I know that the 2019 master of Empire Strikes Back is zoomed in and moved to the right compared to the “HD Branch”, to the point that the end credits are no longer centered. However, in comparison to other releases, both official and unofficial, I don’t know how problematic it is. For example, with A New Hope, the Silver Screen Edition shows more picture than the HD Branch, which shows a slight amount more picture than the 2019 master (owing mainly to the crop to the sequel trilogy’s aspect ratio), which IIRC shows more picture than 4K77. However, I don’t remember 4k77 getting the complaints 2019 Empire has received.
Does 2019 Empire show more picture than the various pre-2004 masters or the various fanmade scans? How bad is the shift to the right, anyway?
Nobody sang The Bunny Song in years…
It shows less picture than the 1989 Special Widescreen Edition laserdisc. The 1992 Pan and Scan VHS has less picture than any widescreen release of the OT, but has better sound quality than any of the DVD/Blu/D+ Special Editions.
A breakdown of the ESB 2019 general zoom in (loss of ~4.82% of the image) and shift (2004 shows more image) is written out with screen cap comparisons here:
https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/DIF-Difference-tool-to-spot-visual-changes-Current-2004-vs-2019/id/13179/page/3#1344390
The full DIF comparison can be watched from the website to make up your own mind.
The zooming in of 2019 ESB is problematic as it is unnecessary. How it was accomplished (the credits being un-centering) also aids to the opinion of lack of care involved. The additional cropping looses relevant information in certain shots.
As for other fan releases. The Silver Screen addition had no cropping regulations over it, so they could show more of the visible frame as people may have since it when in the theaters. Then for 4K77 they made the decision to return to a cropping as seen in official home releases.
Where are you reading that people are discussing the 2019 ESB cropping?
I hope Harmy is aware of this, since he’s using the 2019 version as one of his main sources for Despecialized 3.0. I’m sure he’s already accounted for it in some way, though.
But we can’t turn back. Fear is their greatest defense. I doubt if the actual security there is any greater than it was on Aquilae or Sullust. And what there is is most likely directed towards a large-scale assault.
As for other fan releases. The Silver Screen addition had no cropping regulations over it, so they could show more of the visible frame as people may have since it when in the theaters. Then for 4K77 they made the decision to return to a cropping as seen in official home releases.
I think it was just that the Technicolor print had less image than the LPP. I don’t remember them cropping anything that wasn’t necessary.
And in the time of greatest despair, there shall come a savior, and he shall be known as the Son of the Suns.
I hope Harmy is aware of this, since he’s using the 2019 version as one of his main sources for Despecialized 3.0. I’m sure he’s already accounted for it in some way, though.
I brought it up in his thread. He did not seem inclined to uncrop anything unless it was really egregious, simply because what would be required to blend a 4K80 (or whatever) border around a 19SE frame would be prohibitively difficult & time-consuming for more than a few shots.
That said, I intend to keep tabs on this to ensure that the scene where Leia’s cropped out of a scene where she’s speaking should be considered egregious enough to be worth that effort, even if none of the others are.
I hope Harmy is aware of this, since he’s using the 2019 version as one of his main sources for Despecialized 3.0. I’m sure he’s already accounted for it in some way, though.
I brought it up in his thread. He did not seem inclined to uncrop anything unless it was really egregious, simply because what would be required to blend a 4K80 (or whatever) border around a 19SE frame would be prohibitively difficult & time-consuming for more than a few shots.
That said, I intend to keep tabs on this to ensure that the scene where Leia’s cropped out of a scene where she’s speaking should be considered egregious enough to be worth that effort, even if none of the others are.
That’s a shame. There’s really no straightforward solution to this.
But we can’t turn back. Fear is their greatest defense. I doubt if the actual security there is any greater than it was on Aquilae or Sullust. And what there is is most likely directed towards a large-scale assault.
Hi original trilogy fan here. the original trilogy aspect ratio was 1.233.1 or 2.31.1 that was the original super widescreen theatre version it was amazing. it was like the movie screen surrounded the patrons I WAS THERE when the films originally came out. Now you have to see on a large flat screen tv that is 16.9 tha yo have yo watch with crop bars of the original anamorphic film expanded (no negative film is use anymore these days) now its all digitally filmed.
I Am The Way, The Light, and The Force.
-TGWNN