logo Sign In

New DVDs NOT 16x9 — Page 9

Author
Time
Posted today by Ronald Epstein over at HTF:


"I just want to let you folks know the newest developments
as of today....

One of the magazines I have been talking to has actually
contacted LucasFilm.

It has been absolutely confirmed that these are going to be
the original non-anamorphic transfers used for the 1993 laserdisc
release.

I wanted to post this for anyone out there that is still posting
on other forums that none of the information we have been reporting
to all of you is valid.

There has been a further statement made from LucasFilm as
to the reasons for what they are doing, but out of fairness to
the upcoming article that will be written, I am not going to talk
about this right now. In a few days there will be a story posted
and linked here that all of you are welcome to read. It will explain
the situation in more detail.

In the meantime, I urge all of you to continue mailing, emailing
and phoning your concerns to LucasFilm. Apparantly they are
willing to talk to fans and perhaps some of you may be able to
post a few comments that I am unable to discuss at this time."

Author
Time

Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won't last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition]...

Sheesh. He sounds more and more like Palpatine everytime I hear him.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: Invader Jenny
Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won't last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition]...

Oh god in heaven, I hope not.

I have never in my life wanted to punch Lucas so hard.



Jenny you are a lot softer than me, if i had him in front of me right now i would kick him where it really hurts !


Lucas... i'm gonna get medieval!

Author
Time
Originally posted by: The Dean of Don Mills
Posted today by Ronald Epstein over at HTF:

"There has been a further statement made from LucasFilm as
to the reasons for what they are doing, but out of fairness to
the upcoming article that will be written, I am not going to talk
about this right now. In a few days there will be a story posted
and linked here that all of you are welcome to read. It will explain
the situation in more detail."

Try to remember to link us to that upcoming article, Dean. I doubt I'd remember otherwise and it sounds like it could be very interesting!

My crazy vinyl LP blog

My dumberer blog

My Retro blog

Author
Time
Here is that link. And here is the article in full:

Originally posted by: Susanne Ault on videobusiness.com
In the wake of extreme fan protests, Lucasfilm is positioning its release of the original ’70s theatrical versions of the first three Star Wars movies as bonus features.

As groused about on various DVD enthusiast Web sites, including www.thedigitalbits.com and www.hometheaterforum.com, Lucasfilm confirmed the studio is not remastering these early films. The prints for the Sept. 12 DVDs of Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi come from laserdiscs of the films released in the mid ’90s. This means that Episodes IV-V1 will bow in their original film composition, not in the more cinematic anamorphic widescreen transfer.

Lucasfilm acknowledges that some imperfections are embedded in the prints, but director of publicity John Singh said the company felt there was little need to invest resources into sprucing up films that have already been restored to pristine form.

Special edition versions of the films with additions made by George Lucas were released in theaters in the ’90s and on DVD in 2004.

“We put a lot of time and effort into digitally restoring the negatives for the 2004 DVD releases,” Singh said. “The late ’90s theatrical versions represent George’s vision for Star Wars. We hoped that by releasing the original movies as a bonus disc, it would be a way to give the fans something that is fun. We certainly didn’t want to be become a source of frustration for fans.”

Although the prints aren’t in the best of shape, the masters used for the laserdiscs “do look good,” Singh assured.

Both old and new versions of Episodes IV-VI will be included in the Sept. 14 Star Wars sets, to be distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The revamped ’90s theatrical versions will be offered in widescreen.

This release also represents the first time the movies will be available individually.

Fans have threatened to boycott buying the original Star Wars films if they aren’t cleaned up.

“These are the versions that the fans saw as kids back in the ’70s—this was how they grew up,” said Ron Epstein, HomeTheaterForum.com co-owner. “George doesn’t like these versions, and it’s not the way he wants his legacy to be remembered. But fans [are saying], ‘You aren’t doing us a favor [in putting out] what basically amounts to a laserdisc transfer.”

Aware of the uproar, Lucasfilm is in the process of directly contacting its upset fan base in an attempt to smooth things over.

Some fans had been speculating that Lucasfilm was saving its big gun efforts for the new generation DVD formats. But the company said that at this time, there are no plans to release the original ’70s Star Wars versions in high-definition.

“We absolutely appreciate the fact that these fans are so passionate,” Singh said. “It’s indicative of the fact that they care so much about Star Wars.”
Author
Time
Originally posted by: The Dean of Don Mills
There has been a further statement made from LucasFilm as
to the reasons for what they are doing...
I can't wait to hear this one.

Originally posted by: THX
Aware of the uproar, Lucasfilm is in the process of directly contacting its upset fan base in an attempt to smooth things over.

"Smooth things over?" What the hell is that going to entail? A Lucasfilm Mickey Mouse hat with our names on it?

I don't mind grain. I don't mind mat-lines. I just don't want my movie to be pixilated when I blow it up on a projecter screen. Damn.
"I am altering the movies. Pray I don't alter them any further." -Darth Lucas
Author
Time
"Although the prints aren’t in the best of shape, the masters used for the laserdiscs “do look good,” Singh assured."

So, good but not great? It's sad when so many people who are directly involved with the company admit that these aren't as good as they could be. I'm thinking of the previous statements about it being state of the art 1993, not 2006, too. I'm sure they feel the pressure to not say too much or voice their own opinions too strongly, with Big Georgie watching. I can imagine there are a lot in the company who, themselves being big fans of the originals, when they heard of the new changes and such, thought "this is going to get ugly..."

My crazy vinyl LP blog

My dumberer blog

My Retro blog

Author
Time
It's great that this story is getting into more "mainstream" places, but I think the inaccuracies confuse the issue:
"The prints for the Sept. 12 DVDs..." There are no prints involved in this process. The DVDs will be created from a video master.
"...come from laserdiscs of the films released in the mid ’90s."
Although the video master was used to make laserdiscs (and VHS tapes), the DVDs will not in any way come from laserdiscs."...will bow in their original film composition, not in the more cinematic anamorphic widescreen transfer."
The composition is not at issue. The DVDs will be presented in widescreen. The complaints are about the fact that it will be "letterboxed" widescreen, rather than "anamorphic" widescreen.

Edit: I contacted the writer of this article, politely pointing out these technical inaccuracies and it has been updated to remove the last of the three.
Author
Time
That's why they are being packaged as 'bonus' disks so home theatre 'head cases' won't start filing lawsuits against LFL because they don't come up to the standard you would expect for DVD. (Mind you it's debatable wether the 2004 versions meet DVD standards) So I'm afraid we just have to accept it as an 'obsolete work in progress' that Lucas no longer likes (and I say that with tongue in cheek, I don't agree with it!!)
Author
Time
I think we should all buy a copy, then return it to the store on the grounds that the bonus disc appears to be "defective" on our widescreen TVs!
Author
Time
Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won't last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition]...

Oh god in heaven, I hope not.

I have never in my life wanted to punch Lucas so hard.


Yeah, reading that made me sick to my stomach. I wouldn't be surprised if Lucas had a tracking system hidden in his basement where he could somehow find out when another VHS of the original Star Wars trilogy has been destroyed or deteriorated beyond recognition, at which point he adds another tally to his chalkboard and does a little happy dance. The author's right. Lucas is very Orwellian/Big Brother. Good thing the idiot never wanted to get into politics, or we could be in a real life 1984 right now.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

Author
Time
That's it. I used to think he was great, but now I think Lucass is the biggest effing dousche and I want to slug him in the face and rip him several new ones!

The sheer wretchedness of all this is astounding. Son of a buttsavage, I can't understand how he fails to understand how culturally significant these movies are. Especially when he's gone on record as saying he's against colourisation of black and white films and wants old movies preserved so his kids can see them. Hello? Does the word "hypocrisy" mean anything to him?

When's the last time Lucass watched a widescreen dvd with black bars on all four sides, and crummy resolution to boot? He wouldn't accept that if it was something he liked, but he's got his head so far up his intestines he doesn't understand how utterly he's ruined everything he used to be knows as great for.
Author
Time
Aware of the uproar, Lucasfilm is in the process of directly contacting its upset fan base in an attempt to smooth things over.

Well, I was 'directly contacted' yesterday, and here's a newsflash for Lucasfilm: Thing's aint smooth between us.

War does not make one great.

Author
Time
You know, until episode I came out I thought that Lucas had directed all 3 OT films. Seriously. I never even occured to my little brain that someone other than Lucas could have directed these fantastic films. I was praising him and worshiping him for the directing work he "supposedly" did.

Had he not brought so much attention to his whoring self I would have continued to think that everything was his own. He then could have had someone else direct the films (like Speilberg this time since Lucas can apparently do whatever the living hell he wants now) and yet I would still have only identified with him.

Not only has he screwed us, he's screwed himself. Brought the ever glaring light on to his one flaw he felt was his weakest: Directing. And now it's quite obvious. The man sucks.
"I am altering the movies. Pray I don't alter them any further." -Darth Lucas
Author
Time
Can we please keep personal attacks on the man to a minimum?

I disagree with him heavily about the OOT and other things, but personally insulting him won't do any good and makes us look bad.

*Runs*

My stance on revising fan edits.