Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[dcowboy7]

Originally Posted by Jar Jar Stinks

Has anyone found Easter eggs?

Yep.

Under the dead tree stump.

Must have been there for years.

[Zuiun]

Originally Posted by happydood

I definitely don't think Lucas cares what the generation that grew up with Star Wars thinks about his new order. He's always said he made these for kids and that's who we was addressing this time around. It might not be right, but I get the sense that that is the way it is.

I think you're missing my point. I don't care what order people watch them in. They weren't written in order. They weren't released in order. So I don't believe there is a "legitimate" order - at least in the sense of people on the Interwebs telling people they *must* watch it in so-and-so sequence.

Lucas obviously wasn't terribly concerned about order when, like I said, he chose to still re-release the OT knowing full well he was going to immediately begin work on the PT.

My preference *now* is to watch them 1-6, but only because I've already seen them all.

Fresh, I still can't shake the powerful impact of the Luke / Vader dynamic, which no matter how it's rationalized, is diluted by the Anakin storyline in the PT.

Were I showing it first time to a kid too young to really grasp that dynamic, sure, I'd start them off 1-6 because for them, child-Anakin might be a better intro to the series. For someone older? I'd go OT first.

[MovieFanatic2010]

Can't wait for Friday night

[chip75]

Easter Eggs.

[Show spoiler]Star Wars artist Amy Pronovost painted these awesome Easter eggs that look like Darth Maul, Chewbacca and Wicket.

3429453077_7ff5dc0302.jpg

3429453047_6a6f96fbdd.jpg 3429453115_95982d8a2a.jpg 3430266720_1a8e8069ee.jpg

My journey to the Dark Side is complete, over easy....

[Jar Jar Stinks]

Originally Posted by dcowboy7

Yep.

Under the dead tree stump.

Must have been there for years.

k

[Aquel]

Started with Episode 1 today. Was really looking forward to it, had forgotten how damn annoying Jar Jar and all the dumb fart jokes are.

Picture was clean of course and the framing looked better. Faces are soft, though I could still make out detail on Neeson's face (on the side where the light hits his face). You can also see the detail on Obi's face (look for the shot at Qui-Gon's funeral).

Oh yeah, Yoda looked great . Some CGI sticks out a bit more, nothing too distracting. It is primarily the extra podrace scenes that don't fit with the rest (it was also painfully obvious with the DVD's what was in the theatrical and what was added).

Overall pleased. Audio was great, picked up a lot of new music (with a new, much better speaker set I must add). Especially impressed with the lightsabers, they sound great overall (even better when they hit each other of course ).

Curious for AOTC. I was wondering, Lucas softened the image up because he found it too sharp (and thanks to that, it is now deemed way too soft in 2011 ). Did he soften it during filimg or in post production? Since if this was done in post production he may remove it one day for a future release.

[cinemaphile]

perhaps this has already been covered, but for all of you who are opting for the UK set over the US one, are you getting edited versions? Didn't they have to edit out the Jango/ObiWan headbutt over there?

[spidey0115]

Originally Posted by Goat3000

I am trusting Amazon on this. It's like they wait to ship so they can send it 2 day via UPS. Any other way and it may arrive pre release date or arrive late.
This is usually how it works with new releases and I have never had problems. But with the anticipation of this set, I am fighting the panic that is slowly creeping in...

I'm in in the same boat. Preordered in Jan and trying not to worry.

[Cinescott]

Yes! Amazon (via UPS) delivery tomorrow confirmed. Now I'm glad I didn't dump my pre-order.

This is the first time I will ever have received anything even a few hours early. Not a bad way to start.

[happydood]

Originally Posted by Zuiun

I think you're missing my point. I don't care what order people watch them in. They weren't written in order. They weren't released in order. So I don't believe there is a "legitimate" order - at least in the sense of people on the Interwebs telling people they *must* watch it in so-and-so sequence.

Lucas obviously wasn't terribly concerned about order when, like I said, he chose to still re-release the OT knowing full well he was going to immediately begin work on the PT.

My preference *now* is to watch them 1-6, but only because I've already seen them all.

Fresh, I still can't shake the powerful impact of the Luke / Vader dynamic, which no matter how it's rationalized, is diluted by the Anakin storyline in the PT.

Were I showing it first time to a kid too young to really grasp that dynamic, sure, I'd start them off 1-6 because for them, child-Anakin might be a better intro to the series. For someone older? I'd go OT first.

Ah, I follow you. You may be right and he doesn't care about order because in reality he used the Special Editions to fund The Prequels or else he really cares about the order but cares more about the business end which wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. But he did go back and retroactively give Star Wars the number IV, let's not forget, so he must care about it somewhat.

I actually don't always watch them in any given order, but I will this time to see how I like it. And I was actually thinking I'd show them in order to my daughter eventually because of Anakin as a kid as the entry point, and (gulp,) because I think she'll like Jar-Jar.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Aquel

Curious for AOTC. I was wondering, Lucas softened the image up because he found it too sharp (and thanks to that, it is now deemed way too soft in 2011 ). Did he soften it during filimg or in post production? Since if this was done in post production he may remove it one day for a future release.

From the Star Wars 365 book.

Ep. II Attack of the Clones

Changes

The really big innovation for Episode II was digital cameras (opposite, one of the digital cameras, with "B" camera operator Calum McFarlane). We were abandoning film and going digital, so we talked about what the requirements might be. Being able to download a "response curve" was one thing ILM really wanted.

All digital cameras start with an image sensor. The sensor reads the voltage, and that voltage is turned into a number. Between the voltage and the number is a mapping—the "response curve" of the camera. What we wanted to do is load our own response curve into the digital cameras. At the time, ILM was using an 8-bit standard called 8-log-38, which was a proven way to encode into eight bits of data a reasonable representation of the visual por¬tion of a film image. My scheme was to load an 8-log-38 table into the high-definition (HD) camera to match our system. But about five weeks before we were going to start shooting, after many revisions, we went with the Rec.709 response that was already loaded into the camera by Panavision. This response was originally meant for video; even though we had wanted a filmic response curve, it ended up working out reasonably well.

The digital cameras also created new elements on set: for example, the tented abode of high-definition (and quality assurance) supervisor Fred Meyers, whose "mother-ship" technical supervisor Michael Blanchard helped create (far right, with Blanchard, HD decks, and the computer that controls all the camera settings); and the video village, Lucas's mobile command center, now had hi-res, fifty-inch plasma monitors (right). It was just great to see these preview monitors on the set—they were linked directly to the digital cameras, so we knew pretty much exactly what we were recording.

The other big change was that production moved to Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia. Principal photography began there on Monday, June 26, 2000. On Wednesday, August 30, we began our location shoot in the Lake Como region of northern Italy, moving to Tunisia on Wednesday, September 6. After one day in Spain, we finished stage shooting at Elstree Studios in London, England, from Friday, September 15 to Wednesday, September 20—all in all, a sixty-one-day shoot. Pickups were filmed in London at Ealing Studios in March and November 2001, with an additional day in both January and February 2002 at Elstree Studios.

Ep. III Revenge of the Sith

Getting Better- All the Time

For our second all-digital Star Wars film, we were using the same basic technology, but we had the next generation of cameras, which were better in every respect—better signal-to-noise ratio—therefore we got a cleaner picture. We were also able to acquire higher bandwidth recorders, so we had less compression, which meant, again, a better image. We were also recording in 12-bit instead of 8-bit, which made for improved bluescreen extraction. In addition, there used to be a YUV color-space conversion in the camera: the chip was actually recording RGB, but then it was being converted to YUV; when we loaded it online, we had to convert it back to RGB. So there were actually two passes through a color-space conversion—but on Episode III, it was straight RGB to RGB, and that really made the images look better.

The images from the high definition (HD) cameras were so sharp we had to put Pro-Mist filters on them. In fact, we'd discovered pretty early on while shooting Episode II digitally that things you could get away with on film—like how much makeup actors had on, and the level of finish on sets—would appear fake because the images were too crisp; you could see too much. The HD image didn't jump around—it wasn't as noisy—it was sharper and clearer. Basically, we found that the images we'd recorded on film for Episode I were noticeably softer than what we were getting from the HD cameras on Episodes II and III, so we actually had to "dumb it down" as George says. In some ways the Pro-Mist filters were simply the continuation of a photographic style, since we had previously used them on Episode I; although so much has been printed about digital cameras not having the same resolution as film—it's just not true. The thing is it's not the number of pixels or the theoretical number of resolvable line pairs that optics can give you on film—where under laboratory conditions, one can achieve a certain high level of resolution—what matters is real-world performance. And there the resolution of HD is comparable or better than that of film.

[Colonel Kurtz]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

perhaps this has already been covered, but for all of you who are opting for the UK set over the US one, are you getting edited versions? Didn't they have to edit out the Jango/ObiWan headbutt over there?

The UK Blu-ray box has the headbutt restored and therefore is uncut.

[Mr. Cinema]

I have a Target gift card I got for my birthday, so I'll be heading there first thing Friday morning. Luckily, I still have 1 location that doesn't use those stupid spider security devices around box sets. As many of you know, most of the time, the employees will wrap them around the sets very tightly and damage the box.

[magicpod]

Just been to my local Tesco supermarket...

Ha! Compared to the HUGE POS fanfare release of Avatar, Star Wars got 1, yes count 'em 1 crappy cardboard stand

...and i have to say that now i am REALLY pleased i kept my wallet shut because the individual trilogies are nothing but a standard size Robocop trilogy-like case with a standard slip-cover...very disappointing!

...wouldn't pay anything more that 17.99 GBP for either "set".

[Zuiun]

Originally Posted by happydood

But he did go back and retroactively give Star Wars the number IV, let's not forget, so he must care about it somewhat.

I'm not convinced that was a conscious "master plan," though. He conceived the structure of Star Wars to be like jumping into the middle of a serial and adding IV when he knew there would be a sequel reinforced that.

And let's not forget that he likes to rewrite his intentions according to what he's already done, not what he plans to do.

[El_Jay]

Originally Posted by Shaft Windu

When did I say the OT is a farce? I like the trilogies equally and the beaty is that they both benefit from each other instead of being competetive or repetative.

Listen, it's not about you and me. Of course, both of us have been growing up with the OT and watched it first of course. You can do whatever you want and you could even argue that you want to watch the OT first with a newbie to see his reaction to the "I'm your father reveal" or that you watch the OT first on Blu-Ray because you personally have fond memories of them... That's an argument I could go along with but to say "Don't watch the PT first because it has bad acting a weak story, deals with stuff we I'm not interested in in the first place and destroys the real trilogy." sounds a bit hostile in my ears.

Just for balance: Could you name 3 things you actually really liked about the PT?

I loved the character of Shmi, Anakin's mother. I loved Darth Maul. I think the Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan relationship was excellent and the Jedi Master/Padawan relationship was a great thing to showcase. I think "Duel of the Fates" is one of the best pieces of music in any Star Wars movie. I liked the back-story and explanation of the Storm/Clone Troopers. Obi-Wan and Anakin's final battle was excellent. Fight choreography is great, the lightsabre battles are fantastically done. Count Dooku portrayed by Christopher Lee was excellent, his gravitas and delivery of lines reminded me of Alec Guinness and the other accomplished actors in the OT. Ian McDiarmid was great in all of the PT movies. The set pieces and showing new cities like Coruscant made the SW universe feel much, much bigger and more expansive. Exploring the Jedi Council was a cool thing to show. The big ground and space battles were excellently done (for their time). The growing tension between Anakin and Obi-Wan created a FAIRLY organic way of introducing their eventual coming-to-blows.

I like many, many things about the PT, but you choose to only focus on what we don't like. I can think Hayden's acting was wooden and out of place without HATING THE MOVIE, which is one point you seem to consistently ignore. I am buying the "Complete Saga" warts and all because I like the whole package enough for the good to outweigh the bad in almost every case.

All your quoted stuff there is just putting words in my mouth because I didn't say any of that. I just said that the order these movies were available to be FIRST SEEN in the theatres was ANH/ESB/ROTJ/TPM/AOTC/ROTS and that way has been fine for everyone for 20 years. It seems to be the way Lucas "intended" us to see them since that's the order he created and released them in. It's hardly the same thing as watching X-Men 3 before X-Men 1 or any other example you have made.

My argument for watching them 4-6, 1-3 the first time is because that's the order they were released and it's the way everyone was introduced to them in the theatres. I can't think of a SINGLE other instance where I would say, ignore the order these were released in and watch "X" first because it has a number indicator in front of it. Not a single prequel requires that you watch it first, hence the name "prequel" indicating that it was released last but takes place prior to the others chronologically.

I don't think you NEED to watch them in this order, but I think it makes the most sense story-wise because so many things in the PT take for granted that you have seen the OT and are familiar with the world. Take it or leave it, simple as that.

I mean, GL is infallible, if he didn't intend us to see 4 first and 3 last, he wouldn't have released them this way. That was his "original vision". Funny how that works eh?

[Jay444]

Originally Posted by mvckalel

Exactly! That's what I'm saying, imagine if up to him discovering the clones, that was half of the investigation, then the other half to figure out who Syfo Dyas was and why he ordered the army.

Sloppy writing, just accept it people. There is no shame in accepting one's mistakes. Be humble.

It was terrible writing. Half baked ideas that didn't play out. Seriously, only the EU fans can answer who Syfo Dyas was (I know, I know..."It sounds like Sideous! He meant to do this...but...") Watching the movie, you get no explaination of that or why the Clone Army was ordered. Its sloppy, and the only thing saving that was the distraction of the fight with Jango and the subsequent asteroid chase.

Anyone know exactly why the Seperatists were leaving the Republic? Taxes too high? Taking away Leroy Jenkins' chicken? Anyone?

[pikazerox]

I'm going to watch them in this order:

4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Jay444

It was terrible writing. Half baked ideas that didn't play out. Seriously, only the EU fans can answer who Syfo Dyas was (I know, I know..."It sounds like Sideous! He meant to do this...but...") Watching the movie, you get no explaination of that or why the Clone Army was ordered. Its sloppy, and the only thing saving that was the distraction of the fight with Jango and the subsequent asteroid chase.

Anyone know exactly why the Seperatists were leaving the Republic? Taxes too high? Taking away Leroy Jenkins' chicken? Anyone?

Pretty sure they were leaving because the Jedi were becoming less powerful and the Republic was being taken over by corrupt bureaucrats.

[Romansh]

Originally Posted by chip75

Ep. II Attack of the Clones

Changes

[Show spoiler]The really big innovation for Episode II was digital cameras (opposite, one of the digital cameras, with "B" camera operator Calum McFarlane). We were abandoning film and going digital, so we talked about what the requirements might be. Being able to download a "response curve" was one thing ILM really wanted.

All digital cameras start with an image sensor. The sensor reads the voltage, and that voltage is turned into a number. Between the voltage and the number is a mapping—the "response curve" of the camera. What we wanted to do is load our own response curve into the digital cameras. At the time, ILM was using an 8-bit standard called 8-log-38, which was a proven way to encode into eight bits of data a reasonable representation of the visual por¬tion of a film image. My scheme was to load an 8-log-38 table into the high-definition (HD) camera to match our system. But about five weeks before we were going to start shooting, after many revisions, we went with the Rec.709 response that was already loaded into the camera by Panavision. This response was originally meant for video; even though we had wanted a filmic response curve, it ended up working out reasonably well.

The digital cameras also created new elements on set: for example, the tented abode of high-definition (and quality assurance) supervisor Fred Meyers, whose "mother-ship" technical supervisor Michael Blanchard helped create (far right, with Blanchard, HD decks, and the computer that controls all the camera settings); and the video village, Lucas's mobile command center, now had hi-res, fifty-inch plasma monitors (right). It was just great to see these preview monitors on the set—they were linked directly to the digital cameras, so we knew pretty much exactly what we were recording.

The other big change was that production moved to Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia. Principal photography began there on Monday, June 26, 2000. On Wednesday, August 30, we began our location shoot in the Lake Como region of northern Italy, moving to Tunisia on Wednesday, September 6. After one day in Spain, we finished stage shooting at Elstree Studios in London, England, from Friday, September 15 to Wednesday, September 20—all in all, a sixty-one-day shoot. Pickups were filmed in London at Ealing Studios in March and November 2001, with an additional day in both January and February 2002 at Elstree Studios.

Ep. III Revenge of the Sith

Getting Better- All the Time

[Show spoiler]For our second all-digital Star Wars film, we were using the same basic technology, but we had the next generation of cameras, which were better in every respect—better signal-to-noise ratio—therefore we got a cleaner picture. We were also able to acquire higher bandwidth recorders, so we had less compression, which meant, again, a better image. We were also recording in 12-bit instead of 8-bit, which made for improved bluescreen extraction. In addition, there used to be a YUV color-space conversion in the camera: the chip was actually recording RGB, but then it was being converted to YUV; when we loaded it online, we had to convert it back to RGB. So there were actually two passes through a color-space conversion—but on Episode III, it was straight RGB to RGB, and that really made the images look better.

The images from the high definition (HD) cameras were so sharp we had to put Pro-Mist filters on them. In fact, we'd discovered pretty early on while shooting Episode II digitally that things you could get away with on film—like how much makeup actors had on, and the level of finish on sets—would appear fake because the images were too crisp; you could see too much. The HD image didn't jump around—it wasn't as noisy—it was sharper and clearer. Basically, we found that the images we'd recorded on film for Episode I were noticeably softer than what we were getting from the HD cameras on Episodes II and III, so we actually had to "dumb it down" as George says. In some ways the Pro-Mist filters were simply the continuation of a photographic style, since we had previously used them on Episode I; although so much has been printed about digital cameras not having the same resolution as film—it's just not true. The thing is it's not the number of pixels or the theoretical number of resolvable line pairs that optics can give you on film—where under laboratory conditions, one can achieve a certain high level of resolution—what matters is real-world performance. And there the resolution of HD is comparable or better than that of film.

A link or reference to what you're quoting would be nice.