*** Star Wars: Episode One: Pre-Release Review Discussion OFFICIAL THREAD (1 Viewer)

[Gordon Moore]

From the DVDFILE.COM:

While the transfer is near-perfection, the soundtrack bests it - it is simply the best Dolby Digital track I've ever hard. This is the most aggressive mix on a DVD since Saving Private Ryan, and if the podrace and the climatic Jedi don't become the home theater demos of choice for years to come, I'll kiss a wookie.

What reason more do you need? (actually, that's a loaded question that really doesn't need answering).

 

[Rob Gillespie]

(Gordon, hope you don't mind me changing your topic title)
Please note that this is now the main thread for discussing the Star Wars Episode One reviews available to read on other sites. Any new threads started on this topic are likely to be closed.
Also, please be aware that this is NOT the place to argue over the merits of the film itself. All such messages will be removed. You are quite welcome to discuss how good or bad the film is in the Movies section.
Thanks
Rob
[Edited last by Rob Gillespie on September 11, 2001 at 04:47 AM]

 

[Marc Colella]

Hope it's alright to add links to the SW:EP1 reviews:
http://www.dvdfile.com/software/revi...episode_i.html
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/review...pisode1.htmlml
Link Removed
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=2653
http://www.dvdshrine.com/features/episode1.shtml
[Edited last by Marc Colella on September 11, 2001 at 05:22 AM]

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Marc, everyone and his dog is probably scouring the web for these reviews, so no, it's no problem. In fact HT Software got nuked a couple of hours ago due to the massive traffic increase. Other areas weren't affected.
------------------
Link Removed
"One does not simply walk into Mordor."
Link Removed

 

[Dan Brecher]

Putting the fact it uses player generated subs for the alien language shots to one side ( ), this is more then I could have ever hoped for.
Dan (UK)

 

[Corey Hancock]

Was reading the review of the disc over at The Digital Bits and I guess this version of Episode 1 is a Director's Cut and intended for the mature audience. It must be a typo but where it says Disc One then 136 min, next to that it says R!!! LOL
Corey

 

[richard plumb]

Ignoring the fact that I don't have an LD player, I'll ask the obvious.
Has anyone compared the DVD's soundtrack with the Laserdisc yet? Digital bits called the DVD the best DD DVD they've ever heard, and DVDFILE said it was the best DD he's ever heard.
But I haven't seen any specific comparisons with the LD. Perhaps this disc is a good opportunity to lay to rest those ghosts? - or bring them back from the dead

 

[Elbert Lee]

Is it me, or do none of these sites offer any comparisons between the DVD DDEX and LD DDEX tracks?
Elbert

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Maybe it's just because those sights are DVD sites and not LD websites.
Regardless, if the DD EX soundtrack is the best they've ever heard, we're all in for a real treat.
And I can't wait to see that new documentary! I'm getting gittier by the minute!

------------------
-J.Fo
"And you can tell Rolling Stone magazine that my last words were... 'I'm on drugs!'"

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Can I say "I don't care if it sounds different to the LD, but I'm interested anyway?"
Don't think that makes much sense, but you get my drift.

 

[richard plumb]

I don't even have a LD Player, and my sub needs replacing, but I'm still looking forward to this.
I just figured that there are some people who will be interested in comparisons between the two. Bearing in mind that the DVD DD is apparantly 448 vs the LDs 384kbps, and both were produced by Lucasfilm directly, the DVD should hold its own.

 

[HenrikTull]

Why oh why did they have to apply edge enhancement?

 

[Dan Brecher]

It's obvious the DVD sounds stunning, so who cares? Remember Digital Bits had the LD, reviewed it and praised its 5.1. Sure, it wasn't mentioned in the DVD review but I wouldn't see that (for those of your worried) as a bad thing.
It's also worth reading the Q&A session about the DVD from the Ranch event. It is indicated that no elements used to do the LD were used for the DVD.
I'm expecting it to sound different, but no less impressive.
Dan (UK)
[Edited last by Dan Brecher on September 11, 2001 at 06:03 AM]

 

[Greg_Y]

Sounds fantastic. Other than the EE, I think it's the perfect presentation!

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I notice that they said the soundtrack hasn't been altered for a home environment. Not sure if that's good or bad, but worth noting.

 

[Dan Brecher]

Rob, I think it means that like the LD, we'll still have to turn our sub levels down a few notches.

Dan (UK)
[Edited last by Dan Brecher on September 11, 2001 at 06:12 AM]

 

[Chris S]

From everything that I've read so far this morning it looks like I will need to start saving for a new SVS.

O'well I guess sacrifices must be made.

Chris
------------------
Star Wars: http://www.ig88-.net

 

[Kirk Tsai]

You know what, for a sinner like me who bought the TPM VHS, I actually won't get rid of it after the DVD release. Yeah, the extra footage Lucas re-installed might be very minor, but hey, now I can always claim I have a copy of the theatrical cut. Guess Lucas succeeds again....with my help of course....

 

[Dan Brecher]

Just want to highlight something about DVD Files opinion of the transfer:

Unfortunately, as great as this transfer often is, there are a few drawbacks that, for me, keep it from being reference quality. The transfer can be a bit inconsistent, with the scenes on Tatoonine the main culprit. They exhibit a somewhat dark quality, with shadow detail wanting, lending the image a plugged up appearance.

I'd say this is more fault of the cinemtography. The movie, to me, had such an inconsistent look to many of its scenes theatrically, and indeed on the LD.
Dan (UK)

 

[richard plumb]

what is the fascination with edge enhancment anyway? Does it make it easier for the compression to do its job? Does MPEG 2 prefer hard boundaries between colours, like JPEG?
Would lack of EE require a higher bitrate to acheive the same quality of picture?