Sound Of Music Is Back in 4K

[Terry Monohan]

I see the folks at Disney are milking more runs of the 20th Century Fox Todd-AO 70mm classic 'Sound Of Music' to a restored 4k release for theatres

I wonder If they took the original 65mm Todd-AO negs and 6 track magnetic sound or a scope 35mm transfer to fix the images and sound for this showing to make more money out of a movie that is still shown on TV every year.

I see no mention of any restored 70mm showings or IMAX 70mm engagements from Disney under 20th Century Studios.

Maybe It will attract a new younger crowd that never saw It in a movie theatre.

I was so glad I got to see this on many curved 70mm Todd-AO screens around the USA when It first came out in the roadshow 1960"s with curtains, programs, reserved seats and a intermission

I wonder if this new 4K transfer for theatres will have a built in Intermission, pre show walk in intro music and stereo surround exit music like the original.

A 4K and Blu Ray version will be out late in September for the home screens. .

The Disney vault folks will be watching if this makes some extra cash, then you will see Oklahoma, Cleopatra and a few other Fox 70mm roadshow movies being brought back in cinemas in 4K.

Will be interesting how they re do the stereo surround sound to get rid of some of the mag hiss and maybe do a split surround type Dolby Digital effect on the side and back surround speakers in the theatres.

[Ryan Gallagher]

We show the existing S220 DCP every year (to huge crowds), I would honestly prefer they released two versions... a full roadshow variant two part DCP and intermission card, as well a single DCP without intermission card for those theatres not set up well to host intermissions.

At minimum I expect there to be an intermission on the DCP, as the currently circulating DCP releases tend to have one.

I would also love to get back to a place where these roadshow type releases provide the full compliment, walkin music, intermission music (if applicable), and walkout music if there is no extended crawl.

For the mix I think it's a toss up, they might keep using their existing 5.1 mix, or maybe it's all being remastered from originals again, ATMOS and other flavors? A classic as released flavor would be nice too.

[Frank Angel]

Since they are bothering to rerelease it at all, they should really try to do the work justice and release the roadshow version so it can be seen with the full impact of the original presentation.

I would honestly prefer they released two versions... a full roadshow variant two part DCP and intermission card, as well a single DCP without intermission card for those theatres not set up well to host intermissions.

For those utilitarian, low-rent theatres that are set up to do just the BARE MINIMUM in presentation, why even bother? People can see that kind of presentation at home, many times with even better niceties. Why let a younger audience see it in a theatre if is in not going to be best version of the classic. Just that fact that it is seen on a movie screen isn't worth the effort if that theatre isn't gong offer a stella presentation of it.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Since they are bothering to rerelease it at all, they should really try to do the work justice and release the roadshow version so it can be seen with the full impact of the original presentation. For those utilitarian, low-rent theatres that are set up to do just the BARE MINIMUM in presentation, why even bother? People can see that kind of presentation at home, many times with even better niceties. Why let a younger audience see it in a theatre if is in not going to be best version of the classic. Just that fact that it is seen on a movie screen isn't worth the effort if that theatre isn't gong offer a stella presentation of it.

Haha, for showmanship reasons I totally agree. But just not trying to be too elitist with the classics.... there are still communities out there with only a modest plex as their only viewing option... and who am I to tell them they don't get to see a 4K version of Sound of Music in a room with lots of other people simply because their venue lacks all the bells and whistles. I mean if you want to be really picky there should be a curtain too, but how many places have those still. Hardly any.

[Frank Angel]

Yes I do see your point. I guess imperfect is better than nothing. I just hate not being able to give an audience the same experience I marveled at when I was younger, seeing those classics. Seeing them in NY, at the Roxy and Radio City Music Hall, RKO Keiths, the great movie palaces, it was those experiences that made me fall in love with The Movies, and the reason I have been running films for audiences the last 50 years.

i remember when I worked my first theatre in College Station TX -- we didn't have mag heads and we got in a print of TSOM -- 4trk mag/optical. I became a lunatic, badgering Mr. Schulman my boss to get two penthouses and the extra amps an speakers so we would play it. It was indeed a roadshow print and to have to play it using half the mono optical track was actually physically painful for me, especially given how awful that half-mono track sounded, needing to up the level to nearly full open fader with all that ground noise -- just shoot me! I even told my boss I would pay as much as I could for the rental, wiping out all of my piddling savings. He wouldn't do it. Then came mag prints of MY FAIR LADY and after that it was THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY -- agony indeed for kid projectionist wanting to give them the best presentation. There were probably more but those three are burned into my brain on how traumatic they were. We did have a curtain, though, so at least I had that! Each of those prints were full roadshow versions with all the music and intermission breaks. I ran each one with that knife sticking in my back. ?

[Ryan Gallagher]

I hear ya Frank. I recently put my foot down and said no more 70mm mag until they pony up for a second teccon head. We had mismatched worn out ampex head and 1 teccon.

Mgmt was of the opinion no one cared about the pops and crackle coming from old ampex, until I reminded them that running a print on non-existent heads is liable to scratch/trash half a print one day. They are at least aware of the sticker shock of replacing a reel or print and had a change of tune.

But a year later I still don’t have a 2nd teccon, and they conveniently forgot that guidance and tried to book another mag print until I pointed out it was gonna be mag. I can’t blame programming though, without asking myself or the studio, they have little insight into what audio format to expect on any given back catalog 70mm.

[Mike Blakesley]

They don't have to do anything special with "versions." Just make it as two separate DCPs... part 1 and part 2. That way a theater wanting to not have an intermission could just play part 1 and part 2 back to back with no pause. The audience would never be the wiser.

A theater wanting to use an intermission could insert a static "intermission" card after part 1 -- followed by ten minutes or so worth of "MOS" clips to fill the time. Easy.

I say all this because this is exactly what I did with a showing of "The Cowboys" we did a few years ago. I also used the opening and closing music segments, with the douser closed during them so as not to show the (unnecessary) title cards.

[Steve Guttag]

...For the mix I think it's a toss up, they might keep using their existing 5.1 mix, or maybe it's all being remastered from originals again, ATMOS and other flavors? A classic as released flavor would be nice too.

It isn't a toss up.

Every DCP should have a 5.1 version and be the OV version as that is the DCI standard to ensure all venues can run the title.

Every DCP of a classic (film era) title should have a VF version that contains the original mix. In the case of The Sound of Music, that would be the 6.0 mix. It is one of the best ever done. If you can run it, great, play that version. If you can't (don't have LC/RC), we've got you covered with the 5.1 mix. Channels 9 and 10 have been assigned to LC/RC just about since day-1 (which is why Lrs/Rrs are at 11 and 12), yet I don't know if any title has used them.

Optionally, if you want to revisit the mix as you are making the mandatory 5.1 (compatible) mix, you want to have a go at 7.1 or IAB, that's fine but it should never be at the expense of the mandatory 5.1 and the original mix. Part of the experience of showing a classic is also showing it in as close to its day-1 performance condition as possible in both picture and sound. I find it inexcusable that the 6.0 mixes are omitted on DCP reissues of classic titles that have them.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

It's almost an insult to the people that made the film to release it in digital. It won't look or sound anything like the original did. Today, Super CInex lamps and Altec A-2's don't exist in every day theaters in this day and age. It's amazing that it grossed 286 million in 1965. That is the equivalent to $2,933,070,730.16 in today's dollars. Only one other film has come close, and that's the original Avatar at ~2.7 Billion..

[Frank Angel]

While money tells us something about the way any film connects with people, there are so many other factors the indicate how any work of art remains important in the collective mindset. Evidently TSOM connects in so many different ways. I was struck by something I encountered on a visit to Canada years ago when just by accident, we stumbled upon a theatre that was running the classic. I believe we were in Toronto. Come to find out, the theatre was nicknamed The Sound of Music Theatre because it had been running that single classic for YEARS -- hadn't stopped playing it since its premiere! They were running it in 70mm, so of course, my fellow travelers had to stay and watch it or find a way back to the hotel on their own.

Spoke to both the manager and the projectionist; they said they do have slow periods, but since it opening, it's always played to decent houses, and during the tourist season, they run full schedules to full capacity. Now this encounter was back in the mid, late 80s, possible even in the early 90s (vacationed in Canada many times), so no idea if they are still running the title today, THOSE kinds of legs have to tell you something about a film. And certainly no other film can claim to be so popular that it had legs strong enough to play non-stop for years in one theatre.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Are there still surviving decent 70mm prints of this TSOM available to theatres? If not it seems with the trend of re-releasing, this one should be pretty near the top of the wish list. We play it every year in DCI to full houses, if there was 70mm we'd probably do that instead.

Unfortunately we are not configured for 5 across the front... but with a little work our 70mm mag system would be back to usable (I acquired our needed replacement teccon head, but it's wiring harness is not for our JJs). Re-release would be DTS though no doubt.

[Terry Monohan]

Over the years I have been to many 70mm film theatres. One thing that always bothers me is the set up on the stage for the 5 speakers for true 6 track mag sound.
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Some screens in many 70mm cinemas don't have the best large wide stage speaker distance and all 5 speakers are placed way too close to one another in the middle so you don't hear a good separate channel mix.

I was lucky to see some smart theatre managers and owners that semi fixed the 5 speaker 70mm behind the screen layout. They moved the far right and far left speakers to the space behind the old pipe organ grills or side curtains on the side of the screen. This way improved the stereo pan effect when many of these classic 70mm roadshow prints had the sound moving with the speakers on stage. I did not hear any difference with the sound coming behind ac/heater, pipe organ grills or curtains as long as the fabric was light. Today many lazy cheap budget sound mixers just mix the voice channel to the middle speaker. Very few new movies with just 3 speakers on stage move the sound were the actors are speaking from in todays films

Many years ago when I young and brave I found my way backstage to a unnamed grand large 70mm roadshow theatre no longer with us in a downtown area. I have had problems with going to this theatre palace in the past with It's lack luster stage speaker set up. All the 70mm stereo sound seemed like It was coming from the middle with some music spread out a little .The stage was wide enough. So when no one was looking I used a small flashlight backstage, I remember It was so dirty and dusty in the air with my light beam I physically moved the far right and far left old big Ampex speakers that had rollers and cables another 15 feet to the side of the stage even off the screen from the middle 3 speaker set up.

As I watched the 70mm print of 'L of Aribia' the sound stage mix came alive for me with a nice stage stereo separation. Just before they tore the theatre down I came to take photos one last time and the backstage stereo speakers were in the same place I hade moved them many years before. I guess the projection people never noticed or heard the difference. I wonder If they had RCA sound tech people even notice the change?

In the coming years more new 70mm prints are being shot . It's sad that most of the large curved roadshow houses have been torn down. The new 70mm prints if they use a wide screen ratio won't look as good on many of the theatres that do still show and run 70mm as they do not have the best wide screen set up these days and probable not that curved. The image may look clear but It won't stretch out and give you a wrap around effect.

There was nothing like seeing a roadshow 70mm film print in the 50's /60's in a Todd-AO Theatre.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I consider us fortunate that our venue survived from 1915, but as an original vaudeville house, it can’t really do the widescreen epics that level of justice, it predates the widescreen evolution. 1.66:1 is probably the best fitted aspect to our architecture. Ironic cause that is the one lens set we lack. Among the list of things to get them to spend money on eventually.

We have shown 5 across mag mixes historically on a special event basis, but squished behind our screen is probably not the best sounding version possible.

[Scotty Wright]

Are there still surviving decent 70mm prints of this TSOM available to theatres? If not it seems with the trend of re-releasing, this one should be pretty near the top of the wish list. We play it every year in DCI to full houses, if there was 70mm we'd probably do that instead.

The Egyptian in LA, The Tara in Atlanta, and the Coolidge in Boston each showed a 70mm print last year. The Academy Museum is screening it in 70mm in about a month. There’s gotta be at least 1 print between those that still travels.

[Steve Guttag]

The Sound of Music very effectively uses 5-screen channels with a panned dialog. You would not want an exaggerated speaker placement or the voices won't line up I have done 5-across on screens 20-feet and wider and never had an issue with directionality. It is all up the acoustics in the theatre and the speakers you are using. If they are good point-source speakers and your acoustics are good, localization is pretty clear. If you have an echo-chamber and some line-array monstrosity, well, no.