[Request] Crocodile Dundee (1986) Australian Version VHS audio

[jerryshadoe]

Hey guys!

I recently reacquired the Australian Version R4 DVD of the film and, unfortunately, noticed that the audio on it is extremely poor and in mono for some reason. I want to do a "hybrid-cut" where I splice the BD together with the Australian R4 DVD to have a nice HD version of the Australian cut. I realize that someone just put up something similar on MS (albeit, only in 720p) but the result is not the best. Not putting down the efforts of the person that did it, but I think it could be done better. However, in order for this to be possible, I would need a capture of the audio from the Australian VHS tape.

I know we have some members here that are in Australia, so I thought I'd reach out and see if there is any chance of someone helping out. If not, then I might just buy the tape off ebay and take it from there...

Just in case someone can help, thanx in advance

[Chewtobacca]

It's funny: I had more or less the same thought.  Like you, I appreciate that somebody has already made a hybrid, but with all respect to their efforts, a 720p output was not what I had in mind.  I had no plans for VHS audio (though I agree that a better audio source is needed).

Jerry, if I do have time to look at this, I'll send you an AviSynth script that might help kick-start your project.  I'd imagine that you're still finishing off ST4.

[jerryshadoe]

Yeah, with all due respect to the effort's of the person there, the result is subpar. What's really funny about it, is that it could have been a ton better, if the audio used from BD had just been downmixed to mono to keep things consistent throughout the entire thing and that would have helped a ton.

Anyway, this is one I have been toying with in my mind for a while. Yeah, I'm still busy with ST4, TopGun Open-matte HD, Frankenaudio, a couple of personal projects, some sync jobs, a few ideas that I want to test, and then there's this...

Anyway, both R4 DVD releases contain the same transfer, at same bitrate and everything... Basically the same disc with a different package so there's no use in trying to attain the other DVD

Then, when it comes to the powers that be on the internet, the only HDTV copies floating around in "the abyss" of the web, are of the International Cut, so no dice there either

To the best of my knowledge, there is no Australian BD release that contains the Australian cut

I have searched all of the internet, including lddb, and there is no laserdisc available that contains this version either

I have even searched around for a lead on any print containing this audio and no luck there either

The ONLY source that is available are the 1987 release Australian VHS tapes, hence my trying to find this particular source. To the best of my knowledge, it was released with HiFi Stereo audio, which would make this project pretty easy to put together.

I appreciate your offer to help, but until I have the audio I don't see much point on starting it yet; especially since I'm already swamped and my computer is only so fast... (really need to upgrade)... damn money and all that... LOL

[bendermac]

jerry, have a look here

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=...s&_sacat=0

[Chewtobacca]

I appreciate your offer to help, but until I have the audio I don't see much point on starting it yet; especially since I'm already swamped and my computer is only so fast... (really need to upgrade)... damn money and all that... LOL

No worries! I've already had a quick look, and the project's going to be more work than I think either of us imagined, so I have started on a script for the video and am going to pick away at it whenever I have a few moments.

I agree with everything you said about the audio. At least we don't have to go from mono to 5.1.

The opening credits are noticeably different on the Australian version.

[jerryshadoe]

Indeed, they are very different and I plan on using the intro from the Australian Version for a true reconstruction which means "patching" the International Cut credits and then overlaying just the credits themselves from the Australian Cut onto the HD footage from the BD of International Cut. (OR, optionally, reconstructing the credits themselves if I can find the right matching font to do it... this is something I just haven't got to yet because, as I mentioned earlier, this is just a project that I've "toyed" around with in my mind for the most part so far)

I have already tried some quick tests with half-decent results, although I am kinda "cheating" because I also have access to a Soviet Dub print with localized credits that also appear at slightly different times and lengths/places on-screen, which can help with the entire patch process. It will be a LOT of work to get those right, especially when it comes to color-matching (here, DrDre's tool will come in VERY handy) and it all needs to be re-grained (the Australian Cut & Soviet Dub footage, that is)

I am still wondering about how much that footage can be "salvaged" so that the transitions between actual HD and upscaled isn't too jarring... This will be a fun project and I'm looking forward to it

When it comes to the VHS, thanx for that link bendermac

I have already looked there myself though and most of the people only ship to Australia but some ship worldwide (although $20 for shipping a single VHS tape is a little steep when the tape is only $10, LOL) Since there aren't any members here that have the tape in question, then I'll purchase it when I find a decent deal. Then I need to find someone that can capture the PAL VHS audio for me as I am in the US and don't have access to a PAL VCR. Whoever would be willing to help with that could just keep the tape as long as I got a PCM capture

The particular tape I'm looking for, which I'm 100% positive contains HiFi Stereo sound is the 1987 CBS/FOX release (there was a later release, but I'm unsure of whether it was HiFi Stereo or HiFi Dual Mono...)

For reference (I know it's a little blurry, but you can see it says HiFi Stereo on the spine if you zoom in):

[Image: %24_57.JPG]

and the other release that I'm unsure of is this one:

[Image: %24(KGrHqRHJDME63ZMVcgsBO4(1ghEyg~~60_57.JPG]

[Chewtobacca]

Whichever approach you decide to take with the credits, good luck, jerry!  It sounds as if you intend to make a full-blown recreation of the Australian version.  I had in mind more of a best-of-both-worlds version with the missing material reinserted.  (In other words, recreating the credits sequence was not on my to-do list.)  What do you intend to do about shots that run longer on the Australian version but contain no additional dialog or other content?  I'd suggest going with the BD in those cases.

While the BD is certainly the best source that's available, it wouldn't win any prizes.  And the shots from the Australian DVD will take a significant amount of work: there is, at least, no field-blending (as far as I can see), but the fields are repeated in an odd fashion.  There are two or three fields from any given frame, but there are also many orphaned fields.  If one wants good quality, I don't see any option but to handle each shot separately in a way that's similar to performing a manual IVTC on a difficult source.

[crissrudd4554]

I've yet to see the Australian cut so I hope something comes of this.

[jerryshadoe]

I hate having to do a manual IVTC because it's time-consuming, but in this case you may be right: it might be the only way to do it right. I'm not sure what I'll do about any shot yet as I don't really have the project started yet. Will be discussing it once I am getting ready to "cross that bridge." (and a lot depends on the audio work as well)

@crissrudd4554 - Something will come of this, but patience is key

[Doctor M]

If you have an odd pattern of duplicate fields, but none blended, you could use a smart bobber like QTGMC and then something like fdecimate. You wouldn't be doing any field matching, but you also wouldn't have to babysit each scene.

I was also thinking for any scene with overdubbed dialog, the best answer is probably to lift the dialog from the VHS (or whatever Australian source you have) and then patch it into the center channel only leaving the rest of the channels untouched from the BD.

I doubt they upmixed/reverbed any of the redubbed dialog outside of the center channel.
Honestly, it couldn't sound less natural than it already does.