Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[BouCoupDinkyDau]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yep. There are so many new digital zooms and/or camera moves in Star Wars it's not even funny.

I think it's reasonable (but not necessarily probable) to envision that Disney and Fox have worked out a deal, and that a new full saga set will release just prior to Episode VII's release, the main selling point of which will be the fully restored OT without any extra bells or whistles (like branching). I wonder if they'd remaster Epi I for the fans that were disappointed with it? Doesn't matter to me either way.

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by BouCoupDinkyDau

I think it's reasonable (but not necessarily probable) to envision that Disney and Fox have worked out a deal, and that a new full saga set will release just prior to Episode VII's release, the main selling point of which will be the fully restored OT without any extra bells or whistles (like branching). I wonder if they'd remaster Epi I for the fans that were disappointed with it? Doesn't matter to me either way.

In regards to EP. I, how about the original theatrical cut? It's only available on VHS and laserdisc.

[thebard]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

In regards to EP. I, how about the original theatrical cut? It's only available on VHS and laserdisc.

I don't much care for Episode I, but I do own that laserdisc. Given the limitations of the technology it is a top-of-the-line transfer, with audio that also holds its own.

And I don't miss the extended footage. At all.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

In regards to EP. I, how about the original theatrical cut? It's only available on VHS and laserdisc.

I'd love that. The extra stuff does nothing for the film except pad it out (there's a surprise) so a return to the theatrical version would be great. And it's very obvious on the Blu-ray that the new VFX shots completed for the DVD release just aren't the same quality as the theatrical shots. I even recorded the Japanese LD to DVD in my quest to keep the original cut alive.

Trouble is, the movie isn't going to get looked at again for quite a while. LFL already went back to the digital files for the Blu-ray, whereupon Lowry scrubbed the living daylights out of it. If we're lucky we'll get a 3D Blu-ray someday.

Originally Posted by RyanPom

I'm just glad they didn't decide to shake up Raiders too. It's fine as it is.

Funny you should say that, Raiders was on TV the other day and it had the redone digital version of the truck driving over the edge of the cliff. Took me by surprise as I'd quite forgotten about it.

[thebard]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Anakin was a great Jedi, so it's obvious people would remember him. I was under the impression no one knows Vader is Anakin outside of Ben and Yoda.

Well, it was aparently enough to prompt Lucas to cover up the dialogue with a wipe when he reinserted the footage.

[RyanPom]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Funny you should say that, Raiders was on TV the other day and it had the redone digital version of the truck driving over the edge of the cliff. Took me by surprise as I'd quite forgotten about it.

Oh man, I forgot about that one. The guys in the truck looked terrible. Thankfully on the BR, they put the original shot back in.

[BillieCassin]

Originally Posted by JavaJulien

Given Disney's latest track record though, if a UOT actually ends up happening, I wouldn't expect much in the bonus features department.

They also do stellar releases for their A-list films, so I fully expect Star Wars to be some variation of the "Platinum" line.

But besides special features, I don't think many people would argue that Disney does beautiful restorations and transfers. I think they will give Star Wars the A++ treatment like we have never seen. I don't think any other studio is more careful with their library, in all aspects.

It's funny that so many on the Internet (this is just a general observation, nothing to do with the gentleman I am quoting above) cried out almost as one when they heard Disney was taking over like somehow we just went to hell, LOL. For me, it was the absolute best news I ever heard about Star Wars - I trust Disney will do all the things that George wouldn't, and I think that's a good thing. Chewbacca and Darth Vader were already dancing to 70's beats in the theme parks years ago - that's the image people took from it. Me, I knew they aren't going to be refussing with the films again (Special Special Special Special Edition?), they have a stellar record of amazing transfers, and I trust that, just like when they took the reigns of Marvel, this was the best thing that could have happened.

Originally Posted by tylergfoster

They can probably even lose some special features from the 2011 Blu-Ray box set. I can't say a reel of Star Wars parodies is among the best extras I've ever watched.

But we both watched it - suckers we are! LOL. Though I think I might have skipped through...I just didn't give a crap.

I completely agree - that's what convinced me that he was already planning to sell back then. There was SO MUCH missing from that set, it was no where near complete or definitive, and that was a big old disc of filler. It was brilliant - it proved the relevance and continued the unprecedented significance of the franchise yet again, but held some very key features back (including the most important - the unedited Empire of Dreams) to keep value in a new release. It was brilliant.

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

It takes longer to navigate the blu ray and load up some of the shorter deleted scenes then it actually takes to watch it. They really just needed a play all for every deleted scene contained on each disc.

Yeah, I don't mind (and actually like) one nice intro animation to the first menu, but they so overdo it. It reminds me of the early Buffy sets where you had to navigate all through the cemetery to get to an episode.

One thing that was nice is that the discs have resume...the single most annoying thing to me is that this is not standard, and that we took a step back from DVD. It is nice that a player with memory can remember even after taking it out IF the disc has it, but I'd trade that for just remembering while it's in the player. Especially since my DVD player didn't auto-shut off that can't be disabled.

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I like how when you watch them in order with the prequels first when you get to the original trilogy everything Ben tells Luke is a lie or how he seems to completely forget things. I guess it was old age.

When I think about that all that is in my head is "his explanation was enough for me as a kid, I never thought 'Gee I wish they made 3 Star Wars movie about those few sentences'". I just never was curious in the least.

Originally Posted by BouCoupDinkyDau

When the SE's were announced, that's what most people expected to get. Lucas basically said he was restoring the film and replacing some of the worst model shots and mattes.

I never had a problem with this. I love the redone battle sequences over the Death Star in ANH, or the opening up of Cloud City to make it feel more alive, but like many, I hate all the other crap (the Jabba scene, Han shooting last, the disrupted Cloud City escape, the dumb musical number at Jabba's palace, Hayden's ghost, and so on).

Given the choice between the two, I'll take the junk mattes and bad model work any day of the week.

LOL I actually had to double check because for a second I thought I was replying to my own post.

That's precisely how I feel, down to the scene.

I'm fine with spiffing stuff up, and even some of the more significant changes (like the Cloud City windows) were welcome. But what bothered me, and I think a lot of others like you, was the stuff that just changed the entire tone of the scene/film. That, and the fact that a lot of the CG simply sucked. The tech was not there. Even today it still wouldn't look right - the films were not filmed (and more importantly, lit) to have CG shoved in everywhere. Basically, the backgrounds and small visual details are one things - but characters that weren't there, etc. are always going to stick out like sore thumbs.

I'm just glad he didn't digitally replace Yoda in ESB...I'm sure it was discussed! LOL.

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I just want the Unmolested Original Trilogy so I can act like the prequels never happened. The way Star Wars stands now is the rise/fall/redemption of Anakin Skywalker. It wouldn't be so bad if Lucas hadn't turned him into a whiny brat who kills children and ushers in a dictatorship because he had a temper tantrum. As it stands I don't care if Anikan is redeemed. He doesn't deserve it.

Yeah, it kind of takes away the entire mysterious villainy of the character. All I can think of at times when I used to find him imposing is not even so much the whiny little boy, but stupid teenage Anakin. I can't think of one moment in any of the prequels I ever cared about his fate or identified with him. I liked Padme, but I never really saw what she saw in Anakin, and her death was the dumbest thing in the entire prequels. And considering that the prequels had fart jokes and Jar Jar, that's really saying something.

I still like parts, it's not like I never watch them - but I think overall it was a waste that could have made a story I wanted to see, or characters I cared about. It hit on both marks, which is why I love Star Wars enough to watch them and accept them, but I'll never love them the way I do the OT.

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

The celebration music used in Return of the Jedi is one of the few things I like about the Special Editions.

Originally Posted by Canuck21

Yeah me too, but Yub Nub is the original so I still prefer that one.

And that, my friends - is why choice is good!

Though, honestly, particularly with what I said above about liking some changes and not others - it obviously would never be possible to please everyone, which is why having the Blu-ray cuts and the original cuts would be enough for most. And we could mix and match as we please.

It's been said that doing seamless branching would be too much for them because virtually every shot has had something done, so it would need to be two full copies of the films - they would probably never do it, but in that case spread the films out over multiple discs. I'd actually be fine with that. Maybe do that in a "super collectors set" and do the single discs ones at mass market. Totally unlikely, but I'd easily pay $200 for a Blu-ray set that had each film spread across two discs with seamless branching, all the trailers they can muster, new commentaries by the big 3 (who will all be gathering together to film the new ones anyway), with appearances by Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, and Kenny Baker, and Billy Dee and Warwick Davis in their appropriate films, and, of course, full uncut Empire of Dreams.

That's all I want.

I do think the commentary thing will happen - they are all gathering together to make these new films, it's definitely possible. And I bet they do it sooner than later, since I'm pretty confident that if Harrison signed back up on board that [spoiler] he will be dying rather early on, maybe even in the first film. I think that's the only way he would have ever signed. Han was supposed to die at the end of the first film, and again in ROTJ and he really wanted it to happen.

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I don't even believe when Lucas was making A New Hope that Vader was meant to be Luke's father. Why? Well, for one, Obi convincingly told Luke Vader killed his father (not buying into the "from a certain point of view" stated Jedi) and discussed a little about his father in general. And, Vader nearly took out Luke in the Death Star trench and most certainly would have if it weren't for Han in the Falcon swooping in.

He didn't. See the link to Secret History of Star Wars in my sig - the article it links to is about the SE's/state of the negative, but there is an article on the site that goes pretty in depth on that and that Leia was not originally the sister.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by thebard

Well, it was aparently enough to prompt Lucas to cover up the dialogue with a wipe when he reinserted the footage.

The excision of that line was a truly rare thing: Lucas actually tidied up a continuity gaffe instead of creating an all-new one.

[klauswhereareyou]

To me the scene in A New Hope that is ruined the most by the special editin isn't the Han/Greedo scene, but the scene where Obi-Wan uses the Jedi mind trick on the stormtroopers in Mos Eisley. It was originally a tense scene between the troopers and Kenobi, but then Lucas had to add in CGI dinosaurs walking by and little flying robots.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by BillieCassin

I'm just glad he didn't digitally replace Yoda in ESB...I'm sure it was discussed! LOL.

They did tests and everything, but they eventually persuaded Lucas not to go there. He even mentions in the commentary for Empire that, if it had been made today, Yoda wouldn't be in Luke's backpack and he'd be bouncing around alongside him!

It's been said that doing seamless branching would be too much for them because virtually every shot has had something done, so it would need to be two full copies of the films - they would probably never do it, but in that case spread the films out over multiple discs. I'd actually be fine with that. Maybe do that in a "super collectors set" and do the single discs ones at mass market.

The Blade Runner 5-disc set is pretty much what you've described right there, so it CAN be done. Final, ultimate cut of each film, possibly branched with the '97 SE's (which I'd like to see retained from a theatrical preservation standpoint, and they're really what got me back into Star Wars). Then the unaltered originals, with branching for SW's Episode IV title change, and as many of the original soundtracks replicated as possible. Bundle in the missing extras from the DVDs (no Empire of Dreams? That wasn't "brilliant", just brilliant trolling by Mr Lucas) along with all that golden deleted material and some teaser material for Ep VII, and you'd have a killer boxset that fans would go crazy for. That Mouse sure has big ears, I hope he's listening to all of this!

[stvn1974]

So far everyone in here has great ideas for an ideal ultimate Star Wars box set and proving why they don't work for movie studios.

[Geoff D]

[snip]

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

That Mouse sure has big ears, I hope he's listening to all of this!

I'm fully expecting Blade Runner style releases for the first three films with Final Cuts of each and new special editions of the prequels.

[thebard]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Why so snarky?

I think stvn was just implying that (so far) the studios haven't had great ideas for an ultimate box set.

[RyanPom]

Maybe on the ANH 50 Anniversary we'll get the original edition.

[Takeshi666]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

In regards to EP. I, how about the original theatrical cut? It's only available on VHS and laserdisc.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I even recorded the Japanese LD to DVD in my quest to keep the original cut alive.

Not that I'm trying to be condescending or anything, but I've noticed that it seems like a lot of people flat out forget that the limited edition DVDs with the original theatrical cuts (the first movie even eschews the Ep.I ANH subtitle in the opening scroll!) even exist.

Is it deliberate? Is there something wrong with them compared to the LDs and the VHS tapes that makes people want to forget about them?

[thebard]

Originally Posted by Takeshi666

Not that I'm trying to be condescending or anything, but I've noticed that it seems like a lot of people flat out forget that the limited edition DVDs with the original theatrical cuts (the first movie even eschews the Ep.I ANH subtitle in the opening scroll!) even exist.

Is it deliberate? Is there something wrong with them compared to the LDs and the VHS tapes that makes people want to forget about them?

We're talking about Ep. I (Phantom Menace), not Eps. IV-VI.
The theatrical cut of Phantom Menace has not been released on DVD or blu.

But, now that you bring it up, some feel that the limited edition dvd transfers of the OT contain more DNR/smearing/poor black levels than the LD versions...

[Takeshi666]

Originally Posted by thebard

We're talking about Ep. I (Phantom Menace), not Eps. IV-VI.
The theatrical cut of Phantom Menace has not been released on DVD or blu.

But, now that you bring it up, some feel that the limited edition dvd transfers of the OT contain more DNR/smearing/poor black levels than the LD versions...

Whoops.

Oh well, the '77 film will always be the first one to me.

But considering the LEs were basically LD dumps, I would imagine the fault is the mpeg compression, right? LD had none IIRC.

[thebard]

Originally Posted by Takeshi666

Whoops.

Oh well, the '77 film will always be the first one to me.

But considering the LEs were basically LD dumps, I would imagine the fault is the mpeg compression, right? LD had none IIRC.

I've only done casual comparisons between my "faces" edition LDs and the 2006 bonus DVDs, but it's pretty much a wash to my eyes. Yes, there may be some compression visible on the DVD, but the LD is composite so you're gonna have some dot crawl. The LD may have a slight edge as far as audio... but with the DVD you don't need to change discs!

It's moot for me; I hardly ever watch either anymore because I have the Despecialized Edition - er, my memories of the theatrical viewing to carry me through...

[RyanPom]

I have the old storybooks and cards if I ever want to relive the first editions.