Rambo first blood part II (1985)
Dolby Stereo / 5.1 / Lucasfilm Ltd THX Sound System / JBL professional
On ITV-4 last night p/s Dolby stereo, then decided to spin the DVD region 2 and NTSC digitally re-mastered laserdisc.
The DVD region 2 is okay with the picture being a bit contrast/brighter. The remix Dolby near-field 5.1 with stereo surrounds wasn't convincing enough would prefer FAR FIELD theatical mixes and Dolby format 42 mono surrounds 70mm, as this film I guess didn't have stereo surrounds when first released.
The NTSC laserdisc with LG flat screen in (Just Scan) picture mode shows a bit more width to picture even thou the image is non-16:9 squashed down (Zoom Mode 2) can stretch the vertical but it would crop off the side portions of the image. The colour is warmer thou I think that is how it did look at the cinema? Then again only saw it the once first nights late-night-show with fans cheering the hero.
Dolby Stereo on the laserdisc has the same slightly out-of-phase of + phase leakage into the surround channel that is damn annoying and distracting. First I notice of this was on the VHS rental 1986 when played thou a Dolby pro-logic many years later. Also on first DVD region 2 box-set that was only "Dolby Surround" for all 3 films, not all three had issue just "Rambo II".
The leakage effect on the Dolby 5.1 has even been made aware and corrected or fixed or re-mixed as I can switch from Digital to Analog with no sound breaks for compassion.
Region 2 DVD in (Just Scan) picture mode 16:9 a little cropped off at the sides for the transfer.