Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 4K UHD (1977-2019)

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

[Show spoiler]Not going much into my story but bits and pieces from the time (1976-1977)

Attended elementary & junior high in Garden Grove, CA (Orange County)

The local mall "The City" - one of the unrented shops had a STAR WARS display months before the movie opened. Mainly various sized posters of promotional photos like Luke looking through his binoculars with Threepio standing by his side on Tatooine. It was kind of odd and I thought it was going to be some weird movie.

Got the novelization of the film for Christmas 1976, read through it on Christmas vacation. Again, seemed very weird and "out there". Also another reason I don't believe the "Secret History of Star Wars" BS because the attack run on the Death Star was there in full (they claim Lucas built it in editing). I also expected a lot more gore in the movie because Alan Dean Foster (ghostwriting for Lucas) described laser blasts that "melted flesh and armor and bone".

Went to see it in 70MM at the Mann at The City a week after it opened. My Dad had already seen it and several friends at school were excitedly talking about it so the wait was excruciating. Either the studio hired them or there were people ALREADY cosplaying because while waiting in line outside there was a guy dressed and walking around as an Imperial Officer (like Tarkin) and a guy in a Darth Vader suit!

Christmas '76 was when I got my first tape recorder - a Panasonic. My Dad transferred the dual LP soundtrack to a 90 min cassette and "The Story of Star Wars" to a 60 min cassette for my birthday in October of 1977. I wore those tapes out.

First toy was the Landspeeder. Also got the Kenner Star Wars board game. My sister and I played it a ton but for the life of me I couldn't tell you how to play it now. I also got a puzzle of the studio shot of a TIE firing on an X-Wing. 100-200 piece? Can't remember.

I was so obsessed with anything SW if a TV show had a segment or parody I had to watch it. There was a school field trip scheduled to see a concert that was going to play some music and I was not able to go because I woke up that morning coughing like crazy - my school actually sent me home while they were loading the bus for the concert.

Just some random memories...

You mean a concert of Star Wars music? Just wondering what that had to do with Star Wars.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by bobbyh64

You mean a concert of Star Wars music? Just wondering what that had to do with Star Wars.

It was a local (in LA or Orange County) orchestra and they were going to play a bunch of things (like the Boston Pops does) and close out with a Star Wars suite. I was very, very disappointed to not be able to go due to an apparent attack of bronchitis.

It was also a catalyst for my budding interest in classical music spurred on by the likes of John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith during that period.

[ExcaliburZeta]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

That's so fascinating and cool to me, and demonstrates how different the Star Wars fan experience is for each person. For me, the 90's were a WASTELAND for Star Wars -- except nostalgia: I did LOVE my big black box of THX Collector's Edition LaserDiscs of the Original Trilogy. But I didn't enjoy the Zahn novels, I've never gotten into video games, and I don't collect toys or comics.

PLUS... in the 90's I was going through my film-school/super-pretentious 20's, so although I'd been raised on a steady diet of Star Wars and Spielberg and John Carpenter, I was discovering an appreciation for Fellini and Godard and Kieslowski. I was right in that insufferable age range where I thought my tastes had to "grow up". Then the 1997 Special Editions hit and I hated them for changing cinema history... then the 1999 prequel hit and I just plain hated it. I was so pumped to see it, but at 28-years-old I was right smack in the middle of the demographic that was never going to receive that movie well.

Luckily I got over myself and now love all the live-action Star Wars content. I can take-or-leave the cartoons, although I've seen every episode of Clone Wars (both iterations) and Rebels.

But yeah, the 90's were a Star Wars wasteland for me, and it's friggin' fantastic and fascinating to hear others' experiences. MTFBWY

I'm with you 100% — it's really cool to hear your perspective on the decade and fascinating to me as well! I can totally see and understand where you are coming from with your thoughts on 90s Star Wars. Having been born in the mid-to-late 80s after the OT but still getting to enjoy new non-movie Star Wars content at the time was a thrill for me. It really is interesting to compare it to the next couple of decades with how much new SW content we're getting on all fronts.

Love seeing everybody's thoughts on the films and their introductions to it here!

[red_5ive]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

That's so fascinating and cool to me, and demonstrates how different the Star Wars fan experience is for each person. For me, the 90's were a WASTELAND for Star Wars -- except nostalgia: I did LOVE my big black box of THX Collector's Edition LaserDiscs of the Original Trilogy. But I didn't enjoy the Zahn novels, I've never gotten into video games, and I don't collect toys or comics.

PLUS... in the 90's I was going through my film-school/super-pretentious 20's, so although I'd been raised on a steady diet of Star Wars and Spielberg and John Carpenter, I was discovering an appreciation for Fellini and Godard and Kieslowski. I was right in that insufferable age range where I thought my tastes had to "grow up". Then the 1997 Special Editions hit and I hated them for changing cinema history... then the 1999 prequel hit and I just plain hated it. I was so pumped to see it, but at 28-years-old I was right smack in the middle of the demographic that was never going to receive that movie well.

Luckily I got over myself and now love all the live-action Star Wars content. I can take-or-leave the cartoons, although I've seen every episode of Clone Wars (both iterations) and Rebels.

But yeah, the 90's were a Star Wars wasteland for me, and it's friggin' fantastic and fascinating to hear others' experiences. MTFBWY

We're about a year apart in age (but I won't say who's older ). So I can completely relate to all of this, and I also disliked what the Special Editions brought. I also clearly remember my wife (GF at the time) and I went to a midnight showing of TPM when it premiered in '99. We were beyond excited. I recall also having seen Ebert give TPM a full 4-star rating that morning, although I didn't read the review as I always wait till after I see the film. Now I completely admired Ebert as a critic, and he was the only one I had ever listened to/agreed with, so I really thought I was going to be in for a treat. When the opening crawl started, I had nothing but goose-bumps. I was admittedly pumped. But by the time the credits ran at 2 o'clock'ish that morning, I sat there feeling indifferent and numb to what I just witnessed, which was less of an experience and more of a run-of-the-mill night at the movies. At the time it was a technical marvel for sure, but it didn't grip me the way the first 3 films did when I was a kid.

But I'm also not the typical "the OT rules" fan. And I don't believe Lucas (or Disney) robbed me of my childhood. And so now 20+ years later, I've come to appreciate the prequels (although I think the lackluster last 2-films have contributed to that), and I actually enjoy them now as I do most SW content. And for that matter, I still do appreciate the last 2 Skywalker films.

What I've come to realize - as a Star Wars fan - is what an amazing journey it has been to be a part of such an iconic legacy from the beginning, and I see no reason why it won't continue for longer. Long live Star Wars!

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

All versions of 4K77 and the Silver Screen Edition have a mono soundtrack option, but it's very tinny and tough to listen to, in my opinion. Still super cool as a novelty, since that was the mix I was most accustomed to hearing on the "Story of Star Wars" record album. I played that sucker over and over and over again... and still have it!

Which soundtrack do you prefer when watching 4K77? I compared the different options a while ago and I believe I preferred the original stereo mix.

Regarding how I came to be a Star Wars fan, I didn’t really really get into it until about seven years ago. I mean, I was a casual fan as a kid in the 80s. I enjoyed watching them on VHS and my brother had some of the toys, but when I became a teenager I didn’t really care about it anymore. But within the last several years I decided to buy the OT on DVD and found out the only way to get them (legally) was on the bonus discs that were released in 2006. The fact that they were being repressed (repressed as in not available, not as in being pressed again to disc ), made me more interested in Star Wars than I had ever been. I didn’t even know the unaltered OT DVDs weren’t anamorphic, so I was a bit disappointed when I got them. Then I eventually discovered the Despecialized editions which I thought were really cool, and I bought all the soundtracks on CD. Anyway, this is just my little Star Wars story to add to the mix in here.

Edit: Also wanted to add that I would’ve been more okay with the special editions if there was only one version, one final edit that represented Lucas’s true vision. But since there are several versions with changes in all of them, that basically ruins my suspension of disbelief when I watch them. It just makes me think about how these changes occurred over decades and how there wasn’t really ever one singular true vision that Lucas had, so the special editions don’t seem quite special to me.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by red_5ive

We're about a year apart in age (but I won't say who's older ). So I can completely relate to all of this, and I also disliked what the Special Editions brought. I clearly remember my wife (GF at the time) and I went to a midnight showing of TFM when it premiered in '99.

We have even more in common -- I also went to TPM in 1999 with my wife (GF at the time). I had hyped it all up to her, since I was the Star Wars fan and she was not; she hadn't even seen the movies growing up... and I felt SO embarrassed as the movie unfolded. But it was our first "Star Wars in theaters" together -- a tradition we continued up through the modern era. The "Star Wars in theaters" ride might be a rocky one from time to time, lol, but I'm always always hyped to see the next one. And like I said in my earlier post, I've since come to enjoy and even love ALL the live action Star Wars feature films; Star Wars is my happy place. MTFBWY

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by bobbyh64

Which soundtrack do you prefer when watching 4K77? I compared the different options a while ago and I believe I preferred the original stereo mix.

I hugely prefer the stereo mix. The 5.1 is okay too, if I want a little thunder to go along with my Star Destroyer. But the stereo mix just sounds "right" to my ears. I believe it's the home video mix used throughout the LaserDisc era. The only drawback is a weird echoey presentation of the iconic music during the TIE Fighter attack on the Falcon, after they've just escaped the Death Star. Don't know if it's just the way my Sony receiver is interpreting the stereo or what. I lovvvvve 4K77 v1.4 non-DNR SO MUCH!!!! It'll be interesting to see what v2.0 holds (less-orange faces in Mos Eisley??, less-blue space ships in end battle??), but I'm happy no matter what, with what I've got now.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

I hugely prefer the stereo mix. The 5.1 is okay too, if I want a little thunder to go along with my Star Destroyer. But the stereo mix just sounds "right" to my ears. I believe it's the home video mix used throughout the LaserDisc era. The only drawback is a weird echoey presentation of the iconic music during the TIE Fighter attack on the Falcon, after they've just escaped the Death Star. Don't know if it's just the way my Sony receiver is interpreting the stereo or what. I lovvvvve 4K77 v1.4 non-DNR SO MUCH!!!! It'll be interesting to see what v2.0 holds (less-orange faces in Mos Eisley??, less-blue space ships in end battle??), but I'm happy no matter what, with what I've got now.

I prefer the stereo mix too. Yeah, I find faces pushing a bit too reddish/orange leaning at times and shadow detail a little crushed in certain (darker) scenes, but these are minor things in the grand scheme of a great job done. The 'original' vibe to it all almost gives goosebumps when watching it.

[red_5ive]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

We have even more in common -- I also went to TPM in 1999 with my wife (GF at the time). I had hyped it all up to her, since I was the Star Wars fan and she was not; she hadn't even seen the movies growing up... and I felt SO embarrassed as the movie unfolded. But it was our first "Star Wars in theaters" together -- a tradition we continued up through the modern era. The "Star Wars in theaters" ride might be a rocky one from time to time, lol, but I'm always always hyped to see the next one. And like I said in my earlier post, I've since come to enjoy and even love ALL the live action Star Wars feature films; Star Wars is my happy place. MTFBWY

So cool, but unfortunately our GF/wives differ. Mine was a fan, though not as big of one as me. She was equally excited to go and is the one who suggested we do so. There was also one May 4th maybe 10 years or so ago, I went downstairs thinking I was going to start ANH that morning, and guess who was already watching it? I had to reprimand her for not waiting for me lol.

When I look back on that night in 1999, despite how I felt about the TPM after that first viewing, I still do have good memories of the experience on a whole. It was still great to be among the commotion of a packed theater and crazy fandom. If I could go back and do it all over again I absolutely would, even knowing how I felt about that first watching. IAOWTFATFIWM

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

The Phantom Menace on the PS1 tho

I loved that game!
Especially on Tatooine!
I kept going around and slaughtering everyone!

"Stop pushing me!" Hahahaha!

[Gold Ranger]

Arcade Pod Racer was amazing!
I miss Dave and Busters!

[Gold Ranger]

The 90s was weird!
It was both a wasteland and had a ton of crap!
I collected some figures, no comics, didn't get into the books until sophomore or junior year of highschool, before that I was reading urban and high fantasy and horror.
Played some of the games, watched the VHSs non-stop.
Had the Electronic Extendable/Collapsible LightSabers (Luke/Vader).
Then not much, again, until late '98/early '99 when The Phantom Menace was revving up.
Saw it eight times in the theater!

[edmoney]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

I hugely prefer the stereo mix.

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I prefer the stereo mix too.

Is your preference for the stereo mix based on playback with matrix decoding (e.g. Dolby Surround) or just through the two L/R channels?

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by edmoney

Is your preference for the stereo mix based on playback with matrix decoding (e.g. Dolby Surround) or just through the two L/R channels?

Dolby Surround, for me. But I just think the actual mix itself is better. I think sound mixers used to be better at their jobs in general, before the modern era of too many channels and too much bass. I always choose original mono or stereo over 5.1 remixes when offered... even though I end up processing those mixes via my Dolby Surround receiver.

[red_5ive]

I read maybe a handful of the books in the 90s, which I thankfully don't really even remember other than some of the characters (like Mara Jade ). Every time a new book came out I was tempted to read it, but I'm glad I didn't because of the shift in canon. I was more focused on the games, and some of them extensively. Like X-Wing... I lost a GF to that game. I also got hooked on the pod racing game on PC when TPM came out. Also played the Tie Fighter series, Rogue Squadron, and the Dark Forces series, to name a few in the 90s. But on another note, Lucas Arts was releasing some good/clever non-Star Wars games, like Day of the Tentacle.

I remember making a random trip to an antique store in the mid 90s and seeing original SW Kenner action figures and fighters (tie fighter, x-wing), priced over $100 each. I went straight to my mom's after to get my collection out of storage in her garage, only to find she had given it all way to charity . My buddy a few years later bought me a whole box set of all the TPM figures shortly after the film released, but it wasn't the same. I thought about keeping them unopened, but eventually I used them as rewards for my son.

It all seems so long ago now, and to think the beginning of the 90s now is what the beginning of the 60s were to the early 90s is just weird.

[Warm Gun]

I didn't even know I was supposed to decode Star Wars 4K77 in DTS Neural X when I watched it two years ago, around the time I upgraded to surround. I wasn't aware of matrix decoding at the time and thought Star Wars was in just plain stereo. I still haven't watched my version 1.4 because I want Empire 4K80 first. (And now people are talking about 4K77 version 2.0, so I might have gotten this version for nothing.) I'm sure it will be good in surround sound, though, considering the prequels at times sounded spectacular when I watched them last month. That speeder chase!

[edmoney]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Dolby Surround, for me. But I just think the actual mix itself is better. I think sound mixers used to be better at their jobs in general, before the modern era of too many channels and too much bass. I always choose original mono or stereo over 5.1 remixes when offered... even though I end up process those mixes via my Dolby Surround receiver.

Although the 5.1 on the 4K77 is also an original mix, no? I understood it to be configured from the 6-track used for 70mm prints.

The stereo mix could very well be preferable (I haven't yet tried it), but just confirming that the 5.1 isn't a modern remix.

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by edmoney

Although the 5.1 on the 4K77 is also an original mix, no? I understood it to be configured from the 6-track used for 70mm prints.

The stereo mix could very well be preferable (I haven't yet tried it), but just confirming that the 5.1 isn't a modern remix.

The 4K77 page on TN1's site says most of them are the LaserDisc audio tracks.

"Is the Audio also from the 35mm print?"

"No. Unfortunately not. The only (almost) complete print we have is the Spanish LPP, which has Spanish Audio. That track was included with the Silver Screen Edition. So most of the Audio tracks are Laserdisc sourced. Additional audio (and subtitle) tracks can also be found on Harmy’s Despecialized Edition. If you have that or the official NTSC 2006 Bonus DVD, you can also MUX in any audio track from those and it will sync perfectly with 4K77."

[steel_breeze]

In the spirit of May the Fourth and the Skywalker Saga 4K UHD box from Best Buy -- which is what this thread is about, after all -- thought I'd share my favorite way to watch the Saga.

I definitely go in "Episode Order", EXCEPT... my new thing is to kick things off with 4K77 v1.4 non-DNR -- which of course does NOT say "Episode IV: A New Hope", and is the indisputable ground-zero that started everything. But this isn't the "Machete Order", 'cuz then I jump back to Phantom Menace and continue forward in Episode Order; watching live-action features only, including Solo and Rogue One in their proper places. When I get to Episode IV again, I then watch the 4K UHD disc of "A New Hope".

This doesn't play as "redundant" as it sounds 'cuz my other favorite thing to do is to space these suckers out. I love to watch one every two weeks or so, but never less than a week apart. One of my favorite things about the whole Star Wars experience is the incredible sense of anticipation as "A Long Time Ago In a Galaxy Far, Far Away...." comes up in silence, so I like to increase that feeling by delaying gratification and watching several other "regular" movies in the home theater between each Star Wars flick. Just makes it even more special when the lights go down in my home theater and that iconic teal title card appears. And at this slower viewing pace, even though I start the Saga with 4K77, it's always at LEAST six to eight weeks before I get to "Episode IV" again.

Anyhoo... if I don't share this kind of thing here, I got nowhere to share it.

May the Fourth Be With You All

[Batman1980]

IV-VI, then I-III and VII-IX followed by Solo feels like it's going to be my viewing order from now on.