8mm Forum: Earthquake Blu-ray

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Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 14, 2017, 03:54 AM:

Well folks its been great catching up on old movies of late, but here is a must have, if you are interested in disaster films from the 1970s

"Eathquake" from 1974 looks and sounds fantastic, the restoration in excellent, plus it has a DTS 5:1 Soundtrack.... highly recommend it. [Cool]

Here are a couple of quick screen shots I took tonight...

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on April 19, 2017, 01:49 PM:

Graham, did they issue it with the Sensurround rumble track? (Of course, in our living rooms, you might not need one!!!)

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 19, 2017, 03:19 PM:

Bill I only heard it on DTS-HD Master Audio 5:1....but on looking at the blu-ray, it also has a English DTS Sensurround Track 2.1 as well mmmmm [Roll Eyes]

Just checking the specs on my Yamaha RX-V750 amp regarding DTS signals I can play back 5:1 which Ihave done and you can also select DTS Neo:6 Cinema, DTS Neo:6 Music DTS processing for music software plus lots of other things, I cant see DTS Sensurround [Frown]

...so far..

[ April 19, 2017, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: Graham Ritchie ]

Posted by Larry Arpin (Member # 744) on April 20, 2017, 12:22 AM:

A few years ago at the American Cinematheque they presented a recreation of Sensurround. My son and attended and it was a real treat. Great looking print on top of that.

Posted by Martin Davey (Member # 2841) on April 20, 2017, 02:23 AM:

As far as Earthquake is concerned, 'sensurround' is not a recorded sound system. Nothing of the Sensurround is recorded in any format, because the effect was generated 'off the cuff' with a processor generating the signal live in the projection box and feeding it to special speakers installed in the theatre. The effect was controlled by a timing signal on the print to activate the equipment and turn it off at the required points. I understand that the later 'Sensurround' films produced did record the rumble directly in the track, but there were modifications to the academy sound curve and also a use of DBX noise reduction which created nonstandard prints. Dolby wiped all this away in to the historic technology dustbin. Modern digital sound formats probably approach these low frequencies as a matter of course so the DTS on the blu ray probably could achieve the effect, with the right subwoofers, and if you dare upsetting the household!
I do not have the disc at present so it would be interesting to know how the 2.1 DTS sensurround track plays, though I suspect it is a 'gimmick' track rather than the preferred track.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on April 20, 2017, 04:39 AM:

You would have to use a massive sub woofer system to properly. At the Elephant & Castle they had it installed with speakers in a long enclosure along the font of the stalls and 2 more (about) 6 ft square units each side of the read of the auditorium. When they showed the trailer for Battle of Midway the light fittings in the foyer rattled.
I also remember seeing the first Battlestar Galactica film in Sensuround in the West End (Leicester Square) then re-watching Star Wars on 70mm at the Dominion Tottenham Court Road to compare how the Dolby 4.1 (baby boom as it was called then) compared with it on similar material.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 20, 2017, 11:51 AM:

Best part of earthquake ...

Walter Matthau play a drunk who, miraculously, survives unscathed. There is aa wonderful shot where two people are talking in the foreground about how to save all of these people. Matthau's drunk character is happily, drunkedly dancing on top of a car to the amusement of those watching him, until he slips off the hood of the car! I just thought it was a wonderfully off moment in the film!

Posted by Martin Davey (Member # 2841) on April 20, 2017, 01:26 PM:

I liked the moment when the film showing at the cinema came out of the gate and burned, in the early stages of the major quake! But there are lots of great scenes that I remember from my childhood viewing at the Bournemouth ABC1 in 'sensurround'.

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on April 20, 2017, 11:18 PM:

Graham, I believe Martin is correct that the 2.1 Sensurround track is just a "gimmick" track, but a semi-legit one. Any ".1" track is all that's necessary to deal with a simulation of Sensurround. After all, it's the original Low Frequency Effect! Since the original "Earthquake" release was mono, I'm quite curious what the Blu-ray producers have put on either the 2.1 track or the DTS Master HD 5.1 track, but in either case it's bound to be an improvement over what people originally heard in mono.

I remember back in the 90s being at someone's home theater which was well equipped with a massive subwoofer system, and looking forward to my very first viewing of "Earthquake" there via Laserdisc. Not only was there no Sensurround (I didn't know it wasn't a recording but generated "live") but the track really was mono and rather bassless to boot! I was so disappointed.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 21, 2017, 05:06 PM:

Thanks Martin and Bill

I think if you had big subs for the DTS 5:1 it would sound pretty good, however for the perfect effect you cant beat the real thing. Back in 2011 I was watching the dvd of Earthquake at the time, when we had a strong 5 point something aftershock from the fault line just 15km of shore from where we live, it was a good shake [Eek!]

I think the movie itself comes across quite close to what its really like..

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on April 21, 2017, 06:22 PM:

...and Graham hasn't watched it since and never plans to!!!
[Wink]

Posted by Martin Davey (Member # 2841) on April 22, 2017, 04:32 AM:

Wow, yes, I had quite forgotten that Graham has experienced the real thing!

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on April 23, 2017, 05:00 AM:

I really would have loved to have seen "Battlestar Galactica" with Sensurround.

Even though John Dykstra argued against a theatrical release, because his SPFX were designed only for TV, the original two episodes, or feature as released in Europe are a triumph.

I can only imagine my seat shaking as the Cylons blast everything to bits!

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on April 23, 2017, 06:21 AM:

The 'Earthquake' ride in Universal Studios is good. Thinking back to my visits years ago I must be very lucky to have survived a flash flood, this location was used where Richard Roundtree rides his motorbike. Collapsing bridge, torpedo attack managed to escape that through the parting of the Red sea. The Cylons captures us but the hero saved us. King Kong should use Listermint he has bad banana breath. Jaws tried to attack us too and there was this weird person looking at us from behind the curtains in this motel.

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