but what's missing from it? Entire scenes (as you say) or just parts of them?

[NeonBible]

I read it on another forum, but perhaps they were mistaken. Looking at Rewind site, it does appear to be 2.0 surround.

The biggest difference is a missing part of a scene on the LD. Its around the 18m mark, just after Saito is discussing plans with the map, it cuts to Alex Guinness & co. discussing their plans; the line "Any other points?" is missing on the LD but present on the Blu-ray. So syncing is going to require some patching here. The background foley seems to be quite a bit different in this scene too. Or perhaps its just a difference in clarity since the LD analog track does seem a bit weak.

There were other instances of missing frames rather than parts of scenes but I was not doing a thorough comparison so didn't get the timestamps unfortunately.

[Moshrom]

It's always a bummer to have to compromise and patch in bits from a remix, but if it must be done... it's easy enough to do.

It seems the mono hasn't ever been released anywhere else. The Wild Bunch is a similar case--the Japanese LD is missing scenes, but there's no other option for the original mix, so...

[SpaceBlackKnight]

The Bridge On River Kwai is an intresting beast. It was a 4 track stereo mix for the premire version, but there was an alternate mono mix for the general release prints and various reissue versions that were also shorter. I believe the 1990s restoration restored the film to its full length, which the 1994 LD as well as all DVDs, BDs, and the UHD are based on. 

The 1994 restoration used master recording elements for its Dolby Surround track (and the 2.0 DVD downfolds) as the 4 track elements are lost. The 1990s DTS theatrical rerelease is the same remix using master recording elements, but appears to be molded off the 1972 70mm six track reissue mix.

This 4:3 LD sounds like one of those early 80s releases that used the shorter general release version.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

According to LDDB, the 1992 UK or 1989 and 1993 JPN letterboxed LDs could be the premire version with the 4 track stereo mix (in 2.0), as both predate the 1994 restoration with the remixed track.

There's also the possiblity the 1985 JPN LD could have mono and is letterboxed, but who knows if its the shorter version or the premire version with a downmixed track.

[Chewtobacca]

It sounds as if it's worth checking the JP LB LDs before patching VLD 2010 (US).

[Moshrom]

Maybe, but it takes a couple hours max to sync something and I've realised that I'd rather just go ahead and do that rather than wait a few months for someone to maybe purchase and capture another edition...

I mean, I'm still hoping that someone--anyone--could accept free LDs I'm willing to purchase and send to them in exchange for capturing them with a bit-perfect setup.

[Chewtobacca]

Fair enough. A DP1-compatible downmix of the 5.1 ought to do it then.

[williarob]

Maybe, but it takes a couple hours max to sync something and I've realised that I'd rather just go ahead and do that rather than wait a few months for someone to maybe purchase and capture another edition...

I mean, I'm still hoping that someone--anyone--could accept free LDs I'm willing to purchase and send to them in exchange for capturing them with a bit-perfect setup.

I'm accepting free laserdiscs for bit perfect capture... Though obviously those older titles that don't have digital audio won't be bit perfect, just lossless.