The first hints of Star Wars in 4k.... (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

From Tech Radar​

 

[Brandon Conway]

I don't UHD, but I would buy a deluxe Blu-ray release of the original non-SE OT. So, repeat after me everyone...

**Please include the original non-SE version. Please include the original non-SE version**

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

** Scoffs openly at this news, certain that the two Imperial code cylinders full of 70's porn in my left breast pocket will provide far more entertainment value than another round of, "Oh, no, they've ruined it again!" **

Guy to the left: "You gon get choked, son."

 

[Lord Dalek]

Correct me if I'm wrong but they can only do 4k versions of the original/1981 and 1997 releases of the film correct?

 

[Adam_S]

Correct me if I'm wrong but they can only do 4k versions of the original/1981 and 1997 releases of the film correct?

I believe Robert Harris once said on this forum that the 1997 special edition negative was created from a duplicate restoration negative, and the original Star Wars negative was not edited. This means that an image harvest could be done from the original negative and digital restoration could proceed from there.

If, as is rumored, Lucas had the original negative edited to conform to the special edition, then a search for the best surviving prints would have to be done to attempt a cobbled together restoration of the original edit.

But image harvests can be done and digital restoration performed on any asset, they could do 4K versions of whatever they want.

In all likelihood any time anyone official refers to the original edition they're referring to 81, given the final word of rogue one there's no way that any rerelease of the original version will exclude the subtitle from 81.

 

[Lord Dalek]

This brings up another question... did Fox do this or did Disney quietly buy back the rights to Episode IV?

 

[Stephen Brooks]

Disney has the physical assets in the Lucasfilm archives and can restore them any time they want (which it seems they already have). Whether they can RELEASE it is another question entirely.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Lucasfilm (and therefore Disney) own all the films. Fox has indefinite theatrical and home video distribution rights to the original film and the same through 2019 (or is it 2020?) for ESB and ROTJ.

The likelihood of Fox holding up any future release is nil. Why would they turn down that easy $$$?

 

[Sam Favate]

My fervent hope is for a Close Encounters-style release, with each version of the film given its due on disc.

I know multi-film box sets are the rage, but I'd love to see a 3 or 4-disc edition of each film, with all the corresponding extras.

 

[Robert Harris]

I believe Robert Harris once said on this forum that the 1997 special edition negative was created from a duplicate restoration negative, and the original Star Wars negative was not edited. This means that an image harvest could be done from the original negative and digital restoration could proceed from there.

If, as is rumored, Lucas had the original negative edited to conform to the special edition, then a search for the best surviving prints would have to be done to attempt a cobbled together restoration of the original edit.

But image harvests can be done and digital restoration performed on any asset, they could do 4K versions of whatever they want.

In all likelihood any time anyone official refers to the original edition they're referring to 81, given the final word of rogue one there's no way that any rerelease of the original version will exclude the subtitle from 81.

Regardless of whether the 1977 OCN was re-cut, or not, there is no problem with the original 1977 version that a bit of time and a few dollars cannot solve.

And no. No prints are necessary

RAH

 

[Osato]

Very exciting news!!!

 

[Osato]

I'm guessing a 40th anniversary theatrical run next year.

Uhd is most likely still years away? In that the format is so new???
Star Wars usually takes a while on new formats, however Disney will push uhd titles starting next year?

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Of course I am excited about a 4k release of Star Wars.

However, if it doesn't include the Fox fanfare, it's going to be somewhat disappointing.

 

[Carabimero]

If it doesn't include the Fox fanfare, it's going to be somewhat disappointing.

If I can get the original theatrical version of Star Wars in HD or better, I can live without the Fox Fanfare. I won't like it, but it's a trade off I can live with.

 

[Rob W]

The special edition original trilogy was a last-minute addition on the Turner Classic Movies Cruise last month and Star Wars still opened with the Fox fanfare. It looked and sounded sensational.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Of course I am excited about a 4k release of Star Wars.

However, if it doesn't include the Fox fanfare, it's going to be somewhat disappointing.

Isn't A New Hope totally Fox's baby? So won't that always have the 20th fanfare?

Now, Empire and Jedi eventually return to Disney, so they'll lose the fanfare. But the original is safe, isn't it?

And in doing a little reading, Fox controls all the movies until 2020, so it's only after that when someone is going to have to write a new piece of music to plaster over the Lucasfilm logo. Or did they already do that for episode 7?

 

[Brandon Conway]

They replaced the Fox logo with the Lucasfilm logo and new fanfare for the digital versions of all of them except the original film (Fox has digital distribution of the first film only). There was a big overblown stink about it when they were released.

Lucasfilm owns all the films. Once 2020 hits they will have distribution of all of them except the original film, so chances are the Fox logo will remain for the original film unless Lucasfilm somehow purchases the distribution rights in the future (which seems unlikely, because why would Fox ever give up that easy paycheck whenever Lucasfilm wants to reissue the film).

 

[Malcolm Bmoor]

Like so many other people I had a marvellous time seeing the original STAR WARS in 70mm on a very large screen. I went to a similarly high quality presentation of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and found it very thin stuff. My enthusiasm was over and I passed on the third one and all that have followed.

When it was issued I was curious about the new version of the original film so went to see it, thinking it was bound to be better than the second one as I'd enjoyed it so much.

No so. A very pointless revisit.

My observation therefore is: This forum deals wonderfully with a very wide range of films but I cannot understand the obsession with STAR WARS (all the films) How many times can they be seen? - either in the cinema or at home. Quite objectively, they can be fun once, although I'm content without them, but can't you (the obsessives) find new films to see once instead of these things over and over? Why should a few changed shots matter? - and - VERY least of all - how can anyone get so excited as to which studio logo is seen BEFORE it starts?

Are the STAR WARS obsessive members of this forum all very young and yet to discover the huge and fabulous resource of 120 years of cinema?

To quote Sir Alec Guiness's advice to a small boy who proudly told him that he'd seen it 250 times:

'Promise me you'll never see it again'

 

[DaveF]

My plan for a "May the 4th, Revenge of the Sixth" party with a Star Wars marathon viewing might be completely scuppered by Disney releasing a de-specialized UHD version?

I'm not sure whether to be happy or cry.

 

[Dale MA]

Like so many other people I had a marvellous time seeing the original STAR WARS in 70mm on a very large screen. I went to a similarly high quality presentation of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and found it very thin stuff. My enthusiasm was over and I passed on the third one and all that have followed.

When it was issued I was curious about the new version of the original film so went to see it, thinking it was bound to be better than the second one as I'd enjoyed it so much.

No so. A very pointless revisit.

My observation therefore is: This forum deals wonderfully with a very wide range of films but I cannot understand the obsession with STAR WARS (all the films) How many times can they be seen? - either in the cinema or at home. Quite objectively, they can be fun once, although I'm content without them, but can't you (the obsessives) find new films to see once instead of these things over and over? Why should a few changed shots matter? - and - VERY least of all - how can anyone get so excited as to which studio logo is seen BEFORE it starts?

Are the STAR WARS obsessive members of this forum all very young and yet to discover the huge and fabulous resource of 120 years of cinema?

To quote Sir Alec Guiness's advice to a small boy who proudly told him that he'd seen it 250 times:

'Promise me you'll never see it again'

Probably because, for many, Star Wars was their "gateway drug" into the world of cinema. Launching what would be become the modern day blockbuster and changing the face of cinema. It features a richly detailed world that is further expanded upon each entry, that when combined with the deceptively simplistic yet mythologically layered storytelling & classic character archetypes, has generated the perfect storm of rewatchability and analysis for many viewers.