Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by Nicolawicz

I haven't seen Rogue One yet, but just their decision to shoot it digitally shows they don't really get it.

I'm not the biggest fan of the movie, but it's probably the most gorgeous Star Wars movie we've gotten yet. Shooting digital doesn't mean anything.

[Nicolawicz]

Wait until you see the 4K scans of the originals.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

I'm not the biggest fan of the movie, but it's probably the most gorgeous Star Wars movie we've gotten yet. Shooting digital doesn't mean anything.

Boooooo hissssssss

The real film look of The Force Awakens was so pwetty.

[imsounoriginal]

Oh I love me some film, but digital isn't the end of the world. Each format is only as good as the director/DP shooting with it.

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by Nicolawicz

I haven't seen Rogue One yet, but just their decision to shoot it digitally shows they don't really get it.

It was a mix of digital and film, and it's a pretty good looking movie.

Of course, I would love to see 4K presentations of the originals. But at this point, I would honestly take 2K scans of the interpositives that were used for the 90s laserdiscs.

[Nicolawicz]

Originally Posted by BNex99

It was a mix of digital and film,

Are you sure? I thought it was all shot with the Alexa 65.

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by Nicolawicz

Are you sure? I thought it was all shot with the Alexa 65.

I think you're right; I apologize. There was some early hype about parts of it being shot in Ultra Panavision, but it seems they just used UP lenses.

Nevertheless, I thought it was a very good-looking film.

[milo bloom]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Exactly that, I think. In the American Cinematographer article, DP Greig Fraser says... and I quote:

"With Gareth Edwards, we wanted to be attentive that the look be consistent with A New Hope, which is seared in our brains. We weren't necessarily trying to reproduce what it actually looked like, but how we remember it -- there's a difference between reality and the remembrance of reality. Part of our research was to look at the 4K scanned versions of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. They look fantastic, but they don't look how I remember them."

What I take away from this is: Greig Fraser, at the very least, is not a STAR WARS fanatic like a lot of us on these forums. I watch the movie about three times a year, and have done so for every year since it first came out. I know every frame of it; there's no difference between reality and the remembrance of reality, for me. Most people -- like Greig Fraser -- "have a life", for lack of a better phrase. They may consider themselves fans of the film, but they don't revisit it again and again, or particularly care which version it is.

Regarding the bolded part: I know that type of comment usually invites teasing, but for me it's a welcome statement of a fellow fan. I watched the original versions on VHS so much they are burned into my memory and will be till the day I die.

Why is it so hard to get somebody who feels the same that works at Disney/Lucasfilm to spearhead a restoration project? Why isn't there somebody with a copy of the Faces set on laserdisc or even VHS to make sure every single detail is right? I know it's a business, but Star Wars is a *big* business, and a set like this would sell, even in today's physical media market. (Hell, I'll buy two copies if that's what it takes, one for the living room and one for the bedroom!)

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by milo bloom

Regarding the bolded part: I know that type of comment usually invites teasing, but for me it's a welcome statement of a fellow fan. I watched the original versions on VHS so much they are burned into my memory and will be till the day I die.

Why is it so hard to get somebody who feels the same that works at Disney/Lucasfilm to spearhead a restoration project? Why isn't there somebody with a copy of the Faces set on laserdisc or even VHS to make sure every single detail is right? I know it's a business, but Star Wars is a *big* business, and a set like this would sell, even in today's physical media market. (Hell, I'll buy two copies if that's what it takes, one for the living room and one for the bedroom!)

I have both of you beat. I watched the original three films so much that I broke every single VHS tape and there's no telling how many times I watched them on HBO as a child. Once you factor those viewings, additional VHS tapes, DVDs, and BDs I have seen the original three probably somewhere around 500-1000 times in total.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by Cobra Kai

Just from reading the article, I dont see anything that rules out that a restoration has taken place.

The comments from the Disney guy only discussed the current state of the negatives. But it seems like for a restoration of the OOT, they would just scan all the original elements that were cut from the negatives separately, and then reassemble the original cuts digitally.

But we really need more info here - what exactly the question was and how this Disney guy responded. He obviously wouldnt be able to give anything away if there was a release planned so he may have just been trying to answer like a politician without lying.

But, all this being said, I will be surprised if it actually happens, and we most likely wont hear anything concrete before Celebration.

I don't want to sound like I'm desperately grasping at straws, but this 4K version could simply be a step towards a comprehensive re-release of the films with every version remastered in 4K. Think about it this way:
Step 1: 4k scan of the negative, meaning you now have a 4K remaster of the 1997 version.
Step 2: Reinsert all further digital alterations, so you now also have a 4K remaster of the final Lucas-approved version.
Step 3: Scan the cut original negative pieces of the UOT, and now you have every version restored in 4K for some kind of Ultimate boxset you can release.

Earlier I theorized it was possible they were going to hold off releasing anything new until 2020 when they no longer have to pay Fox for distribution on all the films aside from A New Hope, so maybe thats their target deadline for getting everything done.

Or maybe I'd better just make damn sure I get those Harmy copies and just give it up

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

I don't want to sound like I'm desperately grasping at straws, but this 4K version could simply be a step towards a comprehensive re-release of the films with every version remastered in 4K. Think about it this way:
Step 1: 4k scan of the negative, meaning you now have a 4K remaster of the 1997 version.
Step 2: Reinsert all further digital alterations, so you now also have a 4K remaster of the final Lucas-approved version.
Step 3: Scan the cut original negative pieces of the UOT, and now you have every version restored in 4K for some kind of Ultimate boxset you can release.

Earlier I theorized it was possible they were going to hold off releasing anything new until 2020 when they no longer have to pay Fox for distribution on all the films aside from A New Hope, so maybe thats their target deadline for getting everything done.

Or maybe I'd better just make damn sure I get those Harmy copies and just give it up

I'd certainly like to believe this. I want my kids to see the OUT while they are still kids.

[Chiyo_chichi]

Originally Posted by octagon

The cycle continues.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Oh I love me some film, but digital isn't the end of the world. Each format is only as good as the director/DP shooting with it.

Agreed. A lot of developments film lovers now take for granted (sound, color, widescreen, smaller film cameras) were met with a lot of skepticism from the purists of the day. I'm as fearful of change as the next curmudgeon but like most curmudgeons, I love being delighted by something new too.

I would never so go so far as to compare the quality of upstart 70s filmmakers using things like steadicam and shoulder mounted cameras to contemporary indy filmmakers using digital cameras but there is a parallel there and the results don't always suck.

Bellflower was shot for seventeen thousand dollars. Take digital out of the equation and it would have never gotten off the ground. And that would have been a shame.

Shane: "A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it." - YouTube

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Chiyo_chichi

The cycle continues.

Yup, I'm already dusting myself off and getting ready for the next charge

[shinobipopcorn]

Originally Posted by bobbyh64

Even if Disney does release the UOT, would the films still have the Fox opening logo and fanfare? And what about the alien subtitles with the original font?

For starters, taking that away would be like taking Leo the Lion off of Wizard of Oz. It just wouldn't be the same without them. Even TFA seemed off.

Second, I imagine removing the logo and fanfare would ignite battles like the removal of the RKO cards from some of the early Disney canon films, or Silver Screen Partners credits from TLM and BATB (though those ones are relatively minor edits). Besides, if they remove them, it wouldn't be the UOT anymore.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by shinobipopcorn

For starters, taking that away would be like taking Leo the Lion off of Wizard of Oz. It just wouldn't be the same without them. Even TFA seemed off.

I obviously knew it was coming and that was still jarring.

The Bad Robot logo was pretty jarring too. I mean, (again, obviously) I get it. It makes perfect sense. But it still just felt wrong.

#firstgalaxyproblems

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by shinobipopcorn

For starters, taking that away would be like taking Leo the Lion off of Wizard of Oz. It just wouldn't be the same without them. Even TFA seemed off.

At the very least, New Hope should retain the Fox logo/fanfare at the start, correct?

[ambient_indie]

It gets annoying when rumors of the unaltered original trilogy pops up. At this point Harmy's Despecialized Edition is really REALLY good. And until Disney/Lucasfilm announces it, I find it to be a huge tease.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

At the very least, New Hope should retain the Fox logo/fanfare at the start, correct?

Fox are still distributing the first six movies on behalf of Lucasfilm until 2020. On everything apart from Disney's in-house streaming service the films will retain the Fox logos until then at the very least.

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I'd certainly like to believe this. I want my kids to see the OUT while they are still kids.

Why not show them the despecialized versions?