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Paul L. Smith

Paul L. Smith

4 Films

Paul L. Smith

4 Included Films

Paul L. Smith photo

Paul L. Smith (February 5, 1939 – April 25, 2012) was an American character actor. Burly, bearded, and imposing, he has appeared in films and occasionally on TV since the 1970s, generally playing "heavies" and bad guys. His most notable roles include Hamidou, the vicious prison warden in Midnight Express (1978), Bluto in Robert Altman's Popeye (1980) and the Beast Rabban in David Lynch's Dune (1984). He is sometimes credited as Paul Smith or Paul Lawrence Smith.

Popeye poster
Letterboxd
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Paramount Blu-ray

Popeye was mixed for a failed Vistasonic system with 4 discrete tracks (L/C/R/S). That mix has never been released on home video in its original form.

The older 5.1 track appearing on older DVD/BD releases sounds excellent. It appears to be a slight upmix of the original mix, only splitting the surrounds and adding LFE. It sounds close to the old analog LaserDisc, which is likely the original mix in a matrixed form.

The 5.1 included on the UHD is a new remix which significantly differs from previous tracks. There are new foley effects all over the place. Music is jarringly spliced in from different sources. Unlike the old 5.1 which had clearly discrete surrounds, the channels surrounds overlap somewhat with the fronts here.

Details on the new mix from Paramount's former head of restoration: https://youtu.be/P-AmjqViJyE?t=788

The 2.0 tracks on all DVDs/BDs are just downmixes of their respective 5.1 mixes.

Samples

Popeye poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Paramount Blu-ray

Popeye was mixed for a failed Vistasonic system with 4 discrete tracks (L/C/R/S). That mix has never been released on home video in its original form.

The older 5.1 track appearing on older DVD/BD releases sounds excellent. It appears to be a slight upmix of the original mix, only splitting the surrounds and adding LFE. It sounds close to the old analog LaserDisc, which is likely the original mix in a matrixed form.

The 5.1 included on the UHD is a new remix which significantly differs from previous tracks. There are new foley effects all over the place. Music is jarringly spliced in from different sources. Unlike the old 5.1 which had clearly discrete surrounds, the channels surrounds overlap somewhat with the fronts here.

Details on the new mix from Paramount's former head of restoration: https://youtu.be/P-AmjqViJyE?t=788

The 2.0 tracks on all DVDs/BDs are just downmixes of their respective 5.1 mixes.

Samples

Pieces poster
Letterboxd
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK Arrow Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

4K Blu-ray teased by Severin

Best Video:

UK Arrow Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The different releases all have exclusive extras: https://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=35931

Pieces poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK Arrow Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

4K Blu-ray teased by Severin

Best Video:

UK Arrow Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The different releases all have exclusive extras: https://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=35931

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Australia Imprint 4K Blu-ray?

TV Cut: Australia Imprint Blu-ray included in their 4K Blu-ray set?

Spicediver Cut: Germany Plaion Blu-ray included in their Ultimate Edition release

Best Video:

Theatrical: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Australian Imprint 4K Blu-ray?

TV Cut: Australia Imprint Blu-ray included in their 4K Blu-ray set?

Spicediver Cut: Germany Plaion Blu-ray included in their Ultimate Edition release

Best Audio:

Universal 1998 DVD has the original 70mm 6-track mix in Dolby Digital 5.1

Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray (5.1 mix is an inferior remix)

Additional Info:

OOP Arrow LE has a bonus disc

Dune poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Australia Imprint 4K Blu-ray?

TV Cut: Australia Imprint Blu-ray included in their 4K Blu-ray set?

Spicediver Cut: Germany Plaion Blu-ray included in their Ultimate Edition release

Best Video:

Theatrical: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Australian Imprint 4K Blu-ray?

TV Cut: Australia Imprint Blu-ray included in their 4K Blu-ray set?

Spicediver Cut: Germany Plaion Blu-ray included in their Ultimate Edition release

Best Audio:

Universal 1998 DVD has the original 70mm 6-track mix in Dolby Digital 5.1

Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray (5.1 mix is an inferior remix)

Additional Info:

OOP Arrow LE has a bonus disc

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has solid encode but controversial colors by Hiventy

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has solid encode but controversial colors by Hiventy

4 films