Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[steel_breeze]

Okay, so… as far as I'm concerned, the "mystery of the 4K restoration" has been solved. I've been a professional cinematographer for 19 years and have gathered a lot of allies in production and post houses all over Los Angeles during the course of my 28 features. It just so happens one of those contacts (whom I deem trustworthy) has recently witnessed the new 4K restorations and revealed to me that they are some form of the "Special Edition" and are definitely NOT the unaltered original trilogy. I didn't press my contact on whether they're the blu-ray versions or the '97 versions or the DVD versions; frankly, I don't care... and I know my contact is not enough of a Star Wars fan to know. But they are definitely NOT the unaltered originals.

That's the nail in the coffin, for me… at least for the foreseeable future.

Very disappointing. It's a blow against cinema history: all those historic visual effects lost to time... like tears in the rain. (And that quote's from a movie that actually gives us a CHOICE when it comes to which version we want to watch.)

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Okay, so… as far as I'm concerned, the "mystery of the 4K restoration" has been solved. I've been a professional cinematographer for 19 years and have gathered a lot of allies in production and post houses all over Los Angeles during the course of my 28 features. It just so happens one of those contacts (whom I deem trustworthy) has recently witnessed the new 4K restorations and revealed to me that they are some form of the "Special Edition" and are definitely NOT the unaltered original trilogy. I didn't press my contact on whether they're the blu-ray versions or the '97 versions or the DVD versions; frankly, I don't care... and I know my contact is not enough of a Star Wars fan to know. But they are definitely NOT the unaltered originals.

That's the nail in the coffin, for me… at least for the foreseeable future.

Very disappointing. It's a blow against cinema history: all those historic visual effects lost to time... like tears in the rain. (And that quote's from a movie that actually gives us a CHOICE when it comes to which version we want to watch.)

It really would be a shame if those versions are lost forever, which makes the various fan preservations all the more important.

So it looks like we're getting an officially restored version in terms of PQ at some point (which I still say will be the 40th anniversary), but not the originals. Maybe that was one of the conditions of ol' George signing it all over, that they couldn't redo the originals until he's dead or something.

[Panama Jack]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Okay, so… as far as I'm concerned, the "mystery of the 4K restoration" has been solved. I've been a professional cinematographer for 19 years and have gathered a lot of allies in production and post houses all over Los Angeles during the course of my 28 features. It just so happens one of those contacts (whom I deem trustworthy) has recently witnessed the new 4K restorations and revealed to me that they are some form of the "Special Edition" and are definitely NOT the unaltered original trilogy. I didn't press my contact on whether they're the blu-ray versions or the '97 versions or the DVD versions; frankly, I don't care... and I know my contact is not enough of a Star Wars fan to know. But they are definitely NOT the unaltered originals.

That's the nail in the coffin, for me… at least for the foreseeable future.

Very disappointing. It's a blow against cinema history: all those historic visual effects lost to time... like tears in the rain. (And that quote's from a movie that actually gives us a CHOICE when it comes to which version we want to watch.)

I honestly believe they'll release the originals in Hi Def at some point, but they'll do it in conjunction with the Special Editions, similar to the GOUT DVD's. Or, they'll give us a version of the Special Edition that fixes some of the more controversial changes. Didn't someone post earlier in the thread that they had seen a 4K restoration of the Special Edition of ANH that has Han shooting first?

[Blu Myers]

I threw in Episode I tonight for May the 4th. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I love Star Wars!

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by GenPion

Maybe at this point they are holding them back until around the time E7 hits Blu-ray for the first time... maybe? Or Episode 8. I don't know.

I just hope it still happens. 4K releases should be a given but I really hope we get the UOT. The changes on the current Blu-ray releases are really annoying at times.

Well we already know that they can't do 4K releases of the versions that came out on DVD or Blu-Ray. Those were done completely digitally and locked in at 2K or whatever resolution it was created in.

To do a new 4K scan of the films would mean at least going back to the original 1997 Special Editions. I suppose you could redo some of the added material at that point to replicate the Blu-Ray versions, but I doubt they would do that-- they've already got those versions released on Blu-Ray and digital HD.

Like I said, I'm not worried about them releasing the UOT-- I still think its a matter of when and not if. Maybe they're going to release some ultimate set with every version of the film down the line? I would if I were in charge-- get every version out there and keep making mo money

[StingingVelvet]

As sad as it is to say, I don't think they're inevitable. I think there are complications we don't even know about and the whole "honor Lucas" aspect many reporters have mentioned. All the rumors were based around these new restorations but now it sounds like those are at least partially modified.

It's really a who knows at this point, not an inevitable either way.

[Nick666]

Isnt it very obvious why Lucas never released the original cuts ? It's very simple, and the only explanation after he himself said that film and movies should be preserved. It was revenge.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

As sad as it is to say, I don't think they're inevitable. I think there are complications we don't even know about and the whole "honor Lucas" aspect many reporters have mentioned. All the rumors were based around these new restorations but now it sounds like those are at least partially modified.

It's really a who knows at this point, not an inevitable either way.

About that whole "honor Lucas" thing though-- nobody has really been "honoring" Lucas so far from what I've seen-- at least not in the way that suggests they won't contradict what he wants. For starters, Lucas himself said they weren't going with most of his story treatment for the new trilogy.

Then at the celebration they were blatantly talking about how much they prefer having real sets, props, and puppetry in Star Wars. And the talk of the quality and focusing on characters and how much the original trilogy worked. I was actually pretty surprised at how blunt they were about it.

And then you have Abrams talking about adding Jar Jar's bones to the background somewhere. Nothing really suggests to me that they would not release the UOT because of Lucas' past desires to keep it buried. And even throwing all that out, Lucas didn't even seem like he cared as much towards the end. So I doubt there was a contract thing to withhold them or anything like that.

My honest opinion is that they're planning on doing a very special release at some point that will have the UOT and maybe other things included with it-- and honestly it doesn't shock me that they didn't rush out a UOT release to make that pre-Episode VII deadline.

[StingingVelvet]

I think there's a difference between moving on from Lucas and ignoring him for the new movies versus modifying the classic films from how he wants them. I mean it could happen, but I could easily see it not happening unless he dies or something.

I'm not really arguing either way, I'm just saying who knows. I was optimistic when we were talking about new restorations, but if they're still the special edition then yeah, not as optimistic anymore.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

I think there's a difference between moving on from Lucas and ignoring him for the new movies versus modifying the classic films from how he wants them. I mean it could happen, but I could easily see it not happening unless he dies or something.

I'm not really arguing either way, I'm just saying who knows. I was optimistic when we were talking about new restorations, but if they're still the special edition then yeah, not as optimistic anymore.

Yeah I see your point-- but I feel that the techniques and style that Abrams was talking about was more fitting to the UOT anyway-- like being inspired by the more desolate-looking Mos Eisley, for example. Although I think from an aesthetic perspective the film will be a mix between the original film and a bit of Phantom Menace (but better cgi effects).

And also, if the restorations do contain Special Edition material, that could mean they are restoring those versions, since that is now what exists on the original film negatives. Maybe they're going to release both, and are going to restore the UOT from the Special Edition negative and other sources spliced together? Just a thought.

Anyway, you're right that there's a possibility it won't come out for some reason, because who knows for sure. If that was the case, then thank god for fans like Harmy.

[Geoff D]

That's a good point about the negatives. The reassembled '97 versions would naturally be what Reliance would've been given to work on, given that they still contain huge amounts of original camera negative. It's a shame that all the people who've come across it so far haven't been Star Wars fans, so they don't know what it is (version wise) that they're looking at.

[Himmel]

10 most-popular Star Wars songs revealed.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/04...s-songs-ranked

[Vlad Draculi]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Still wish they would have made Luke's lightsaber blue when training on the Millennium Falcon.

I don't get this either. Why make all of these alterations but not fix the one thing that truly needs to be fixed?

[Angel Eyes]

1. Restore Boba Fetts voice in ESB
2. Put Shaw back in at the end of Jedi
3. Restore Han/Greedo scene
4. Restore both music scenes in Jedi

I can live with the rest of the changes.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Angel Eyes

1. Restore Boba Fetts voice in ESB
2. Put Shaw back in at the end of Jedi
3. Restore Han/Greedo scene
4. Restore both music scenes in Jedi

I can live with the rest of the changes.

Agree 100%. These are the real annoying ones. Also I like a lot of the cleanup done on ship battles and effects. Just fix these and I will be happy (and get rid of the damn matte lines FFS).

[Geoff D]

As much as I'm a traditionalist when it comes to not minding seeing the seams of optical effects, the garbage mattes in Jedi are much more obvious than they should be (thank the brightness of home video and linear video gamma for that), and I'd LOVE to see that stuff taken care of for any future release. It'd be great to have some of the most densely layered opticals ever attempted look their absolute best.

[Himmel]

Originally Posted by Angel Eyes

1. Restore Boba Fetts voice in ESB
2. Put Shaw back in at the end of Jedi
3. Restore Han/Greedo scene
4. Restore both music scenes in Jedi

I can live with the rest of the changes.

Out of those i would say that only one that will never change is:

3. Restore Han/Greedo scene

[Himmel]

George Lucas Discusses The Digital Revolution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ivwEtrgxY&feature=player_embedded

[Hellraiserfan]

Originally Posted by Angel Eyes

1. Restore Boba Fetts voice in ESB
2. Put Shaw back in at the end of Jedi
3. Restore Han/Greedo scene
4. Restore both music scenes in Jedi

I can live with the rest of the changes.

You forgot to take out Vader yelling "NOOOOO" before he kills the Emperor.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by Hellraiserfan

You forgot to take out Vader yelling "NOOOOO" before he kills the Emperor.

And Obi-Wan's Drunk Frat Boy Exposing himself yell!