Original Star Wars Trilogy Being Re-Released On DVD...The Non-SEs
05-18-06, 10:55 PM
#851
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Ive been addicted to this thread for the last few days, and I have a few more things to throw in and maybe start up another heated debate us fanboys looooooooooove to indulge in....
1. I figured from point one that the original Star Wars releases would be substandard basically because of how George feels about them. He put all the bells and whistles into the Special Editions, that's what looks good with todays technology, yada yada yada. So Im not shocked that the Star Wars films I saw when I was 4, 6, and 9 years old would only be on half my TV screen. I was going to be more that willing to take the plunge so that I didnt have to be afraid to risk wrinkling my full-frame (back in the day I had that "I cant stand those black bars on the screen" bias; we all grow and learn) OT. But I dont think Im going to because.......
2. Suggested retail price 29.99, mimimum retail price 19.99!?! Give me a break! First off, I dont know about you, but I refuse to pay any more than 15.00 opening weekend for any "new" barebones release of any movie. I was prepared to part with 30 bucks for these releases. Minimum 60? Especially considering there is a deluxe box set bound to have extras not found anywhere else down the road? Especially considering they will have to upgrade even the special editions again for the inevitable HD release (something I wont be buying into until my as yet un-conceived, unborn child starts high school)? Not happening....
And finally....
3. I am surprised nobody has mentioned this yet, so let me be the first-I have never watched my 1997 Special Edition Return of the Jedi. I have only checked out the end of my 2004 Special Editon Jedi DVD to see Hayden Christiansen pop up and hear Jar Jar (did Jedi really need Jar Jar) yell out "Weesa Free!!!" Im not spending at least another 20 bucks to see in half the screen a bunch of muppets take out the empire and a bunch of independent contractors die in a fight they had no political stake in.
So take that, George!
1. I figured from point one that the original Star Wars releases would be substandard basically because of how George feels about them. He put all the bells and whistles into the Special Editions, that's what looks good with todays technology, yada yada yada. So Im not shocked that the Star Wars films I saw when I was 4, 6, and 9 years old would only be on half my TV screen. I was going to be more that willing to take the plunge so that I didnt have to be afraid to risk wrinkling my full-frame (back in the day I had that "I cant stand those black bars on the screen" bias; we all grow and learn) OT. But I dont think Im going to because.......
2. Suggested retail price 29.99, mimimum retail price 19.99!?! Give me a break! First off, I dont know about you, but I refuse to pay any more than 15.00 opening weekend for any "new" barebones release of any movie. I was prepared to part with 30 bucks for these releases. Minimum 60? Especially considering there is a deluxe box set bound to have extras not found anywhere else down the road? Especially considering they will have to upgrade even the special editions again for the inevitable HD release (something I wont be buying into until my as yet un-conceived, unborn child starts high school)? Not happening....
And finally....
3. I am surprised nobody has mentioned this yet, so let me be the first-I have never watched my 1997 Special Edition Return of the Jedi. I have only checked out the end of my 2004 Special Editon Jedi DVD to see Hayden Christiansen pop up and hear Jar Jar (did Jedi really need Jar Jar) yell out "Weesa Free!!!" Im not spending at least another 20 bucks to see in half the screen a bunch of muppets take out the empire and a bunch of independent contractors die in a fight they had no political stake in.
So take that, George!
05-18-06, 11:09 PM
#852
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Originally Posted by MigusMaximus
Im not spending at least another 20 bucks to see in half the screen a bunch of muppets take out the empire and a bunch of independent contractors die in a fight they had no political stake in.
So take that, George!
So take that, George!
A: the Ewoks were a diversion, for the Rebels to get into the command post.
B: Those contractors know what they were getting into.
Here's the email I sent, a little schmaltzy, but eh,
To Whom it May Concern,
I wish to share my feelings and concerns for the upcoming September DVD releases of Star Wars Eps IV-VI. When the initial announcement was made, I was quite honestly flabbergasted. I truly did not expect to ever see these versions of the films I grew up with on DVD. It was a momentous occasion, an incredible milestone, it seemed almost too good to be true.
Unfortunately, it is. By not using every resource available to create a truly high-quality, anamorphically enhanced widescreen transfer, you do this trilogy, and Lucasfilm, a disservice. These are the original Oscar winning films that made fans out of millions, and made millions of dollars. They are not just "works-in-progress", they are milestones. They may not be as attractive, but they represent an incredible confluence of moviemaking and fandom that's created a worldwide phenomenon in the past 30 years.
I myself will be 32 years old this month, and for as far back as I can remember, Star Wars has been there. The toys, the clothes, the books, the soundtracks, so much more I can't all recall. I don't list these things to show I'm a loyal customer that deserves something, but to illustrate what Star Wars means to me. It's been a source of entertainment, and of education as I absorbed all the subtleties of the Campbellian mythology that George wove throughout the story. I was very lucky to find (and marry) a girl who was also into Star Wars like me. We honest-to-goodness use lines of dialogue from the films in our everyday conversations.
Also, I am a home theater enthusiast. Not the kind that spends several hundred dollars just on the cables mind you, but I have a widescreen television set and a 5.1 surround setup. I make my DVD purchasing decisions based on not only the film itself, but if it has been given proper treatment. This includes making sure my purchases included 16x9 transfers, even before I had a 16x9 display, since I knew the TV industry was fast moving towards that standard. I have nearly 600 DVDs, and to make my money go as far as possible, any new purchase must meet this standard. If the original versions on the upcoming DVDs are not 16x9, I will not purchase them, plain and simple. No threats, just a statement. I have multiple VHS and LaserDisc sets of the original versions that will have to suffice.
Please, delay these if you must, but do whatever it takes to give these original theatrical editions a transfer befitting the incredible home theater format of DVD, make these versions anamorphically enhanced for 16x9 displays, from a high quality film source that I know must exist somewhere. I don't want to sound like I'm saying that the fans deserve this, but I honestly feel "Star Wars" deserves this; deserves the best treatment a DVD is capable of, to show off what George Lucas, and Lucasfilm are capable of creating.
Thank you,
Scott
Please make your voice heard, civilly and constructively. Do not demand, simply state your position
[email protected]
Let us be in the right place, at the right time, and make this better for everyone.
05-19-06, 12:18 AM
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Out of curiosity I re-read the press release from the official SW site...
"Over the years, a truly countless number of fans have told us that they would love to see and own the original version that they remember experiencing in theaters," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts and Senior Vice President of Lucasfilm Ltd. "We returned to the Lucasfilm Archives to search exhaustively for source material that could be presented on DVD. This is something that we're very excited to be able to give to fans in response to their continuing enthusiasm for Star Wars. Topping it off with a new interactive adventure makes September 12 a red-letter day for Star Wars fans."
Now, not to sir the pot too much but how is "searched exhaustively..." and porting the old laserdisc transfers synonymous?
????? d
"Over the years, a truly countless number of fans have told us that they would love to see and own the original version that they remember experiencing in theaters," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts and Senior Vice President of Lucasfilm Ltd. "We returned to the Lucasfilm Archives to search exhaustively for source material that could be presented on DVD. This is something that we're very excited to be able to give to fans in response to their continuing enthusiasm for Star Wars. Topping it off with a new interactive adventure makes September 12 a red-letter day for Star Wars fans."
Now, not to sir the pot too much but how is "searched exhaustively..." and porting the old laserdisc transfers synonymous?
????? d
05-19-06, 07:57 AM
#854
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Originally Posted by Davy Mack
Now, not to sir the pot too much but how is "searched exhaustively..." and porting the old laserdisc transfers synonymous?
????? d
????? d
05-19-06, 08:01 AM
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So Lucas has kept to his word. To the letter.
"We didnt do anything to them" - damn right he didnt. Not even anamorphic transfers. How the hell is just using the old laserdisc transfers "Searching high and low" for them?
Crafty bastard.
"We didnt do anything to them" - damn right he didnt. Not even anamorphic transfers. How the hell is just using the old laserdisc transfers "Searching high and low" for them?
Crafty bastard.
05-19-06, 08:27 AM
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LUCASFILM WILL NOT RELEASE A NON-ANAMORPHIC VERSION.
I don't care who these UNNAMED Fox and Lucasfilm sources are. This "misinformation" is a strategy is to keep fans talking. There's no meaningful reason to produce a non-anamorphic DVD in 2006. "But Jim Ward said it's '1993 technology.'" So what? That could mean almost anything.
I will eat my hat if Lucasfilm doesn't produce DVDs that are enhanced for 16:9 Widescreen.
LUCASFILM WILL NOT RELEASE A NON-ANAMORPHIC VERSION.
I don't care who these UNNAMED Fox and Lucasfilm sources are. This "misinformation" is a strategy is to keep fans talking. There's no meaningful reason to produce a non-anamorphic DVD in 2006. "But Jim Ward said it's '1993 technology.'" So what? That could mean almost anything.
I will eat my hat if Lucasfilm doesn't produce DVDs that are enhanced for 16:9 Widescreen.
05-19-06, 08:48 AM
#859
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Originally Posted by Paul Arnette
Wannabe,
I certainly hope you are right, but you may want to make sure you get a small, good tasting hat, just to be on the safe side.
I certainly hope you are right, but you may want to make sure you get a small, good tasting hat, just to be on the safe side.
cheers,
-the Jesus
05-19-06, 09:31 AM
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Oh my God. They locked the thread over at HTF. How am I going to get my entertainment today. I may actually have to do some work. Please keep this one "spiralling out of control." Bring down Luca$!
05-19-06, 11:13 AM
#864
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Although Im in the "wait and see" camp, why would this be something to "keep people talking"? I'm guessing a majority of people dont even know what the fuck anamorphic means, so I dont think that is a very strong tactic to "keep people talking".
05-19-06, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Wannabe
Bookmark this post:
LUCASFILM WILL NOT RELEASE A NON-ANAMORPHIC VERSION.
I don't care who these UNNAMED Fox and Lucasfilm sources are. This "misinformation" is a strategy is to keep fans talking. There's no meaningful reason to produce a non-anamorphic DVD in 2006. "But Jim Ward said it's '1993 technology.'" So what? That could mean almost anything.
I will eat my hat if Lucasfilm doesn't produce DVDs that are enhanced for 16:9 Widescreen.
LUCASFILM WILL NOT RELEASE A NON-ANAMORPHIC VERSION.
I don't care who these UNNAMED Fox and Lucasfilm sources are. This "misinformation" is a strategy is to keep fans talking. There's no meaningful reason to produce a non-anamorphic DVD in 2006. "But Jim Ward said it's '1993 technology.'" So what? That could mean almost anything.
I will eat my hat if Lucasfilm doesn't produce DVDs that are enhanced for 16:9 Widescreen.
05-19-06, 11:35 AM
#866
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by FantasticVSDoom
Although Im in the "wait and see" camp, why would this be something to "keep people talking"? I'm guessing a majority of people dont even know what the fuck anamorphic means, so I dont think that is a very strong tactic to "keep people talking".
I swear on my life they're serious too. It looks like this will be an uphill battle as the majority of the fans out there really don't care or just don't understand.
One thing in our favor is a posting on thedigitalbits this morning by one Robert Harris. This is the dude that restores films like Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus and Vertigo, actual mainstream cinema. He's got some interesting things to say, and I think everyone would do well to read it.
05-19-06, 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by milo bloom
No need to guess, there's people on all the various forums (SW and HT) I've been reading that have no idea what it is, and even go so far as to spout BS like "Star Wars was released before DVD, so they can't even make it anamorphic", or "it would alter the films to make them anamorphic".
I swear on my life they're serious too. It looks like this will be an uphill battle as the majority of the fans out there really don't care or just don't understand.
One thing in our favor is a posting on thedigitalbits this morning by one Robert Harris. This is the dude that restores films like Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus and Vertigo, actual mainstream cinema. He's got some interesting things to say, and I think everyone would do well to read it.
I swear on my life they're serious too. It looks like this will be an uphill battle as the majority of the fans out there really don't care or just don't understand.
One thing in our favor is a posting on thedigitalbits this morning by one Robert Harris. This is the dude that restores films like Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus and Vertigo, actual mainstream cinema. He's got some interesting things to say, and I think everyone would do well to read it.
I love how people are saying “I don’t have a widescreen TV, so it’s fine with me”. It’ll still have crappy bootleg picture quality on your standard CRT television as well people!
The people posting on aintitcoolnews.com are even more clueless, yet they’re in the forum arguing against people who simply want the films produced in quality that is standard for 2006, not 1997!
05-19-06, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by scott1598
not sure if you heard, but it has been confirmed that the releases will indeed be non-anamorphic. sorry!
These "news sources" have been wrong before, and until I hear a name of an actual Lucasfilm or Fox employee in a prominent position quoted as saying such, this "report" resides in the realm of rumor.
I am not saying I don't believe it, but it is not "confirmed" until someone official confirms it.
05-19-06, 12:19 PM
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anyone see this @ IGN yet?
May 18, 2006 - On Tuesday a handful of online outlets received box artwork for the forthcoming DVD release of the original Star Wars Trilogy, which is scheduled to appear in stores on September 12, 2006. Attached below are images of all of the boxes for Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, which are currently rumored to not be released in anamorphic widescreen (in other words, those of you with 16:9 televisions are screwed).
Last edited by OldBoy; 05-19-06 at 12:22 PM.
05-19-06, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jim
Confirmed by who?
These "news sources" have been wrong before, and until I hear a name of an actual Lucasfilm or Fox employee in a prominent position quoted as saying such, this "report" resides in the realm of rumor.
I am not saying I don't believe it, but it is not "confirmed" until someone official confirms it.
These "news sources" have been wrong before, and until I hear a name of an actual Lucasfilm or Fox employee in a prominent position quoted as saying such, this "report" resides in the realm of rumor.
I am not saying I don't believe it, but it is not "confirmed" until someone official confirms it.
05-19-06, 12:38 PM
#872
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I would like to point out that even some laserdisc titles were anamorphic! I believe the term used back in the day was "squeezed."
Yep, it's time to switch loyalties to Peter Jackson and become Lord of the Rings fans.
Yep, it's time to switch loyalties to Peter Jackson and become Lord of the Rings fans.
05-19-06, 12:47 PM
#873
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Originally Posted by scott1598
May 18, 2006 - On Tuesday a handful of online outlets received box artwork for the forthcoming DVD release of the original Star Wars Trilogy, which is scheduled to appear in stores on September 12, 2006. Attached below are images of all of the boxes for Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, which are currently rumored to not be released in anamorphic widescreen (in other words, those of you with 16:9 televisions are screwed).
05-19-06, 12:48 PM
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Originally Posted by rennervision
I would like to point out that even some laserdisc titles were anamorphic! I believe the term used back in the day was "squeezed."
Yep, it's time to switch loyalties to Peter Jackson and become Lord of the Rings fans.
Yep, it's time to switch loyalties to Peter Jackson and become Lord of the Rings fans.
I just don’t understand why supply isn’t meeting demand here…I mean this bickering between Star Wars geeks and Lucas has been going on for way too many years. Just give them what they want and lets all move on!
I will say that I love to frequent Star Wars forums during these debates for entertainment purposes.
05-19-06, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jim
Confirmed by who?
These "news sources" have been wrong before, and until I hear a name of an actual Lucasfilm or Fox employee in a prominent position quoted as saying such, this "report" resides in the realm of rumor.
I am not saying I don't believe it, but it is not "confirmed" until someone official confirms it.
These "news sources" have been wrong before, and until I hear a name of an actual Lucasfilm or Fox employee in a prominent position quoted as saying such, this "report" resides in the realm of rumor.
I am not saying I don't believe it, but it is not "confirmed" until someone official confirms it.