Skyfall on BD

[TLS Guy]

I received my BD of Skyfall last week and watched it last night.

I had forebodings as my son and daughter in law watched it at the UKs premier theater for AV that boasts exceptional audio. This is the Odeon Leicester Square London. I watched movies there in my youth like Laurence of Arabia. I remember the audio being very good.

Anyhow my son an daughter in law paid extra for seats in the audio sweet spot. They reported to me they were very disappointed and complained of boomy sound and that they could hear very little of the dialog.

However I'm glad to report that the BD in the home is spectacular. It spins a good yarn and I really enjoyed it.

The video and audio are excellent quality. I wish they had made it in 7.1 rather then 5.1, as I think it would have been more spectacular, especially the tube train derailment coming though the wall. However it was still a very good effect and just about shook my house apart.

At least here the sound was not boomy at all, very tight and controlled. I heard every word of very natural dialog and the center required no adjustment. The sound track had excellent perspective and depth. Never once did it localize to a particular speaker. The music was very well recorded and on a par with the music on War Horse. These sounds tracks are the equal of the very best classical orchestral recordings on BD. So it is evident to me consummate care was taken over this sound track.

This BD is thoroughly recommended.

What I can't understand is how the pros missed the mark at the Odeon. They would have been better off with their old Altec Voice of the Theater rig from the 50s with their 30 watt tube amps.

I suppose someone set it up with a bunch of measurements and computers and never actually listened to it.

I note Fuzz had a bad audio experience at an IMAX.

I do attend movies with my wife and friends now and again, when they can't wait for the BD release. However the sound I get here is many leagues better than any cinema I attend in the Twin Cities. So I try and encourage patience for the BD release.

 

[fuzz092888]

That I did. I know my system isn't the final measure in audio quality, the speaker placement isn't ideal, and the room doesn't do me any favors, but none of the movie theaters around me seem to be able to get within a mile of the audio quality.

That being said I agree with TLS Guy about the Skyfall BD being excellent. I watched it a few times in its native 5.1 and also had the Oppo do some up mixing to 7.1 and still thought it sounded great. I may even watch it again to tonight.

 

[majorloser]

I caught this film in IMAX and it was one of the best movie experiences I ever had. Had the money seats in the middle closer to the screen and less than 20 people in the theater and none of them in my isle. The audio and picture was AWESOME.

I got the BR on release day and needless to say the home experience wasn't quite up to the theater experience, but the disc was very good.

 

[TLS Guy]

I caught this film in IMAX and it was one of the best movie experiences I ever had. Had the money seats in the middle closer to the screen and less than 20 people in the theater and none of them in my isle. The audio and picture was AWESOME.

I got the BR on release day and needless to say the home experience wasn't quite up to the theater experience, but the disc was very good.

You must be lucky and have a really good IMAX theater. I have never been in any movie theater that comes anywhere near close to this rig.

 

[majorloser]

You must be lucky and have a really good IMAX theater. I have never been in any movie theater that comes anywhere near close to this rig.

We'll never have that awesomely huge and beautiful IMAX image in our home, no matter how good it sounds.

 

[TLS Guy]

We'll never have that awesomely huge and beautiful IMAX image in our home, no matter how good it sounds.

That's an interesting point. I guess being on old audio guy and coming to HD video relatively late in life video is still a bonus. I got my first big screen 7 years ago. To me the story is made or broken in the audio. I'm not into 3D and won't be while there are funny glasses to wear.

The audio however opens up a huge 3D sounds scape, and for me at least places me in the action.

I suspect there is big variation from individual as how the weighting of video over audio contributes to the experience. For me I reckon its about 10% video and 90% the audio that produces the real involvement in the story. I wonder what others feel.

 

[mtrycrafts]

We'll never have that awesomely huge and beautiful IMAX image in our home, no matter how good it sounds.

You just need much more $$$$$ to have one built at home.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

There is the real Imax and there is FakeMax. Don't get sucked into playing for the later...
IMAX or LIEMAX? - Google Maps
Q&A: How Do I Know If My IMAX Theatre is Real 70mm IMAX or lieMAX (Digital IMAX)? | /Film

 

[TheWarrior]

I was raised on IMAX at the Liberty Science Center up north. It was a giant globe with eerily steep stairs. The film itself was several inches wide and then projected floor to ceiling, of course being a globe meant that you literally had to move your head up and down to take in the full frame. Amazing! I have not seen a commercial theater "Imax" that wasn't anything more than a larger screen, and **** load more people...

That said I still need to see Skyfall! Glad to know the Bluray is available!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Well, Dome is pretty unique, but there plenty of real Imax screens like one at Lincoln center in upper west side.

 

[markw]

I've been to both IMAX theatres. We go to a "Real" Imax in NYC at Lex and 68th street and a "fake" Imax in New Brunswick, NJ. Actually, I prefer the smaller "fake" Imax since the big screen is too big to take in all at once, even from the back row. The "fake" Imas has the Goldilocks thing going for it as it's just the right size and has excellent sound to boot.

And, yes, Skyfall was superb on that "fake" Imax. ...and at home on BD, too. I love the China bright light/big city scenes and when the mansion blows up.

 

[majorloser]

For me I reckon its about 10% video and 90% the audio that produces the real involvement in the story. I wonder what others feel.

There's a reason they call it "watching" a movie. Maybe you need new glasses

 

[GO-NAD!]

We were going to watch Skyfall Saturday night, as friends of ours had just bought the BD and they were going to come over to watch it on the PJ. But, one of their kids was sick, so it was cancelled. I had ordered it from Amazon, but when they said they bought it, I cancelled the order. So, now I'm still waiting to see it...

 

[3db]

I watched it this weekend. Its a good transfer to BluRay IHO with grain free display and good use of audio in teh surrounds and sub. From a James Bond perspective, I see a shift back towards the original flavour and away from the dark overtones that the new Bond brought with him.

 

[lsiberian]

I suspect there is big variation from individual as how the weighting of video over audio contributes to the experience. For me I reckon its about 10% video and 90% the audio that produces the real involvement in the story. I wonder what others feel.

I'm the same way. I don't even worry about calibrating my screen professionally because I don't really notice that much. But I am very sensitive to good audio and I must say that Skyfall had excellent audio in my theater. I wonder if the subs at some theaters are up to the newer subsonics. I can tell you at my local theater nearly every action movie has definite deep notes that would stress older theater subs.

 

[j_garcia]

My comments from the other thread http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/movies-blu-ray-discs-dvds-theatricks/82462-skyfall-imax-2.html#post952434