This is topic Hunt for Red October sound format in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Dave Cutler (Member # 515) on 09-01-2000, 02:56 PM:
Does anyone know what Dolby format 'Hunt for Red October' is in? Is in A-type or SR? The heads and tails just say stereo and the can says SR/Digital which I know is wrong.ETS doesn't seem to label older prints with the correct sound formats. I also have a print of 'Star Trek II: Wrath of Kahn' that the cans say SR/Digital which I know is A-type.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-01-2000, 04:00 PM:
October 35mm prints were Dolby A.
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 09-01-2000, 04:06 PM:
The one we got was Dolby SR. I remember this well since that's when we finally got a pair of 280T's.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-01-2000, 05:28 PM:
Must've been double formats then. I specifically remember running an A print. Guess Dave will just have to play it and listen to determine. 
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 09-02-2000, 02:46 AM:
When "Rocketeer" was to open at our theatre, we got a print with Dolby A and Dolby SR reels mixed. The SR reels sounded pretty awful in A, and of course, you couldn't play the A reels in SR...I sent the print back as soon as the previews were over, with a note stating that I'll rather close the theatre down for the two-week period than abuse the paying audience with that print. Warner sent me another print (SR) without any further comments...
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-02-2000, 05:04 AM:
"The Rocketeer" was Buena Vista, but we still get the point. I'll never forget that guy they sent as "protection" on The Rocketeer. He wouldn't go farther than 10 feet from the platter, for fear someone would steal the print during the preview. I tried to explain to him that the show was "in progress" and there was no way someone could steal it. The guy actually "held it" until he could take the broken down cans with him into the bathroom after the screening.
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-02-2000, 05:17 AM:
I thought it was Universal .Actually, we had the same guy here for our preview screening of "Scary Movie". This time though, he couldn't 'hold it' and proceeded to piss all over the print.
...actually, I think it has improved it.
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 09-03-2000, 10:43 AM:
At the time, Warner distributed all of Buena Vista's films here in Sweden. I tried to convince them to get me a 70mm print of the film but to no avail.
Posted by Dave Cutler (Member # 515) on 09-07-2000, 11:10 AM:
OK, so how do you tell? I think I remember hearing that SR sounds really 'bright' if played in A, but I don't remember for sure. What is the best way to tell if you are running in the correct format?
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-07-2000, 01:32 PM:
Yup, mostly other than "bright" it will sound compressed. Playing back A prints in SR will sound muddy and dynamics will "pump". It should be fairly obvious on a test screening if you have someone in the booth switch back and forth for you while you listen.