THE PUNISHER (Mark Goldblatt, 1989)

[Dolph_Fan]

The first (like most releases of the film even on Blu-ray) sounds to me like Mono on two channels, while the second one sounds like the proper stereo/surround mix (Goldblatt confirmed to me it was a four tracks stereo mix)

I analysed both sources digitally:

• Both have 2 channels (stereo)
• The LaserDisc version's channels are near identical (compensating for some differences due to analogue noise and compression). Approximately 99% similar
• The Blu-Ray version's channels are very identical (compensating for some differences due to analogue noise and compression). Approximately 85% similar

Overall the Blu-Ray version is more stereo than the LaserDisc version. But this is due to the reasons mentioned above, or it could be due to it being 'synthesised' stereo (or 'surround sound' ?). Also the nature of the audio in the samples was not an optimum selection for analysis.

Overall both sources are Mono.


NOTE: This is not a good analysis, because:

• When digitizing the LaserDisc, both channels may not have been captured (one captured channel could have been duplicated)
• YouTube may alter a video with a single channel to one with two channels (duplicating the single channel). (When uploading)
• YouTube may alter a video with two channels to one with two identical (duplicating a channel). (When uploading)

Only real way would be to create sources for comparison by:

• Digitizing the LaserDisc yourself, ensuring you captured both channels.
• Extracting video from the Blu-Ray, ensuring you do not re-encode it.

[Jox]

I analysed both sources digitally:

May I ask what does your "digital analysis" consist of? Have you even listened to the tracks ? (with headphones)

Overall the Blu-Ray version is more stereo than the LaserDisc version. But this is due to the reasons mentioned above, or it could be due to it being 'synthesised' stereo (or 'surround sound' ?).

What you call "synthesised stereo" like certain 5.1 remixes of mono movies, often still betrays its mono sources.

NOTE: This is not a good analysis

Thank you your honor. My analysis are organic and empirical. Maybe I'm totally wrong, but I listened to too many records and films in my life to make the difference between a native stereo mix and a "simulated" or "synthesised" one.

• When digitizing the LaserDisc, both channels may not have been captured (one captured channel could have been duplicated)
• YouTube may alter a video with a single channel to one with two channels (duplicating the single channel). (When uploading)
• YouTube may alter a video with two channels to one with two identical (duplicating a channel). (When uploading)

Only real way would be to create sources for comparison by:

• Digitizing the LaserDisc yourself, ensuring you captured both channels.
• Extracting video from the Blu-Ray, ensuring you do not re-encode it.

Sure Youtube compresses and alters the tracks but the difference is proportionally equal to listening to the Laserdisc and Blu-ray themselves so the Youtube factor shouldn't need to be taken into account.

[Dolph_Fan]

May I ask what does your "digital analysis" consist of? Have you even listened to the tracks ? (with headphones)

Comparison of the digital representation. Sound is sampled say 44,000 times a second, each sample is assigned a value of amplitude (loudness), this is the digital representation. The comparison of these sampled values (between the Left and Right channels) is the analysis. No, never listened to them with headphones, hence the analysis I provided was 'digital', only.

Thank you your honor. My analysis are organic and empirical. Maybe I'm totally wrong, but I listened to too many records and films in my life to make the difference between a native stereo mix and a "simulated" or "synthesised" one.

You may well be right, I have little experience in what you mention you have done/do. (Hence the analysis I provided was 'digital', only) - I.e. I cannot and do not comment on this. (When I mentioned "synthesised", it was to provide you with something for you to consider. Or looking at it another way, I was providing a possible explanation why there is differences between the channels, as I know nothing more).

I provided an additional factor for you to include, when you consider what you perceive.

(I did say there are differences between the channels)

Sure Youtube compresses and alters the tracks but the difference is proportionally equal to listening to the Laserdisc and Blu-ray themselves so the Youtube factor shouldn't need to be taken into account.

That's for you to decide. I was providing wisdom here (of YouTube's possible alterations), in general.

(But, like I mentioned, If, If, YouTube did strip away say the Right Channel, and replace it with a copy of Left channel (usually to save file size), or merge both channels into one channel and then have that as both the Left and the Right channels (usually to save file size), then no matter what you percieve to hear, it cannot possibly be real Stereo.)

Again, all my comments are from a 'digital' perspective, only. (Of the particular YouTube samples (not the whole movie)).

[Jox]

Hand painted poster from Ghana

[Jox]

In February 2015, circumstances got me started on what I didn't know would become an entire book about the genesis and making of THE PUNISHER.

After 9 months of corrections and polishing, I've finally completed the French edition which will be released soon.

An (extended) edition in English is planned, bare with me, it will take some more work...

Here is a FB page I just launched (and will use it for both editions):
https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook/

[Moltisanti]

Was there a particular motivating factor that caused the book to get off the ground?

[Jox]

Yes, but mostly there's a cult following and it's a very interesting film with lots to talk about, unknown facts and urban legends to deconstruct, making it an excellent subject !

The film seems to be slowly rehabilitated as a gem.

[Jox]

Here is a FB page I just launched (and will use it for both editions):
https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook/

You can like the page even if you're don't read French: I'll post news and trivia facts in both French and English.

[Jox]

https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook

Punisher : L'histoire secrète

THE PUNISHER is the rather unusual and unlikely case of an unknown 22-year-old screenwriter, Boaz Yakin (THE ROOKIE, FRESH, REMEMBER THE TITANS, SAFE), who managed to get a studio green-light a movie based on a Marvel comic book they own the rights to while letting him write the script. It's one of the first fan films in a way.

Punisher : L'histoire secrète

Presales promotional foldout with teaser artwork (before Dolph Lundgren was cast)




(click for full panoramic view of the unfolded item)

https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook

[Jox]

Vintage French teaser trailer
(originally on toutlecine.com)

[Jox]

More trivia on my upcoming book FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook/

Punisher : L'histoire secrète

Unveiled soon after production wrapped, this teaser trailer was screened in US theatres showing HELLRAISER II, and features footage that would be soon deleted...

More about the book content:

Punisher : L'histoire secrète

Debunking urban legends, this book tells the genesis of THE PUNISHER through rare anecdotes collected from the filmmakers and authors of the early comics.

It's an exhaustive examination of the genesis and writing, the influences, the casting, the costume and the infamous logo, the production, stunts and fights, the editing and evolution of the workprint, the French and US releases...

A look back at this B movie gem through its production and release, true testaments of a gone era for a rare film, to revisit and rehabilitate...

https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook/

[Jox]

French ads I kept from the "Officiel des spectacles", the parisian equivalent of "Time Out":
https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.Fi ... =3&theater

Punisher : L'histoire secrète

The French distributor took off "The" from the title to present him as a super-hero to unfamiliar audiences...!

https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook

[Jox]

This shot makes me think of Takeshi Kitano's HANA-BI / FIREWORKS even though it was made 8 years later (1997) :

[Jox]

http://www.bohans-family.com/sensei-spe ... n-r/rk.htm

Some of the people who you have worked with in the movies you've written for, are accomplished martial artists and not just action stars, have you had the opportunity to train with any of them? Say Jet Li, Pat Johnson, Fumio Demura, Dolph Lundgren, and Transporter star Jason Statham.

"I never trained with any of them. Dolph did knock me across the room once. And I traded kata with Demura sensei, well not actually traded, I showed him mine, he showed me his. He was very kind. And Jet Li. Forget Jet Li. This man's understanding of the true essence of martial arts is so profound, so beyond anyone else's understanding I have ever met, I cannot even begin to describe it in words. Jet no longer trains. He just meditates. We were in China, on the Tibetan plateau, at this Monastery, in the middle of nowhere, 13000 feet up. I would get up every morning and do my tai chi form, do my Ba Gua Zhang circle-walking forms. And Jet would just stand there and not quite laugh, smile bemused, is more like it. One day he said to me "Robert, I will show you all the martial arts you will ever need to know." He showed me four moves along the meridians of the body. One time. That was the extent of my training with Jet Li."

- Producer and re-writer Robert Mark Kamen who is a Goju-Ryu karate practitioner and expert, here pictured with Fumio Demura:





EDIT:

Punisher : L'histoire secrète

The first stills are unveiled by Starfix magazine (#66, November 1988) soon after the wrap of principal photography.

https://www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook

[Jox]

It seems that the actress who plays Tanaka's daughter, Zoshka Mizak also known as Zoska Aleece, passed away in 2015.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098141/boa ... /255758342

R.I.P.

She had become a certified healer.
http://www.healingwithoneness.com

Here is her resume and showreel
http://www.manafilms.scriptmania.com/photo5.html