Paramount and Pioneer have finally begun to release the long promised AC-3 reissues of some of Paramount’s high profile titles. 'The Hunt For Red October', the first, and arguably the best, of the film series based on author Tom Clancy’s "Jack Ryan" stories has been remastered with THX certification and Dolby Digital sound.
Though the jacket gives every indication that this is a new transfer, direct comparison with the previous issue shows the differences in the video quality are subtle indeed. If one looks very closely, you may find the new disc has a bit less grain and a slight increase in detail. The color balance is essentially the same, though some of the more saturated reds and oranges exhibit less bleeding and chroma noise. Contrast is slightly improved with blacker blacks and better shadow detail but I suspect one will need a well set-up monitor and a sharp eye to notice. Even the first disc’s incorrect Panavision aspect ratio (about 2.20:1) has been duplicated on the new issue.
The real improvement in this reissue, and the only legitimate reason to replace the older disc, is a terrific Dolby Digital soundtrack. I don’t know if a 6-track soundtrack was ever done for 70mm theatrical prints, but the discrete mix on this new disc has all the advantages of the digital format. Split surrounds, startling dynamics and near subsonic bass are hallmarks of this first rate soundtrack. If one has Dolby Digital hardware, the audio alone is worth the price of admission.
The film runs 135 minutes and, unlike the previous disc, contains chapter encoding, although with only 13 markers, it is rather skimpy. The side breaks have been changed with the first break occuring a couple of minutes earlier on the new disc with noticably better placement. Also, unlike the older disc, side 3, featuring the final battle between the Red October, the Dallas and the Konavolov, is in CAV. And, as is usually the case with Paramount discs, no trailer or other extras are included. List price is $44.95.
Note From SMR (21/02/97):
It appears that all the THX re-released laserdiscs of 'The Hunt For Red October' have an audio error on side 3 (CAV), whereby the Dolby Digital rear left channel is completely silent. This is not a Dolby Digital syntax problem, but one that has occured when mastering the disc. It remains to be seen if Pioneer (or THX) will recall the discs.
Note From Robert A George (25/02/97)
THX have traced the problem to a combination of human and machine error. During the mastering, the machine indicated that the recording was proceeding normally and the human trusted the machine. The master has been fixed. Information regarding any decision by Pioneer on what action they will take for existing copies should be forthcoming soon.
This review is copyright, and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the author.
