Could the original, unaltered STAR WARS be on its way to Blu-ray? (1 Viewer)

[SilverWook]

Didn't old store stock get pulled from the shelves a few months before the Blu Rays came out? The old DVD's command inflated prices on Ebay these days.

 

[Brian Husar]

I have to say I love Directors cuts and the first Star Wars is no exception. I agree with Eberts review of Star Wars and Empire. The editions were subtle when they came out on 97. I do not agree with all the stuff he added to Jedi. He completely changed the tone with that musical number in Jabbas palace. The problem is with every new medium he has made more and more changes. Not so much with Star Wars but with Jedi more than the other three. It's a question of when is enough.

 

[Brian Husar]

In fact he made no changes to Graffiti except for the titles and I think the changes to THX made the film better and kept the integrity of the film. But The Star Wars films he needs to learn enough is enough and provide both versions.

 

[Paul_Warren]

Repacks are coming 8th October like the artwork but its the same existing transfer no doubt!

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Episodes-IV-VI-Blu-ray/dp/B00E9PMMX0/ref=pd_bxgy_mov_img_y
http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Episodes-I-III-Blu-ray/dp/B00E9PMML2/ref=pd_bxgy_mov_img_y

 

[Kevin EK]

If there was anything new on a Star Wars release, I guarantee you there'd be a ton of publicity about it. This is just repackaging of what people already have on their shelves.

 

[Ejanss]

If there was anything new on a Star Wars release, I guarantee you there'd be a ton of publicity about it. This is just repackaging of what people already have on their shelves.

Specifically, it's Fox's "But...it wasn't a DVD Combo last time!" (Oh, heaven forfend. )

 

[SilverWook]

In fact he made no changes to Graffiti except for the titles and I think the changes to THX made the film better and kept the integrity of the film. But The Star Wars films he needs to learn enough is enough and provide both versions.

You can't even get a crappy non anamorphic DVD of the original THX though. And the so called "director's cut" extras act like nothing was added or changed at all. There aren't any new credits like the Star Wars SE's have.
It's disconcerting to see George talk about filming on real locations in 1970, while a CGI cityscape is shown.

 

[Dave H]

I have to say I love Directors cuts and the first Star Wars is no exception. I agree with Eberts review of Star Wars and Empire. The editions were subtle when they came out on 97. I do not agree with all the stuff he added to Jedi. He completely changed the tone with that musical number in Jabbas palace. The problem is with every new medium he has made more and more changes. Not so much with Star Wars but with Jedi more than the other three. It's a question of when is enough.

Indeed, the initial changes on the 1997 were not too jarring at all except for the music piece in Jabba's palace.

I am also curious how the color timing of those 1997 prints compares to the current Blu-rays which have some inconsistency at times especially with skin tones in A New Hope and Jedi.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Indeed, the initial changes on the 1997 were not too jarring at all except for the music piece in Jabba's palace.

I am also curious how the color timing of those 1997 prints compares to the current Blu-rays which have some inconsistency at times especially with skin tones in A New Hope and Jedi.

I think they used a technicolor print of A New Hope as the basis for the colour timing of the blu ray, yes inconsistencies but i mostly liked it.

 

[Dave H]

At least the Blu-rays have less blue push compared to the 2004 DVDs.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I am also curious how the color timing of those 1997 prints compares to the current Blu-rays which have some inconsistency at times especially with skin tones in A New Hope and Jedi.

The 1997 editions are infamous for having a heavy red push that was pretty easy to see on vhs (Star Destroyers that were white originally frequently turned pink).

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Indeed, the initial changes on the 1997 were not too jarring at all except for the music piece in Jabba's palace.

I know this is an old debate, but I just have to disagree. Mos Eisley looks like a circus in the '97 version, the Jabba scene is pointless, and even the added Biggs scene feels out of place without the earlier scenes on Tatooine. And to me, the worst addition to the '97 versions (aside from the Jabba's palace song in Jedi) was the "Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival" garbage in Empire.

At this point, though, it's not a matter of which changes were more distracting than others. The "current" versions are patchworks of different eras of filmmaking, both in technique and sensibilities, while the original versions (for better or worse) are important American cinematic landmarks, and it's just disappointing that it's become so difficult to view them in that context.

 

[FoxyMulder]

I know this is an old debate, but I just have to disagree. Mos Eisley looks like a circus in the '97 version, the Jabba scene is pointless, and even the added Biggs scene feels out of place without the earlier scenes on Tatooine. And to me, the worst addition to the '97 versions (aside from the Jabba's palace song in Jedi) was the "Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival" garbage in Empire.

At this point, though, it's not a matter of which changes were more distracting than others. The "current" versions are patchworks of different eras of filmmaking, both in technique and sensibilities, while the original versions (for better or worse) are important American cinematic landmarks, and it's just disappointing that it's become so difficult to view them in that context.

Would you object to fixing the matte outlines and things like Lukes speeder on Tatooine or do you want completely unaltered editions, i ask because even in the VHS editions of the original trilogy i was always bothered by the matte outlines around the asteroids during the scene where the Falcon is chased by the Tie Fighters, they stuck out like a sore thumb.

I suppose it's history and it is what it is, i wouldn't want Ray Harryhausens work changed so i shouldn't ask for these changes either, just saying they annoyed the hell outta me when i viewed them on VHS and they would probably stick out more with a higher resolution.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

I think they should have to take it warts and all. no fixes.

 

[Worth]

The matte "boxes" were largely the result of incorrect black levels on older video masters - they weren't visible on theatrical prints.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Would you object to fixing the matte outlines and things like Lukes speeder on Tatooine or do you want completely unaltered editions, i ask because even in the VHS editions of the original trilogy i was always bothered by the matte outlines around the asteroids during the scene where the Falcon is chased by the Tie Fighters, they stuck out like a sore thumb.

I suppose it's history and it is what it is, i wouldn't want Ray Harryhausens work changed so i shouldn't ask for these changes either, just saying they annoyed the hell outta me when i viewed them on VHS and they would probably stick out more with a higher resolution.

To be honest, I actually would prefer that those remain unfixed, but on the other hand, I could probably accept it if they weren't. But as we've discussed often on these boards, this is one of those gray areas of restoration. Those matte lines, while probably not invisible, were likely not as noticeable in theatrical prints (even brand new ones). I recently had the chance to see a 35mm print of Jedi ('97 version), and I barely noticed the Emperor's "slug," and probably wouldn't have at all if I hadn't seen it on video so many times.

So if it were a matter of trying to obscure things that probably wouldn't have been quite as "sore-thumb-ish" in theatrical prints, I might be okay with that. But I agree there's a fine line there.

 

[Lromero1396]

Let me put it this way: the original unaltered trilogy must be properly preserved, first and foremost. A blu-ray release from Fox or Disney is also a must, but preferably after work is done to preserve them for future generations. Since Lucas is now out of the equation at least partially, Disney should exploit this cash cow opportunity if they can strike a deal with Fox.

 

[Lromero1396]

I would also like to post that I'm not one of those anti-George Lucas guys who want to lynch him for what he did to the original trilogy. I don't like the special editions, but that doesn't mean they can't exist. The real issue is the preservation of the original unaltered trilogy, which is very much in jeopardy as far as I know.

 

[Worth]

A quote from someone who apparently worked on Jedi:

"I actually composited that shot working for a company in Hollywood. The two black blobs around the outside of the emperor's eyes were g[arbage]-mattes to conceal makeup defects that didn't look quite right. With the theatrical release on standard release print stock the g-mattes like all the other g-mattes blend into the surrounding black areas going un-noticed. Not until the use of lower contrast video film stocks did the density mismatch become apparent."

 

[TravisR]

A quote from someone who apparently worked on Jedi:

"I actually composited that shot working for a company in Hollywood. The two black blobs around the outside of the emperor's eyes were g[arbage]-mattes to conceal makeup defects that didn't look quite right. With the theatrical release on standard release print stock the g-mattes like all the other g-mattes blend into the surrounding black areas going un-noticed. Not until the use of lower contrast video film stocks did the density mismatch become apparent."

I'm sure that was their intention but I don't believe it was the reality. Since I saw them as a child, I'm not going to pretend that I remember the theatrical prints of the originals but I know without a doubt that mattes were visible on the SE theatrical prints. That being the case, why would the mattes suddenly become visible on the theatrical prints when it was completely seamless 20 years prior?