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4K restoration on Star Wars — Page 287

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JawsTDS said:

This recent development has me wondering about those Blu-rays that came out a few weeks back. Everyone was aware that they had the 2011 changes on them, but I wondering if somehow they missed out on the fact that it could’ve had a new scan?

I read that it was just the 2011 discs rebranded / repackaged, but can anyone on this forum definitively confirm that?

It’s been confirmed, yes. They’re the exact same discs. They’re basically clearing backstock in preparation for the new set they’re releasing next year.

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I remember an employee from Reliance who worked on the restoration posted on a forum last year saying that they restored “the original film scans”. So that does make me wonder if all the elements necessary to reconstruct the theatrical cuts are now fully restored. And if so…it shouldn’t be too hard to just put them together. Unless, by “film scans” he meant the 1997 negatives? But I find that hard to believe since even the 2004 restoration went back to the camera negatives (for at least a few shots), so it seems logical to assume they also went back to camera negatives here. Plus it seems like some of the sand dunes on this new 2019 version have reverted to the 1977 version? (forum post by the Reliance employee: https://thecantina.starwarsnewsnet.com/index.php?threads/star-wars-4k.54414/#post-528618)

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Is there anything to ensure that these aren’t scanned from the 1997 negatives? To me it seems by reading all the comments that all the DVD changes have been changed. The colors are different, Greedo scene is different, rocks are different, Tatooine sky is different and the dunes have been reverted, A long time ago texts have been reverted, Jabba’s tail has been covered etc. It just seems that they had to remake all those DVD changes for the 4K release. Maybe someone could compare the Emperor hologram and Hayden to the DVDs also if they somehow differ. Do the Ewoks still blink and R2 has that weird new effect in ROTJ?

And in the time of greatest despair, there shall come a savior, and he shall be known as the Son of the Suns.

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My understanding is that all the original elements used to create the Original Trilogy were saved (or at least all the ones that WERE saved) and went over to Disney with the sale. So yes, if they wanted to recomposite original effects over the top of the restored '97 negatives, they could do that.

But even if those elements didn’t exist anymore, considering the level at which VFX have progressed since 1997, they could probably just duplicate what the original plates looked like in the computer. If VFX houses can de-age Robert De Niro and resurrect Peter Cushing, they can probably figure out how to re-comp/fake-comp 1977-era VFX at 4K.

But yes: These aren’t the 2011 blu-rays. Many of the same changes applied to the blu-rays are still here, but the 4K restoration Reliance did in 2012 was done by re-scanning the 1997 negatives.

But as always, the question isn’t whether Disney CAN do something, but if they actually WANT to. And then it’s a question of whether Lucas won’t mind - because the execs at Lucasfilm and Disney do still care about whether or not they piss him off, and they don’t want to do that if they don’t have to. Hence Lucasfilm and the MPAA deferring to him in the case of that 70mm print being screened earlier this year.

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Another difference between the new 4K master and the 2004/2011 master is, that they went back to the original theatrical font for “a long time ago…”.

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Broom Kid said:

On both Star Wars AND Empire, correct?

Yes, and ROTJ has its own font, which resembles the modern font, but seems to be the original version, not a recreation.

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FreezingTNT2 said:

Why can’t they just pull a Blade Runner, in which they release another Special Edition while packaging it with the previous versions (original cuts, 1997 versions, 2004 versions, and 2011 versions)?

I think everyone would love that, but this is something they could have done for years and haven’t. Many have said Disney/Lucasfilm is either contractually obligated by Lucas to only release the revised editions, or they feel beholden to Lucas to not go against his wishes. I used to think that sounded like a crazy conspiracy theory, but here we are with a restored 4K HDR version of the Original Trilogy, that was done years ago, and no sign of the unaltered versions.

Could they be included in some way on the inevitable disc release? Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet my credits on it.

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Here’s what I don’t understand. If the added Greedo line was to be introduced in the cancelled 3D release, and George Lucas had made the change in say, 2012, then how come this is our first time seeing the change when it could’ve made its debut with the 2015 limited edition steelbook Blu-rays that Disney put out to promote The Force Awakens?

The name’s Lawson. Noah Lawson.

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Because that would have necessitated pressing up completely new discs with that completely new master, as opposed to the more cost-effective measure - simply repackaging already produced discs. I’m guessing they’d already decided by that point to forgo a whole new release until after the Saga was finished and they’d have those “new” masters pressed to disc then, after selling the Fox backstock through as much as possible in the meantime.

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Rodney-2187 said:

FreezingTNT2 said:

Why can’t they just pull a Blade Runner, in which they release another Special Edition while packaging it with the previous versions (original cuts, 1997 versions, 2004 versions, and 2011 versions)?

I think everyone would love that, but this is something they could have done for years and haven’t. Many have said Disney/Lucasfilm is either contractually obligated by Lucas to only release the revised editions, or they feel beholden to Lucas to not go against his wishes. I used to think that sounded like a crazy conspiracy theory, but here we are with a restored 4K HDR version of the Original Trilogy, that was done years ago, and no sign of the unaltered versions.

Could they be included in some way on the inevitable disc release? Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet my credits on it.

I think it’s because if they change any of the Special Edition changes, then they’d have to change/rewrite parts of the current Star Wars canon too.

The unfortunate reality of the Star Wars prequel and Disney trilogies is that they will always be around. Forever. They will never go away. It can never be undone.

I also prefer to be referred to as “TNT”, not “Freezing”.

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FreezingTNT2 said:

I think it’s because if they change any of the Special Edition changes, then they’d have to change/rewrite parts of the current Star Wars canon too.

Back when his Twitter was still public, Pablo Hidalgo addressed the issue of the Special Editions as they relate to canon a few times. Basically, the way the Story Group sees it, all that matters for “canon” (i.e., what other storytellers are beholden to) is that Han and Greedo met in the cantina and Greedo died. The exact specifics of who shot first don’t really matter, at least from a canon perspective.

I also get the impression that a lot of folks at Lucasfilm would love to see the original versions released, but they don’t want to thumb their noses at Lucas’s clearly and repeatedly stated desire to have the revised versions be the only ones widely available.

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DavidMDaut said:

I also get the impression that a lot of folks at Lucasfilm would love to see the original versions released, but they don’t want to thumb their noses at Lucas’s clearly and repeatedly stated desire to have the revised versions be the only ones widely available.

I know a couple people at Lucasfilm have said as much publicly, as well. It’s not a contractual thing, or a stipulation, or any of that. They just don’t wanna piss him off if they don’t have to, and they don’t have to. So they won’t.

Doesn’t mean they won’t ask every now and again, like they did for the 70mm re-release. And maybe they also asked, right around the same time, about putting the originals on as a bonus feature for the 2020 UHD/BD set. Who knows. They maybe didn’t. But they might have done.

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If anyone here went to go see the 3D release of The Phantom Menace, please tell me what the master and color grading looked like. Did it look like the 2011 Blu-ray, or this new Disney+ version?

The name’s Lawson. Noah Lawson.

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Rodney-2187 said:

FreezingTNT2 said:

Why can’t they just pull a Blade Runner, in which they release another Special Edition while packaging it with the previous versions (original cuts, 1997 versions, 2004 versions, and 2011 versions)?

I think everyone would love that, but this is something they could have done for years and haven’t. Many have said Disney/Lucasfilm is either contractually obligated by Lucas to only release the revised editions, or they feel beholden to Lucas to not go against his wishes. I used to think that sounded like a crazy conspiracy theory, but here we are with a restored 4K HDR version of the Original Trilogy, that was done years ago, and no sign of the unaltered versions.

Could they be included in some way on the inevitable disc release? Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet my credits on it.

Or they like having one version only. The myth of one vision at this point is stronger than the reality, which is fractured. Beyond contractual agreements in handing George the money, this is the only reasonable conclusion. The Mouse House wouldn’t want to be seen as weak.

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nl0428 said:

If anyone here went to go see the 3D release of The Phantom Menace, please tell me what the master and color grading looked like. Did it look like the 2011 Blu-ray, or this new Disney+ version?

I didn’t see the 3d release. But skimming through the movies the Prequels are just upscaled Blu-ray. I.e. nasty teal shift in Aotc.

One day we will have properly restored versions of the Original Unaltered Trilogy (OUT); or 1977, 1980, 1983 Theatrical released versions (Like 4K77,4K80 and 4K83); including Prequels. So that future generations can enjoy these historic films that changed cinema forever.

Yoda: Try not, do or do not, there is no try.

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pat man said:

nl0428 said:

If anyone here went to go see the 3D release of The Phantom Menace, please tell me what the master and color grading looked like. Did it look like the 2011 Blu-ray, or this new Disney+ version?

I didn’t see the 3d release. But skimming through the movies the Prequels are just upscaled Blu-ray. I.e. nasty teal shift in Aotc.

I seriously would like to understand why people who do 4K HDR remasters have such a love for adding unappealing teal filters to their older films. Especially when it’s not the accurate color grading the movie had when released.

The name’s Lawson. Noah Lawson.

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Mocata said:

Rodney-2187 said:

FreezingTNT2 said:

Why can’t they just pull a Blade Runner, in which they release another Special Edition while packaging it with the previous versions (original cuts, 1997 versions, 2004 versions, and 2011 versions)?

I think everyone would love that, but this is something they could have done for years and haven’t. Many have said Disney/Lucasfilm is either contractually obligated by Lucas to only release the revised editions, or they feel beholden to Lucas to not go against his wishes. I used to think that sounded like a crazy conspiracy theory, but here we are with a restored 4K HDR version of the Original Trilogy, that was done years ago, and no sign of the unaltered versions.

Could they be included in some way on the inevitable disc release? Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet my credits on it.

Or they like having one version only. The myth of one vision at this point is stronger than the reality, which is fractured. Beyond contractual agreements in handing George the money, this is the only reasonable conclusion. The Mouse House wouldn’t want to be seen as weak.

Except now they’ve put up the 4k hdr versions on the streaming service ahead of the physical UHD release and not the other way around. There’s bound to be a lot of overlap between fans signing up to see The Mandalorian / Cassian / Obi-Wan and those who were planning on buying the eventual 4k disc release of the OT. Now those in the overlap have one less reason to bother with the latter since they can just stream it whenever they want. Unless of course Disney were to throw something else into the package to sweeten the deal.

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nl0428 said:

If anyone here went to go see the 3D release of The Phantom Menace, please tell me what the master and color grading looked like. Did it look like the 2011 Blu-ray, or this new Disney+ version?

If anyone can actually remember what that particular color grading looked like for a movie they saw once, maybe twice, in theaters seven years ago, I’ll be impressed!

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RogueLeader said:

nl0428 said:

If anyone here went to go see the 3D release of The Phantom Menace, please tell me what the master and color grading looked like. Did it look like the 2011 Blu-ray, or this new Disney+ version?

If anyone can actually remember what that particular color grading looked like for a movie they saw once, maybe twice, in theaters seven years ago, I’ll be impressed!

If that kind of claim was going to be made anywhere on the Internet, surely it’d be here.

ROTJ Storyboard Reconstruction Project

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pat man said:

nl0428 said:

If anyone here went to go see the 3D release of The Phantom Menace, please tell me what the master and color grading looked like. Did it look like the 2011 Blu-ray, or this new Disney+ version?

I didn’t see the 3d release. But skimming through the movies the Prequels are just upscaled Blu-ray. I.e. nasty teal shift in Aotc.

No, they are not. The color grading is markedly different, more muted like the for the OT, and obviously HDR. I also don’t see any evidence of a blanket teal shift. There are plenty of blue skies, and white clouds in AOTC.

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Fang Zei said:

Mocata said:

Rodney-2187 said:

FreezingTNT2 said:

Why can’t they just pull a Blade Runner, in which they release another Special Edition while packaging it with the previous versions (original cuts, 1997 versions, 2004 versions, and 2011 versions)?

I think everyone would love that, but this is something they could have done for years and haven’t. Many have said Disney/Lucasfilm is either contractually obligated by Lucas to only release the revised editions, or they feel beholden to Lucas to not go against his wishes. I used to think that sounded like a crazy conspiracy theory, but here we are with a restored 4K HDR version of the Original Trilogy, that was done years ago, and no sign of the unaltered versions.

Could they be included in some way on the inevitable disc release? Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet my credits on it.

Or they like having one version only. The myth of one vision at this point is stronger than the reality, which is fractured. Beyond contractual agreements in handing George the money, this is the only reasonable conclusion. The Mouse House wouldn’t want to be seen as weak.

Except now they’ve put up the 4k hdr versions on the streaming service ahead of the physical UHD release and not the other way around. There’s bound to be a lot of overlap between fans signing up to see The Mandalorian / Cassian / Obi-Wan and those who were planning on buying the eventual 4k disc release of the OT. Now those in the overlap have one less reason to bother with the latter since they can just stream it whenever they want. Unless of course Disney were to throw something else into the package to sweeten the deal.

I don’t follow you? New releases, old releases, all that matters is the idea this was the “original vision”. Most people think George Lucas created Star Wars already and they will watch or buy any version without questioning it. Most people probably don’t care about streaming or HD or anything, they just consume stuff when it is presented to them. We are now on the 4th Special Edition it still says “1977” on the new service but only super nerds like us will even notice.