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

[Brian Lawrence]

Until reviewers have their own copies and can view and listen to them on their own Home Theaters which they are more familiar with, I think an LD comparison would be a waste of time anyhow(I am assuming that the set-up they where able to view and listen to the disc on, Is something most mere mortals can only dream about having.) Somehow I don't think the Lucasfilm had the Japanese LD on hand so people could give it an A/B run.
[Edited last by Brian Lawrence on September 11, 2001 at 08:00 AM]

 

[Dan Brecher]

Brian,
The press in attendance took copies back home with them for their extensive reviews. The equipment the likes of The Digital Bits and DVD File have isnt out of reach to a number of the members here on the HTF at all.
Dan (UK)

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

Even though edge enhancement can be frustrating, and I would wish they stopped using it at all, I had too smile when reading this comment in the IGN review though...
(Emphasis mine)

along the hilt of the saber for one of the worst appearances of it

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[Brian Lawrence]

Oh, okay that changes things a bit.

 

[AVspec]

Can not wait to see what my dual SVS 20-39CS subs (600 watts sub power) do with this disc! Now only if I can get a nice Pre/Pro with EX so I do not have to use my make-shift faux EX setup!

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-Mark
**** Digital Vortex ****
The Digital Electronic Site
www.digitalvortex.com

 

[Carl C]

Might I add DVD Sewer's coverage of the events...
http://www.dvdsewer.com/news/reports/sw_ep1_dvdevent_report_01.htm
`Carl
[Edited last by Carl C on September 11, 2001 at 11:15 AM]

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

digitallyOBSESSED has coverage up as well:
The index to reviews, and transcripts is here .
The disc review is here .
In light of today's events all these reports have lessened significantly in their importance.
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[Brian Kidd]

Will the discs that we buy in October include the glasses used for perfoming the THX Optimode tests? Evidently, the test discs provided to reviewers had them. That would completely rock if they did!

 

[Frank L]

Yeah, that would be a great idea. I saw that the THX Optimode on the Akira DVD included those test, but alas, I had no way of using them as I had no glasses. Does anyone know if a regular pair or 3D glasses will do?
I can't wait for this awsome DVD...
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Frank

DVD Collection | Website

 

[Dave H]

I don't mean to be one of those guys who bitches at relatively minor things on DVD "quality" - but perhaps I am.
I'm a BIT surprised that the video is not being considered top, reference quality as the audio is. How come? I'm sure the video quality is very, very good, BUT, why not reference? What prevented this? Someone pointed out the original film was not "perfect." Your thoughts?

 

[Ron Eastman]

Dave - From what I gather, the reason for the reviewers not labeling this as reference quality video is due to the edge enhancement. Since I am not aware of your knowledge of this issue, here is a link for Bjoern Roy's fantastic web page on the subject.
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"The last thing I want to remembered as is an annoying blabbermouth." - Del Griffith
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my DVD collection

 

[Dave H]

Ron,
I think some excess grain was factored in their review, as well.
However, I'm sure I'll be very happy with the disc.

 

[Elbert Lee]

I am going to pick up the disc and I do have the original Japanese LD, which does have one of the best soundtracks I've heard on my HT setup. My question was out of curiosity as there has been so much speculation about the upcoming DVD, and given the fact that many of the reviewers out there, including Digital Bits, have viewed the LD and critiqued in the past, I was surprised that no mention was made since the LD was considered reference quality in terms of audio. I appreciate the fact that WSR has been updating its DVD reviews to include comparisons with past LD reviews.
Elbert

 

[Jeff Bamberger]

I had also read that some of the disappointment was some slight visible grain in a few scenes that was as a result of using the film master versus the digital prints (this choice made by Lucasfilm to ensure a more uniform look/feel for all 6 movies once they are on DVD).
Same reviewer had said that it really was not that bad, but it just stands out since everything else looked so spectacular. I would prefer to not have excessive EE, but I can live with it.
I'm so excited for this DVD.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Maybe I have faulty memory, but didn't Lucas state a while back that his intention was to film and distribute Ep. III in a purely digital form, with no film whatsoever? Has he changed his mind now? If this is so, then would he then take the purely digital Ep 3 and transfer it to film only for the video release? Just a thought.

 

[Gordon Moore]

Brian,
I don't think Lucas could segregate the market like that. If he went strictly digital, his market would be to small. It's wishful thinking that it would be a strictly all digital presentation because theaters aren't going to pony up the cash for one movie (even of the magnitude that is Star Wars). Lucas also stated (I think it was Lucas) that Star Wars is about a certain look. Going all digital would mess with the original presentation. I don't totally buy that because he has enhanced the original stories and talks are that he is going to enhance them further. I thnk by 2010 we could see a full re-release in an all digital presentation. The home market will probably push this technology forward rather than the other way around. Of course this is all speculation. Lucas is definately going to milk this cash cow. I guess it is the creator's right to mess with his pictures however he likes, but sometimes masterpieces are fine even with the imperfections. Kinda like Da Vinci years later saying "Ya know, Mona needs fuller lips". Not better, just different. remember...Less is More!

 

[Dave Koch]

didn't Lucas state a while back that his intention was to film and distribute Ep. III in a purely digital form, with no film whatsoever? Has he changed his mind now?

Lucas? Change his mind? Never happen.
dk

 

[LawrenceK]

It seems to me that "excessive edge enhancement" is a phrase thrown around way too much when referring to dvd transfers. First of all, DHWAV SE was the worst EE many have seen, yet Peter Straddon talked to the people in charge of the transfer, and they reported that no EE was even used. Also, it seems that almost every transfer of a DVD that comes out has "EE" to some degree, so it would stand to reason that there is something about the compression process, or film that it is transferred from, that allows for the ringing quality, and therefore would not really be a default. I find it hard to believe that the Episode 1 transfer would not be as perfect as possible, since it was supervised by THX every step of the way, struck from the "grand master and ensured that it was cleaned up and ready for DVD", according to Rick Dean. The majority of dvd releases have some EE, the minority have none: Titanic, Braveheart, The Insider, Toy Story 1 and 2, A Bug's Life, and Tarzan are the only ones I can think of that have none, or I have heard have none. Am I completely off base in thinking that most of the time it is NOT EE that we are seeing?

 

[Brian]

Dan,
I think you're dead on with your comment about the cinematography. In particular, the night scene on Tatooine with Anakin and Qui Gon was filmed using an experimental digital camera. It was done as a proof-of-concept for the next film. This would explain the lack of shadow detail in this scene.
-Brian C.

 

[Dan Brecher]

I think you're dead on with your comment about the cinematography. In particular, the night scene on Tatooine with Anakin and Qui Gon was filmed using an experimental digital camera. It was done as a proof-of-concept for the next film. This would explain the lack of shadow detail in this scene.

Absolutely. The HD shots, that scene especially, look incredibly soft and somewhat blurry in contrast with the grain and detail of the 35mm sourced material. With 35mm, some HD footage and countless shots completely rendered in a computer, it must have been very hard to get a consistent look with the cinematography.
As it stands, the cinematography and the editing are the only inconsistencies that bother me with TPM, and in truth, neither bother me to such an extent in which I hate the movie, I love it, but will never deny its flaws.
A lot of people seem to want most of the deleted scenes on disc 2 back in the movie. The main ones there are additions to segments I feel are either just fine or already too long. To me, getting the Jedi to Naboo perhaps went a bit too fast, Tatooine was certainly too long, and it's in fact on Coruscant that I feel more attention was needed and indeed he cut some major stuff nowhere to be seen on disc 2 from Coruscant, Adrian Dunbar's Bail Organa stuff most notably. Now, sure he cut that footage with good reason, but it was such a last minute cut it leaves the time on Coruscant to just whoosh by. You certainly get the impression such an extensive scene was missing because the pacing is left just totally off in the latter portion of the movie.
I'm at least glad he's put back a minutes worth of the air taxi scene, even if it does add nothing to the plot. They jumped from one planet to another a bit too quickly which ended up being somewhat jarring. Again, I still enjoy it immensely however...
Dan (UK)