Rocky Horror Picture Show DVD & Bluray

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Scottb, Oct 19, 2020.

  1. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    I'm starting this thread because I did many searches on the forum and none of them addressed my question.

    Before there were DVD's Rocky Horror was released several times on VHS. These release used the vocals from the Rocky Horro CD soundtrack. In my opinion the sound on all the songs was fantastic. Then when DVD's came out every DVD & Bluray release used what I guess is the original audio. I know purists may bash me but I do not like the audio on the musical numbers on DVD& Bluray at all.

    The sound is very thin and has a ton of reverb and sounds very far away. So my question is does anyone here know what I am talking about and if so what is your opinion. I still have the VHS with the CD soundtrack used as the source for the audio on the musical numbers but I would love to get a DVD rip from the VHS that uses the audio from the CD for the musical numbers. I don't have a DVD R drive to do this. Also the laserdisc that was releases also uses the audio from the CD soundtrack for the musical numbers.

    I would be interested in any opinions about the 2 different versions and the difference in the audio for the songs. With all the DVD reissues and Bluray's as well I wonder why Fox did not also release the version that was on VHS and Laserdisc for at least one release.

    Thanks

    Scott
     
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  2. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
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  3. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    Well I don't do surround so maybe that is what you listened to but if you listen to the stereo or mono track the songs sound terrible compared to the VHS. If you have the soundtrack on CD then listen to that as that is what they used for the VHS and laserdisc. There's actually a very detailed long story on one of the Rocky Horror websites that explains this in great detail. I had the laserdisc and the songs on there sound amazing much better then the DVD and Bluray release.
     
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  4. will_b_free

    will_b_free Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boulder, CO
    Wow, you are right, the history of the audio track for Rocky Horror Picture Show is a horror. The film was in mono, then in 1990 there was an attempt to remix the film's audio from the original audio stems for VHS, but that did not work out well, so it was attempted again in 2000 for the DVD release. That also did not work out so well, so in 2010 another attempt was made which is on the current BluRay, and it turned out pretty well except that one vocal was an alternate take (to the embarrassment of Susan Sarandon). The current BluRay also has the film's original mono track (more or less - the end was replaced) as an alternate audio track.
     
  5. Gems-A-Bems

    Gems-A-Bems Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Duke City
    The versions of the songs in the film are literally different mixes and performances than the soundtrack album.
     
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  6. George Co-Stanza

    George Co-Stanza Forum Resident

    Location:
    America
    I hate when they mess with what is in the film. A friend and I saw went to the midnight show of this a few times (had a blast every time!) and each time they used a soundtrack version for each song instead of what is actually in the film, and that eliminates one of my favorite moments of the entire film, which is Magenta laughing as she and Columbia roll around during the last chorus of Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me. That bit of magic is not in the soundtrack version.
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2020
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  7. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    I don't know when they made the VHS if they used the original audio stems. I was under the impression that the CD soundtrack was used to replace the audio from the film for all the musical numbers. If you play the CD soundtrack the songs sound identical to the VHS and laserdisc release. That VHS was reissued and mastered in THX as was the laserdisc once again using the exact audio on the CD for all the musical numbers. Then years later another VHS was released with completely different audio then the previous VHS and the DVD. I had the laserdisc which used the audio from the CD for the musical numbers and it sounded amazing. The current Bluray mono audio is very thin and sounds like it's miles away . I wish they would release a bluray with the audio they used for the VHS.
     
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  8. malcolm reynolds

    malcolm reynolds Handsome, Humble, Genius

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Not audio related but one of the filters is missing when Frankenfurter visits Brad and then Janet's rooms. There should be blue for Brad and Pink for Janet filters used on the camera but one of them is missing on the BD. Can't remember which.
     
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  9. will_b_free

    will_b_free Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boulder, CO

    I'll rephrase:

    Wow, you are right, the history of the audio track for Rocky Horror Picture Show is a horror. The film was in mono, then there was an early VHS and Beta version in which someone had swapped in the soundtrack versions of the songs (even though they did not quite match what was happening on screen), then in 1990 there was an attempt to remix the film's audio from the original audio stems for VHS, but that did not work out well, so it was attempted again in 2000 for the DVD release. That also did not work out so well, so in 2010 another attempt was made which is on the current BluRay, and it turned out pretty well except that one vocal was an alternate take (to the embarrassment of Susan Sarandon). The current BluRay also has the film's original mono track (more or less - the end was replaced) as an alternate audio track.
     
  10. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    Yes now I understand. To further the mess there was a VHS release that came out in 2000 and it's titled '25 Years of Absolute Pleasure' the thing is that is the same time the first DVD was released which is a 2 disc set. Now here's the thing on that '25 Years of Pleasure VHS there is a stereo mix that is not the same as the 2000 DVD. I believe this is an exclusive release. The musical numbers sound great. 'Dammit It Janet' has these amazing acoustic guitar parts that I have never heard on any Rocky Horror release. I know I am in the minority but the 1995 VHS release( which is mastered with THX and comes in a unique plastic snap case) uses the CD audio for all the songs. Yes it didn't exactly match what was on the screen but the audio is simply amazing on it. Maybe I'm the only one who prefers this but the songs sound so big and huge and even though it's not perfectly synched I really love this version.
     
  11. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    Yes thanks for reminding me about the laughing as I had completely forgot about that. I also went to many late night screening and had a blast.
     
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  12. Gems-A-Bems

    Gems-A-Bems Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Duke City
    those “Dammit Janet” acoustic guitar parts are on the 25 Years DVD. And I don’t think they are from or on the soundtrack audio.
     
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  13. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    I'll have to play it again. What I didn't like about the DVD is that the audio was too low in volume. Where as the 25 years VHS is at a normal commercial VHS release volume so all the details are much easier to hear.
     
  14. Gems-A-Bems

    Gems-A-Bems Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Duke City
    I haven’t checked out the laserdisc yet. It’s also a “THX” version.
     
  15. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA

    When my laserdisc player died I got rid of my discs. I can't remember if the laser was 'THX'. There was also a box set at one point and I can't remember if it had the VHS or laserdisc in the box set. I passed on the box set (but someone on Ebay put the soundtrack CD which is a gold CD) to sell for a very cheap price so I bought it. It was brand new and still sealed. I thought it might have a different remaster then what was already out but I'm pretty sure at the time it was identical to the CD which was really annoying since most of the songs had audio speaking parts from the film attached to each track.
     
  16. Gems-A-Bems

    Gems-A-Bems Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Duke City
    I just checked the THX stereo LD (1997). It doesn’t have the “Dammit” acoustic guitar and the “Touch-a” laughter is missing. (This is probably the edition that has album soundtrack versions substituted, and possibly all previous stereo versions also did?)

    Both of those are present on the THX 5.1 DVD.

    I’m guessing that 5.1 mix is the only place for that version of “Dammit”
     
  17. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA

    I'm probably the only person that prefers the Laser and VHS versions better. Yes it's missing some things and the audio may not be 100% in sync but I just love the sound of the CD soundtrack so much. A great example is 'Over At The Frankenstein Place'. The Bluray sounds good but the old laser and VHS version sounds so much fuller. The chorus parts are so much fuller and the middle part when Riff Raff sings it's much louder.
     
  18. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    I would like, if I may, to provide some reading material about the audio remixes for the DVD and BluRay.
     
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  19. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    Thanks for the links as they were very interesting. I know there is also on some website the complete explanation about the whole process when the film was reissued on VHS and Laserdisc and how they used the audio from the soundtrack CD. I think this article came out in 2000 as it also explained what was done for the DVD release.
     
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  20. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    The other interesting thing is that the audio on the DVD/Bluray is not just a different sound but more then that. I'll give you an example. The song 'Over At The Frankenstein Place' during the chorus parts when you hear multiple voices singing, When they get to the part and sing ''There's a Light over at the Frankenstein Place. The actual notes(melody) they are singing is completely different on the DVD/Bluray. They are singing completely different notes then what is on the soundtrack CD. So it's not just a different mix but in a few songs there are parts on the DVD/Bluray where they are singing a completely different melody then what's on the soundtrack CD.
     
  21. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
  22. Gems-A-Bems

    Gems-A-Bems Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Duke City
    as I said earlier, the film and the album are different mixes and performances. Same as it ever was, irrespective of the later remixes.
     
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  23. badfinger54

    badfinger54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Victoria, TX USA
    [​IMG]

    Before I got married I was introduced to ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW when my now bother-in-law and I went to a midnight showing AFTER a wedding (and we had rented tuxes/suits on). We were smart enough to sit at the back after being forewarned. We loved it. The above drawing I did before I became a professional comic book inker about 6 years later. I could never draw a whole comic story and wish I could do commissions to order (I feel sheepish when folks ask for a sketch at comic shows). But, I thought the look of that jet black ink on paper was magic. My rather obsessive nature helped me learn enough to make a living at it till the "DC Reboot." Still very proud of that drawing and the technique and I was in full Rocky Horror fan mode then. Also experimenting with doing more 'cross-hatching' with pens.

    Considering how 'thrifty' I am I can't believe I was brave enough to wear what we wore. Must have been the Sangria. That was a fun wedding.
     
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  24. audiomixer

    audiomixer As Bald As The Beatles

    I had Tim Curry sign my laserdisc box set. A rarity...
     
  25. Purple Jim

    Purple Jim Senior Member

    Location:
    Bretagne

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