Innehållsförteckning för August/September 2024 från Sound & Vision

Calibrated Emotions I’VE BEEN immersed in the world of audio and AV for over twenty years. During this time, I’ve come to understand that while technical knowledge is important, it can sometimes hinder emotional connection. This realization was starkly highlighted in a recent, unexpected experience. I found myself getting goosebumps while listening to a portable speaker. This was a first for me, a moment that defied my expectations and challenged my preconceptions. Usually, when I get goosebumps, it’s while listening to a system that costs as much as a car or a house. Sometimes, it will happen with more modest gear because triggering this involuntary reflex has nothing to do with cost or rational thought. The key is some magic combination of the right music and a system with performance…

Attention all preppers! Today’s column is right up your alley—or, more precisely—your tunnel to your underground bunker. Put down your MRE. Lay aside your auto-loading shotgun. This is important. We are discussing your favorite topic: Armageddon. Of course, everyone is familiar with Air Force One, the Boeing 747 designed to transport the President, well—presidentially. In case of imminent global annihilation, the aircraft also serves as a kind of safe room, keeping the commander-in-chief secure and flying high even while, regrettably, the flyover country below burns. But do you know about the fleet of Doomsday airplanes? Currently, there are four E-4B Nightwatch aircraft, highly modified Boeing 747s, that would board all the Beltway muckety-mucks (first class, naturally) and thus ensure the continuity of government decision-making during and after a nuclear war.…

THE TWENTIETH century had its Roaring Twenties; welcome to the twenty-first’s Streaming Twenties. Integrated amplifiers equipped with on-board streaming facilities and software, and the requisite digital-to-analog conversion hardware, have taken the place that the stereo receiver once held, back in the 1960’s, ’70’s, and ’80’s. They are today’s entry-level drug to the world of serious music repro, just as network streaming has become the agent of music discovery, the role played by alternative FM radio back in the day. (Though we didn’t have algorithms to pick tracks for us….) Technics’ new example, the SU-GX70 Network Audio Amplifier, thus announces its function right in the name. Technics, the serious audio brand of mega-manufacturer Panasonic, has an illustrious history. Most notable for its direct-drive turntables accepted as the standard by generations of DJ’s,…

DUNE: PART TWO is the second installment in director Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel. It explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future. This film is epic in scope and I enjoyed the development of the characters, the construct of the plot and the balance between emotion and staying true to the story’s science fiction elements. The continuing drama that follows the journey of Paul Atreides marches forward, painting in finer strokes as it brings into focus the events that will shape the course of…

CHINATOWN IS a great jumping-on point for anyone looking to take their love of movies to the next level. It’s an entertaining and brilliantly constructed period fiction about the very real history of Los Angeles, and the generous complement of bonus content on the new Paramount Presents 50th anniversary 4K edition can teach us plenty about the true events as well as the behind-the-scenes drama. Jack Nicholson plays J.J. Gittes, a world-weary private investigator with a heart of gold, hired to find proof of the supposed extramarital affair of a rich, influential city engineer… but is there more to this case than meets the eye? And what does it have to do with the drought that’s presently wreaking havoc on so many Angelenos? The locale of the title is a…

SHOT OVER four nights in December of 1983 at Los Angeles’ Pantages Theatre, Stop Making Sense captured Talking Heads at their zenith. Elaborately conceived yet produced without the pomp and pyrotechnics of a big-dollar stadium show, it relies instead on inspiration and the sheer talent of all involved. Frontman David Byrne takes the stage alone with an acoustic version of “Psycho Killer” before he is joined by the three other founding members, one by one, soon banging out gem after gem. After touring together for a year in support of Speaking in Tongues, the group exhibits an electric confidence, infusing them with an evident joy matched only by ours in hearing this incredible music. The proof is in the live audience, where it’s an absolute party. For the movie’s 40th…

I GIVE David Sanborn all the credit for my exposure to Pixies’ second full-length album, April 1989’s Doolittle. It was November 30, 1989, and I had just tuned in to a short-lived late-night NBC show called Sunday Night. The black-turtleneck-clad Sanborn, that season’s host, introduced the performance simply and succinctly as, “And now, making their first appearance on American television—please welcome, the Pixies.” And with that, the angular alt-rock four-piece from Boston tore right into “Monkey Gone to Heaven.” Drummer David Lovering’s insistent snare hits set the table for vocalist/guitarist Black Francis to lean back, look upward, and sing about “10 million pounds of sludge” and the numeric logic behind why “God is 7.” Concurrently, bassist Kim Deal’s thoughtful, anchoring low-end and her hypnotic vocal harmonies, along with lead guitarist…

When I shopped for a motorized recliner, I rejected models with their own Internet Protocol address and built-in speakers. No need. I had already placed a smart speaker on an étagère beside the space where I had planned to put the chair. I’d have a smartphone in my hand and the room would be bathed in Wi-Fi. After doing research online, I realized I must visit an actual showroom. Being able to kick the tires takes on added import when your butt and back are on the line for hours at a time. As I eased my body into the cushy firmness of one chair after another, I rejected models that were heated or came with massage settings. My goal wasn’t to be pampered as much as to acquire a…

FIFTY-FIVE YEARS ago on August 15, 1969, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair commenced at Max Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, New York, at exactly 5:07 p.m., which was the very moment rhythmic folk ’n’ soul singer/songwriter Richie Havens took the stage. World culture—popular, political, and sociological—has never quite been the same ever since Havens strummed the opening chords of “From the Prison” on his battered Guild D40 acoustic guitar, and the first sounds of Woodstock rang out into eternity. Indeed, the deeply felt vibes of three—well, technically, four—days of music, communion, and collective harmony instantly catapulted that long, heady, extended weekend of August 15-18, 1969, directly into the history books. The zeitgeist event that was Woodstock showed everyone how the counterculture ethos had spread and bled into the mainstream. Over…

GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE is the latest entry in the Monsterverse film franchise, pitting Kong and Godzilla, against an undiscovered threat while delving further into the histories of these Titans and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond. The previous movie, Godzilla vs. Kong, didn’t have an especially strong story and this latest installment is even weaker. The endearing relationship between Kong and little Jia is replaced by the pairing of Kong with a younger giant ape he befriends in the subterranean world. The backstory surrounding the villainous “Scar King” doesn’t add up, especially given the power of the beast he uses to do his bidding. The proposed comic relief in characters Bernie and Trapper is silly, and the attempts at drama—such as the subplot involving Jia’s predestined…

ANNE PARILLAUD stars as La Femme Nikita (or just plain “Nikita” on the title card), a feral young heroin addict convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, before a shadowy government organization swoops in and procures her for an elite training program. Her old life is over as she is polished into a resourceful super-agent, ready to do whatever her bosses ask whenever they call, even if it means killing at a moment’s notice. It’s essentially a dual role for Ms. Parillaud and she nails both, thanks in large part to her big, expressive big blue eyes that exude pure joy during the calm, normal moments of her new reality but just as powerfully the fear of dying and the toll that all her lies exact upon her love…

PURPLE RAIN is a semi-autobiographical musical film, boasting a wildly popular soundtrack album of the same name. Based on a story from Prince and screenplay by William Blinn (TV’s Fame), Albert Magnoli, who would eventually become Prince’s manager, directed it. Prince plays “The Kid,” a struggling musician whose band The Revolution gigs at the Minneapolis club First Avenue. A dysfunctional family life, band infighting and a rivalry with another band complicate The Kid’s life, but none so much as his relationship with a beautiful young singer, Appollonia (Apollonia Kotero), newly arrived and looking to make it big. The film is campy, and the dialogue is often poorly delivered, but it’s best taken as a collection of exhilarating musical performances interspersed with some superb comic relief from The Time’s Morris Day.…

In an age when the physical media landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, Arrow Video is right there to give Blu-ray/4K collectors what they crave. A prolific licensee of studio films, this independent label treats each one with care and respect, often undertaking their own new scans from the best available film elements, enhancing them with bonus content and packaging them with beautiful artwork and even tangible inserts reminiscent of the glory days of LPs. Their line of “limited editions” (they really do sell out and many routinely go for higher prices on the secondary market) assembles an eclectic bunch of recent and classic titles in sought-after releases month after month. Here’s a look at some of their latest offerings. Crimson Peak Limited Edition 4K UHD We begin with a…

From the service calls I make, where I go into clients’ homes to service systems installed in racks and cabinets, I can say that for the majority of people, it is infrequent. Chances are you probably do not think about the state of your electronic devices too often. Oh, you might think about all the upgrades you would like to make; where you would put those new tower speakers, or how a second or third subwoofer would really tame those bass modes in your room, or how much more cinematic a larger screen would be. Sure, you think about that part of your system. But how often do you think about the well-being of your system? My suggestion is that at least once a year you give your system a…

These in-room measurements were made using the Parts Express OmniMic measuring software with the microphone positioned at ear height in the main listening position about 10 feet from the left and right speakers. The results shown here are for the SVS Ultra Evolution Titan, left channel only (the right channel wasn’t markedly different). Experience has shown that an average of several readings in my room, taken across an L/R span of about 2 feet at the listening seat, differs little from the single position measurement shown here. All the curves are 1/6th octave smoothed. Specs ULTRA EVOLUTION TITAN ($4000/PAIR) CABINET DIMENSIONS: 46.54" x 9.8" x 17.3" (H x W x D) WEIGHT (UNBOXED): 69.7 pounds FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 27Hz to 40kHz (± 3dB) SENSITIVITY: 88dB (2.8V @ 1 meter full space…

Back in the ‘90s, comedy bros Matt Stone and Trey Parker rocked the small screen with the boundary-pushing antics of Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny, soon transporting them to the cineplex with South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Pulling in characters and plot points from the weekly show, the movie pits the foul-mouthed tykes against the combined might of Satan, Saddam Hussein and an out-of-control parent organization, all of whom have a vested interest in the execution of Canadian funnymen Terrance and Phillip for their alleged corruption of young minds. It’s a meta commentary that plays like a true feature film, not merely an overblown episode, owing much to the genuinely catchy songs. Many viewers were surprised to discover that this is a full-on musical—and a damned good one—hinting at…

AFTER EARLY stints writing comic books and the screenplay for Richard Donner’s Assassins, the Wachowskis were ready to make their directorial debut with Bound, an edgy suspense thriller with a surprisingly sweet, intense love story at its core. Jennifer Tilly (never better than here) and Gina Gershon (such an interesting and—in my opinion—underrated actress) star as two women with a lot in common who yearn for a way out of their mob-adjacent lifestyles, so they hatch a risky scheme to escape with $2 million of the Family’s dough. As often happens, their careful plotting counts for nothing when miscalculations send the plan sideways, with more than a little loss of life before it’s all settled. Thanks to a lot of hard work and an almost stage-like reliance upon minimal sets, the…

TAKEN FROM a story by Dario Argento, Once Upon a Time in the West is one of filmmaker Sergio Leone’s greatest westerns, exploring the corruption and violence of the waning days of the Wild West. Disabled railroad tycoon Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti) hires three killers, led by steely-eyed Frank (Henry Fonda playing against type) to kill Brett McBain (Frank Wolff), the owner of some prime real estate he wants to control. But McBain’s newly arrived wife, former prostitute Jill (Claudia Cardinale), arrives after he is killed and, now widowed, inherits the property. Meanwhile, the outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards) and the mysterious Harmonica (Charles Bronson), motivated by a secret connection to Frank, also arrive in town and take it upon themselves to battle Frank and Morton, to protect Jill. Leone infuses the…

SCARY MOVIES from around the globe each have a unique flavor, and Italian horror is certainly no different. With the help of Severin Films, I recently rediscovered the works of writer/director Michele Soavi who, after his 1987 debut StageFright, embarked upon an impressive three-movie run, all newly released in 4K special editions and all in Dolby Vision for good measure. The titles and the cover art notwithstanding, the themes don’t veer into religion so much as the supernatural, realized with eerie moods, gruesome makeup effects, and no shortage of nudity. Proceed at your own risk. The Church This trio kicks off with The Church (La Chiesa), a 1989 collab with cine maestro Dario Argento and co-starring then-14-year-old daughter Asia Argento. After the massacre of accused devil worshippers in medieval Germany,…