Loud music/guns/explosions - quiet dialogue?

Absolutely_Cart

Why do movies do this.

It works great in a theatre or for homes with surround sound systems, but probably 90% of people who are buying DVD's just have regular TV speakers. So they have to raise the volume during the dialogue moments and lower it during the action. It's really stupid.

Projectorman

The first dvd I ever heard in Dolby digital 5.1 on DVD was TND it blew my mind, even on my very modest system, I payed out to buy a system that could support the format because it was my hobby and it was the best way to enjoy the new surround sound experience, this was back in 1999, even back then the price I payed for the system was well within the reach of myself,an ordinary working man.
Since then things have advanced even more with HD surround ( blue ray)so what you are listening to on your TV from a DVDs(maybe a flatscreen lcd or plasma with really small internal speakers)is a stereo down mix of the original 5:1 mix - I.e mixing down a centre ,left,right,rear left right and a subwoofer soundtrack to stereo mix ,this will inevitably confuse the sound field you hear and even more so sound terrible through the poor speakers found in modern flatscreen tv's.
My advice to you - spend a little money on a nice sound bar, or cheap surround system , sit back and enjoy the difference - you won't be sorry- sounds to me like your TV is as old as your avatar

Thunderpussy

It can't be an age thing as I think AC is quite young, but I've never had a problem
Hearing dialogue in action sequences. I have had to repeat them for my wife as
She seems to miss parts.

MilleniumForce

I think it's just where the sound effects have been added in over the actual filming and the lines have not been re done. Let's look at the Q line in TWINE in the helicopter scene. Sometimes it's quite difficult to hear him say "Q's not..." Because of the extra sound effects of the saws have been put over it.

Mr Martini

Of course there's one of the more annoying mix of loud sound and quiet talk. If you've ever seen the movie Thirteen Days you know what I'm talking about. A movie with lots of talking, then you get blasted out of your seat with jet engines firing up or something like that.