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I got my new Blu Ray Player this afternoon, easily hooked it up and have been 'experimenting' with the settings and the remote etc. I've been experimenting with the BD of 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World', and the image and the sounds just..POP! This is truly dazzling. Tonight I will play 'Empire of the Sun' which is my favorite film. I want to see and hear the images and John Williams music SOAR!
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Montana Dave:
Glad you finally received your first Blu-ray player -- it probably won't be your last!
I've gone on record repeatedly here about my love for Joseph Kosinsky's film "Oblivion," and if you've hooked your player up to a good surround system, I can't say enough about the isolated music score feature of the Blu-ray -- I wrote how I had played it all the way through last weekend, and this morning I re-watched it again with the isolated score for about 10 glorious minutes and had to FORCE myself to turn it off. I've also been playing the soundtrack CD through the simulated surround from my audio and video system (I have 8 amazing Klipsch speakers) and it is staggering! I was knocked out by M83's score, and while it may sound like noise to some Steiner and Korngold fans (and don't blame them if they don't like it), I personally find it quite thrilling.
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Montana Dave:
Glad you finally received your first Blu-ray player -- it probably won't be your last!
I've gone on record repeatedly here about my love for Joseph Kosinsky's film "Oblivion," and if you've hooked your player up to a good surround system, I can't say enough about the isolated music score feature of the Blu-ray -- I wrote how I had played it all the way through last weekend, and this morning I re-watched it again with the isolated score for about 10 glorious minutes and had to FORCE myself to turn it off. I've also been playing the soundtrack CD through the simulated surround from my audio and video system (I have 8 amazing Klipsch speakers) and it is staggering! I was knocked out by M83's score, and while it may sound like noise to some Steiner and Korngold fans (and don't blame them if they don't like it), I personally find it quite thrilling.
I do not, as a rule, enjoy Tom Cruise films. There are exceptions and happily, 'Oblivion' is one of them. I already own the dvd which I bought after I fell for the rental; but before I thought of buying a blu ray player. So the dvd will have to suffice. I honestly cannot say why I enjoy this film so much. I don't think it's the music (which is good), or even Mr. Cruise's presence. I think one of the main reasons I enjoy it is because I worked at The Empire State Building for so many years, and the memories of the (whole) building as well as just the observation deck (and gift shop) are promanantly figured in the film. A surround sound system may indeed be an asset for viewing these blu ray discs, but first I have to win The Montana Lottery to pay for it. The next time I view the film however, I will play particular attention to the music; I did enjoy the actual record-playing of 60's standards when he goes to his little hide-a-way serene cabin in the woods.
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Montana Dave:
Re: A surround sound system may indeed be an asset for viewing these blu ray discs, but first I have to win The Montana Lottery to pay for it. The next time I view the film however, I will play particular attention to the music
When I bought my very first DVD player in 1999 I immediately hooked it into my stereo, just as I had long had my VHS player hooked into it, and while I was counting pennies at the time, I still managed to buy a 5.1 surround receiver and small (for me) center and rear speakers, and my front 2 speakers and subwoofer immediately got a good workout with some of the DVDs I bought. Later I would complete the surround array, which played a part in my decisions to buy or not buy DVDs over the next 14 years. When I needed to upgrade my Blu-ray player it was important that it have outputs for 7.1 surround (which required 8 separate speakers), and whatever surround configuration one uses, there's NO comparison to playing it through only one's TV's speakers. As a longtime member of FSM I would think that you have a decent stereo to play your music, and even VHS is noticeably improved when running those tapes through simple 2-channel stereo. Good luck, because one of these days you are going to be shocked about the difference!
As for the music of "Oblivion," some may find a lot of it just noise -- there's quite a bit of clanging and I'm sure it will be a challenge for some. But I find it SO effective in the film and, once again, I had goosebumps watching it with just the music track (which I swear they re-did for the Blu-ray) was truly a thrill.
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Montana Dave:
Re: A surround sound system may indeed be an asset for viewing these blu ray discs, but first I have to win The Montana Lottery to pay for it. The next time I view the film however, I will play particular attention to the music
When I bought my very first DVD player in 1999 I immediately hooked it into my stereo, just as I had long had my VHS player hooked into it, and while I was counting pennies at the time, I still managed to buy a 5.1 surround receiver and small (for me) center and rear speakers, and my front 2 speakers and subwoofer immediately got a good workout with some of the DVDs I bought. Later I would complete the surround array, which played a part in my decisions to buy or not buy DVDs over the next 14 years. When I needed to upgrade my Blu-ray player it was important that it have outputs for 7.1 surround (which required 8 separate speakers), and whatever surround configuration one uses, there's NO comparison to playing it through only one's TV's speakers. As a longtime member of FSM I would think that you have a decent stereo to play your music, and even VHS is noticeably improved when running those tapes through simple 2-channel stereo. Good luck, because one of these days you are going to be shocked about the difference!
As for the music of "Oblivion," some may find a lot of it just noise -- there's quite a bit of clanging and I'm sure it will be a challenge for some. But I find it SO effective in the film and, once again, I had goosebumps watching it with just the music track (which I swear they re-did for the Blu-ray) was truly a thrill.
I believe you Ron. Unfortunately for me these days, I no longer use my book-case mini stereo system. Don't jump down my throat now, but I only play my music with a Sony portable disc player and the best Koss headphones I've ever had. I've experienced some loss of hearing as I've gotten older and the Sony with the headphones works for me.In fact, I hear the instruments and sounds much, much better with these headphones than I could without them. Before I had to just turn the music way, way up and never could hear the 'finer' and 'quieter' points of the scores. But, that's just me.
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Stunning on Blu ray:
Lawrence of Arabia
Funny Girl (flawless)
South Pacific (staggeringly beautiful, IMO)
Hello, Dolly! (If you're used to it on DVD, you ain't seen nothin' yet).
Gypsy (Warner Archives - superb transfer)
Jumbo (Warner Archives -- superb transfer)
Meet Joe Black
How the West Was Won (both versions of film -- smilebox and widescreen -- are exceptional)
The Robe
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
How to Marry A Millionaire
Ron you don't know how thankful I am that you did NOT list 'Gigi'. I received a box of titles from Amazon today and from your list I got: 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'How the West Was Won' (smilebox), which I'm watching tonight. The first and last time I saw the movie 'Gypsy' was at The Castro Theater in San Francisco. The management put together a double-bill of 'West Side Story' and 'Gypsy' just a couple of days after Natalie Wood's untimely death in the early 1980's. West Side Story I'd seen before, but 'Gypsy' was totally new to me. The theater was packed, (you can imagine, San Franciscans' turning out to pay their respects). I recall this song in Gypsy where Natalie Wood was singing 'Little Lamb, Little Lamb..' She seemed so vulnerable and sweet in this scene and, well, there were a few people sniffling at song's end. But I might include that title in future. Thanks for the tips. 'Picnic' and 'Nicholas and Alexandra' are due from SAE in a few days too.
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Montana Dave: Re:
I believe you Ron. Unfortunately for me these days, I no longer use my book-case mini stereo system. Don't jump down my throat now, but I only play my music with a Sony portable disc player and the best Koss headphones I've ever had. I've experienced some loss of hearing as I've gotten older and the Sony with the headphones works for me.In fact, I hear the instruments and sounds much, much better with these headphones than I could without them. Before I had to just turn the music way, way up and never could hear the 'finer' and 'quieter' points of the scores. But, that's just me.
In my case, I just can't imagine watching movies WITHOUT music coming from every corner of my big room with my 3 white cabinets and, on top of them, all in black, my Samsung 55" tv and a tall stack of components including the new Oppo BDP-103 Blu-ray player, which also plays my large collection of SACDs. Knock on wood, but, so far, my hearing remains just fine, although several of my friends have had appreciable loss to their own. I'm sure your movies sound fine with your headphones, but, for me, there's no comparison to how the room comes alive with my tall Klipsch RF82 speakers in front and 4 very similar speakers to the sides and behind, plus the RC62 II center speaker and 12" subwoofer -- even with diminished hearing, I suspect that it just might knock your socks off!!!
Ron H
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Sirusjr: I recently upgraded to some fancy 3 foot tall stereo speakers to replace my front left and front right speakers on my setup. They were normally $400 each but I got them on insane clearance for $100 each new. Then I just got a solid center speaker to replace what I had there. It was originally a $200 speaker but more recently has gone down to $100. Things are much improved. I probably won't bother replacing my subwoofer or my other 3 speakers anytime soon. The majority of the audio comes out of the front 3 speakers anyway.
You're right -- most of the audio comes out of the 3 front speakers (and subwoofer) anyway. You're lucky -- I don't think I've ever gotten a discount on ANY of my own Klipsch speakers, each of which averaged between $300 and $600. At this point I can't see myself replacing any of my speakers, although I've said that before, such as when I replaced an earlier Nikon with my D300 and some fancy lenses.
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I just watched a Blu-ray copy of the Todd-AO version of OKLAHOMA!, which is beyond beautiful. Someone I know added the far superior laserdisc soundtrack to it, and it was a room-filling wonder to behold. What Fox should have done, but didn't.
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PhiladelphiaSon:
So I keep kicking myself for missing Amazon's great sale of the Rodgers and Hammerstein collection and hope copies will hit the market later at a similar price. But, frankly, I mainly want "Oklahoma!" and "Carousel," and will allow my DVDs of the others to, for now, suffice. What you wrote about "Oklahoma!" is tantalizing and I may end up buying just a couple of those films on Blu-ray -- already have the huge "Sound of Music" Blu-ray collection (and should try to sell the equally large earlier release of that movie on DVD).
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Sirusjr: Re: It seems that a lot of web sites are discounting various speakers these days because the market is moving towards integrated soundbars and speakers with docks and all that junk.
Most people are trying to simplify, and while I'm sure that many enjoy what comes out of a good sound bar, much as many enjoy those expensive little Bose wave contraptions, some of us will NEVER be satisfied by them! Glad you got some Klipsch speakers -- I now have 8 in my main system as well as my previous Klipsch center speaker, which I may re-employ if I ever set up surround in my bedroom. Yesterday a neighbor had a very noisy construction crew making quite a racket that went on and on, so, to make a statement, I shook my large living room by playing SACDs of the Copland "Fanfare For The Common Man" (with shattering drums that could probably be heard a block away!) and Mahler's 6th symphony, culminating in the Kunzel recording of the "1812 Overture" -- his more lyrical one with chorus. Never got around to putting on a Blu-ray disc -- maybe NEXT time! Love my Klipsch speakers. Incidentally, I also have a Klipsch iFi iPod doc and speakers, which includes a compact but heavy sub, which is in my bedroom after I brought it from my office after retiring 14 months ago -- I'm a Klipsch man, through and through!
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That's one of the plusses of living alone! Because as I look at these bulky black speakers all around my living room, if I didn't live alone I would probably have had to downsize (at least in sheer size) a long time ago. Don't mess with my toys!
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For now I don't have the luxury of moving them out to a living room setup. But they sound so damn good I won't give in.