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Post #222339

Author
scotactor
Parent topic
Info: DC & Faces - Original audio sources (lots of information)
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/222339/action/topic#222339
Date created
27-Jun-2006, 4:50 AM
On "Star Wars" and "Empire Strikes Back" I think, in order to present the two multichannel soundtracks (apiece) as closely as possible to the theatrical originals, they should use the 4-track master mixes. The article didn't mention if the 4-track for ANH still exists, but I would assume it's a major possibility.

Check it out: Both ANH and Empire originally had a 6-track magnetic 70mm Dolby mix and a 2-track matrixed (Lt/Rt) optical 35mm Dolby Stereo mix. The 70mm mix contained 4 discrete channels (Left-Center-Right-Surround transfered from the 4-track) plus "baby boom" (i.e. low frequency effects) on the 2 extra magnetic tracks derived by filtering the bass out from the 4 channels. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like using the 4-track plus the effects-only master (since home theater setups only use one LFE channel ".1"), both 70mm soundtracks for ANH and Empire can be presented on DVD as a Dolby Digital 4.1 mix. Keep in mind that ANH's and Empire's baby boom content had only mono surround information; "Superman: The Movie" was the first to use split-surrounds (stereo).

Presenting a near-exact copy of the 2-track Dolby Stereo mix would be a bit easier. The 4-track master can simply be matrixed into a new Lt/Rt print as a 2.0 Dolby Surround mix, which upon playback decodes to recreate the 4 channels. During the 80s/90s, "Dolby Surround" was the home consumer marketing name for Dolby Stereo.

Assuming that the 35mm monaural mix (1 optical track) still exists, even easier: simply transfer to a Dolby Digital 1.0 mix. The standard-definition DVD format is well capable of having all 3 soundtracks included. Of course, they would all have to be digitally remastered during these processes as well.

As far as Jedi goes, the article does mention that the 13-track "stems" are available, which can be used to make 2.0, 4.1, or possibly 5.1 mixes.