Just watched this for the first time last night. I was a bit underwhelmed, though partially I think this was due to the really poor sound level on the dialogue - as in many cases the music was fine, often resulting in constant volume adjustment! just a warning to anyone considering buying the Warners UK DVD of this - it is oddly double sided, with a regular screen version on side A and a widescreen version on side B.
I've read a few reviews with these sort of problems with the 2001 UK version. It's still the version being sold new now. Thanks for the warning, it does help, along with the 40th(?!) anniversary coming up, that it may be worth waiting until next year in the hope a new remastered version will be released. I'm guessing the soundtrack is mono, even the music which would sound even better if remastered into stereo as it was originally recorded. Same goes for Superfly- great music on there too, but still mono on the film.
Just bought the remastered Dirty Harry from the same era, and the sound is better than many much later films, though it may have had better audio than Shaft in the first place.
"So this is the planet Houston"
I've just watched "Shaft" on TCM and this is the first time I ever noticed a very poor sound in a movie. Oh well, the film wasn't that good anyway.
shareThe region 1 DVD I just watched had kinda crappy sound, too.
http://www.rateyourmusic.com/~JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies
Loved the film but the dialogue had really bad sound here in Region 4.
share