This project could be called the ADR edit. The following characters feature excellent new acting from members of the forum: Anakin, Lama-Su, Owen, Jar-Jar, Nute Gunray and companion, Stormtroopers, Mas Amedda, two of the droids, Boba Fett, Marcus Fett inside the suit, and others. I think you'll really enjoy the new performances.

This could also be called the "Improved Cinematography and Design" edit. With a much more muted color palette, a puppet-like Yoda, impact flashes, new sunset, dusk, and nighttime scenes, a blue saber for Mace Windu, some new FX shots, and more close-ups on characters to give the movie emotion, the viewing experience is unlike any other.

This could also be called the "Improved Soundtrack" edit (as I believe more than half of the music is different in this cut), or the "Un-PC" edit, or simply the "OT style" 70's edit of Ep. II. I'm not even going to list the specific alterations because there are just too many of them. From the very first frame of the Fox logo, it's a different film, gone through on a shot by shot basis to make it the best movie that I could. It's easier to list what wasn't changed than what was, but here are some of the conceptual changes:

-Anakin is a likable character
-Boba is the natural son of Marcus Fett- not a clone
-The Republic already had an army, but the Separatist movement is so big that they need a new, better army (established through new dialogue).
-Obi-Wan is preventing Anakin from seeing his mother. This is the main reason for Anakin's anger and odd behavior throughout the film.
-Obi-Wan is also overly restrictive. It is in fact Obi-Wan's idea for Anakin to take a vow of celibacy- it isn't standard Jedi practice (there are married Jedi).
-Anakin is not particularly interested in Padme at the start of the movie. None of the "emotional connection ever since he was nine years old" garbage.
-There no references to "The Prophesy" or midichlorians in this film
-The person that ordered the clones is identifiable by the audience by the film's end


TECHNICAL INFO

This DVD-5 is my first release on the forum- version 1.0. There will be a dual-layer version (version 2.0) in the future with PCM audio and commentary. I'm anticipating some reports of technical errors to come up that I can fix for version 2.0. With so much new material going into this, quality control is very difficult.

Another thing I need to know about is how this disc plays on widescreen TV's, HDTV's, etc. Also, how does it play downmixed to mono on traditional TV's, do you lose anything with the overscan, etc. And finally (this is the big one)- what happens when you try to decode into surround using the Pro Logic system? These are things I'll be looking forward to hearing about.


SOTDS draws on many different concepts and ideas from many different previous edits and people, including but not limited to MTHaslett, InfoDroid, Commander Courage, Adywan, MagnoliaFan, Sluggo, Erikstormtrooper, Nanner Split, THX, Weezer, Hairy_hen, darthpreston, Musicman …the list goes on and on. Thank you all.

Release of this project was delayed severely due to lack of time in my (very busy) life to properly complete it. Rough cut was completed last spring. Final cut is due within the next few months, and certainly before the end of 2007, the 30th anniversary of "Star Wars".


Project thread at originaltrilogy.com

FAQ: http://www.erikstormtrooper.com/sotd_faq.html

Starkiller Ranch thread at originaltrilogy.com