Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[The Wizard]

Originally Posted by Merlinpants

Amazon is wrong. I have the Uk set and it is region ABC.

Excellent. Thanks for the quick response Merlinpants.

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by Rocklandsboy

Yes, apparently sound dropouts all over Episode IV. At least on the UK discs which are the only ones to surface so far. Lovely.

No they don't. Haven't experienced one dropout on any of the six discs on a Sony bd player (bdp570) or ps3 (60gb original release model).

[Reference_head]

Originally Posted by NYorker

Did Kubrik go back and make constant changes to 2001?
Did Coppola go back and make changes to The Godfather?
Did Spielberg make changes to Jaws, or Jurassic Park...?

No.

A film is not a software or Madden game that needs to be updated all the time...

There are lots of ways Gl could have kept it "palatable" for new generations. The fact that he continues to do what he does tells me that he's a businessman first and a filmmaker second. Because no filmmaker in their right mind would endlessly revise their creation - without at least offering the original to the fans who helped make the film what it is today.

Are you a film maker? And if so what films have you made?

[scamander]

Originally Posted by The Wizard

In the first post, it states that the UK version is region free. When I click the link, Amazon UK says it's region B/2.

You trust amazon? Really? According to amazon there is no such thing like 'region free'

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by Merlinpants

No they don't. Haven't experienced one dropout on any of the six discs on a Sony bd player (bdp570) or ps3 (60gb original release model).

Every major release of anything will brick someones player somewhere, to make sweepeing statements about the UK discs being broken is a little bit unfair. 2 or 3 people does not reflect a problem. Maybe their setups are wrong, their settings are wrong or their players are about to go.

I just love the overly dramatic statements of those not in the know.

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by scamander

You trust amazon? Really? According to amazon there is no such thing like 'region free'

Don't trust Amazon, trust someone who holds them in their hand

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

>Did Coppola go back and make changes to The Godfather?
Yes. He re-edited Godfather I and II into a chronological story, and also used several deleted scenes from The Godfather to help round out the saga. This aired on - I think - CBS back in the 70's as a mini-series, and even saw release on laserdisc.
> Did Kubrik go back and make constant changes to 2001?
Constant changes? No, but he was still editing the film after its premiere.

Ernest, you sound a bit like you're arguing for the sake of arguing, because you've taken these out of context. The question was clearly whether they had done anything comparable to what Lucas has done with Star Wars, and the answer has to be no.

Coppola doing a chronological re-edit for a special TV showing that existed in addition to the still-existing films, or Kubrik making edits to his film in response to his intended release cut not playing well for audiences at the première, is hardly the same thing as constantly rejigging a movie and even altering the import of scenes. You're quibbling, surely.



As for Lucas, I'm personally quite content with most of the changes he's made -- many of the graphic additions to the OT, for instance, which I can readily accept bring those films closer to how he would have made them look the first time round if he'd been able to. The PT looks astounding to me, so I have no doubt of his creative abilities on that score. I just wish he'd stuck to the visualisation and story ideas, where I think he's great, and continued to trust other people with the script writing and direction of actors, because they're clearly not his strong suits. And that he had more people around him who were willing to say no to him in a constructive way.

Most of all, I wish he'd learn to leave his creations as they are, deal with what he perceives as their shortcomings, and get on with making other films. Like the third trilogy, for instance. For me, the "saga" is far from complete: redemption is a great thing, but you then have to go and do something with it to give it value. We've had the Empire Trilogy, and the Rebellion Trilogy ... where's the Restoration Trilogy?

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by shesha

Can someone explain to me why Ben didnt recognize R2 in a new hope?

He did recognise him, he actually said 'I don't remember owning a droid'.

EDIT: as about 10 people have already said. Sorry!

[DanzG]

Amazon is known for their false information on their product pages... never trust their info, ever!

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by thecathedral

Very very little. The sound is the only real improvement.

I'll be sticking with the Adywan versions

Absolute rubbish. The blu ray blows the HDTV version (1080i and massively compressed) out of the water then kicks it to the moon. Your loss, I hope you get to see it someday and quietly sob into your hands

Don't make dramatic baiting comments until you have seen it.

[YodasFootPowder]

I think a big problem for me is, Lucas is not the only person who was involved in the making of these movies. Was he the largest contributor? Maybe. I don't even know if you can call a single person the largest contributor in the making of a movie. He created the story and a lot of the characters, but there's so many people involved in the production and artistic creation of a movie. I don't understand how people call these "His movies". The directors, cinematographers, music composers, special effects designers, engineers, sound directors... Lucas has basically gone over all these movies a dozen times, pasted and edited over, where he saw fit, other people's contributions and work. To do a little tweaking is one thing, but the extent of things he's done is a little disrespectful to a lot of other people's contributions, in my opinion.

That said, I'll pick these up, but I won't lie and act like it's not ridiculous what he does.

The transfers look very good, from what I've seen and I'm excited about all the positive comments from people who've watched them.

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by kingkong650

Okay, i've just checked out my friend's complete blu-ray set (I personally cancelled my own order after seeing on youtube the addition of vader's nooooooooooooooo! at the end of ROTJ and the new krayt dragon call). With all the endless hype going on right now for pages and pages with very little new info or anything of any real value being added, I thought I'd add a bit of reality to the discussion of this set.

The original trilogy looks very nice with decent fine detail and a reasonable amount of grain, not reference by a long shot but nice, considering that they're based off old 2004 lowry masters. I don't see anybody being disappointed with these in terms of visuals. Of course they're still blue tinted like the 2004 dvds. I'm really glad that the original trilogy, classic films in their own right, unlike the enjoyable though somewhat mediocre prequel films, seem to have been given the respect they deserve and treated very well, at least in terms of picture quality.

The Phantom Menace though is another matter entirely, with rampant DNR making everything and everybody look waxy and without any real definition. Qui Gon is particularly badly affected but everybody else has been affected to a greater or lesser extent. Those with already smooth faces like Anakin, Amidala and the CG characters are less affected while those with wrinkles, rougher skin texture and in particular facial hair are very badly affected, rendering faces and hair waxy and textureless. In terms of PQ its easily one of the worst blu-rays i've ever seen. How lucasfilm could have released the film in this state I don't know.

I'll be checking out AOTC and ROTS tomorrow and i'll later post my thoughts on their PQ.

LOL, what a load of bull. I know a friend who has got footage of the alien from Roswell blah blah blah. Baiting and absolute nonsense. What is your friends set up? 20 inch tube TV?

Seriously, do you expect people to believe you? The detail and facial definition in TPM is almost identical to every other film in the set. Sometimes it is almost virtual 3D. I feel sorry for people like you that just want to hate this set, and get everyone else to join in with you. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but when it is comletely made up, go somewhere else.

[a.tait85]

Ok now I'm confused! Just received an email from dvdworldusa stating that the US version of the complete trilogy is the full uncut version and should not be compared to the inferior UK version!? I was told the UK version contained the extended cut of TPM!? What else would be missing from the UK version!?

[Rocklandsboy]

Originally Posted by a.tait85

Ok now I'm confused! Just received an email from dvdworldusa stating that the US version of the complete trilogy is the full uncut version and should not be compared to the inferior UK version!? I was told the UK version contained the extended cut of TPM!? What else would be missing from the UK version!?

Nothing. Dvdworldusa is talking rubbish!

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by HandyDandy

I hope it is not as bad as PREDATOR The Ultimate Dnr'd Edition...

It isn't, in fact you wouldn't know it existed apart from the lack of any visible grain.

Having seen all six, I would expect the ratings for PQ/AQ to be:

TPM - 4/5 - The picture is a bit soft especially in glaring sun of Tatooine
AOTC - 4.5/5
ROTS - 5/5
ANH - 4.5/5
TESB - 4.5/5
ROTJ - 4.5/5

Despite some idiotic comments from people that clearly have NOT seen this is motion or on a really poor setup, these are reference quality discs, especailly for the OT.

The films have had some colour correction, but only for the positive. The blockade runner scene at the beginning of ANH is white again, the snow on Hoth is white again. The 'waxy' TPM is bull. It looks fine, but as above, a little soft in places which knocks it down a bit.

I am no expert, so fully expect these comments to be torn apart by the anally retentive Star Wars fanatics for whom perfection is the only thing that will reddem this set, but I don't watch films frame by frame on pause. I watch them the way they were made as films. They look stunning.

The extras discs however are lacking, poor and not really fitting of a Star Wars set IMHO. A couple of the documentaries from the DVD's such as the beginning and Empire of dreams would have changed that. The OT and PT bonus discs are a novelty and no more. Once I had watched the deleted scenes (which I doubt I will do again for quite some time) the rest was puff and boring.

[DanzG]

Originally Posted by Merlinpants

LOL, what a load of bull. I know a friend who has got footage of the alien from Roswell blah blah blah. Baiting and absolute nonsense. What is your friends set up? 20 inch tube TV?

20" tube tv lmfao lol

[Aquel]

Originally Posted by Merlinpants

It isn't, in fact you wouldn't know it existed apart from the lack of any visible grain.

Having seen all six, I would expect the ratings for PQ/AQ to be:

TPM - 4/5 - The picture is a bit soft especially in glaring sun of Tatooine
AOTC - 4.5/5
ROTS - 5/5
ANH - 4.5/5
TESB - 4.5/5
ROTJ - 4.5/5

Despite some idiotic comments from people that clearly have NOT seen this is motion or on a really poor setup, these are reference quality discs, especailly for the OT.

The films have had some colour correction, but only for the positive. The blockade runner scene at the beginning of ANH is white again, the snow on Hoth is white again. The 'waxy' TPM is bull. It looks fine, but as above, a little soft in places which knocks it down a bit.

I am no expert, so fully expect these comments to be torn apart by the anally retentive Star Wars fanatics for whom perfection is the only thing that will reddem this set, but I don't watch films frame by frame on pause. I watch them the way they were made as films. They look stunning.

The extras discs however are lacking, poor and not really fitting of a Star Wars set IMHO. A couple of the documentaries from the DVD's such as the beginning and Empire of dreams would have changed that. The OT and PT bonus discs are a novelty and no more. Once I had watched the deleted scenes (which I doubt I will do again for quite some time) the rest was puff and boring.

Thanks for your answers by the way, you got me pretty excited for this set once more. Also nice to read a positive review from someone who was pretty neutral with the whole subject (I can't help but think that some people around here only post a positive or negative review to show how they think about Lucas..).

[Merlinpants]

Originally Posted by rubystone356

for those that have the star wars boxset sets. do it do the resume like xmen first class and predators?

Jacob

Yes, disc resume is on all the movie discs.

[Fenny]

Originally Posted by mrpink134

I would agree but X men First Class is also from Fox and it has had some of the same problems that people are reporting. What i do is disable the internet connection for X Men FC and it works fine. I am sure that a firmware update will happen soon for the player.

Well then looks like I'm saved I think the last time I hooked mine up to the internet was in 2009 when I bought it for the updates. Hasn't been plugged in since lol xD

[NYorker]

Originally Posted by Reference_head

Are you a film maker? And if so what films have you made?

I've shot some vacation films...