The Watchmen=Best lesson in audio of late...

[benhallen]

So, went to see the Watchmen last week at iMax here in lovely Atlanta and had an interesting observation that I'd like to share.

Before I say anything, this is not a post about whether this is a good film or not. Frankly, I could care less and I don't expect you to care whether I like the movie or not, so let's not turn this into a thread about movies.

What I noticed was how amazing all the songs on the soundtrack sounded. "All Along the Watchtower", "Sound of Silence", Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, etc...it sounded lush and spacious, with lots of definition. Honestly, I was surprised at how good it all sounded.

Until the final credits.

So, there's a My Chemical Romance cover of a Dylan tune that plays over the end credits. Wow. It literally sounded like shit. Seriously, if you put a mic in a toilet bowl while someone was crapping, that's what it would sound like. It was like a wall of white noise, with no space, definition or dynamics whatsoever...it just sounded like noise...somewhere, deep in the 'mix' was a vocal that I couldn't discern because it blended so much in the rest of the track. There was one overriding frequency, probably about 800hz range, that everything other than the bass and kick were sitting in.

I sat there for a long time listening and was amazed.

I know there are a lot of threads on this very topic, but I simply hadn't heard it so obviously until I saw it in the theater.

Music isn't dead. Engineering isn't dead. Kids aren't killing music.

BUT, modern Pop-be it Rap, actual Pop, Rock, Country, whatever-that is produced for the radio and MTV, pretty much sounds like shit.

Anyone seen Idiocracy? I fear that's where we're headed...


b

[Greg Curtis]

Looks like these guys are responsible for the mix:

IGLOO MUSIC : About us

.

[chrisrnps]

It was like a wall of white noise, with no space, definition or dynamics whatsoever...it just sounded like noise...somewhere, deep in the 'mix' was a vocal that I couldn't discern because it blended so much in the rest of the track. There was one overriding frequency, probably about 800hz range, that everything other than the bass and kick were sitting in.

Yup. That's My Chemical Romance in a nutshell.

[camus]

Watching that opening sequence over "The Times They Are A Changin'" was worth the entrance money alone. Fantastic!

[Keire]

Yeah, the video and the audio for that movie were incredible. 5 min into the movie I leaned over to my friend and said...I think this is the best sound ive ever heard in a movie.

[Sid Viscous]

Originally Posted by camus

Watching that opening sequence over "The Times They Are A Changin'" was worth the entrance money alone. Fantastic!

And the scene with "Sounds of Silence".

[biggator6]

I thought I was the only one who noticed that... the song over the end credits really did stick out like a sore thumb. The rest of it was VERY well done.

[Igotsoul4u]

I thought the sound was incredible!!! i noticed it right off the bat. Super deep and rich.

[Bierce85]

It was also a lesson in how friggin' hot Malin Akerman is.


YOWSA!!!

[h4nc0]

I actually walked out before the ending credit so I can't say if the music sucked there or not, but I was very impressed during the opening sequence. Not only good sounding but amazing synchronization of picture and sound.

[audiomichael]

Originally Posted by Greg Curtis

Looks like these guys are responsible for the mix:

IGLOO MUSIC : About us

.

I believe they did the score mix for Tyler Bates. I don't think they'd be responsible for the My Chemical Romance track.

[biggator6]

Originally Posted by Bierce85

It was also a lesson in how friggin' hot Malin Akerman is.


YOWSA!!!

you noticed that too, eh? I thought it was just me.
"-)

[benhallen]

I emailed the score mixer, Gustavo Borner and he was kind enough to reply. Apparently the film mix took 3 months, an epic session by any standards. Also, he didn't reply to my comments about the MCR song on the end credits, but did say that no sweetening was done to the classic tracks. What you hear is how they are.

I might go back just to hear it again!

b

[Dean Roddey]

http://www.raygunx.com/wp-content/up...linakerman.bmp

That would work for me.

[Batchainpuller78]

Originally Posted by benhallen

I emailed the score mixer, Gustavo Borner and he was kind enough to reply. Apparently the film mix took 3 months, an epic session by any standards. Also, he didn't reply to my comments about the MCR song on the end credits, but did say that no sweetening was done to the classic tracks. What you hear is how they are.

I might go back just to hear it again!

b

Ha!! now that says a lot about first the musicians, second the recording engineers back then, and yes... analog recorded sound??? which still has that quality even when reproduced digitally. (bit less but still there)

[Sean TM]

i loved the music sequences...but the movie sucked ass...3 hours of character development?!?!?

[Jay M]

Originally Posted by benhallen

Anyone seen Idiocracy? I fear that's where we're headed...


b

That movie scared that crap out of my wife and me!

~Jay

[Stevil]

Originally Posted by benhallen

Anyone seen Idiocracy? I fear that's where we're headed...

i frequently get the impression we're already there.

[Jazzooo]

I agree with everything posted about the sound, except about the final song--I thought the treatment of that song was perfectly appropriate for the style.

[Insomniaclown]

Agreed with the sound. It was beautiful and not over done. It enveloped you instead of blugeoning you. Very well done. You'd think they would have tried to re mix the MCR song to fit in? Or not, just a suggestion.

Also agreed with the 3 hours of character development. Zzz..zzz...zzz.

[porieux]

I haven't seen the film yet (probably this weekend) but it's not supposed to be an action movie.
Looking forward to checking out the sound (except the end credits LOL).

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by benhallen

I emailed the score mixer, Gustavo Borner and he was kind enough to reply. Apparently the film mix took 3 months, an epic session by any standards. Also, he didn't reply to my comments about the MCR song on the end credits, but did say that no sweetening was done to the classic tracks. What you hear is how they are.

I might go back just to hear it again!

b

That's instructive, right there. I wish the major labels with their remaster re-release frenzy would learn that lesson.


If you think about it, they probably weighted the levels in the various tracks to some extent by RMS/loudness, certainly not peak levels, and that is likely going to put the typical contemporary rock mix at a big disadvantage... without the dynamic range of the classic mixes, at more or less equal average volume, the 'modern' mix is going to sound boxed in, undynamic, boring.

[mashuga]

no sweetening was done to the classic tracks. What you hear is how they are.

That is extremely gratifying to read... Not surprising, but satisfying.

I've read the graphic a couple times and was considering skipping this movie, but I'll have to go see it now in order to be enveloped by that sound...!

[ChaNce144]

I didnt really notice it, because I wear my stage earplugs at movies now. IMAX in Houston, my friends I was with (no plugs) said their ears were ringing.

WAAAAAAY too loud.

[theblue1]

With regard to the length of the movie.

Three hours... that's about how long Kurosawa's Seven Samurai was.

To my way of thinking, it takes a hell of a movie to work for 3 hours -- particularly if the primary intent of the movie is entertainment.

Seven Samurai was a hell of a movie. A movie among movies. I'm strongly suspecting that Watchmen, for all the care that went into many aspects of its production, is not in the same league.

[Batchainpuller78]

I agree
I once watched Das Boot directors cut 3,5 hours...
Seven Samurai goes down much better, but then again I'm a fan of Kurosawa and like Toshiro Mifune a lot so...

[theblue1]

Me, too.

I even liked Red Sun, the 70s cowboys 'n' samurai western that paired a then-super-hot Charles Bronson w/ Mifune. (Not, not, not directed by Kurosawa. )


When the Kiwi director guy's King Kong came out at around 3 hours all I could think was, damn, the original was only 1 hr 45 minutes. And it was considered long. (I didn't see this latest KK in its entirety; I know it was well liked -- but what I saw of the special FX looked really bad to my eye... there was a scene with the monkey in a theatre where his upper torso and his arms stretch absurdly. It was something like you'd see for comic effect in a Looney 'Toon.)

But I'll freely admit, I'm a real curmudgeon when it comes to most new movies. About the only people who I'll automatically see movies by are the Coen Boys. And maybe Bob Altman.


I knew better than trying to watch Das Boot -- I get insane claustrophobia. I can't watch tunnel or submarine movies hardly at all. (I still have weird dreams about Escape from Alcatraz and it was a quarter century or so ago that I saw it.)

[Greg Curtis]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

I believe they did the score mix for Tyler Bates. I don't think they'd be responsible for the My Chemical Romance track.

Yes. That was my point. They are responsible for the good stuff.

Sorry about the confusion. My bad for not being clear.

GC

[gorillainthemix]

Originally Posted by theblue1

With regard to the length of the movie.

Three hours... that's about how long Kurosawa's Seven Samurai was.

To my way of thinking, it takes a hell of a movie to work for 3 hours -- particularly if the primary intent of the movie is entertainment.

Seven Samurai was a hell of a movie. A movie among movies. I'm strongly suspecting that Watchmen, for all the care that went into many aspects of its production, is not in the same league.

Magnolia went down pretty smooth too. Great story, great score.

[Spec]

saw the movie last night. yes from the first five mins the i thought the sound was wonderful - not just the music. the entire audio as sparkling. lots of clever, funny & subtle musical nods to eighties in the backgrounds all the way through. not speaking about the big solo music pieces that also sounded great.

what i am still reflecting on this morning was how well balanced/mixed the audio was - all the time you could hear the beautifully recorded dialogue but simaltaneously and effortlessly tune into all those subtle and clever musical backgrounds supporting the dialogue.

if you have not seen it yet make sure to take the time to tune those little musical pieces behind the dialogue. to me that movie was a template for combining dialogue and music together. really worked in subtle and creative ways.

what a musical dream come true to be able to work on a proect like that....

spek

ps

first time i have heard that hendrix track on a big sound sytem in a long long time. i had forgotten what a MASSIVE musical monument it is. really blew me away again. guess it always will.

i am guessing that track and that hendrix album has been remastered recently?

PSPS

i see they are releasing the entire soundtrack on vinyl 2 X Lp or 7 x 7"!!!!

WATCHMEN OFFICIAL MUSIC STORE