This is a completely new 2.35:1 transfer from a new 35mm interpositive made from the original camera negative and approved by the film's cinematographer Dean Cundey. Award-winning colorist Adam Adams helmed the transfer under the overall supervision of Lucasfilm's THX Digital Mastering services. The anamorphically enhanced DVD, viewed in component video, exhibits a solid picture with almost no noise. Of course, the picture is dark, being a horror film; but viewed in a completely blackened room, the picture exhibits excellent contrast and shadow delineation. Colors are accurately rendered with good definition. Other than the film grain and minor artifacts throughout, the picture is pleasing and the transfer is clean.
The all new Chace Digital Stereo rendering of the original frightening monaural theatrical soundtrack is thrilling. The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack was created by Chace Productions in association with Alan Howarth, using the original 16-track music studio master and the recently discovered original 35mm magnetic dialogue and effects tracks. The sound is incredibly effective with fresh clarity, dynamics and spatial dimension not realized on past releases. The remastered discrete soundtrack is remarkably effective and one of the best restorations ever produced using original sound elements. The opening thunderstorm scene will have you crawling in your seat. Dialogue clarity has been effectively restored though monaural, and at times directionalized for effect. Carpenter's music score is incredibly spooky and the recording quality is absolutely superb, with effective aggressive surround envelopment and deep bass extension enhanced with .1 LFE. Slight hum is apparent throughout, but not distracting and overall, the original soundtrack noise has virtually been eliminated. The new ambient sound effects are effectively spread throughout the channels to create, at times, an engaging holosonic soundfield. The sonics are more eerie and engaging than ever, and will have you graving for someone to hold on to. |