So I thought I'd take a closer look at the old WOW! montage, originally created for the THX WOW laserdisc and later included (in anamorphic widescreen) on the THX Ultimate Demo Disc (previously discussed here).
Check out this comparison for starters:
^ WOW!
^ GOUT
Two things are very clear: 1) the GOUT image is so desaturated it looks almost greyscale, and 2) the GOUT white levels are severely clipped - compare the overhead lights and the corresponding blob on the luma graph to the right.
More to come when I get a chance.