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Idea: ESB 70mm reconstruction?

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 (Edited)

Do we have enough material to reconstruct the 70mm version of ESB? I know there used to be a thread on this, but after 20 minutes of searching, I can’t seem to find it.

With hairy-hen’s reconstruction of the 70mm mix for Star Wars and Adywan’s ESB Theatrical Reconstruction, I’m wondering if we’re closer to being able to achieve this.

Some of the differences are listed here, but I don’t trust wookieepedia: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_changes_in_Star_Wars_re-releases

The video differences would consist of a few different wipes and a few shortened scenes (like the Medical Frigate at the end). I’m thinking most of the different audio is available through the following:

  • 2004 DVD
  • 97’ telecast captures
  • MoveAlong’s The Story of the Empire Strikes Back
  • Puggo Edition of ESB

This isn’t something I can pull off myself, but I’m hoping if we can dump all the info about this in one convenient place, someone will be able to pick up all the pieces and pull this off.

Random Info to get the juices flowing:

Here’s a summary of the differences in the Puggo edition, as noted by Boba Feta:

boba feta said:

Video:
The Emporer does not fade in in his communique with Vader.
Millenium Falcon Satellite dish not visible with Luke on weather vane.

Audio

  • Han saying ‘watch this’ as he tries to jump to hyperspace in the asteriod field. Although the dialogue hasn’t changed different emphasis are put on certain words."
  • Luke - “I don’t pick up any life readings” - Different take
  • Han - “I’m going back” - Different take
  • More rebels calls of ‘retreat’ when Walkers attack
  • Leia "They’re getting closer [star destroyers] - Different take - she stutters it twice
  • Cloud Car pilots - Different line - will confirm with actual line asap.
  • Leia “I know where Luke is” is replaced by “we must go back” or something similar
  • C3P0 - new line just before “I thought that hairy beast would be the end of me” - It’s something like “I’m glad we are back together”
  • The frigate at the end looks decidedly different - i will have to check this.
    Cloud City Security - “Any aggressive move will not be tollerated!”
    Cloud Cit Security - “Permission granted to land on platform 3-2-7. Any deviattion will” - Han cuts of comms.
    Leia - “Lando, hurry up, we’ve got company!” (as Lando is rescuing Luke from the weathervane)
    C3P0- "Get away from there, you don’t know how to fix the hyperdrive!

Mielr talking about MoveAlong’s Story of the Empire Strikes Back:

Mielr said:

<span> </span>There are so many little bits that I appreciated, for instance-
I listened to the ESB LP so many times - I got used to the part where Leia says “we have to go back…WE HAVE TO GO BACK!” instead of the line “we have to go back…I know where Luke is” that is on the home-video versions.

It was also nice to hear Luke’s alternate reading of the line “hang on back there” from the mono version of the sdtk.

MoveAlong on audio differences:

MoveAlong said:

There are even more different takes and lines than people have mentioned. When I was syncing the album audio to the 2004 footage, I had both audio tracks and could isolate them and play them together. I found it fascinating how many subtle (and not so subtle) differences there were. I even thought of having a subtitle track devoted to flagging the differences, but was so burned out I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

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And yes, I think it can be done.  Maybe not exactly, but we can get a 'best-guess' version, which I think would be well worth the effort. 

As far as I can recall, there are only two scenes that would need to be re-comped, but it shouldn't be a problem for an Darth Editous or an Adywan.  The Emperor hologram scene and the weather vane need a little work.

The rebel fleet at the end needs a little trimming.

So as far as I can tell, the bulk of the work is coming up with a good theatrical version to start with (ie., non-Special Edition) and adjusting the audio.

I would sell a kidney to see a project like this completed.

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It would probably be possible to come up with something pretty close, but recreating it exactly is out of the question without the right sources to compare it to.  I definitely don't trust the lists of differences out on the internet--I've seen numerous lists of changes in audio for ANH that I know are inaccurate, and that is the better documented film at that.

The claim that the SE mix of ESB is based on the 70mm version has been put forth many times--it seems to me that someone said it at some point and then many other people took it as gospel that it was the case, propagating the rumour.  While possible, I think it's important to remember that this claim is unsubstantiated until proven with an actual source.  Keep in mind that it is, after all, the SE--many things about the films were being altered according to the whims of those in charge, and being faithful to how it had been was hardly their priority.

From an audio standpoint, such a reconstruction would be best derived from the Definitive Collection soundtrack, since it is the best-sounding mix of the original film available, and then subsequent edits from other sources would fill in whatever changes were necessary.  How much of it would be possible while maintaining sound quality and faithfulness to the actual mix being emulated is impossible to say, since this is all just speculation at this point.  I'm sort of inclined to believe that the '93 Empire is actually closer to the 70mm version than might be suspected at first glance; but I don't have anything to back it up, other than a feeling that the mysteriously missing snowspeeder crash sound could be connected, since they were using early generation sources to make the DC version.

For my part, as a follow-up to the success of recreating the Star Wars 70mm, I'm going to make a new 5.1 for Empire, which will use the 1993 mix combined with a few segments of the SE to 'correct' the choppy music editing, and the special edition LFE channel for the low end.  This can't exactly be called an accurate 70mm recreation, since we don't know for sure what it sounded like, but it could possibly be considered an approximation of what it may have been, if you will.  In any case it should sound great.  :)

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Sluggo, thanks for posting the link to the other thread. Great resource!

Hairy_hen, that's great news on the mix. Would you consider some additional pieces, like Yoda's surprised yell and Leia's lines on the Falcon? And if someone were to put together a best guess at the 70mm video, would you be willing to do the corresponding synced audio?

I came across some of the visual differences, noted by The Starkiller in the Puggo thread:

The Starkiller said:

Excellent job on this, Pugs! This is an absolute must have!

I just watched the Empire reels and something stuck out at me. I had another look and I believe I have found something quite significant. Check out these screen caps:

2006 GOUT:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DV_EM_1_06DVD.jpg

Same image from the 1985 CAV Laser:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DV_EM_1_85LD.jpg

And the same image from the Super 8 reel:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DV_EM_1_S8.jpg

Another frame from the GOUT as the Emperor fades in:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DV_EM_2_06DVD.jpg

Same frame from the '85 Laser:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DV_EM_2_85LD.jpg

And the Super 8 reel:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DV_EM_2_S8.jpg

The above shot on the Super 8 reel corresponds with reports regarding the 70mm cut of TESB. In the 70mm version, the Emperor's hologram doesn't fade in, just like the Super 8 reel.

Another example:

GOUT DVD:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DISH1_GOUT.jpg

Same frame from the '85 Laser:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DISH1_1985LD.jpg

And the same frame from the Super 8:
http://starkiller72.googlepages.com/DISH1_S8.jpg

Again, this corresponds to the 70mm cut.

I believe this is the first confirmed visual evidence of alternate footage existing within one of the films!

Also, this section of Michael Matessino's 70mm list that appeared in Film Score Monthly also appears in the Super 8 reel:

In the final scene, there is no tracked music from "Yoda and the Force". The scene begins with the first establishing shot of the rebel fleet, then cuts inside the Falcon for Lando to say, "Luke, we're ready for take-off" (but a different take of this was used). After Luke says (voice over), "Good luck, Lando" the scene cuts to inside the rebel cruiser where Luke says, "I'll meet you at the rendezvous, " etc. Not in this version are two more establishing shots of the fleet and an interim effects shot over which Lando says, "When we find Jabba the Hutt and that bounty hunter we'll contact you."

Add all of this to the numerous (and already known) differences in the Super 8 audio and this becomes even more intriguing.

Fascinating!

 

 

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

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Interesting . . . judging from those visual differences, it does seem likely that the Super 8 version would correspond to the 70mm.  Even if it's not absolute proof, the similarity is great enough that it can probably be considered a reliable measure.

Now I'm torn . . . part of the idea of making the music edits was for the sake of personal preference, disliking unnecessary chopping up of music cues in films, and wanting to bring it closer to John Williams' conception of it, but if the Super 8 is what it seems, then the kind of changes involved in a possible 70mm version are different than what I was thinking of doing (I hadn't planned to alter any dialogue, for instance).  I don't think we know for sure if those music cues were actually changed from 70 to 35 or if they had always been chopped up to start with.  I keep going back and forth on whether I think it would be worthwhile to do a 'partial' 70, conforming to the 35 in length, or if any such thing should wait until someone is willing to go all the way with the visual differences.

It is interesting also that the guy who claimed to have an ESB 70mm recording specifically mentioned the lack of the line, "When we find Jabba the Hutt and that bounty hunter, we'll contact you."  Going by this I'm inclined to believe him.  He also said that R2 didn't taste very good, which would lend support to the notion that the SE differences can't be taken as corresponding to the 70.  If only we could get in touch with him . . .

Can someone point me in the direction of the audio for this Super 8 version?  I've never heard it before, but it looks like I'll need to give it a close listen.

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I can rip the audio from Puggo's DVD and post it a little later this afternoon.

Sluggo said:

OK, so I've recombined the two lists of differences here and put them in order of the movie. I also pulled out the video differences, left the unconfirmed ones in italics and separated the categories of audio differences.

The Empire Strikes Back
The 70mm version of the film was substantially different from the 35mm version that was more widely seen.

VIDEO:
Note that the items in italics are only rumored differences.  I am skeptical that they exist, but I'm not going to rule them out without evidence one way or the other.

After the Probot lands and moves left, there is an optical wipe to the overhead shot of Luke on his Tauntaun.
After Luke wanders through the snow and falls face down, there is an optical wipe to Han instead of a straight cut.
• The bacta tank scene starts on a close-up of Two-One-Bee and pans right to a close-up of Luke in the tank. It then cuts to FX-7 extending its arm to the tank. There is no cut to Leia, Han and Threepio observing. (Possible that this could be re-created with the full-screen version)
In the snow battle scene, when Luke drops into the snow after throwing a charge into the Imperial walker, the AT-ST in the background has no atmospheric depth. It looks too close and small.
• The Emperor does not fade in at the start of his communiqué with Vader.*
• Millennium Falcon sensor dish is not visible with Luke on weather vane. The position of the vane is also different on the background.*
The telepathy between Luke and Vader during the "Hyperspace" cue has straight cuts instead of quick dissolves.
• The frigate footage at the end looks decidedly different.*

AUDIO MIX DIFFERENCES:
NB, these are items that are present in the 35mm mix, but are greatly dialed down under sound effects or the score.

• On Hoth, right after C-3PO tells R2 to "Switch off," R2 gives out a little 'blurp.' More pronounced on the 70mm.
• When Luke finally collapses in the snow, he lets out a grunt as he lands on his face.
• The first time Rogue 2 says, "Commander Skywalker, do you copy?" is placed after he says "Captain Solo, do you copy?" instead of being placed before. The second "Commander Skywalker, do you copy?" is not on the Super 8 reel. It may have been edited that way for the Super 8, but I found it odd.*
• Rebel dialogue immediately following the line "The first transport is away!" is easier to hear. This includes “...let’s go, move, move!”
• When R2 is being loaded into Luke's X-Wing, C-3PO says the word "and" before saying "do take good care of yourself." The 2004 DVD really cranks up the quiet “and”.
• More rebels calls of 'retreat' when Walkers attack.*
• In the asteroid field, after C-3PO says "Oh, this is suicide." He says, "There's no where to go."*****
• Yoda says the word "Run!" before "Yes. A Jedi's strength flows from the force." The following lines "But beware the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side of the force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight" are also much louder and clearer.
• While C-3PO is on Chewie's back when they enter the carbon freezing chamber, the line "Now remember, Chewbacca, you have a responsibility to me, so don't do anything foolish" is louder and heard more clearly.
• More crowd noise as people flee Cloud City.*

ALTERNATE AUDIO:

• Luke: "Echo Three to Echo Seven. Han 'ole buddy, do you read me?" -Different take. *, **
• Luke - "I don't pick up any life readings" - Different take *, **
• Han - "I'm coming back" - Different take instead of the more widely heard “I’m going back” *, **
• Han says "until I can get the shelter up" instead of "until I can get the shelter built."
• Luke says an additional "Ben... Dagobah..." just before Han says "and I thought they smelled bad on the outside." In the 35mm, apparently, we only hear Luke mumble when we can see his mouth.
• Rogue 2: "Captain Solo, do you copy?" -Different take *
• When C-3PO tells Luke "It's so good to see you fully functional again," Luke replies "Thanks, Threepio."
• The line "Headquarters personnel report to Command Center" is repeated three times instead of two. *
• The line "The first transport is away!" is said in a different voice altogether. *
• Luke now says "This is it" just before his wingman (and soon, himself) is hit by AT-AT fire. His lips move, too, but I never noticed before.
• Han's line "Transport, this is Solo. Better take off, I can't get to you. I'll get her out on the Falcon" is followed by, "Come on!"
• Leia: "They're getting closer." -Different take *
• Han: "Oh, yeah? Watch this." -Different take *
• Luke says "You're lucky to get out of there" instead of "You're lucky you don't taste very good."
• Yoda makes a frightened "Ehhhhh!" sound just before Luke says "Like we're being watched" and points his blaster at him.
• The Imperial fleet establishing shot after the magic tree scene has a different TIE fighter sound effect.
• Obi-Wan’s lines are not as ‘echoed’.*
• Cloud City Patrol - "Any aggressive move will not be tolerated!"* This replaces “You will not deviate from your present course” ***, *****
• Cloud City Patrol - "Permission granted to land on platform 3-2-7. Any deviation from..." - Han cuts of comlink.
• Lando tells Han, “Yeah, I'm responsible these days. It's the price of success.” The 8mm continues “And you know what, Han, you were right all along. It's over-rated.” as C-3PO talks with the other protocol droid.*
• In Cloud City, after C-3PO says "That sounds like an R2 unit in there. I wonder if it..." he says "Hello?" only once instead of twice.
• Before C-3PO gets shot, a different voice says "Who are you?"
• During the duel, when Luke knocks Vader off of the platform, Vader lets out an "ooooh!" instead of an "aaargh!"
• C-3P0 adds a very sarcastic “Oh my, so nice to be together again” before he says “I thought that hairy beast would be the end of me.” *
• Leia "I know where Luke is" ***, ***** is replaced by "we have to go back".*
• Leia says the line "Lando, hurry up, we've got company!"* as Lando is rescuing Luke from the weather-vane. This line replaces Lando’s line of “OK, let’s go”. ***, ****, *****
• C-3P0 "Get away from there,” prefaces “You don't know how to fix the hyperdrive! Chewbacca can do it!”*
• Lando's line at the end, "Luke, we're ready for takeoff." is a different take.
• In the final scene, there is no tracked music from "Yoda and the Force".


* 8mm
** The Story of TESB LP
*** TESB GOUT DVD
**** TESB:SE 1997 LD
***** TESB:SE 2004 DVD

I'm quoting this combined list of differences here so hopefully someone can verify some of my research.  I've tried to document the differences and their sources.

The video difference in the Hoth medical center does have a bit of evidence that I am trying to dig up from somewhere on my hard drive.

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Regardless of what exactly it contained, one thing is clear: reconstructing the 70mm audio would be a lot of work, much more than was involved in doing Star Wars.

So . . . here's what I'll do.  I'm going to proceed as planned with the ESB 5.1 that I mentioned, which will be part of dark_jedi's newest AviSynth encodes; and if a larger attempt is made to recreate a 70mm version of Empire, I will certainly be on board, but it will be its own separate project from what I'm doing now.  I'll help with that for whichever approach is taken, whether it keeps the edit the same as the 35 or the picture is altered along with the sound.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that so many lines apparently existed in the first cut of the film but were then taken out for the 35mm version?  If you look at Star Wars, all the dialogue differences in the mono version were recorded later, but in the case of Empire, we seem to be expected to believe that a "more complete" auditory experience existed first, and was then cut down for the later wide release.  Combine that with differences in the SE not being authentic, and something just isn't adding up at all.  Hence my scepticism about the whole thing . . .

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hairy_hen, I just pm'ed a link for those audio files.

Doesn't negative1 have a 70mm reel of Empire?

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@hairy_hen

It does seeem more likely that the 70mm version was created before the 35 mm version.  All the changes for the 35 mm just seem like improvements to me. 

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I own that Film Score Monthly issue in PDF format with those documented video differences if someone is interested. But all of them is on Sluggo's list, there's also a small note in there about the 70mm Return of the Jedi using the main title cue from Empire over the opening crawl.

We want you to be aware that we have no plans—now or in the future—to restore the earlier versions. 

Sincerely, Lynne Hale publicity@lucasfilm.com

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Sluggo, thanks for the 8mm recording, I listened to it this evening.  It was pretty bizarre hearing the film cut down into what essentially amounted to a "highlights" reel, lol.

Having now heard the soundtrack, I can weigh in with my opinion.  While the differences were very interesting, I still find myself disagreeing with the notion that they accurately represent the 70mm version.  They probably did derive the image from the 70mm sources, going by the pics of the Emperor being already tuned in and the missing radar dish, but I can tell you right now that the audio track on this 8mm recording is definitely its own separate mix.  It is not simply transferred from the 70mm soundtrack!

How do I know this?  Several reasons--the first of which is that the music is clearly mixed separately from the sound effects and dialogue.  There are several instances in which the music is edited and synchronised in ways quite different from how it appears in the film itself.  These edits were made specifically to accommodate the shortening of the film from its full length--they are not simply jump cuts from one shot to another, although there are numerous instances of that also.  Second, the Film Score Monthly list specifically notes the absence of tracked music from the cue "Yoda and the Force" in the 70mm version for the rebel fleet at the end . . . and the 8mm soundtrack quite obviously does contain this tracked music.  Moreover it accommodates the tracked music by shortening the cue Williams actually intended for the scene.

I haven't seen the image to go along with it, but I had a feeling as I listened that some of the alternate dialogue, such as C-3PO saying, "It's so nice to be together again," could only be present due to editorial differences in the picture.  There's no place for it in the full movie, and no mention of that scene being edited differently in the 70, either.  Interestingly, I did recognise some extra Chewbacca vocalisations that were in the SE version, and not in the 35.  It's certainly possible that some of the alternate lines, in the 8mm and/or the SE, originated in the 70mm mix; but given the obvious ways in which the 8mm is uniquely different from the others, there's no reliable way to tell which lines actually came from the 70 and which did not.  I certainly would not feel comfortable or justified inserting alternate dialogue into the film and calling it authentic--and I would say that even if the fidelity were good enough that such insertion could be done seamlessly.  As it is, the sound quality does not permit it to be done without calling attention to itself.

It looks as though reconstructing the ESB 70mm mix accurately is not yet possible, unfortunately.  If it were I'd be glad to work on it, but I don't think it would be worthwhile at this point.  That doesn't mean it isn't a worthy goal for the future, though--we just need more sources.

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msycamore, I'd be very interested in a PDF of that Film Score Monthly if you could upload it somewhere.

Been trying to get hold of a copy for ages.

This might sound like a daft question but does anyone hear remember seeing the 70mm version back in 1980? Could anyone offer their thoughts on it and the changes?

 

Your brain just makes s**t up!

A fate worse than death? Having your head digitally replaced with that of Hayden Christensen!

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I saw the 70 mm cut of Empire in 1980, when I was eight. I have some vague memories of it.

I'm pretty sure I remember the alternate lines when the Falcon approaches Cloud City. I also remember Yoda's weird shriek. I don't remember any video differences. Make of that what you will.

FWIW, I never had the Story of Star Wars or ESB when I was a kid.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

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Sluggo said:

Doesn't negative1 have a 70mm reel of Empire?

That's the story.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

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hairy_hen said:

Does it strike anyone else as odd that so many lines apparently existed in the first cut of the film but were then taken out for the 35mm version?  If you look at Star Wars, all the dialogue differences in the mono version were recorded later, but in the case of Empire, we seem to be expected to believe that a "more complete" auditory experience existed first, and was then cut down for the later wide release.  Combine that with differences in the SE not being authentic, and something just isn't adding up at all.  Hence my scepticism about the whole thing . . .

It strikes me as a little odd, but not out of the realm of possibility. Many of the changes in the 35mm version seem to add clarity or change the tone of the dialog.

What do you mean by "differences in the SE not being authentic"?

hairy_hen said:

Having now heard the soundtrack, I can weigh in with my opinion.  While the differences were very interesting, I still find myself disagreeing with the notion that they accurately represent the 70mm version.  They probably did derive the image from the 70mm sources, going by the pics of the Emperor being already tuned in and the missing radar dish, but I can tell you right now that the audio track on this 8mm recording is definitely its own separate mix.  It is not simply transferred from the 70mm soundtrack!

To me it seems likely that the 8mm was based off the 70mm, dialog and all. While the 8mm of Star Wars was perhaps an afterthought, and therefore based on the last mix (the monaural), the 8mm of Empire was probably planned ahead of time, and was based on the first mix (the 70mm). Just speculation, but it makes sense.

hairy_hen said:

How do I know this?  Several reasons--the first of which is that the music is clearly mixed separately from the sound effects and dialogue.  There are several instances in which the music is edited and synchronised in ways quite different from how it appears in the film itself.  These edits were made specifically to accommodate the shortening of the film from its full length--they are not simply jump cuts from one shot to another, although there are numerous instances of that also.  Second, the Film Score Monthly list specifically notes the absence of tracked music from the cue "Yoda and the Force" in the 70mm version for the rebel fleet at the end . . . and the 8mm soundtrack quite obviously does contain this tracked music.  Moreover it accommodates the tracked music by shortening the cue Williams actually intended for the scene.

Given the length of the  8mm version, I wouldn't give much weight to the score at all. I defer to your observations, but I'd imagine major edits were required.

hairy_hen said:

It's certainly possible that some of the alternate lines, in the 8mm and/or the SE, originated in the 70mm mix; but given the obvious ways in which the 8mm is uniquely different from the others, there's no reliable way to tell which lines actually came from the 70 and which did not.  

Ultimately, you are right. But where would this audio have come from? Were the 8mm transfers prepared by Lucasfilm or the 8mm company? And here's a question for our audio gurus: Were there any changes in the 8mm of Star Wars that were not in the mono mix?

hairy_hen said:

I certainly would not feel comfortable or justified inserting alternate dialogue into the film and calling it authentic--and I would say that even if the fidelity were good enough that such insertion could be done seamlessly.  As it is, the sound quality does not permit it to be done without calling attention to itself.

It couldn't be called authentic, maybe "reconstructed" or "best guess". As far as the quality of the alternate audio, I recommend you check out MoveAlong's The Story of the Empire Strikes Back. Several of the alternate audio takes appear in that, and the quality seems to be better.

 

 

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

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When Leia says "Chewie, just do it" she is facing away from the camera, so it is hard to tell for sure, but after having heard the alternate line, the more strongly repeated "We have to go back!", I noticed that the movement of her mouth doesn't seem to quite match up with the line as spoken in the 35--it probably matches the other, because that could have been what Carrie Fisher actually said when they were filming.  So I'll grant that one is probably authentic.  ;)

And I'm not saying that these alternate lines just sprang up from nowhere--several of them probably were in the 70mm version.  But Starmike, who claimed to have an ESB 70mm recording, said that R2 didn't taste very good in that version also, and if that's true, it would mean that Luke saying he was lucky to get out of there in the SE doesn't represent any previous mix.  Both lines would have been recorded, but just the one may have been used in both versions originally--and then for whatever reason they went back to the line as written for the SE, rather that the funnier improvisation.  So just because a different take is used in one version, it doesn't mean that it also appeared in another, and there's no good way of telling which is which, unfortunately.

I do like the dialogue as used the 35mm mix better--the alternate ones are sometimes good but usually seem strange and wrong somehow.  I have the same reaction when hearing the mono mix of Star Wars.  So the 70 wouldn't be my preferred listening choice in any case.  I'm rather grateful for the 1993 version actually--the mixing choices of the 35 but with far superior dynamic range.  But a 70 would be worthwhile, if the authenticity issue could be sorted out with greater certainty.

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 (Edited)

Is there maybe a possibility that they also presented a new 70mm cut of Empire with a slightly new mix when it was re-released the following years after its premiere when the 35mm cut had in a way already taken the place as the final cut? Or was it the same prints with the same "unfinished shots" that was also presented in '81, '82 or even later...?

A poster advertising a special 70mm screening of the trilogy back in 1985, lucky bastards who saw it! ;)

We want you to be aware that we have no plans—now or in the future—to restore the earlier versions. 

Sincerely, Lynne Hale publicity@lucasfilm.com

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I think my girlfriend was one of those lucky bastards--according to her the Cine Capri in Phoenix ran triple features of the films occasionally, and that was a 70mm installation.  It was too long ago to remember anything specific about different versions though.  It's too bad that theatre isn't there anymore . . .

I doubt they made any new 70mm prints, let alone fitted them with updated audio mixes, if the re-release was of such short duration; they probably just loaned out some prints they had lying around that were still in decent shape.

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Well, I can imagine it's almost impossible to remember this sort of differences in the films, it was also a different time back then when you didn't have different versions of the films to worry about in your mind, you just went to see The Empire Strikes Back and had a wonderful time, not wondering about if anything was different in the presentation.

I also doubt they created new 70mm prints, afterall they were really expensive, but it was just a thought I had.

We want you to be aware that we have no plans—now or in the future—to restore the earlier versions. 

Sincerely, Lynne Hale publicity@lucasfilm.com

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There was also a special screening of Jedi in Hollywood(?) around the same period. It was a demo for THX, and members of the original SW fan club got invites in the mail.

Alas, I had no easy way to get to L.A. back then!

Where were you in '77?

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I know I'm resurrecting an old thread but I was wondering if anyone planned to make a 70mm ESB reconstruction now? After all, now we have the ESB Grande and ESB bootleg as color references and morgands1's audio recording of it. Combined with the list, this should be an adequate amount to work with.

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I think there are too many unknowns on the visual side, especially in the Bacta tank scene.

Plus, many of the changes from the 8mm that were assumed to be in the 70mm have been contradicted in morgands1's recordings.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?