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Sound mixes from different versions of star wars

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 (Edited)

Now I know a lot of people inclueding me was not happy about the sound mix problems with the 2004 dvd of star wars a new hope. But you have to understand Star Wars (A New Hope) is a 31 year old movie and it was mixed several times over the years when the flim came out and even the 2004 dvd. Because when they restored the sound the 1st time for the 1997 special edition the people at lucasfilm and the people at skywalker ranch at a hard time finding the sound elements because the flim was not properly stored and the sound elements where all in boxes. The other two flims in the star wars trilogy episodes , 5 and 6 ESB and ROTJ where stored properly because by the time they made Empire and Jedi Lucasfilm had it's own mixing studio in San Rafel Cal. Sproket Systems now called skywalker sound. My point is other flims for sound elements more than 30 or 50 years old are harder to restore.

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 (Edited)

The problem with the 2004 5.1 mix had nothing to do with the age or elements used for the mix at all. If you listen to the 5.1 1997 mix that is on the laserdiscs you'll see that there is no problem with the mix. No reversed music rear channels, no fx coming out of the incorrect speakers, no difference in dialogue quality from shot to shot and no problems with the music being way too quiet or even missing in the mix.  Lucasfilm have spouted a lot of bull as to the reasons why the mix is bad (creative decisions , my ass). The main problem with the 2004 mix is that it was handed over to Ben Burtt who put his sound FX above all other elements, but couldn't even get that right. But Lucasfilm would not admit that there was a problem with the audio mix because it would have meant a very costly replacement program.

ANH:REVISITED
ESB:REVISITED

DONATIONS TOWARDS MATERIALS FOR THE REVISITED SAGA

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The problems weren't just whether or not a sound element was available, it was an issue of WHAT was done in the sound mix - movement, volume, tonal quality and so on.

A perfect example is the fanfare when Red Leader makes the initial attack on the Death Star.  On the US English track, that music is pushed so far into the background that it's almost inaudible.  But the same scene ON THE SAME DISC on the French and Spanish language tracks has the music vibrant and proper.  So, the music is only supposed to be in the foreign language mixes and not in the English mix, in spite of the fact that it was in ALL PREVIOUS English language sound mixes?

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.

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I agree with both of you 100 % if lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox whould just have sent out replacement discs for the missed up sound on Star Wars (A New Hope) We would'nt be talking about any sound problems at all.