Looking for top 10 list on Surround sound movies

[Ryanm]

Just what the title says, I have some favorites for surround sound, but I'm looking for the best of the best surround sound movies. Movies that make you turn your head when shots are fired, that sort of thing. I am hoping to compile this list and have a benchmark suite of movies to really show off a surround sound system. So lets have em!

[eqm]

Just what the title says, I have some favorites for surround sound, but I'm looking for the best of the best surround sound movies. Movies that make you turn your head when shots are fired, that sort of thing. I am hoping to compile this list and have a benchmark suite of movies to really show off a surround sound system. So lets have em!

in no particular order:

master and commander--scene 4
U-571--DTS depth charge scene
Toy Story 2--scene 2 and the one where they're crossing the street
Blade 2--the scene down in the sewers
Saving Private Ryan DTS--storming the beach
Open Range--gunshots
T3-firetruck chase scene
Super Speedway--any of the racing scenes

hope this helps

[Dusty Chalk]

...but I have by no means seen enough movies to attempt to state that these are the best. I just think they're worth seeing for the stated purpose of head-turning surround effects that still jive with the story:

Princess Mononoke -- the scene where a character is surrounded by wood sprites -- it's aural as well as visual.

From Dusk Til Dawn -- the scene where one of the characters chucks an arm (it's mentioned in the commentary).

The Others -- not telling. Heh-heh.

Equilibrium -- the dark scene (very early).

[eisforelectronic]

"One" from Metallica's Cunning Stunts DVD

Anyone try "The Day After Tomorrow" yet?

[alumpkin]

Anyone try "The Day After Tomorrow" yet?

No, but I bet the parts in the movie when everything instantly freezes would be great. I bet you could hear everything around you freezing. I also would imagine all of the natural disaster scenes would be great, especially with the tital wave and the tornados. I saw The Day After Tomorrow in theatres and was impressed with the sound effects so I assume the DVD surround audio will be top notch.

[Ryanm]

I read somewhere that blues brothers 2000 or something is supposed to be amazing. I happen to think the animated pixar movies tend to be great as well. Another movie that impressed me was From Hell, the surround on that is kinda spooky.

[Lexmark3200]

"One" from Metallica's Cunning Stunts DVD

Anyone try "The Day After Tomorrow" yet?


I bought The Day After Tomorrow on release day and the DTS track is pretty impressive; gotta say, not absolutely jaw-dropping, but impressive nonetheless; it actually sounds more like a very good Dolby 5.1 mix more like a full bitrate DTS track --- although Terrence or someone else would probably be better at telling you if it is in fact a full bitrate DTS mix.

Here is my reply to this original post for surround sound moments:

Most everyone who already replied here hit the nail on the head with regard to good demo scenes; most notable are:

-U571 (DTS; just about anything being depth charged will rock your home theater --- just be sure not to have this turned up too loud if your equipment cant handle it....some of the bass on this track will dip way below what most people are used to.)

-Saving Private Ryan (DTS; that opening Normandy beach scene is absolutely JAW DROPPING....bullets coming from everywhere in the soundstage, and although the mix gets very soft in the dialogue as the DVD moves on, the remaining battle sequences are just as awesome as that beach scene....listen for the bass when the tanks roll in toward the end. Saving Private Ryan shouldnt be bought in any other version other than this stand alone, now rare DTS disc.)

-Gladiator (DTS ES; any sequence when Crowe is in the arena sounds breathtaking, and this DVD STILL stands up to the tests of time while other more modern action films have made their way to the format. It was the first DVD I ever bought when I got my surround system and DVD player, and it still rocks. DreamWorks is a great home video studio offering most of their releases with earth shaking DTS mixes, a la Gladiator, The Last Castle, Saving Private Ryan and The Haunting. Listen for the part when Crowe is fighting those tigers toward the middle; awesome when you turn up your system (the DVD is in DTS ES 6.1 but still sounds great downconverted for 5.1) and those tigers growl and roar around you.)

-Terminator 3 (Dolby Digital 5.1; many home theater enthusiasts like me yelled foul when Warner Bros released this film in Dolby 5.1 only with no DTS, but make no mistake about it: this is one pumped up, full-bitrate Dolby mix that really, really kicks ass. Very loud and aggressive, especially during the mentioned crane chase scene and also check out the beginning when the missile flies over your right shoulder and explodes in the middle of the screen. Also, when Arnold is firing that machine gun at the police while holding the casket....wow....bullets rip everywhere and the bass is very deep for a machine gun sequence.)

-The Haunting (DTS ES; not a lot going on story wise, but the bass on this disc....WOW....this soundtrack will shake your house to pieces once the doors of Hill House start slamming shut. The most low end Ive ever heard on a soundtrack.)

-The Patriot (Dolby Digital 5.1; while there is a Superbit version of this title available with DTS, the standard Special Edition disc with the Dolby mix sounds awesome, bringing the Revolutionary War to life once the muskets start firing and the cannons start blasting. Lots of bullet surround usage on this mix.)

I could go on and on, but other notable mentions are:

-Jurassic Park DTS (listen for the T rex bellowing and its footsteps)
-Bad Boys/Bad Boys II (Dolby Digital 5.1)
-Black Hawk Down Superbit (DTS; definitely better than the standard Dolby versions)
-Daredevil (DTS)