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Oh man, I'm so excited for this! Thanks for all the hard work guys!
“That’s impossible, even for a computer!”
Conan The Barbarian 1982 US Theatrical Edition & BONUS! *RELEASED* — Page 6
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Is there another way to get my mits on these BDs preservations than by myspleen? I can burn dvds but not Blu, and i doubt i will be able to in a long time since i got no job:(
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I'm really excited about this project, especially the audio options. Having both the original score and the Prometheus re-recording available as alternate audio tracks, as I love both editions and usually listen to both in succession.
I can't stand the official Blu-ray… it would be one thing if the score wasn't central to the experience of watching the movie, but that remix was literally like removing a particular color from a picture.
I like both cuts of the film (each has elements in their favor), but can't stand the alternate scroll with Mako narration that appears at the end of the film. The original was so appropriate, while the new one just comes across as a teaser.
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@StarThoughts: I totally agree with you about the ending scroll. And I too like both cuts of the film, but prefer the theatrical color timing.
The only thing I'd actually have against this film is that they should have let us know more about the characters. We barely get to know anything about anybody else than Conan, and a little about Subotai. Valeria's name isn't even mentioned in the film.
What do you guys think about that?
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I've only sampled the Blu-ray once and was so horrified at what they had done to the score that I never scrutinized the picture overmuch.
I agree that all of the characters other than Conan are thinly outlined. I think the film is a product of its time, and movies of the fantasy genre weren't really known for their characterizations. I think Milius would defend the idea that the film is told from Conan's perspective, but I think it would have bolstered Conan's relationships had there been more substance to them (certainly the emotion of the moment when Conan leaves Valeria is conveyed primarily through the music as opposed to the text).
I think this is partly what Milius was trying to accomplish in the director's cut with the additional scene between Conan and Subotai before the Battle of the Mounds, but while the content of that scene is interesting, it does come across (to me, at least) to be somewhat out of character for both to be so reflective to one another.
“That’s impossible, even for a computer!”
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Too much backstory can hurt a character as well as help it... example: Boba Fett. I think I prefer Valeria being a little mysterious.
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Yeah, I guess you're right. Mystery can be very good for a movie too and I guess that's why they chose to not let us know much about the characters.
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Just purchased the official Blu-Ray from Amazon. Had the DVD but sold it some time ago. Very much looking forward to this guys. From the looks of this thread it will be an amazing release. I also ordered a 2 disc blu ray case and will ditch the original artwork! Ya'll's looks so much better!
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So this is not OUT yet, but close, yes? I've been away and just got back to the forum.
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Yes, we are eagerly awaiting the imminent release of this project.
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A bit off-topic, but while we wait here is the manuscript up for auction containing the inspiration for the famous vulture biting scene.
http://historical.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=6094&lotNo=36262
In his dulled ears sounded the louder beat of wings. Lifting his head he watched with the burning glare of a wolf the shadows wheeling above him. He knew that his shouts would frighten them away no longer. One dipped—dipped—lower and lower. Conan drew his head back as far as he could, waiting with terrible patience. The vulture swept in with a swift roar of wings. Its beak flashed down, ripping the skin on Conan's chin as he jerked his head aside; then before the bird could flash away, Conan's head lunged forward on his mighty neck muscles, and his teeth, snapping like those of a wolf, locked on the bare, wattled neck.
Instantly the vulture exploded into squawking, flapping hysteria. Its thrashing wings blinded the man, and its talons ripped his chest. But grimly he hung on, the muscles starting out in lumps on his jaws. And the scavenger's neck-bones crunched between those powerful teeth. With a spasmodic flutter the bird hung limp. Conan let go, spat blood from his mouth. The other vultures, terrified by the fate of their companion, were in full flight to a distant tree, where they perched like black demons in conclave.
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Nice stuff. That's a pretty detailed description of that scene.
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Official Conan Blu Ray arrived today, and dual layer Verbatim BD-R! Super excited to see the work you guys put in!
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Quick question about the isolated score track:
Will the music conform to the film or will it be as Poledouris recorded it?
Because of the importance of music to Milius' style and his working relationship with Poledouris, there are very few moments where these diverge, but they do exist.
The most prominent would be the first few phrases of “The Kitchen,” which were reversed in the film. The Varése CD has the edit as it appears in the film, while the Intrada has this cue unedited. Nic Raine recorded the film edit for Prometheus — that recording also presents the film version of the orgy fight, which would have to be re-created from the Intrada set.
“That’s impossible, even for a computer!”
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Our 4th member for this project, our audio guy reconstructed and remastered the original 4-track tape mixing, all sync up with the original mono mix. The Intrada is the less important source and has only been used for completion. That means he's been restoring the score preserving the original rich stereo image that was lost on this latter release.
Also he ignores the re-recordings, he hates them.
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So the music will conform to the film, and have that classic sound as opposed to the new Intrada remix. Cool!
Is the Prometheus recording is being dropped from this release? Was it only being included in the first place because of what was missing from the Varése?
Opinions on the new recording differ; many were put off by how different it sounded. While admitting that there are some sound quality issues, I very much like the re-recording performance as it offers a very different reading of one of my all-time favorite scores (the version of “The Tree of Woe/Recovery” is quite arresting in the new version). I like the idea do it being included, but the original score tracks are much more important.
“That’s impossible, even for a computer!”
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The Prometheus Score is not being dropped, I am going to leave it on there as its own Iso Score option, I kind of like it to but I LOVE the original much, much more, it is just that the Prometheus score was obviously not used in creating the complete original score by Basil, there was just no way because they sound so different.
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The original recording has a magic to it that will never be recaptured. The Prometheus is very different by design, which is part of why I like it so much. If the attempt was to re-create the original performance, it would have fallen quite flat. Although Raine and the CPPO have done some stunning re-creations (Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia, Goldsmith's Hour of the Gun, Rózsa's El Cid, to name a few), Poledouris had a unique touch, and this score was his magnum opus.
I've recently taken a closer look at the Blu-ray and have to say that the film looks very odd. When I pull out my laserdisc and compare the two, the laser has a more natural appearance. I don't know how much of that is because that's the version of the film I'm used to and how much is the original theatrical color-timing, but I seem to recall the special edition DVD looking a lot more like the laser (color-wise, anyway) than the Blu-ray does.
Please forgive me for asking so much about the details of this release, it's just that it's not an exaggeration to say that it is a dream come true to have a good copy of the American theatrical version of Conan with score-oriented audio options. This was one of my favorite films and scores growing up, and this disc represents EXACTLY what I would have wanted.
“That’s impossible, even for a computer!”
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StarThoughts said:
The original recording has a magic to it that will never be recaptured. The Prometheus is very different by design, which is part of why I like it so much. If the attempt was to re-create the original performance, it would have fallen quite flat. Although Raine and the CPPO have done some stunning re-creations (Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia, Goldsmith's Hour of the Gun, Rózsa's El Cid, to name a few), Poledouris had a unique touch, and this score was his magnum opus.
I've recently taken a closer look at the Blu-ray and have to say that the film looks very odd. When I pull out my laserdisc and compare the two, the laser has a more natural appearance. I don't know how much of that is because that's the version of the film I'm used to and how much is the original theatrical color-timing, but I seem to recall the special edition DVD looking a lot more like the laser (color-wise, anyway) than the Blu-ray does.
Please forgive me for asking so much about the details of this release, it's just that it's not an exaggeration to say that it is a dream come true to have a good copy of the American theatrical version of Conan with score-oriented audio options. This was one of my favorite films and scores growing up, and this disc represents EXACTLY what I would have wanted.
Our Theatrical release looks just like the old LD and DVD's did, we have the theatrical color timing restored, you will be happy!
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Hi DJ. Will you be revising your replacement audio for the European version, too, or just the US theatrical? Thanks.
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The Griff said:
Hi DJ. Will you be revising your replacement audio for the European version, too, or just the US theatrical? Thanks.
I would like to say yes to that because I have learned so much and I know I can do better, but with all we have going it is going to be a while.
You are talking about the fixing of the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track correct?
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Ok I just can't wait any more !!!!!
But I must :\
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dark_jedi said:
The Griff said:
Hi DJ. Will you be revising your replacement audio for the European version, too, or just the US theatrical? Thanks.
I would like to say yes to that because I have learned so much and I know I can do better, but with all we have going it is going to be a while.
You are talking about the fixing of the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track correct?
Correct! Great to hear. I can certainly wait - especially if we have your US theatrical version to see us through in the meantime!
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I am really close to having a stroke. I just want this. Now. Right now.
NOW!!!!