Giles

Front & back cover art for the 2D/3D versions:





The Blu-ray edition of Gravity is presented in 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround. Both the 2D and 3D Blu-ray/DVD/UltraViolet combo pack releases feature the following extras:

- Collision Point: The Race to Clean Up Space (Narrated by Ed Harris)

- Aningaaq - A short film by Jonás Cuarón with optional introduction

- Gravity Mission Control
It Began With A Story
Initial Challenges: Long Shots And Zero G
Previsualizing Gravity
The Hues of Space
Physical Weightlessness
Space Tech
Sandra and George: A Pair in Space
Final Animation
Complete Silence
- Shot Breakdowns
Behind the Visor
Fire in the International Space Station
Dr. Stone's Rebirth
The Sound of Action in Space
Splashdown - Shot Breakdowns
- Gravity: Silent Space Version

- Sandra's Surprise!

~~

why oh why Warner's ?! - the amazing Dolby Atmos mix implemented the core 7.1 mix of the movie - and it sounded amazing. Why this is 5.1 is just maddening (Fox did this to some movies for their bluray counterparts) but if 'Gravity' wins one if not both of it's 'Sound' Oscar nominations - that's flat out embarrassing the film won't be as close to what people heard in state of the art theaters. Well, my only recommendation is maybe there's time for Warner's to correct this if everyone complains on their facebook page (hint hint) - Warner's corrected 'The Right Stuff' 96kHz audio problem - there's no reason why Warner's can't fix the problem before it's official release next month.

Why So Blu?

Was the film mixed in Dolby Atmos? Was it even mixed in 7.1 at all? Josh Zyber get in here.

Giles

yes the theatrical DCP harddrives had both 5.1 and 7.1

'Gravity' Director Alfonso Cuarón Talks Dolby ATMOS

(the link incorrectly denotes 7.1 as "five front / stereo rear" - that was how 8-SDDS was configured, 7.1 is three front/four channel surround)

Why So Blu?

But is that what the sound engineers used when they mixed the film. I'm not talking about what was in the booth at the theater projection room.

Anyways, this just seems like semantics to me. I'm glad it's coming out in a month on BD. Day one for me.

Giles

what are you talking about? - DCP audio is the exact mirror of the final soundmix of the film, encoded as such. It's not faux 7.1 - if a film was mixed as such, the DCP would reflect and reproduce as such.

from the link:

"There's a reason director / co-writer Alfonso Cuarón calls Atmos the sound system he always dreamed of. It's a system that offers perfect separation, depth, and full range in every single one of the speakers. The speakers on the ceiling also compliment the experience, the immersive experience of cinema." To learn more about the film's sound mix, here are a couple videos with Cuarón and re-recording mixer Skip Lievsay talking about their process and how they took the base 7.1 sound mix and, "doubled down, made it even more precise."

I highly recommend you watch the video "SoundWorks Collection: The Sound of Gravity" - all is explained. The sound element and aspect of this film is so crucial and integral - I am just floored that WHV would do this and negate the bluray edition to 5.1

OldBoy

is the 3D version listed on Amazon yet?

Giles

^ yes

http://www.amazon.com/Gravity-Blu-ra.../dp/B00H83EV5W

Why So Blu?

Thanks for clarifying. Well, since Atmos isn't a home codec would it even matter? We'd get a default DTS 7.1 had they encoded it that way. Does WB even do 7.1 Blu-rays? I'm not sure. I know Lionsgate does.

Giles

yes - they released 'The Hobbit Part 1' bluray in 7.1 as well as 'Man of Steel' - there is absolutely no reason (none) why Gravity shouldn't include it's original theatrical 7.1 mix - apparently the Oscar 'sound' nominations mean nothing to WHV - or either they ARE truly clueless and just borders on insulting director Cuaron's intent of the importance of sound for the overall experience.

most of Lionsgate's 7.1 bluray mixes aren't even originally released as such to the theaters - hence the referring to 'faux' 7.1 mixes that weren't originally mixed as such by the original soundmixers.

mattysemo247

If they include it now, how are they going to sell you the Oscar winning edition later this year with it included?

Giles

oh so they are pulling a Disney move (i.e, not releasing a 3D bluray edition of 'Frozen' to the masses).

E Unit

I'm guessing the artwork will change? If not, that's lame they're just adding "3D" to the cover.

Supermallet

I believe Pacific Rim also had a 7.1 mix.

I will say this, the 5.1 home theater mix sounds absolutely incredible. Do not let the lack of 7.1 dissuade you from getting the disc (if you were planning to buy it anyway).

RocShemp

The BD of Pacific Rim (both the 2D and 3D discs) offer the film in DTS-HD MA 7.1 and DTS-HD MA 5.1, so you can choose which mix best suits your sound configuration (rather than have your receiver steer the surround back content to the side surrounds if you lack rear speakers).

islandclaws

I don't have anything useful to add here, but I always enjoy seeing these threads where Giles is riled up over an audio track. I know it's him without even seeing who wrote the post. This is something small that amuses me around here.

It's not a dig, btw. I genuinely appreciate how passionate he is about these things.

Giles

thanks ...

usually the core mix is the 5.1 option - so that doesn't happen. If you've hooked up your speakers correctly - most 7.1 mixes adhere to the Dolby theatrical mixing with the added sound being put into the rear center surrounds (think Dolby EX but with stereo-ized two channel rear center sound)

I have yet to hear Pacific Rim on blu - but apparently I read that Del Toro's mixed the 7.1 version separately from the 5.1 version - so not only is there the addition of two extra channels of sound in the surround channels, but in fact they are completely different mixes.

Why So Blu?

I only have a 5.1 mix, so the 7.1 mix is incidental. Usually if there's only a 7.1 mix it will default to a 5.1 mix anyway. No biggie, although I do hear what was being said about a 7.1 theatrical mix. Is there an article where Cuaron talks about mixing it for a Blu-ray 5.1 mix?

Alan Smithee

I have commented on Warner's Facebook post promoting this release.

OldBoy

got it. thanks.

Rypro 525

I wonder, is the extra "Gravity Silent Space version" going to be the full movie again just w out any music?

RocShemp

Haven't seen the movie but I assume it'd be an alternate sound mix without sound effects when out in space.

hanshotfirst1138

That is weird, are Warner just being foolish? Unless it's an issue of space on the disc or the ability to encode it, and since even though I can't play it back, I have several discs with 7.1 tracks, I doubt it's the latter and the former seems unlikely given that this must be dual-later. Are WB just being idiots? Is it just less work to use the 5.1 mix because it's easier to encode or something?

Is this commonplace in the digital age nowadays? I've never heard of a movie having multiple mixes made unless it's stereo or mono remixed to a surround mix on DVDs and Blus. Knowing how precise GDT is, I'm not that surprised, but it still sounds like more work on the distributor's end.

Giles

maybe it is a space (pun unintended) issue - but I'm really surprised why an official statement or explanation from Warners regarding this hasn't detailed this. I shot DigitalBit's Bill Hunt an email and hopefully see what he can find out.

in regards to multiple mixes I think it's uncommon - since one 7.1 isn't quite the norm (yet... of the major chains: AMC and Regal are notoriously slow into integrating this into more of it's theaters, outside of it's specialty 'premier' large screens) and Atmos, Auro (11 channel sound) are a niche emerging technology.

some (15/70) IMAX films have added a height channel to some Hollywood DMR'd films - specifically the second Transformers movie.

the 1998 version of 'Godzilla' - had extra bass added for theaters willing to install more subwoofers (Baltimore's Senator Theater presented the movie as such).

The first 7.1 theatrical version of Tron: Legacy was pretty much ditched, when the director and the soundmixer remixed the entire film for bluray making it sound superior to what was heard in the theater.

I'm sure there are others, but these are the few instances of remixing that come to mind.

redrum

Not sure if i'll buy this

Incredible movie theater experience in 3D but not sure how often i'd watch this especially without having a 3d tv

Supermallet

Cuaron personally supervised the 5.1 mix. I think, for whatever reason, it was his choice.