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8.07pm
19 February 2013
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I wonder, has remastering technology peaked (in terms of what it can do with the Beatles' original material)? Are our current remasters really the best the Beatles will ever sound?
I remember, for instance, that when DVD came out all the attendant fanfare declared the film quality had now reached its 'ultimate'; yet now we have Blu-Ray (appreciably superior). There is already vying between which format will supercede Blu Ray, and the film quality, of course, will be upgraded once more…
Will we be paying more money at some point to replace our remasters with something even more wonderously clean and crisp, or have we really reached the plateau?
8.35pm
17 December 2012
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I would say, awkwardly, yes and no. While there is the probability that some improvements may be able to be made to The Beatles "original" mixes, we are pretty much there with them. However, there is the whole question of remixing The Beatles recordings, and by this I am not talking about adding anything, but more the Yellow Submarine Songtrack, and how much easier technology is allowing the turning of two-track and four-track recordings into multi-track recordings is becoming, I'm sure the day will arrive when – especially with those early recordings – each constituent part will be able to be lifted off onto an individual tracks – John vocal, Paul vocal, George vocal, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, drums – remove the bleed through from other instruments onto each, and then mix them from what would basically be a new tape. Instead of music to the left and vocals to the right, true stereo pictures would be able to be created.
8.56pm
29 November 2012
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At what point, though, are you starting to tamper with the original art? I understand that, whether music or film, many people were hampered by the technology of their time, but at what point do you leave it as is? (this is not an attack, rather a philosophical question).
9.21pm
17 December 2012
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DrBeatle said
At what point, though, are you starting to tamper with the original art? I understand that, whether music or film, many people were hampered by the technology of their time, but at what point do you leave it as is? (this is not an attack, rather a philosophical question).
I agree. It's a difficult question. But then we know that shortsightedness at the time didn't even allow them to be seen as they wanted at the time. The destruction of master tapes for many of the early singles, once the single's mono master was completed, mean we don't even have the compromised stereo mixes that would have been produced at the time, but "fake" stereo mixes that were produced from the mono masters. I'm not suggesting these things should be done, though the YS Songtrack does contain some of my preferred mixes. The "could" and the "should" are certainly interesting questions though.
10.53am
1 May 2011
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I think the mixes that we have now in the remastered mono and stereo boxes will always be available, even if in 100 years time we also have remixes and access to the masters to do as we want. When YSS came out in 1999 (and to some extent Let It Be Naked in 2003) it was made clear that the originals would remain available and i dont see Apple, with whoever running the show, altering that – there would be too much fuss from the fans and everyone else. Its one thing cleaning up a movie or song but to change aspects of the picture or the song for improvement generally end up making it worse.
The worst extreme of 'enhancement' is turning b&w movies into colour, many of Laurel and Hardy's classic films were altered and they look far worse to me. Can you imagine the effect that would have on A Hard Days Night (im surprised to see Casablanca was colourised in the 80's)? (Apple colourised All You Need Is Love for the Anthology but there we had seen colour photos for years and it seemed natural, especially when it started out b&w and blossomed depicting the changes in the times.)
12.21pm
19 April 2010
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The answer is "YES" to a total catalogue reissue for the simple reason that in a few years there will be newer technology and more importantly, a new market of people ready to buy more product.
10.10pm
1 December 2009
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meanmistermustard said
(Apple colourised All You Need Is Love for the Anthology but there we had seen colour photos for years and it seemed natural, especially when it started out b&w and blossomed depicting the changes in the times.)
Agreed, I've got no ethical problems with the colouring of documentary material, so long as the colouring can be ascertained as historically accurate. Just don't let 'em try to do it to A Hard Days' Night or I'll be horrified.
10.22am
1 November 2012
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As I've said before, I just don't get "remastering". The originals are just fine with me, I don't need anything more, thank you very much.
I believe the classic phrase "gilding the lily" fits excruciatingly well here.
11.20am
27 December 2012
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In my opinion it's all about the money, and maybe a little bit of convenience.
"When I was a robber *Piano Chord* in Boston Place"
"Let's hope this turns out pretty darn good huh"
"Pete may be the best, but Ringo is the star"
Paul:"Don't be nervous John"
John:"I 'm not"
6.15am
18 November 2011
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I'll probably get an earful for this, but so long as it's never treated as anything more than a nifty bonus, I'd like to see a (tastefully) colorized A Hard Day's Night simply out of curiosity. And I say that as someone who enjoys the aesthetics of black-and-white film.
6.38pm
1 December 2009
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*shrugs* Eh, as long as its existence is treated as nothing but a curio, and doesn't in any way infringe on the easy availibility of the original, I suppose I could live with the existence of such a thing as a colourized AHDN, but I reserve the right to scorn anybody who prefers it to the original!
7.13pm
18 November 2011
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vonbontee said
*shrugs* Eh, as long as its existence is treated as nothing but a curio, and doesn't in any way infringe on the easy availibility of the original, I suppose I could live with the existence of such a thing as a colourized AHDN, but I reserve the right to scorn anybody who prefers it to the original!
I agree. I was thinking of something like a bonus on a second disc. The black and white is an integral part of the film, I'd just like to see a colorized version as a novelty.
10.15pm
1 December 2009
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I understood! You said "novelty", I said "curio". (But a curse upon any DVD manufacturer who deletes the currently available version UN-available, except as part of a higher-priced "deluxe" package including colourized version, T-shirt and special set of pint mugs.)
4.45pm
6 December 2012
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vonbontee said
I understood! You said "novelty", I said "curio". (But a curse upon any DVD manufacturer who deletes the currently available version UN-available, except as part of a higher-priced "deluxe" package including colourized version, T-shirt and special set of pint mugs.)
I'd buy that if it wasn't colorized.
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10.40pm
21 November 2012
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RunForYourLife said
I'll probably get an earful for this, but so long as it's never treated as anything more than a nifty bonus, I'd like to see a (tastefully) colorized A Hard Day's Night simply out of curiosity. And I say that as someone who enjoys the aesthetics of black-and-white film.
Same here, always wondered what it looks like. There's a lot you don't know. For instance, I only recently found out they actually wear blue suits in that film!
12.39pm
29 November 2012
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Linde said
RunForYourLife said
I'll probably get an earful for this, but so long as it's never treated as anything more than a nifty bonus, I'd like to see a (tastefully) colorized A Hard Day's Night simply out of curiosity. And I say that as someone who enjoys the aesthetics of black-and-white film.Same here, always wondered what it looks like. There's a lot you don't know. For instance, I only recently found out they actually wear blue suits in that film!
No kidding?! I always assumed those were grey suits 
Black and white is cool but it really does seem like a different/parallel world sometimes. I remember as a kid how jarring it was to see B&W photos or footage of them and then seeing color pictures taken by someone else at the same event/concert/session…hell, it's still jarring (but cool) now!
9.26pm
13 November 2011
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I agree. I think A Hard Day's Night should be released in 3 new sets. A deluxe set, include a black and white version, colorized version, and bonus material, and then the two by themselves with the bonus material. I love black and white films. There's some films you just can't watch in color. If Psycho was released in color, I wouldn't buy it… ever. But The Beatles are something that can go either way.
9.32pm
1 December 2009
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Maybe they should release a special B&W version of Magical Mystery Tour to simulate its original British TV broadcast, too.
10.08pm
17 December 2012
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That I would go for. That would be true to the times. Like the mono and the stereo. I wouldn't watch a colourized AHDN if I was paid to. It's not how it was conceptualized.
11.41pm
5 November 2011
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MMT wasn't conceptualized in black and white, they didn't like it being played in black and white. I do think a colorized AHDN would probably look horrible, I've never seen a colorized movie that looked good.
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