Is the original Star Wars trilogy worth the upgrade?

[rapta]

I have Empire on DVD with both versions. I wish they'd do the same for Blu-ray, or at least the original cuts on Blu-ray. It will happen sometime in the next year or year and a half probably, as they will want to cash in on the new films. Let's hope they are presented perfectly. The one reason why I didn't pick up the original trilogy boxset or the steelbook boxset is because they were the altered Lucas versions.

[shogun123]

It's a PANASONIC VIERA TXL47ET5B

[chip75]

Originally Posted by shogun123

It's a PANASONIC VIERA TXL47ET5B

I think Auto is the equivalent of the 1:1 Pixel method. There doesn't seem to be any way to adjust the position. You can tell if you're 1:1 by playing a 1.85:1 Blu-ray it will probably show the letterboxing at the top and bottom of the screen while overscan will zoom it out of the TV frame.

Looking at screen captures of Return of the Jedi there doesn't seem to be any lines on the right hand side, it's possible it's just a TV/BD issue and the 16:9 mode will eliminate it.

[shogun123]

Thanks, I'll try that out.

[Brightstar]

If you hate changes stick with the VHS .

[Rob89]

Originally Posted by rapta

I have Empire on DVD with both versions. I wish they'd do the same for Blu-ray, or at least the original cuts on Blu-ray. It will happen sometime in the next year or year and a half probably, as they will want to cash in on the new films. Let's hope they are presented perfectly. The one reason why I didn't pick up the original trilogy boxset or the steelbook boxset is because they were the altered Lucas versions.

Lets hope so. I hope just before Episode VII is released, as i've yet to see Return of the Jedi. I refuse to buy the 'enhanced' versions.

[Porco Azzurro]

Yes, for many reasons. If you hate any of the alterations enough to not buy it then nothing will convince you anyway, but otherwise I see no reason not to upgrade. The picture and sound is better than it's ever been for a home release, by a mile.

Releasing a restored original version will require a lot of work. The question of what exactly an 'unaltered' version will be is somewhat nebulous as well.

Having said that, I am still confident that Disney will do it at some point though, it's a huge pile of cash lying on the table ready to be collected, and Disney like collecting huge piles of cash for catalogue releases with pent-up demand, of which this is surely one of the best examples ever.

[The Fallen Deity]

Yes they're worth the upgrade mainly for the audio especially the audio for A New Hope. The DVD sound mix was screwed up and it was fixed for the Blu-Ray release.

Some of the major issues with the DVD transfers, like the lightsaber colouring were fixed for the most part. Although some of the sabers are still messed up.

There's still black crush and over saturation but imo it doesn't look as bad as the DVD transfers. Maybe it's to do with the increased resolution, tbh I have now idea.

I would recommend to get it but here's hoping Disney do a proper release using brand new scans instead of recycling old, botched ones and include the Theatrical Cuts in HD sometime in the near future.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Rob89

Lets hope so. I hope just before Episode VII is released, as i've yet to see Return of the Jedi. I refuse to buy the 'enhanced' versions.

Yeah I really hope they release them. I hoped it would be this year, 30 years since Jedi, but it's more likely it will be next year. If they do it, I hope there are extras too - they can literally have all my money if they do it right. Original trilogy theatrical cuts, and some actual extras, with perfect PQ/AQ.

[theprestige85]

The only enhancement's I found odd was CGI Jabba The Hut. Otherwise they really didn't bother me all that much, and this is coming from somebody who wore out the original VHS versions as a child.

I can't stand George Lucas, but all he has really done is added stuff in, not taken stuff out.

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by theprestige85

The only enhancement's I found odd was CGI Jabba The Hut. Otherwise they really didn't bother me all that much, and this is coming from somebody who wore out the original VHS versions as a child.

I can't stand George Lucas, but all he has really done is added stuff in, not taken stuff out.

What about at the end of Jedi? Didn't he take out the old Aniken? Which was wrong as Aniken finally died old not young.

In general I'm not bothered by the tweaks. Only the one I mentioned and Solo stepping on Jabba (although I understand why that had to happen like that)

I've got the unaltered versions on DVD when they were released about six years ago. Be nice if they were released on Blu

[Pooch]

Hi,

As most everyone else has said, buy the Blu-Ray's for the extras, and the upgrades in picture and sound quality. The films DO look amazing...

... But if you are a Star Wars purist, then don't buy them. Stick to the Orginal Trilogy on DVD.

I've resisted upgrading, because I simply can't stand all of the changes Mr Lucas keeps making. Ninety-nice per cent of them, I loathe with a passion. And I'm not willing to pay money just to watch extras. I'd rather wait.

And as Disney now holds the rights/licencing, I'm expecting that at some point in the next 2-5 years, we'll get a nice Blu-Ray release of the original, untainted, unaltered, unmodified versions, that most of us saw in 1977, 1980 and 1983, with just 16:9 enhancement, and frame-by-frame corrections to remove dirt, debris and scratches, and possibly fix one or two odd colouring errors, but that's all. Alongside all of the extras that are currently available in the Blu-Ray releases.


Pooch

[Buzz201]

I'm going to stick this out there. You're never going to get an unaltered theatrical version in high quality, unless Lucas dies and somebody like Criterion or the BFI gets the rights...

To put it bluntly Lucas doesn't care, and it wouldn't surprise if he'd had his personal army destroy every high quality theatrical master in existence.

[Albatross365]

Originally Posted by Pooch

Hi,

As most everyone else has said, buy the Blu-Ray's for the extras, and the upgrades in picture and sound quality. The films DO look amazing...

... But if you are a Star Wars purist, then don't buy them. Stick to the Orginal Trilogy on DVD.

Keep hold of your DVD trilogy if you want to keep the Empire of Dreams documentary which was inexplicably left off the Blu-ray set.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Buzz201

I'm going to stick this out there. You're never going to get an unaltered theatrical version in high quality, unless Lucas dies and somebody like Criterion or the BFI gets the rights...

To put it bluntly Lucas doesn't care, and it wouldn't surprise if he'd had his personal army destroy every high quality theatrical master in existence.

I think Disney will push for the original versions. It will be a huge marketing hook and buzz if they get to restore the films and release them on BD. Looking at it why would anyone buy the Disney BDs if they don't offer the original cuts? Most BD owners will have bought the FOX set, the only ones holding out are those who want the original versions and/or think the complete set is too expensive.

I think we might see something around the time of the next movie gets made or released, they might even want to shot some new scenes or create some new effects for new special editions. I'm trying to remain optimistic I don't care what they do with the special editions as long as we get the originals!

[Villiam Hayes]

Originally Posted by chip75

I think Disney will push for the original versions. It will be a huge marketing hook and buzz if they get to restore the films and release them on BD. Looking at it why would anyone buy the Disney BDs if they don't offer the original cuts? Most BD owners will have bought the FOX set, the only ones holding out are those who want the original versions and/or think the complete set is too expensive.

I think we might see something around the time of the next movie gets made or released, they might even want to shot some new scenes or create some new effects for new special editions. I'm trying to remain optimistic I don't care what they do with the special editions as long as we get the originals!

I also think that they may be released at some stage,I can't help think Disney would have brought it up during discussions and them releasing the originals being a major part of the take over.

I am not a massive fan and I would still have no problem in double dipping for the original three.
The money to be made there seems to good an opportunity to miss for a studio.

[Buzz201]

Originally Posted by chip75

I think Disney will push for the original versions. It will be a huge marketing hook and buzz if they get to restore the films and release them on BD. Looking at it why would anyone buy the Disney BDs if they don't offer the original cuts? Most BD owners will have bought the FOX set, the only ones holding out are those who want the original versions and/or think the complete set is too expensive.

I think we might see something around the time of the next movie gets made or released, they might even want to shot some new scenes or create some new effects for new special editions. I'm trying to remain optimistic I don't care what they do with the special editions as long as we get the originals!

Except the rights to Episode IV indefinitely lie with Fox (and the rest don't reach Disney until 2020 - after the big Star Wars blitz), so Fox would likely have to do any restoration and remastering work for that film. Why would they bother, seeing as they don't stand to gain much from it?

Maybe I'm overly pessimistic, but if you do it's unlikely to happen to 2020, and then it probably won't be on BD...

[Pooch]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Buzz201

Except the rights to Episode IV indefinitely lie with Fox (and the rest don't reach Disney until 2020 - after the big Star Wars blitz), so Fox would likely have to do any restoration and remastering work for that film. Why would they bother, seeing as they don't stand to gain much from it?

The chances of Disney not demanding that the rights for all of the three original films revert to them, at some point in time, is slim. It's the one release version of the Star Wars saga that EVERYONE wants to own, and Disney would have been naive or stupid to not demand that they be allowed to release the original trilogy in their original, untainted versions onto Blu-Ray in the future.

The reason that they would do the remastering themselves, or get someone else to do it for them, is the huge amount of money they would make, the second this gets any kind of official confirmation! As soon as it does, I can guarantee that sites like Amazon will be bombarded with Pre-Orders, no matter what the price is, or how few the extras might be.

Simply put, if Disney can't do a release onto Blu-Ray of the classic trilogy, they would be doing themselves out of thousands, nigh millions of dollars of profit! As would Lucas, by not allowing someone to release them.

So, I think they will come out on Blu-Ray eventually, and as soon as they do, I suspect everyone who is already a Blu-Ray junkie, and even those who swore blind they would never upgrade from DVD to Blu-Ray, will soon change their minds and pre-order this set, without a second's hesitation!


Pooch

[Buzz201]

Originally Posted by Pooch

Hi,



The chances of Disney not demanding that the rights for all of the three original films revert to them, at some point in time, is slim. It's the one release version of the Star Wars saga that EVERYONE wants to own, and Disney would have been naive or stupid to not demand that they be allowed to release the original trilogy in their original, untainted versions onto Blu-Ray in the future.

The reason that they would do the remastering themselves, or get someone else to do it for them, is the huge amount of money they would make, the second this gets any kind of official confirmation! As soon as it does, I can guarantee that sites like Amazon will be bombarded with Pre-Orders, no matter what the price is, or how few the extras might be.

Simply put, if Disney can't do a release onto Blu-Ray of the classic trilogy, they would be doing themselves out of thousands, nigh millions of dollars of profit! As would Lucas, by not allowing someone to release them.

So, I think they will come out on Blu-Ray eventually, and as soon as they do, I suspect everyone who is already a Blu-Ray junkie, and even those who swore blind they would never upgrade from DVD to Blu-Ray, will soon change their minds and pre-order this set, without a second's hesitation!


Pooch

Disney cannot demand the rights to the first film, Fox has all media rights indefinitely. And there's no way Fox will just give them up, not with heavy compensation. So Disney either pays Fox the shitloads of money it will presumably ask for or does without...

And Lucasfilm is locked into a contract with Fox for the remaining 5 films until 2020. If Disney wants the rights before then they'd have to buy the contracts out (again, not cheap).

If it happens, I can't see it happening until at all 2020, unless Fox releases them beforehand just to usurp Disney, which knowing Rupert Murdoch is somewhat likely...

[Albatross365]

Sad news.

Gilbert Taylor, director of photography on A New Hope has died aged 99.

Good innings and an awesome job.

He also did Flash Gordon, The Omen and Dr. Strangelove