I ripped it into my Mac iBook and then imported into iMovie (04) and just started hacking out anything that annoyed me.
So the quality is decent but nothing you would ooh and ahh over.
I kept the original DVD - complete with commercials, etc. ("So look for the Union label...")
I call mine the Ruthless Edit. About half the show has been excised. Again, I chopped what annoyed me.
I first showed my 8 yr old the original - he got bored and left the room. now he'll watch the whole thing (especially the Boba Fett cartoon)
- After the opening w/Han & Chewie, the first 10 minutes of Wookie grunting & garbage taking out and other gibberish are gone
- the story starts with Mala checking for starships in the system and then her interaction with Luke.
- Much of the bad humor is gone (wish I could say the same for much of the lame Imperial acting - SNAP!)
- All musical numbers (except Carrie's) are axed. I had to keep some cheese.
- No 'Wookie porn'
- no 'Cirque du so Lame'
- Harvey Korman is gone - no cooking show, or cranial drinking, or video bits
- Art Carney's role is significantly reduced with many less bad puns.
- no mini aquarium or other blather (groomer, anyone?)
- Jefferson Starship's song now is somewhat of an extra part way through the credits.
- Bea Arthur never sings.
- Han is Han now. He does a lot less hugging of Wookies and going on and on about them being like family. (This is, after all, before ESB and while friendlier, I still wanted a scoundrel)
- No commercials at all (If I want to see them, I go to the original)
How I wish iMovie had a wipe transition. Most of my transitions are cross dissolves and I have learned more about editing and tricks since this, but just haven't had the time to redo it all, and zero $ to invest in better equipment / programs.
so for what it's worth, it's not a 'preservation' - but it's a heck of a lot more watchable