Star Wars discussion from The Bits... - Page 5

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

he certainly could be wrong, Robert.

However, there may be a good legal reason that the SEs (both 97 and 04) contain '97 copyrights and not '77 copyrights.
That could have to do with the deal with Fox, or it could, just maybe, have something to do with community property. I'm not a lawyer obviously- but it's a lot easier for me to understand this than some of the other excuses we have heard- and to be perfectly honest- if that actually were the case, he would have to make excuses otherwise the strategy could be contested.
as long as he maintains a consistent cover story, he would be in the clear.

I just had a close relative go thru a very acrimonious divorce. This would not be hard for me to comprehend or sympathize with.

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

Paul, as they say in my country: "Quit looking for the fifth leg on that cat, already"

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

When I posted that link I honestly didn't think it would become so controversial. In fact, if that editiorial didn't have the paragraph about royalties to Lucas' ex-wife, it would be no different than many of the things we have been discussing here at HTF. However, if it's such a problem, I will gladly allow the moderators(or even Ron himself) to remove the link so nothing takes away from the issue at hand: STOPPING THESE THIRD-RATE DISCS FROM COMING TO MARKET.

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alright, enough armchair analysis.

maybe someone should start a poll in this forum (as opposed to being consigned to the no-one-ever-goes-there poll forum) with just a simple yes/no choice
"will you buy these discs if they are produced with 1990's era masters?"

and then a concurrent poll
"would you buy these discs if there were made with new masters of original elements?"

again i would have to stress that a new HD master, even if the end result was downcoverted to 4:3 lbx and not anamorphic , would be highly preferable to a 'digitally manipulated to be anamorphic' one using the 93 transfers. And given the time frame left for this release, barring a postponment, that is likely to be the best you would get.

that would give the magazines some actual numbers to toss in the future articles

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

Now that's a good idea, I dig that. Thanks Paul

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The "editorial" from T-Bone has no place in this discussion. For a thread in the HTF that's supposed to be more civil than the previous one, dragging Lucas' personal life in the mud with unsubstantiated rumors is inappropriate.

Now to the powers that be at Lucasfilm:

I will not be buying the currently planned non anamorphic originals, since I already have the 2004 DVDs and subpar transfers do not interest me. Please consider hiring Robert Harris to supervise a restoration effort for a quality transfers of the originals. If you must, postpone the release to November/December (I realize that a 30th anneversary deluxe edition of the SW Saga is in the works next year). If a quality anamorphic version of the originals is made for DVD, I will buy them in a heartbeat. Thank you for listening.

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

I don't think we need a new restoration as much as a Simple HD anamorphic transfer from the same element (I assume its an interpositive) that they used for the laserdisc. If I want a frighteningly clean print of Star Wars I can watch the Lowry restoration on Disc 1. What they'll probably give us will be a grainy smeary mess, but at least with anamorphic it'll be a high resolution grainy smeary mess.

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

I saw this coming from a mile away. The SE's were not created for a home video release. Lucasfilm spent millions of dollars restoring and updating the SE versions because they knew that doing so would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in combined box office receipts and home video sales. This time around they are taking the cheap route on the restoration because it isn't tied to a theatrical rerelease. They aren't willing to invest as much capital because there isn't as much profit to be made.
Just be patient. Lucasfilm will probably release a 'completely restored original' (bit of an oxymoron isn't it?) version of all six films in theaters then again on blu ray in 2012.

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

My thoughts verbatim.

Okay, so they aren't anamorphic, but we'll be getting LD quality without having to flip the platter and LD quality is still darn good IMO. For those that don't own the originals, what can be gained by skipping this release? You aren't going make Lucas change his mind and reissue them in anamorphic, they will still sell and the only thing you'll accomplish is depriving yourself of the original trilogy.

A boycott is only effective when it's EFFECTIVE. I'm not saying that you should change your mind and buy this set if you've made your mind up, i'm just saying that a few fans withholding their money isn't going to tell Lucas a thing, it's a case of if you can't beat em', join em'.

The problem it seems is that we've grown so used to anamorphic and so the notion of not having it seems insane, and it is, not disputing that, however for me it's just a matter of assessing what we WILL get and regressing my brain back to my LD days.

To me, this isn't a disaster, it's merely 1997 again.

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

Well, I'm jumping in 4 pages late here, but since people from Lucasfilm are supposedly reading this thread...

I like the Special Editions. I do. I don't really have any major complaints about them. I have always supported the various online petitions for the original trilogy over the years. I have never really wanted to buy them, but I fully respect that people want them. After all, being born in 1981, the first time I saw STAR WARS on the big screen was in 1997.

George Lucas and Lucasfilm, you have always been about quality. Your DVDs of the STAR WARS Special Editions are wonderful (except for the "creative" sound and music mixing on Episode IV ). You have always been particular about video quality and sound quality with everything Star Wars. The thing that confuses me is why you would want to put out the original versions of the Star Wars movies on a home video medium for the first time in more than ten years and not want them to look the best they possibly could.

I have to admit when I first read that these versions were being released I sent an email to my friends with a news story about it and the subject line read "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GEORGE WANTS MORE MONEY..." I thought, isn't it ironic that the first year in a few when there has not been any major Star Wars releases on DVD is the same year that George/Lucasfilm decides to go back on their adamant position that the originals will never be released?

Lucasfilm and Mr. Lucas, please... Go to bat for the these releases and reward the fans that has spent billions of dollars on all things Star Wars. Remember, the fans love Star Wars just as much as you do... Just don't make us think we love it more.

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While I agree that the editorial shouldn't be taken into consideration, it does give the perspective that we shouldn't always assume an 'evil' purpose behing every 'bad' decision.

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If this were 10-15 years ago I'd agree with you. But that is completely unacceptable in 2006.

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Lucasfilm: There have been some excellent points made in this thread, so I will not rehash them. I will simply tell you that Non-Anamorphic = NO $ALE. If I had wanted the non-anamorphic LD transfers, then I would have found an alternative way to obtain them, if you catch my drift.

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I will not buy non-anamorphic sub-par dated transfers of the original versions of the Star Wars movies. Being relegated to merely and extra feature to the 2004 updated versions is pitiful. I have bought all the LD releases since 1990 and the 2004 DVD release. My DVD shelf will not be shelving this new 2006 release unless LFL comes to its senses!

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The most insightful comment I've seen here deserves reiteration: If this were an under-the-radar addition to a SE dvd release this would not be a big deal. Instead it is the stated primary feature, the one that got worldwide headlines from a very prominent press release. That is the part that makes this insulting. It is like promising your kids the most incredible family vacation of all time, the one they've been waiting for... and then taking them to Euro Disney. It would have been better if you'd just put on your bathrobe, grabbed an MGD and taken them there without a word.

I am still suspicious that the non-anamorphic thing is just a cover so people are more appreciative of a decent looking 16x9 copy in a few months.

But who knows, and until I know - I am moving on.

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even Natalie seems piqued about this






Hope you don't mind me appropriating your sig like that Bryan

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

I didn't think of that. Quite appropriate.

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Pazoozoo doesn't seem to like it much, either.

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As I said in the previous thread, I have defended Lucas' right to change his work as he see fits. I've even enjoyed most of his changes, and I enjoyed the prequels. While I firmly believe the originals I saw in the theater should be available, I respect his creative decisions.

That said, I am extremely disappointed by this news. I will not be purchasing any DVD's from Lucasfilm that are not 16:9 enhanced. Lucasfilm is a company that has prided itself on technological breakthroughs and high standards. Those standards should apply to this release as well.

I have a home theater like many here, and my love of Star Wars since my childhood is one of the biggest reasons I am an HT enthusiast. To not have the films that inspired me to be a fan of film in a form worthy of today's home theaters is truly saddening.

I will continue to enjoy my current DVD's, but I IMPLORE Lucasfilm, please do this release correctly. Delay it if need be. We'll be waiting with cash in hand if it is done properly.

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

I'm sure it's been said before but the people who have been the most vocal about getting the original trilogy are the same people who have a 16 x 9 TV and are going to be dissapointed by the lack of anamorphic enhancement.

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

Watchoo want Natalie?
TO DRINK AND FIGHT!
Watchoo need Natalie?
THE ORIGINALS, AIIGHT?

Re: Star Wars discussion from The Bits...

First off, I can't contribute to the discussion of what's possible and what's not. I'll leave that to the folks who know their way around those things.

I also won't waste time with a litany of my "Star Wars" life (high point - seeing ESB at the Cinema Theatre in Corte Madera: Wow.)

What I can scarcely believe at this point is that Lucasfilm would put out a substandard product due to lack of effort, motivation or funds. One thing I've never felt about a SW home video release was that corners were cut.

And yet, people who do have knowledge about the subject, people whose opinions I respect greatly, say that these films could certainly be given the proper treatment, if only Lucasfilm felt like doing so.

For the first time ever, I'm looking at a SW release with ambivalence.

To the people at Lucasfilm, I respectfully put forward this argument: You can't have it both ways. The promotional material posted on starwars.com makes it clear that I should see this as a big deal. I should buy a commemorative T-shirt. My persistence has been rewarded. Mr. Lucas is listening to the fans.

Yet the details that have come out regarding the presentation point to the whole thing being a non-event. This is the best we have. Excellence of any kind is not possible. This is an afterthought.

If I've rambled, let me try and distill my point as clearly as I can: If a non-anamorphic, 13-year-old transfer is the level best that can be done, fair enough. But if there's a way to do better, even if it means waiting a while longer, I really hope that you'll take that road instead.

Lucasfilm has, I think, set a high bar for itself when it comes to presentation quality. I don't expect the presentation of the original SW versions to rival any recent LFL release in that respect. But to see these long-awaited discs fall short due to lack of motivation would be shattering. To me, anyway.

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My thoughts exactly! I'd gladly pay upwards of $40 per movie for discs like these, but am hardly interested in paying $30 (probably more like $20 on release) for rehashes of the box set I already own and non-anamorphic transfers of Laserdiscs I already own!

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LOL

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Count me in as one who'll keep his old Laserdisc editions for now. I have a 73" 16x9 front projection system. What am I going to do with CrappyVision formatted DVDs?

If I wanted to look at crap, I'd look at my own profile photo!

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To any LucasFilm folks who may be lurking around here: I won't buy these discs unless they are rescheduled for a November/Christmas release so that Robert A Harris can have a "Super-Restoration-16:9-Enhanced" go at them. Seriously, as I mentioned on Steve Sansweet's and Jim Ward's Assistant's voice mails, LucasFilm has lost a sale with these discs.

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According to this article, it's not generosity:

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You know, it's very likely the 4x3 LBX DVD's will look quite good. I have 5 of the Charlie Chaplin DVD's that David Shepard produced for release by CBS-FOX in 1992-1993. City Lights still looks stunning - even for a transfer that's over a decade old.

16x9 isn't an automatic bad video grade. Fox has had some of the best 4x3 LBX DVD's out there.

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Lucas knows his fans and has probably anticipated this reaction from the home theater fringe; it's not enough to tip the balance in favor of a costly restoration, and no amount of crowing will be. C'mon, they did the math. If they take heat for a botched rear-channel sound mix, they know who they're dealing with and were fully prepared to invoke some wrath.

The press release was wrong headed from the standpoint of there being no caveat emptor for those expecting a new, anamorphic transfer (to keep expectations in check). Granted. But for everyone else, it makes sense. The lack of state of the art resolution and definition will play as quaint and induce nostalgia on all those 4 by 3 sets out there (even ones that can do the anamorphic squeeze trick). And, well, it will for me too.

This turn of events calls for a needed shift in perspective. (Okay, okay, you shouldn't have to play this game, but given the situation...) Pretend Lucas promised you nothing, then coughed up the sweet bonuses of the spruced up laser disc ports of the original trilogy for archival purposes. Now, take 'em or leave em. You either get a fairly thoughtful nod to the fans from a guy who vowed to never budge on the issue of releasing these versions, or nothing's changed. Problem solved.

I'll be happy to get any version of the unaltered films, especially if this turns out to be a one-time offer. Unlikely, but with fan reaction like this... Because I'm sure Lucas now understands if it wasn't about non-anamorphic, it'd be about the next issue, and the next... Color timing, specks of dirt on the print used for the remaster, tinny sound, what have you...on down the road of each and every way the transfer of the originals don't measure up to the SEs. Instead of being attacked on one front, there'd be many. Going the antiquated '93 release route protects him from all that and helps to engender that "take 'em for what they are" spirit.


If that didn't work, be thankful you've got your health (if you do), or imagine William Shatner in that infamous SNL skit addressing that audience of Trekkies. Don't make me quote him...



--Jack