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

[Grazza]

Originally Posted by bferr1972

I wonder if younger generations would embrace the UOT or reject it as different (read: inferior) from the SEs they've grown up with?

I like to think they’d embrace it! Although someone, somewhere in the world probably likes the ‘Jedi Rocks’ song in ROTJ for some unknown reason...

Personally I’d like a kind of Alien or Blade Runner Final Cut re-do, where matte boxes and things like the painted soldiers in the throne room at the end of Star Wars were sorted, but the rest was left well alone. But I imagine if we get the original versions, they will come without such revisions. Either way I’d be happy. I’d also like the same for THX1138 without those bloody awful CGI creature additions near the end.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Anyone else here feeling the need to dial up the gamma one notch and/or HDR brightness settings with these disc? I know it's folly to directly compare the UHD grading to the companion SDR transfers, which are much brighter, but Empire in particular just looks far too dark on the 4K.

For whatever reason disc mastered in the lower nits range (mostly titles from Disney) generally look darker on my display without intervention. Meanwhile disc mastered with a higher peak luminance (aka anything from Sony) look absolutely stunning right out the gate.

My X900f should be able to handle anything under 1000 nits no problem, and certainly does once minor adjustments are made. That being said there's some inherent guilt each time I use the UB820 to brighten the dynamic range on these titles. Generally speaking I prefer things to look as intended, but how can I be sure that what I'm seeing is or isn't correct with the recommended settings in place?

[rotatingfish]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Lucas's overriding wishes are still guiding the horse to be sure, but it's going on a few more detours of late.

Also worth noting that Lucas himself OK'd some Academy screening of the 1979 70mm re-release print, where I *believe* the only alteration was the insertion of Episode IV A New Hope into the crawl.

At this point, I think maybe Galaxy's Edge in Disneyworld should just charge admission to a little authoring studio where videophiles can custom manufacture their own discs, take every shot from whichever cut you like... set your own gamma... pick your own grain level... set your own DNR...

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by rotatingfish

Also worth noting that Lucas himself OK'd some Academy screening of the 1979 70mm re-release print, where I *believe* the only alteration was the insertion of Episode IV A New Hope into the crawl.

Nope. That didn't start until 1981.

[AllOuttaBubbleGum]

'Phantom' and 'Clones' are up at https://www.hdnumerique.com/

The '11 blus come out on the subdued side there, but that's probably because I'm a caps-a-holic.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by AllOuttaBubbleGum

'Phantom' and 'Clones' are up at https://www.hdnumerique.com/

The '11 blus come out on the subdued side there, but that's probably because I'm a caps-a-holic.

Wow, I do find it striking how much better even CLONES is on UHD... considering it was shot with such rudimentary HD equipment to begin with. The comparison of the shot with Jango Fett's ship on Kamino in the rain is pretty definitive; like I've been saying, it's like a veil has been lifted on the UHD. Love it.

[steel_breeze]

So I've finally finished my full Skywalker Saga boxed-set marathon. Loved every damn minute. Even my least favorite STAR WARS film is still a friggin' STAR WARS film; it's such a glorious universe to play around in.

That said... man do I enjoy RISE OF SKYWALKER more with my strategic edits. I've written about this before, of course, and I find the need to add the disclaimer that as a general rule I absolutely DO NOT EDIT any movies ever -- in the whole glorious history of cinema... other than STAR WARS movies. And even within the Saga, I only do a couple strategic edits scattered here and there: I eliminate the Darth Maul cameo from SOLO; I get rid of the Darth Vader castle scene in ROGUE ONE; and I obliterate the horrendous "Jedi Rocks" nonsense in ROTJ... all by judicious use of the Chapter Skip button.

But in RISE OF SKYWALKER, I admit I do a little more... and it makes it all SO MUCH BETTER!!!! (In my opinion, obviously) There are some spoilers in play, so I'll just put the whole thing in spoiler tags:

[Show spoiler]--Chapter Skip after the Falcon breaks through the ice wall and into hyperspace, to eliminate the "light speed skipping" crap
--Chapter Skip soon after Leia as died, after we've cut back to Kylo Ren standing on the Death Star ruins, staring off into the rainy distance. Music cue ends, and... SKIP past the Han Solo cameo.
--Chapter Skip near the end, soon after Finn and friend have been rescued by Lando from the crashing Star Destroyer, RIGHT after we cut back to Rey and see her staring all around herself -- but BEFORE she drops the lightsabers, and certainly before she collapses. This eliminates Kylo's return and the kiss, and takes us immediately to a triumphant Rey emerging in Red Five. No need to be saved by a man; she's the lone hero.

Wow what a better movie it is with these changes -- again, IMHO.

Anyhoo... I know that's all controversial as hell, but whatta ya gonna do? Makes me actively enjoy the flick instead of shaking my head and yelling "now WHY DID THEY DO THAT??" at the screen. Lol.

This boxed set was such a godsend during this quarantine, and L.A. County just yesterday had its general "Stay At Home" guidelines extended through July, with no sign of the film industry (in which I work) starting up again before that timeframe... so I may just have to go through the whole eleven-film Saga again! Hashtag: not kidding. May the Force Be With You All!

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Wow, I do find it striking how much better even CLONES is on UHD... considering it was shot with such rudimentary HD equipment to begin with. The comparison of the shot with Jango Fett's ship on Kamino in the rain is pretty definitive; like I've been saying, it's like a veil has been lifted on the UHD. Love it.

It's slightly brighter. Otherwise I see absolutely no difference.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

It's slightly brighter. Otherwise I see absolutely no difference.

I don't know what to say. To me there's an obvious and pretty huge detail difference. Look at the rain -- most obvious in the wider shot, not the close punch-in. Look at the texture on the Slave-1 in the closer image. Night 'n' day. <shrug>

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by rotatingfish

Also worth noting that Lucas himself OK'd some Academy screening of the 1979 70mm re-release print, where I *believe* the only alteration was the insertion of Episode IV A New Hope into the crawl.

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

Nope. That didn't start until 1981.

It was a 70mm print with the "Episode IV" title, so it was likely made in the 80s sometime. It was in remarkably good shape except for one fixed tear and a few seconds of audio damage near the end.

[jayman3]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Saw a TV special about Garry Marshall last night that oddly used a bunch of STAR WARS footage to introduce the "Mork & Mindy" segment. It was NOT cleaned up; in fact it was 4:3 and clearly from an old ratty trailer... but fascinating that they seemed to have gone out of their way to string together a bunch of non-Special-Edition dogfight footage from the end Death Star battle. Like they were making a statement. I'm sure I'm reading too much into it, but I dug it.

Remember the CNN Movies special? That also used UOT footage. Which means they had to ask Lucasfilm for permission/license to use that specific version of Star Wars.

[jayman3]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I never thought of that, but it's true. Crazy how time flies.

Would be correct. It was 20 years for Star Wars, 17 years for Empire, and 14 years for Return that their original theatrical versions were the only editions of the films to be presented until 1997.

Meaning the SE have been the “default” for 23 years.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by AllOuttaBubbleGum

'Phantom' and 'Clones' are up at https://www.hdnumerique.com/

The '11 blus come out on the subdued side there, but that's probably because I'm a caps-a-holic.

Heh. Some of the stuff I've been writing in my review is right there in those sliders, glad I'm not the only one who noticed.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

SOLO and TROS spoilers!:

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

I eliminate the Darth Maul cameo from SOLO;

Chapter Skip after the Falcon breaks through the ice wall and into hyperspace, to eliminate the "light speed skipping" crap

SKIP past the Han Solo cameo.

:conf used: that's literally one of the more key scenes to the entire plot of the movie

--Chapter Skip near the end, soon after Finn and friend have been rescued by Lando from the crashing Star Destroyer, RIGHT after we cut back to Rey and see her staring all around herself -- but BEFORE she drops the lightsabers, and certainly before she collapses. This eliminates Kylo's return and the kiss, and takes us immediately to a triumphant Rey emerging in Red Five.

:conf used::conf used:

that cuts out the core of the entire movie and trilogy and she doesn't even have to arise! and that was one of the most powerful, tear jerking scenes as she drops the sabers and falls

Wow what a better movie it is with these changes

Anyhoo... I know that's all controversial as hell, but whatta ya gonna do? Makes me actively enjoy the flick instead of shaking my head and yelling "now WHY DID THEY DO THAT??" at the screen. Lol.

LOL but wow, as your cuts make me shake my head maybe more than I have ever shaken my head at fan cuts and I've done that a LOT
you removed some of the most powerful and moving and key parts of the entire movie

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

It's slightly brighter. Otherwise I see absolutely no difference.

clones slightly ups the detail across the board
looks like they dialed back some of the DNR applied to the 2011

[TitusTroy]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

as a general rule I absolutely DO NOT EDIT any movies ever -- in the whole glorious history of cinema... other than STAR WARS movies.

Anyhoo... I know that's all controversial as hell, but whatta ya gonna do? Makes me actively enjoy the flick instead of shaking my head and yelling "now WHY DID THEY DO THAT??" at the screen. Lol

strategic edits?...why?...just watch the movies as they were intended...the movie was already edited for your enjoyment...

[Xephix]

I wonder if George Lucas's excessive changes he's made to Star Wars have turned off other directors from doing the same with their films. Steven Spielberg did some change to E.T. but later regretted his decision and now every subsequent release has been the theatrical cut.

[Hardback247]

Originally Posted by Xephix

I wonder if George Lucas's excessive changes he's made to Star Wars have turned off other directors from doing the same with their films. Steven Spielberg did some change to E.T. but later regretted his decision and now every subsequent release has been the theatrical cut.

That didn't stop Ridley Scott from making Blade Runner: The Final Cut.

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

That didn't stop Ridley Scott from making Blade Runner: The Final Cut.

Yeah, but he didn't have anything against the studio re-releasing the old cuts of the film.

George Lucas isn't the only director who changed things dramatically, and then forced the studio to basically just put the old versions in cold permanent storage.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

That didn't stop Ridley Scott from making Blade Runner: The Final Cut.

AKA Blade Runner: The Only Cut Ridley Scott Actually Got to Make