Moonraker was originally released in Dolby Surround.  Prior to Dolby Digital and
5.1
Dolby Surround was configured as 4:2:4, meaning it was mix as a 4 channels
(Front Left, Center & Right) plus it had a MONO surround.  It was then encoded
via Dolby into 2 channels to fit on a 35mm soundtrack. 
(When a film was bumped up to 70mm it was able to hold 8 tracks of sound.)
Later in the theater the 2-track was decoded, via the Dolby Process and Dolby
Noise reduction was added and would play as 4 tracks again.
For the previous DVD release (packaged in the black box) Moonraker had a new 5.1
mix in both Dolby Digital and DTS.  Also included was the original 1977
theatrical mix in 2.0 (or 4.0).  In the making of the Blu-ray for Moonraker only
the 5.1 DTS mix was used.  The Dolby Surround mix is NOT the original one from
the film's theatrical release - instead it is a 2.0 down mix of the new 5.1.
There is a major difference between the original 2.0 and the new one
1. Much less bass
2. Completely different stereo imaging.  In fact, less now.
3. Most of the surround information is now missing.
 
If anyone wishes, I can give chapter and film examples of some of the
differences that are dramatic.  I forwarded these to FOX for their technical
dept. and that's when they admitted the mistake.
As a reviewer, I have watched, and owned several copies of MOONRAKER in various
formats through the years, Beta, Laserdisc,DVD and now Blu-ray.
This has become a very common scenario among the studios with several released. 
SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE, FLASH GORDON, XANADU, THE MONSTER SQUAD, STAR TREK III
(previous standard DVD release), to name a few.
- Scott B.

--- On Sun, 7/5/09, richard curzon <hammeramicus2002@...> wrote:


From: richard curzon <hammeramicus2002@...>
Subject: RE: [Midnight_Movies] Re: From Hell it came from?
To: Midnight_Movies@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, July 5, 2009, 2:13 PM








What was the error with the Moonraker BR?

Rick

--- On Sun, 5/7/09, sbosco <comlock@verizon. net> wrote:

From: sbosco <comlock@verizon. net>
Subject: RE: [Midnight_Movies] Re: From Hell it came from?
To: Midnight_Movies@ yahoogroups. com
Date: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 12:59 PM

It's even worse than that.  I was in contact with MGM who put me though to FOX
to discuss the possibility of a company I knew who was interested in handling
the MIDNITE MOVIE LINE.  They would arrange the release, plan and produce bonus
materials leaving FOX to just distribution.  The company interested has work
with horror titles before, as I, so these titles would have been treated with
respect and backed up with decent bonus extras.  FOX however has not only
dragged their feet but has now chosen to ignore our calls and email.  They
promised us the stars and built up hope in terms of a deal then turned their
backs on us.

It no wonder FOX's slate is what it is with only a few well worked out titles. 
I've been dealing with that company for over 20 years and I've seen it fall down
the toilet in terms of the people there. 

One of the people I spoke too was so ill informed on the subject it was
embarrassing. 

I spoke to another to which I revealed how they botched up the MOONRAKER Blu-ray
release (which not one reviewer noticed) and I was told it would be fixed, but
on the QT.  They would correct the error and not let anyone know so they
wouldn't have to do a recall or exchange.

- Scott B.

--- On Sat, 7/4/09, reisgeorge@aol. com <reisgeorge@ aol. com> wrote:

From: reisgeorge@aol. com <reisgeorge@ aol. com>

Subject: RE: [Midnight_Movies] Re: From Hell it came from?

To: Midnight_Movies@ yahoogroups. com

Date: Saturday, July 4, 2009, 9:24 PM

Fox is in control (for at least a year) and is making very dumb decisions,
including just doing some rehash type releases of Soul Cinema titles and a small
handful of boring mainstream blu-ray releases for Halloween. Didn't you see my
newest "Save the Midnite Movies" campaign?

-----Original Message-----

From: Earl Baucom &lt;ebaucom2@ yahoo. com&gt;

To: Midnight_Movies@ yahoogroups. com

Sent: Sat, Jul 4, 2009 9:16 pm

Subject: RE: [Midnight_Movies] Re: From Hell it came from?

--- On Sat, 7/4/09, reisgeorge@aol. com &lt;reisgeorge@ aol. com&gt; wrote:

&gt; I wish I had a copy of MGM's stunning TWINS OF EVIL and INCREDIBLE MELTING
MAN transfers which were on Monsters HD late last year, before we got the shock
surprise this year that Fox is no longer letting MGM release old movies on DVD.
&lt;

Wait ... what??? Fox isn't "letting" MGM release old movies? You mean MGM wants
to, but is being stopped by Fox???

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