Ok so whats the best movie that you use to Demo when you want to impress your friends.What movie and or scene? I like to use the begining part of Pearl Harbor when they start to attack pearl harbor.I have 2 Sunfire Signatures that knock the wind out of my buddies every time!
Dark City for surround atmospherics , Outbreak for height retrieval , Dracula {Gary Oldman} for total soundfield coherency , U- 571 for bass extension.
Blade 2 is an excellent demo DVD, it has a very active surround mix and very good low frequency extention, especially in DTS-ES 6.1. The Patriot is another one that I'd recommend, the directional effects are used quite agressively in this one.
I think I have to say Apollo 13. For the short time I have owned this movie, I think that Apollo 13 has some VERY nice deep bass burried inside of those soundtracks. Bad Boys (with Martin Lawrence and Will Smith could be pending. I just bought this DVD this weekend (and the "SuperBit" version at that)) could be pending as well. I got the look at this movie today. I have previewed it on Friday, and from what I can see, since there is plenty of gunshots and explosions in the movie, it might get some merit as a cool sounding movie itself. The Transporter and The Specialist may get honorable mention. Between those four movies, one of them is going to emerge as my reference flick sometime soon. One of them is going to be a reference that is going to be used to test the directional steering as well as deep bass capability for the various surround sound systems that I plan to be auditioning in the upcoming months.
If I am going to be testing video displays however, then Basic Instinct and Spiderman are going to the reference flicks that I will use from my collection. Basic Instinct for color accuracy, and Spiderman for fast action.
The Hit with John Hurt and Terrance Stamp has very nice acoustical guitar and an excellent movie to boot.
Dead Man with Johnny Depp has a beautiful soundtrack by Neil Young if you like a haunting electric guitar, this is also a very good (Jim Jarmusch) movie.
I just reread the original post and I am not addressing the question but I will leave these suggestions.
I agree The Haunting has some great sound effects. For a snippet of fun, check out the video sequence in the extra features section of The Lawnmower Man.
Desperado, with Antonio Banderas and Selma Hayek. Kick ass surround, severe dynamics, and out of this world explosions/ gunshots. There are a few explosions which actually force me to look behind me to see what fell off the wall.
There are two that I really like playing for the uninitiated. "Heat", has two great shootouts, in the drive-in and in the center of the city. And the scene at the airport, with the jets landing is just incredible. My other favorite is the pod race in Star Wars I.
What about the scene in Attack of the Clones where the Space Mines blow up!I think that scene by far has the lowest frequencies in it.What do you think?
Making of the Super Speed Way. Indy cars going around the track at 200+ mph is the most realistic surround sound I have heard though I haven't heard everything.
Right you are (in reference of Terminator 2 and The Matrix). I even forgot to mention those. I've should've mentioned those in the first place. I don't even know why I didn't even think to mention these at all. I am fortunate to say that I own both of these flicks as well.
What about Diehard #1 (1988)???? This one has all of the things you need to challenge a sound system with (deep bass...... directional steering...... channel-to-channel panning...... soundfield coherency..... this one has it all...... out of about 120 movies that I have in my collection, this one is still one of my favorites, and in my humble opinion, it is still one of the best movies I have in my collection). If there is one movie I would watch over and over again, it would be THIS one. I never get tired of watching it.
Blue Crush is fantastic too. Behind Enemy Lines is another killer demo. For atmospheric-type movies with good soundtracks, The Man from Elysian Fields and The Pledge. There's always LOTR, of course...
Not related to this thread, but I want to ask u fellow Agoners. A few years back I couldn`t wait to go and see a new movie at a movie theater, but now I`m waiting for a movie to come out on DVD so I can enjoy watching it at home, it sounds and looks much better. Like right now I don`t even want to see Terminator3, I`d rather wait for a DVD. Is it just me ?
Videohydra, I agree with you completely, as far as the audio is concerned. I have friends come to my house and they tell me that the sound is better than at the movies. However there is nothing that compares with watching a movie on a thirty or more foot screen. Even though DVDs on a HD monitor, can offer a clearer and sharper picture, I still think there are some movies that need a grander presentation. Star Wars II is one in particular that was awesome at the cinema, but just great at home. If you are lucky enough to have an 8 or 10 foot screen, then my hat's off to you. Also I enjoy making the comparisons, and for me it's usually video, at the movies, always audio at home.
I agree with you guys.Certain movies demand a bigger presentation and you need to see them in the theater,but hearing them in your own home with better equipment is far more fun!Time from the movies to DVD release is now down to about 2-3 months.
To continue a bit with the last three posts, you should look into a home projector. One that can can do real good high definition. I have a Dukane projector and the picture is eight feet wide and the home movies are fantastic.
I go with The Fifth Element. Great sound effects in the fight scenes, the infamous Blue Diva music scene, and Milla Jovovich for those who could care less about the sound.
The villians are hilarious, the dialog idiotic and it has great partial nudity. Jim Bob gives it two thumbs up.
For sheer mayhem True Lies will give your system a good workout. Especially the scenes with the Harrier jet. A good sounding movie with music by Ry Cooder is Geronimo. If you want to test your subwoofer the cave scene in Aladdin will definitly get your attention. A great all around good sounding movie is [don't laugh now] Casper. Recorded by the legendary Shawn Murphy. Check out the wrecking ball into the Land Rover sequence.
FOR COOL SOUND EFFECTS, i agree with THXrich, Attack of the clones sounds fantastic. The seismic charges in the asteroid belt make the hair on the back of my neck stand straight! Not to mention the ruble when the luxury liner escorted by the two fighters flys in at the beginning.
DYNAMICS, THE JACKEL The scene in Bruce Willis "The Jackel" when he test fires the cannon with Jack Black. That scene has the coolest surround sound and talk about dynamics. If you have a good home theater with plenty of headroom, when that gun goes off and starts blasting that car, you will be lucky if your neighbors dont call 911 thinking somone was shot repeatedly with a badass cannon.
I always like to use the opening scene of Cliffhanger when the Helicopter starts coming from the L reare then to the R rear to R front center and then Left Front. Usually people just start looking for a Helicopter. But I think the absolute best movie for sound id George of the jungle or Jumanji with out question
Yep..... I guess I can put "Blue Crush" in that group of cool movies as well. But I would buy it just to check out those young hot looking babes that is in that movie more so than to use it as a reference disc to a home theater system through its paces.
"Videohydra":
But now "Videohydra", I "DEFINITELY" agree with you about your analogy as far as waiting for certain movies to come out on DVD as opposed to going to the cineplex to see it. James Bond's "Die Another Day" is one such movie that comes to mind. When I saw the advertisement saying when it was going to be in the theaters last summer, I said to myself..... "Man..... that looks like that's going to be a good movie......... and I cannot wait for it to come out on DVD". And as it may turn out, Terminator 3 might be such a movie as well. But then again, my cousin went and saw it last weekend, and with him being as much of a movie buff as I am, he's says it's "OFF THE HOOK (!!!!)". So when I hear an endorsement like that about a movie from him, it makes me want to go out and see it as well. And he recommends that I go out and see it as well. And so, with an upcoming vacation from work on the horizon, that's going to happen as well. I think I am going to actually go to the movies and check it out this weekend. But I tell you one thing. The first time I hear about it coming out on DVD, and if it is months before it due to be released, I am running my ass right down to "Suncoast" or "Best Buy" and reserve me a copy.
If it's one movie I cannot wait to come out on DVD, it has to be Terminator 3.
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