Star Wars Episode II DVD... (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Cooper]

AOTC did play on the Local IMAX screen when it opened here in Orange County, CA. I can definately vouch for that.

 

[Brian Kidd]

It may have played in IMAX theaters, but it never played in IMAX. There's no way that the picture would hold up when blown up to such a size. McCallum is very upfront in admitting that HD-Video has nowhere near the resolution of 35mm film. I've seen how bad 35mm looks on an IMAX screen. Grain Grain Grain. If the source is low-res, there's no way to make it any better. The truth is that film projection is soooo bad in most theaters that digital projection of HD Video does actually look better. I just don't see the IMAX thing happening.

 

[Craig W]

Maybe the Ice Age and AOTC are swapping dates. Maybe Lucas wants the release to go head to head with extended LOTR on 11/12.

I really hope we get it this year, but I can wait as long as the DVD version debuts with the VHS.

If we do get it this year is it going to make the 3 years between the release of EPIII that much longer. At least when TPM was released on DVD there was only seven month until the next movie.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Attack of the Clones will be out in November on DVD, November 26 is the current (un)official date

The cameras that Lucas used are not THAT much lower in resolution than 35mm so as to make much of a difference in DVD transfer resolution. The cameras behave very much like film cameras, you're just used to looking at NTSC broadcast cams. I've seen many features and shows shot on HD that look like film. For example, Bernie Mac is shot in HD video.

Lucas is going to transfer from film because he wants a uniform look to all 6 movies

 

[William Ward]

Not head to head with the FOTR Extended DVDs....
I don't make enough money in a week to justify that, and I don't want to wait an extra week if one's out!!!

 

[William Ward]

Lucas is going to transfer from film because he wants a uniform look to all 6 movies

Looks like this might mean the dreaded edge enhancement/ringing/haloing and low overall sound levels which were IMO the only things wrong with that otherwise excellent DVD of TPM.....

 

[AllanN]

A lot of people seem to be writing film off prematurely.

I completely agree, digital technologies can let us do allot of things but it will never be able to replace the resolution and clarity of film. I personally like the "look" of episodes IV-VI over I-II.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Hmmm... so to keep the visual "sameness" of what TPM gave us is the Ep II disc going to use a negative with scratches, dust, dirt, fingerprints, and loose sprocket holes??

That is a mildly inacurrate description of film. Episode I was transferred from film, yet lacks scratches, dust, dirt, fingerprints, and damaged sprocket holes.

Also, how on earth would the negative for TPM get in that bad condition? Negatives are not used like prints anymore, except for some studios transferring them to DVD. (Which is stupid...)

To get the "film" look, why can't Lucasfilm just process the digital files to look like film? I can do that with Adobe Premire and After Effects.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I completely agree, digital technologies can let us do allot of things but it will never be able to replace the resolution and clarity of film.

Never say never. For what was basically first-gen digital, AOTC looked and sounded fantastic to most people, particularly in theaters equipped with the latest digital projectors. Videophiles with more discerning eyes weren't impressed, but does anyone really think it won't improve over time? I think it'll improve by leaps and bounds and, as Patrick says, they'll have the ability to make it look exactly like film in time. It's similar to digital audio, as I've heard it described: when music was first recorded digitally, those with an ear for music described it as "cold" and "sterile." Before long, tricks were used to make the digitally recordings sound closer to analog, with all of the imperfections inherent to tape imbedded in the signal. The same should hold true for digital video.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

The Force.Net's main page has confirmed that AOTC is going to be released as an IMAX feature. I hope it doesn't get in the way of the November DVD release date:
IMAX Clones Coming Soon
Mon, Jul 01, 02 12:59:39 AM EDT
Agis tells us that AOTC will screen on IMAX in Australia soon!
ATOC : IMAX Special Full Screen Release confirmed in AU
Well it was confirmed today that Fox did have that ace we were waiting for and the word is IMAX.
With 15 countries signed up for the Special Full Screen Release of ATOC, things are heating up once again for SW, according to fox in AU
With Australia's IMAX season begining September Holidays (maybe earlier: fox hasn't ruled that out), other countries will be opening this special release as early as end of July. Japan, South Korea has secured a mid-august release, as well as Hong Kong and China. USA is still estimating around a Labor Day weekend opening, with London's Massive IMAX Theatre , will start showing end of July, 1st week of August, with Germany, France and Spain.
News has not been confirmed regarding a special release, with additional scenes, but fox have assured us, it will be quoted "worth the wait"
However some countries IMAX theatres will not be showing the film in digital, however fox has stated that they will try to make the best possible prints of the film for IMAX release, whether filming in digital or standard IMAX modules.
THE FORCE.NET:EPISODE 2

 

[William Ward]

What does it mean by "Fullscreen"

Is it the entire 16/9 frame of the digital video or an actual P&S of the film prints for IMAX???

 

[Damin J Toell]

Is it the entire 16/9 frame of the digital video or an actual P&S of the film prints for IMAX???

If the upcoming Apollo 13 release is any indication, it'll be P&S and fill the entire IMAX screen. :frowning:
DJ

 

[Danny_Tam]

I've been sending in a question to the "Jedi Council" on Starwars.com asking Rick McCallum whether the Episode II DVD will use the digital files or the film print. Probably won't get responded to since its more of a technophile question, but ah well. :-D
Honestly though, if there was a very conscious decision to use the film print for the Episode I DVD (which was in production DURING the shooting of Episode II), one shouldn't be too surprised if the same were done for AOTC DVD. Still, Lucas may want to take a different route and continue to exploit the digital medium, being the rebel that he is (at least, to the film industry!).
I saw it twice on film and once in a DLP projection, and while I was highly impressed with the digital showing, with its stable, sharp, brighter image, [and completely sold with the idea of digital projection being the future], the film print isn't as bad as some people are making it out to be. If that were the source used for the DVD, I'm sure it would still look great, given some color correction and more brightness.
As for digital cameras never being able to touch film, I can't say I agree with that. Whereas the Episode II generation Sony camera had a resolution of about 2.2 megapixels, the new camera they are hoping to get in time for Episode III is quintuple (5 times) that. Technology is known for accelerating exponentially, and I don't see digital cameras being held back by some sort of "film glass ceiling" that it can't break. And yes, as Patrick pointed out, it is possible to modify the digital image to add film grain of any specific type of film stock out there on the market (among other things).
Actually Patrick, now that you bring that up, that would be a good compromise for the DVD team to use- a digital source with film grain added to maintain the look they want to establish, while keeping the quality high since they don't have to deal with a (potentially) less sharp film transfer.
Still, I'm not readying the torch and pitchfork. There hasn't been much precedence in cases like these and there's not much proof that a digitally shot movie, edited with CG graphics, then brought to film would look poor on a DVD.
I'm interested to see how thing will turn out, though.
Dan

 

[oscar_merkx]

from Link Removed
more speculation, complete with mock up menus of Coruscant, Kamino, Geonosis
looks impressive