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Posted: |
Jul 5, 2009 - 3:01 PM
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By: |
Jeff Bond
(Member)
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This satellite radio station is a boon for soundtrack collectors, something most of us probably fantasized about when we were younger--I remember sitting with my best friend talking about how cool it would be to turn on the radio and hear Jerry Goldsmith music. Well, now that has happened, and for the most part it's great, particularly as a way to demo scores you haven't heard before. There are two things about the station that drive me crazy however. One is the seeming randomness of the "suites" that are put together for listening. Inevitably a climactic action cue or an end title suite will play in the MIDDLE of one of these passages, usually followed by a couple of low key cues that would have played before the final cues chronologically. I have no idea why this is done unless it's some kind of strategy to keep people from changing the channel--in other words are they afraid that once we hear the biggest action cue in a score or the finale of an end title piece, we're always going to be tempted to change the channel at that point, so there's a "but wait, there's more!' aspect to this. It makes for a jarring listening experience for me anyway. The other thing, and this is what I just can't stand about the station--the breathy fluff chick that announces the titles of the scores just before they start playing. This is a creative decision that I find utterly dumbfounding. It's as if on CNN they had James Earl Jones say "This is" and then switch to the voice of Miley Cyrus for "CNN." They actually have a manly, dramatic male voice do part of the intros ("Now playing on Cinemagic...") and switch to what sounds like the voice of a 19-year-old sorority girl for the film titles. Is this their idea of throwing out some kind of appeal to a female demographic? It makes me cringe each and every time, and basically any time I have anyone in the car with me of either gender they usually snort in derision or laugh when this voice comes on. I believe the same woman does the whispering "CINEMAGIC!" bumpers. I just don't get it. And it has nothing to do with the fact that the voice is female--get me Sigourney Weaver or any actress with a good voice and there wouldn't be a problem. There's just something about this voice that radiates "dumb." So whenever I listen to this channel I find myself subconsciously tensing up, waiting for that nails-on-a-chalkboard voice to come back again.
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Posted: |
Jul 5, 2009 - 7:40 PM
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By: |
Trekfan
(Member)
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I'm not a satellite radio subscriber, but enjoyed reading this report and might get onboard. I would think it would be especially great if you spend a lot of time in your vehicle - long-commuters, those in the vehicle a lot during the day (sales reps, real estate agents, whatever), or those people who drive professionally for a living. I'm in a pretty public-transit and walk-friendly city, so am rarely in this circumstance. Although (depending on the service), a co-worker says paid subscribers can access the streaming Internet feed as well so they can listen to the stations in the office. They actually have a manly, dramatic male voice do part of the intros ("Now playing on Cinemagic...") and switch to what sounds like the voice of a 19-year-old sorority girl for the film titles. Is this their idea of throwing out some kind of appeal to a female demographic? That is bizarre. Next time, try picturing Hayden Panettiere whispering those titles to you and the frustration may just go away. Always worth a shot in the name of research!
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I haven't heard the channel in a few months. Are they still playing stupid clips of dialog from the movies? The person editing those things needs a lesson in succinctness. It's not an olde time radio show. Broadcast "To infinity and beyond" or "Play it again, Sam," don't play the entire scene that contains the quote. ZZZzzzz Count me among those baffled by their "suites." I think a random number generator created a bunch of them, or somebody has a love for droning boring underscore. The CNN announcer thing... very apt AND hilarious.
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I much prefer Jimmy Aquino's "A Fistful of Soundtracks" internet radio station. A much better listen in my opinion.
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As a Sirius subscriber, I was delighted when this was announced as joining the Sirius satellite line-up after the merger with XM, but then disappointed when it instead became the new channel for The Strobe, the "classic disco" station. In fact, the station ID still displays as "Cinemagic", apparently just to annoy me. Last week, I broke down and bought an iPod Touch, primarily because there is a Sirius/XM app and I love the Frank DeCaro show on OutQ. But a bonus was finding Cinemagic available on the iPod app (as well as the standard internet version). I've been listening to Cinemagic all weekend and I'm hooked. Now if they would just add it to the satellite service (for real!), I'd be completely satisfied with Sirius. - Mark yup. it isnt on the Sirius radio but it is on the Internet! go figure
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I agree, the dialogue clips are annoying. Sometime's they're not too bad, but other times they get on my nerves when it's a scene with only minimal dialogue, and you're basically just listening to the sounds of someone walking around a room, opening things or shuffling papers. It gets tedious.. well, at least you know what the film is - in my listening on the net thewre are no announcements of the playlist!
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