Grease LD PCM preservation

[TServo2049]

Hello,

This has been brought up before, but the 20th Anniversary remix of Grease is utterly butchered, especially in the music. A lot of additional reverb, sound effects that are almost louder than the music, and it's just generally an overproduced mess.

For most films, it'd be easy to obtain PCM Dolby Stereo from laserdisc. Not so with Grease. You see, it only ever had an analog release in the U.S.

Supposedly, there was a stealth digital reissue, under the same catalog number, but SilverWook and I have come to the conclusion that the person who added this info to LDDB was mistaken, because we've acquired at least one copy that claimed to be digital, but it was just analog. The best copy we have is from the 1990 hi-fi VHS. (The theoretical PCM LD would probably have used the same master?)

There are only two known releases that do have the 1978 English mix in PCM: A Japanese reissue from the 90s, and a Dutch release. The Japanese one is exceedingly rare, so I'd like to put out a request: Can anyone obtain the Dutch disc, and do a bit-perfect transfer? It would just need a 4% slowdown to be able to do the sync work. (Then, the theatrical version could be preserved by taking the 2.35 Paramount logo from another contemporaneous release and putting it back at the head/tail to replace the modern logos.)

Here's the LDDB listing: http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/34199/21.04.002/Grease

[crissrudd4554]

I too would like to see this done. A few months ago someone over at originaltrilogy.com messaged me since I had mentioned that none of the DVD/BluRays have the original mix. He was under the impression that the 2002 DVD had the original since a site mentioned that the DVDs 2.0 mix is the original. I told him that was false since I have that release and have listened to the 2.0 mix and it's not the original. All the added junk from the 5.1 mix was still present. However he kept insisting that I send him a picture of my DVD since he kept thinking I had the 2006 DVD. I sent him a pic from Google of the same edition I had and he still wasn't convinced. Anyways it would be nice to see the original mix preserved.

[Lil Brutto]

There are only two known releases that do have the 1978 English mix in PCM: A Japanese reissue from the 90s, and a Dutch release. The Japanese one is exceedingly rare...

This is the one with incorrect info on LDDB?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/e734-Japan-Laser...Sw6EhUTd82

[SilverWook]

Having already blown a lot of money on this, the only LD out there with a PCM track is a PAL LD. The Japanese pressing didn't have it, and the analog audio was pretty weak.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/361138231715

Obviously we need someone with a PAL player to do the capture. I did successfully capture the Hi Fi track from a pre 1998 factory sealed VHS tape and mj0012 synched it to the Blu Ray.

[TServo2049]

There are two Japanese releases. PILF-1984 is allegedly the digital one, but that one is seemingly impossible to find. (I forget if the one you had bought was one listed on LDDB as PILF-1984. It could have been that the seller actually had the SF078-1204 and was mistakenly offering it as PILF-1984, as the cover is nearly identical. If you still have the disc, can you check the front/back for a code? That way we can know whether it's that you got the earlier issue, or that PILF-1984 isn't actually digital. I'm betting on the former.)

Yeah, the Dutch is the only sensible option at this point. The LDDB listing is only $3.99 (dunno what the shipping costs add to that though).

[SilverWook]

Don't think I have it anymore, sorry. There is also a French release that may or may not be identical to the Netherlands one.

All the early 90's Phillips European pressings may be the same master, (the jacket art is the same) but there's no real way to tell.

I just noticed some LDDB listings include the back cover now. You have to be logged in to see them though.
http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/25631/PILF-1984/Grease
This does have digital audio marked on the back.

This is probably the one I got stuck with:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/e734-Japan-Laser...0995206271

[TServo2049]

The French, German and Spanish ones are all listed on LDDB as being dubbed. Only the Dutch is listed as English with subtitles.

[SilverWook]

Doh! I missed that.

P.S. I'm asking a reputable ebay seller I've done business with before if they have the Japanese LD or can get it. Laserdiscs are all they do.

[crissrudd4554]

Having already blown a lot of money on this, the only LD out there with a PCM track is a PAL LD. The Japanese pressing didn't have it, and the analog audio was pretty weak.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/361138231715

Obviously we need someone with a PAL player to do the capture. I did successfully capture the Hi Fi track from a pre 1998 factory sealed VHS tape and mj0012 synched it to the Blu Ray.

What about the Paramount logo??

[SilverWook]

Appropriate era Paramount logo was spliced in from another Blu Ray source, and the musical intro is intact.