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Info Wanted: Your favourite sound mix for A New Hope?

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(I’ve not included the original theatrical 70mm 6-track mix , because it’s unlikely to ever be heard again in its original form. Elements of this mix were used in the 1985 and 1993 remastered versions.)

I don’t think I’ve ever heard #1. Although I saw TESB and ROTJ at the cinema, I was too young to go when ANH was first out. This mix was the one on the early (pre-1985) VHS and Laserdisc releases, so I’d like to check it out someday.

#2 is the one I grew up with, because it was on my VHS taped off a TV broadcast in the '80s. Although I like many aspects of it, “close the blast doors”, “the tractor beam…”, “blast it Wedge…” and the un-synthesised radio voices during the Death Star battle, IMO a Dolby mix is always going to be a winner with the opening shot, where you can hear the Tantive behind you a second before it bursts on screen in a hail of laserbolts…

I’ve heard #3 once, but not in surround sound! I know that “close the blast doors” is missing, but “the tractor beam” line is back in. I can’t really comment much more than that.

My vote has to go to #4, because it’s the one I’ve heard the most since I bought my VHS set in 1995. Star Wars wasn’t the first film to use Dolby Surround, but it was the first one that really showed what could be done, and I believe it should always be watched with a pro-logic compatible system.

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I agree that you have to go dolby. The mono mix has nice stuff in it, but it's in mono! Between the theatical dolby and the '85, I'd go '85, as you kind of get the best of both worlds. However, I'm not familiar with the differences between '85 & '93. What are they?
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I went with the mono. It sounds like the most complete version to me. I also enjoy the original Dolby Stereo mix. That's the one I grew up with.

Neil

Well at least the reversed surround channels have been addressed.

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Originally posted by: Moth3r
(I've not included the original theatrical 70mm 6-track mix , because it's unlikely to ever be heard again in its original form. Elements of this mix were used in the 1985 and 1993 remastered versions.)
I don't believe that any elements of the 70mm mix were used for home video until the THX mix. The 1985 remix is really just a slightly updated version of the original Dolby Stereo mix (the addition of C-3PO's tractor beam line from the mono mix for example).

As far as theatrical presentation went, nothing beat the 70mm 6-track back in the day. But for home video, I like the Dolby Stereo remix. Although, there are many elements in the mono mix that I like. It was the last mix to be finished so it was the most complete - it has the "blast doors" and "tractor beam" lines. But it's in mono, and it's never been released on home video anyway.

Originally posted by: THX
However, I'm not familiar with the differences between '85 & '93. What are they?

The '93 "THX" sound mix is a completely different mix. It was said to be an all-new mix incorporating the best elements of the original three. However, it has been theorized that the THX mix is really the original 70mm 6-track mix transfered to Dolby 2.0 Surround. I'm inclined to think that myself, but at the very least, a large portion of it was used.

Greedo shoots first? Not in my DVD player.
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I grew up with the 85 mix, so I was torn between the 77 mono (for the reasons Neil stated) and that. I picked the 85 mix. It was so nostalgic for me popping in the EditDroid disc when I hadn't heard that mix in over 7 years (and I'm 16 - that's too young to be nostalgic, so they must have done something right )
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It's not really a fair poll, in that not many people have actually heard all 4 mixes to make a fair comparison as to which is their favourite; the question then becomes "which mix is the most popular".

But it's started a bit of discussion, which was partly my intention for starting the thread.

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At some point, I will actually have to listen to and compare them. I've been far more focused on the video for my various projects.

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

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