rough cut

Just to add to the endless DoD covers, here's one with the same exact format as the original, but where the logo definitely should have been 
 

I've been doing some research into the cinematic sound of Superman The Movie. I got curious after our discussion here on JWfan regarding the missing DD 5.1 mix which was replaced with a DTS-HD MA 2.0 on seemingly all 4K discs of the movie.
 
In this post I’ll try to answer the following:
 
What was the ”actual” theatrical sound mix in 1978? Why was a new SFX/foley soundtrack mix created in 2001? What were the reactions to the new mix in 2001? What were the reactions to the 1978 5.1 split surround when it was released on 4K in 2018? Why did WB ultimately remove the 1978 5.1 split surround?    
First to try to understand what was the "actually" theatrical sound mix? That question has multiple answers.
 
Superman The Movie was recorded in Dolby Stereo, but a lot of theaters were still showing movies in mono. Whether or not it played in stereo or mono was entirely based on the theatre that was showing it and which sound equipment they had. Since Dolby Stereo - a newly released standard - was "backwards compatible" it was common for theatres to show a print with mono sound - even though it came with the Dolby Stereo soundtrack.
 
Most common was that the movie was and shown in 35mm with a Dolby Stereo mix which was 4 channel:
Left, Right, Center, Mono surround As far as I understand, Dolby surround in the theatres back in the late 70's were 4.2, meaning:
Left, Right, Center, Mono surround, LFE1 and LFE2  
It seems safe to assume that most theatregoers experienced it in a very humble stereo/mono setting, as surround sound was still under development. And I think it should be noted that even a 4.2 setup was rare.
 
Local695, the the official labor union for Production Sound Technicians, Television Engineers, Video Assist Technicians and Studio Projectionists in film and television, notes that in December 1978, when Superman The Movie opened, there were only 200 theatres in the U.S. equipped for Dolby Stereo:
 
 
For Superman The Movie, Dolby decided to do a test with more channels, a "test mix", where the idea was to split the mono surround into stereo. It's commonly known as the "split-surround" format.
 
According to a post on Blu-ray Forum, these were the different mixes:
 
 
So how many theatres played the "test mix"? Not many, according to a site called in70mm:
 
 
The "test mix" might also have been available at one more theatre, the Northpoint Theatre in San Francisco, according to this fan site of the Grauman Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. (This site also has a fantastic breakdown on the history of surround sound and how the technology worked .)
 

Sound engineer Gordon McCallum (Oscar winner for best sound for Fiddler on the Roof, 1971) who worked on Superman The Movie, is quoted as saying:
 
 
So to clarify:
The elusive DD 5.1 mix on the 2018 disc is the "test mix", that was basically only played in one theatre (maybe two). The 4-track surround mix was played with the 70mm, but since the 70mm had very limited showings, it can’t be considered the “average” theatrical experience. According to The Digital Bits, there were 27 theaters in all of U.S. who were showing the 70mm and thus the 4-track. According to in70mm there were 30.  
The Digital Bits sums it up nicely:
 
 
Whatever slim chance there was of hearing Superman The Movie in surround in the cinema, fans who missed out would have to wait for their chance until 2001, when Superman The Movie Special Edition was released on DVD with discrete 5.1 surround sound, sporting a brand new mix with revised SFX and foley.
 
The new 5.1 remix was dony by Michael Thau and came to be due to the fact that he and Donner weren't happy with how the original mix sounded while preparing the movie for DVD.
 
A general opinon that the 1978 mix was underwhelming took hold around this time, and Thau's mix have generally been favoured over the theatrical mix.
 
Reading some reviews from 2001, there was some pushback regarding the revisionistic approach, but not much. Reviewers were more eager to praise the new sound effects rather than to lament the loss of the original ones. Home theatre sound was still an emerging technology/market and reviewers were excited just to hear Superman in discrete surround sound:
 

One wonders how much the lack of ability/effort to compare the two comes into play into the “glossing over” the loss of the original SFX? The 2001 DVD didn't come with the original theatrical mix, so any comparison would have to be done by syncing up the DVD with an old version of the movie on VHS or on Laserdisc (released in 1990). I suspect that revising sound doesn’t get as much criticism as revising video, simply because it is difficult to compare the old with the new.
 
But some consumers, as proven by this thread on AVS Forum, were less than happy not to be able to hear the original mix since the new mix not only added new SFX and new foley - some original foley was also "lost" (intentionally or not):
 
 
However, when the restored "test mix" was released in 2018 (the DD 5.1, on the 4K), reactions to the original mix were positive, especially considering they were reviewing a surround mix created 40 years ago(!):
 
 
So if the original split surround - itself a precursor to the modern 5.1 standard - was good, then why remix it at all (and also add new SFX)? This sounds plausible:
 
 
...but is ultimately incorrect. It seems Thau just didn't have access to the stems, as stated in this interview:
 
 
An interesting sidenote is that Richard Donner, in an interview with IGN in 2001, stated that he never heard of - nor signed off on - recording any new effects for the Special Edition DVD.
 
 
So did the 2001 remix come about because the 1978 mix was A) underwhelming, or B) that the correct stems weren't available? I suspect the latter. Whatever the reason, it's still curious to why WB decided to remove the six-track on disc and replace it with the stereo track?
 
Speculating, I can think of a couple of reasons:
 
The stereo track is simply more representative of how most people would have experienced the movie during its original run.
  Possibly there's a UX reason behind it as well, which would be that flipping between Atmos and 2.0 offers a "bigger difference" than flipping between Atmos and DD 5.1. The former case would offer a more diverse experience (a greater difference between the options) and thus a greater value.
  Since Superman II-IV all had an Atmos mix alongside its original mix in DTS 2.0 HD MA, maybe it was decided that Superman The movie also should have the same option - no more no less - making the set more homogoneous.
  The last, and probably most likely reason why the DD 5.1 was taken off the 4K, is simply that WB wasn't licensed/authorized to release it in the first place - possibly because it was a "test mix" and not a fully realised "dolby mix" meant for a widespread relese. That would also explain why it has been silently lifted off the single disc reprints.  
From a consumer point of view, of course, the best option would simply have been to put three audio options on the 4K from the beginning (and keep ‘em there): The 2001 remix in Atmos, the 1978 5.1 split surround, and the 1978 2.0 stereo.

I've been doing some research into the cinematic sound of Superman The Movie. I got curious after our discussion here on JWfan regarding the missing DD 5.1 mix which was replaced with a DTS-HD MA 2.0 on seemingly all 4K discs of the movie.
 
In this post I’ll try to answer the following:
 
What was the ”actual” theatrical sound mix in 1978? Why was a new SFX/foley soundtrack mix created in 2001? What were the reactions to the new mix in 2001? What were the reactions to the 1978 5.1 split surround when it was released on 4K in 2018? Why did WB ultimately remove the 1978 5.1 split surround?    
First to try to understand what was the "actually" theatrical sound mix? That question has multiple answers.
 
Superman The Movie was recorded in Dolby Stereo, but a lot of theaters were still showing movies in mono. Whether or not it played in stereo or mono was entirely based on the theatre that was showing it and which sound equipment they had. Since Dolby Stereo - a newly released standard - was "backwards compatible" it was common for theatres to show a print with mono sound - even though it came with the Dolby Stereo soundtrack.
 
Most common was that the movie was and shown in 35mm with a Dolby Stereo mix which was 4 channel:
Left, Right, Center, Mono surround As far as I understand, Dolby surround in the theatres back in the late 70's were 4.2, meaning:
Left, Right, Center, Mono surround, LFE1 and LFE2  
It seems safe to assume that most theatregoers experienced it in a very humble stereo/mono setting, as surround sound was still under development. And I think it should be noted that even a 4.2 setup was rare.
 
Local695, the the official labor union for Production Sound Technicians, Television Engineers, Video Assist Technicians and Studio Projectionists in film and television, notes that in December 1978, when Superman The Movie opened, there were only 200 theatres in the U.S. equipped for Dolby Stereo:
 
 
For Superman The Movie, Dolby decided to do a test with more channels, a "test mix", where the idea was to split the mono surround into stereo. It's commonly known as the "split-surround" format.
 
According to a post on Blu-ray Forum, these were the different mixes:
 
 
So how many theatres played the "test mix"? Not many, according to a site called in70mm:
 
 
The "test mix" might also have been available at one more theatre, the Northpoint Theatre in San Francisco, according to this fan site of the Grauman Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. (This site also has a fantastic breakdown on the history of surround sound and how the technology worked .)
 

Sound engineer Gordon McCallum (Oscar winner for best sound for Fiddler on the Roof, 1971) who worked on Superman The Movie, is quoted as saying:
 
 
So to clarify:
The elusive DD 5.1 mix on the 2018 disc is the "test mix", that was basically only played in one theatre (maybe two). The 4-track surround mix was played with the 70mm, but since the 70mm had very limited showings, it can’t be considered the “average” theatrical experience. According to The Digital Bits, there were 27 theaters in all of U.S. who were showing the 70mm and thus the 4-track. According to in70mm there were 30.  
The Digital Bits sums it up nicely:
 
 
Whatever slim chance there was of hearing Superman The Movie in surround in the cinema, fans who missed out would have to wait for their chance until 2001, when Superman The Movie Special Edition was released on DVD with discrete 5.1 surround sound, sporting a brand new mix with revised SFX and foley.
 
The new 5.1 remix was dony by Michael Thau and came to be due to the fact that he and Donner weren't happy with how the original mix sounded while preparing the movie for DVD.
 
A general opinon that the 1978 mix was underwhelming took hold around this time, and Thau's mix have generally been favoured over the theatrical mix.
 
Reading some reviews from 2001, there was some pushback regarding the revisionistic approach, but not much. Reviewers were more eager to praise the new sound effects rather than to lament the loss of the original ones. Home theatre sound was still an emerging technology/market and reviewers were excited just to hear Superman in discrete surround sound:
 

One wonders how much the lack of ability/effort to compare the two comes into play into the “glossing over” the loss of the original SFX? The 2001 DVD didn't come with the original theatrical mix, so any comparison would have to be done by syncing up the DVD with an old version of the movie on VHS or on Laserdisc (released in 1990). I suspect that revising sound doesn’t get as much criticism as revising video, simply because it is difficult to compare the old with the new.
 
But some consumers, as proven by this thread on AVS Forum, were less than happy not to be able to hear the original mix since the new mix not only added new SFX and new foley - some original foley was also "lost" (intentionally or not):
 
 
However, when the restored "test mix" was released in 2018 (the DD 5.1, on the 4K), reactions to the original mix were positive, especially considering they were reviewing a surround mix created 40 years ago(!):
 
 
So if the original split surround - itself a precursor to the modern 5.1 standard - was good, then why remix it at all (and also add new SFX)? This sounds plausible:
 
 
...but is ultimately incorrect. It seems Thau just didn't have access to the stems, as stated in this interview:
 
 
An interesting sidenote is that Richard Donner, in an interview with IGN in 2001, stated that he never heard of - nor signed off on - recording any new effects for the Special Edition DVD.
 
 
So did the 2001 remix come about because the 1978 mix was A) underwhelming, or B) that the correct stems weren't available? I suspect the latter. Whatever the reason, it's still curious to why WB decided to remove the six-track on disc and replace it with the stereo track?
 
Speculating, I can think of a couple of reasons:
 
The stereo track is simply more representative of how most people would have experienced the movie during its original run.
  Possibly there's a UX reason behind it as well, which would be that flipping between Atmos and 2.0 offers a "bigger difference" than flipping between Atmos and DD 5.1. The former case would offer a more diverse experience (a greater difference between the options) and thus a greater value.
  Since Superman II-IV all had an Atmos mix alongside its original mix in DTS 2.0 HD MA, maybe it was decided that Superman The movie also should have the same option - no more no less - making the set more homogoneous.
  The last, and probably most likely reason why the DD 5.1 was taken off the 4K, is simply that WB wasn't licensed/authorized to release it in the first place - possibly because it was a "test mix" and not a fully realised "dolby mix" meant for a widespread relese. That would also explain why it has been silently lifted off the single disc reprints.  
From a consumer point of view, of course, the best option would simply have been to put three audio options on the 4K from the beginning (and keep ‘em there): The 2001 remix in Atmos, the 1978 5.1 split surround, and the 1978 2.0 stereo.

I disagree. The repetitions are crucial in the genius of this OST. There's a beautiful ebb and flow, almost sonata-like (home-away-home again) to the whole structure. Some mysterious bits, then opening up with the main theme(s), then mysterious or intimate again etc.
 
A.I. is another masterful album. I wrote a review for its 20th anniversary (in Norwegian) here, and here's a Google-translated transcript of a paragraph:
 
 
In general, I think Williams is a master at "abstracting" the score he's written when he makes albums. Removing it from the film as far as possible, which is my ideal approach. He does this through repetitions, rerecorded setpieces, concert arrangements etc. But also by placing the cues that are directly from the film in an order that creates a fresh "concept". When one can't change the cues themselves, he brilliantly picks out the most musically independent ones and places them perfectly where they need to be.
 
To me, he's a MODEL album producer. Wish more composers followed his example.

I saw the film yesterday. That score is fair.

That’s pretty goddam brilliant the more I think of it. 
 
Trailer guy voice:
”This Summer…
Dial “I”
for ADVENTURE!!! 
 
It works for me. 

Great costume @Andy!
 
You weren’t by any chance attending the JW concert at the Hollywood Bowl back in 2016 in full attire, we’re you? I was sitting next to a dude sporting the Jones-outfit and shook his hand just because he looked so damn cool!

Well I see the film tomorrow.  I have to say, I don’t remember ever anticipating a movie more. This was announced years ago, and during the dark years of the pandemic, it promised … some light at the end of the tunnel I suppose.   That, along with myself, my parents, John Williams, and my heroes all aging along with the character made it all the more meaningful. Let’s just say, I’ve never needed a film more.   I hope to enjoy it, and if not, well the anticipation was fun.  This really means a lot to me. 

Anyways here’s some pics of me in my gear. 
 

Is it against the rules to say that the dude looks like a dick?

I went back over my previous "Crystal Skull"-inspired cover and replaced the official 1-sheet with the new gorgeous poster by Matt Ferguson.
 

 
 
 
Also, @crumbs was so generous to let me borrow his awesome Dial of Destiny cover design to use it for 4 more Indy covers. So, to mark the occasion of a brand-new JW score, here is a completed set:
 

(c) crumbs
 

 

 

 

 
 

@BTR1701
It was more challenging than I anticipated, requiring quite a bit of pixel-shifting...

 
Another I made years back...

Michael Giacchino - Rogue One
 

New covers for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
 

 

 

 

 

 

Very clever, too bad Adapted is spelled wrong though :p

My mild dyslexia strikes again. I fixed it. Thanks for finding the error.

Nice! I like what you did there:

Stumbled upon this thumbnail, which is an edit of this BTS photo from KOTCS, and had to do a quick edit:
 

That's really fun. I hope you don't mind but your cover inspired me and I had to give it a crack.

To my knowledge, Superman II was released in six channels, and no changes have been made in subsequent releases. But as with Superman The Movie, most theaters would have shown it in Stereo as the technology for surround wasn’t widespread.
 
Regarding changes in STM, did you check out the interview with Michael Thau here?
 
For where in the film the major FX happens, I think that you should keep your ears pointed during
The main titles Destruction of Krypton Super rescues Superfeats  

Yeah, congrats! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
 
I’m expecting a thorough comparison and a scene-by-scene breakdown of what your thoughts were on both the original mix as well as the remix, and which on you prefer and why…
 
OK, I’ll let you off the hook, scene-by-scene is too much to ask for. Key scenes are enough! 😉

Finally!!
I just got the right one with the original theatrical 70mm mix!!
Now I know what I'll be watching tonight!

Was just going to say to @SteTorino:
 
Finally I am able to experience the love theme live like he did in Milano ... and to the film proper even...
 
It *is* only a couple of minutes from my hotel:
 

 
<3