Complete Comparison of Special Edition Visual Changes — Page 15

So, there really was a Flunk release of Empire? I thought his DVD got corrupted and never got released? Can I ask where you got that XviD from, none?

Ah, ok. It was the LD's. When you said Flunk I thought you meant the Digi Betacam version, he only posted ANH, see here: http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/I-have-SWars-SEditions-on-Digi-Betacam-tape-you-want-my-dvd-tranfers/post/212663/#TopicPost212663 

Sorry, now I leave this, so I don't derail this thread.

The official website, starwars.com posted an official list of changes made to the Trilogy way back when there only was the 1997 SE. That list is probably gone for good at their site, but I noticed when I went through my computer that I had those changes archived. Unfortunately, they're only in scripted form, but if I remember correctly most of them was presented that way on the site as well. Makes a few of them a little vague.

The list isn't that comprehensive and most of these changes we've already covered, but I'll post the whole list in case some of you find it interesting.

STAR WARS

• Opening Sequence: The original elements were recomposited to reduce optical dirt and grain buildup.
• A new digital matte painting has been added to the scene in which R2-D2 is in the canyon on Tatooine.
• New live action footage of stormtroopers has been added to the scene in which the Imperials search the droids' escape pod in the Tatooine Dunes. CG Dewbacks, ridden by stormtroopers, were also composited into the scene.
• A new enhanced scene shows a sandcrawler slowly moving over rocky terrain from a lower, more dramatic angle.
• A wider view of Luke's Farm was created using the original sandcrawler model.
• Tatooine Suns: Static grain was removed from the two suns shot; the recomposite reduced optical dirt as well. (Not on your list. I wonder if the close-up also was recomped)
• Red Sky: The color of the sky was matched to surrounding shots in the scene at Luke's farm in which Luke and C-3PO talk.
• The landspeeder's mirror was removed and a clean plate was created in each shot so that the hovering effect was more believable.
• A new shot of Obi-Wan's house, now located high on a hill, was added to the Special Edition, using a digital matte painting.
• New creatures have been added to the scene in which Luke's landspeeder zooms into the Mos Eisley spaceport, which has been enlarged with new CG buildings. On entering, small rodents known as scurriers jump out of his way, new robots and landspeeders make an appearance, and a huge dinosaur-like ronto rears back and throws his Jawa riders when a swoopbike flies too close. New CG shots of a ronto and new a flying droid have been added to the scene in which stormtroopers question Luke and Obi-Wan in Luke's landspeeder.
• Exterior shots of the Cantina incorporate new model and digital matte buildings and CG creatures, including dewbacks and stormtroopers. The shot in which R2-D2 and C-3PO hide from stormtroopers while waiting for Luke and Obi-Wan outside the Cantina has been enhanced by the addition of a ronto and new droids.
• Laser fire was added to Han and Greedo's blasters.
• Landspeeder Lot: The hanging backing sky color was replaced to better match surrounding footage.
• Artists at ILM created a CG model of Jabba to seamlessly insert into 20-year old footage shot of Harrison Ford, a shot that George Lucas was not able to use at the time.
• A new shot of the Millennium Falcon flying out of the Mos Eisley hangar bay.
• A new element -- a shock wave -- has been added to the scene in which the Death Star destroys the planet Alderaan.
• Death Star Approach: Original elements were recomposited to reduce optical dirt and grain buildup.
• A new CG matte painting has been added to the original plate of the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star hangar bay. (they list this two times)
• Elevator: The composites were recreated to reduce the mismatch in sharpness.
• In the original edition, Han Solo chases a group of stormtroopers down a Death Star hallway where they meet more stormtroopers and turn and chase him. In the Special Edition, the new stormtroopers have been digitally transformed into a platoon.
• The original matte painting was recomposited in the scene in which Luke and Leia are trapped at the Death Star bridge chasm by stormtroopers.
• A new CG Falcon model was added to the original scene in which the Falcon approaches Yavin.
• A new digital matte painting, CG ship models, and a CG Falcon model have been added to the original shots at the Rebel Base at Yavin.
• ILM's digital editing skills allowed a scene to be added back in, in which Biggs and Luke meet and talk on the Flight Deck before the Battle of Yavin.
• The scene in which the Rebel ships attack the Death Star has been digitally enhanced in many ways. A new CG shot in which X-wings gather in formation before attacking was added, replacing a scene that formerly had to be done in two shots. Many other battle shots were cleaned up with new CG additions.
• Explosion Fixes: Digital recomposites were used to reduce matte lines and restore color.
• Darth's Trio: Digital recomposites allowed tighter framing of the ships. (Not on your list)
• Millennium Falcon: CG ships travel in new flight paths.
• Luke's Hand: Two recomposites were done to correct matte edges and retain motion blur. (no idea what shots they refer to, but probably the one you have listed on pic, 278.)
• Exhaust Port: The torpedo animation was improved. (Not on your list)
• A new CG shock wave element has been added to the scene in which the Death Star explodes.
• In the brighter color timing, painted troops became obvious. Photographs were substituted in a digital matte recomposite.

• Color Reversal Internegative: Opticals created on CRI stock, which had deteriorated, were recomposited in various shots including the Star Destroyer capturing Leia's ship and X-wings flying through the Death Star trench.
• Original elements were recomposited to remove matte lines and correct color mismatches.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

• Opening Sequence: Recomposite of Original elements. (Not on your list, not sure if they're referring to the opening crawl, or if they're talking about the next shot with all the probes dispatching)
• New live action has been added to the scene inside the lair of the Wampa, the abominable creature that attacks Luke while he's on patrol aboard a tauntaun. The Wampa is now seen eating carrion when Luke, hanging feet-first from the cave ceiling, awakens. New action shows the Wampa approaching Luke as he retrieves his lightsaber and attempts to free himself.
• Snow Rescue: Matte lines were removed in new composites.
• Original elements are combined with CG X-wing models in this scene where the Rebel fleet evacuates Echo Base on Hoth.
• Digital technology was used to clean up telltale matte lines around optically composited elements--where flying Rebel snowspeeders stand out against the icy planet's white snowfields. CG smoke elements were also added.
• Retreat from Hoth: Matte lines were eliminated in new composites.
• Original elements. Matte lines were erased and color was improved in this scene in which R2-D2 rides in Luke's X-wing just after the evacuation of Hoth.
• Asteroids: Recomposites reduced matte lines.
• Landing at Dagobah: Original elements. New CG composites and color fixes were done for the scene in which Luke's X-wing heads through space toward Dagobah.
• Star Destroyer Piggyback: Recomposite of original elements. (Not on your list)
• New computer graphic effects are used to create Boba Fett's ship Slave I, the Millenium Falcon, stars, and other space background elements in this scene where the Falcon escapes from a Star Destroyer disguised as "space junk" and is followed by Boba Fett.
• Many new additions have been made to scenes in Cloud City. Vistas of Cloud City, the floating metropolis high above the planet Bespin, have been digitally renewed. Moviegoers will now see Han's ship, the Millennium Falcon, zoom in from space and fly past Cloud City skyscrapers. Added to the scene are shots of the Falcon and intercepting cloud cars banking around a large structure and flying toward a landing platform.
• Originally filmed footage of scene in which Lando ascends through the top hatch of the Millennium Falcon to rescue Luke combined with a new CG hatch model.
• Cloud City Exit: Recomposite to reduce matte lines.
• Following Vader's appearance and confrontation with the Rebels, there's a new live action scene of the Dark Lord walking to his shuttle. A later CG enhancement shows Vader's shuttle as it approaches his Star Destroyer. Finally, as the Falcon escapes from Bespin, a new shot of Vader's shuttle landing in his Star Destroyer's hangar bay has been inserted, with Vader exiting and walking toward stormtroopers.
• Ending Sequence: Recomposite to improve color and perspective match.

RETURN OF THE JEDI

• Opening Sequence: A Sabre recomposite. (I think they refer to the "Sabre Group", it was one of the teams that worked on the digital fixes for the SE. But again, I'm not sure what opening sequence. )
• The Sy Snootles puppet was replaced with a CG figure and a CG Joh Yowza was added.
• New live-action shots have repopulated Jabba's sanctum with a number of new aliens partaking in the raucous party, culminating in the feeding of the dancer Oola to the rancor.
• A CG beak and CG tentacles have been added to the Sarlacc in the pit of Carkoon. Color improvements and matte fixes were made to the barge itself.
• A recomposite was created to improve the B-side of the wipe from the Dune Sea.
• Original elements, mattes fixed, color adjusted in this shot of R2-D2 in an X-wing in space.
• Matte changes in scene with Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine in the Emperor's throne room.
• Color and matte changes made to original elements of space battle scene over Endor.
• Shock wave added in a recomposite... of original elements and CG shock wave element.
• Original elements. A night sky with fireworks above an Endor valley, live action Ewoks added to painting.
• The film's original final scene, in which the Rebels celebrate their defeat of the Emperor and his evil Empire on Endor has been digitally expanded to include galas at three new locations. The new scenes show celebrations on Cloud City, with fireworks as a cloud car zooms by; on Mos Eisley a skyhopper weaves around buildings; and on the Imperial capital, Coruscant, citizens revel under full moons as confetti falls.
• A new digital matte painting of the Ewok ending celebration is combined with new Ewok elements.

doubleofive said:

We have 4 different instances of lightsabers in ESB:

Luke vs Wampa
Han vs Taun Taun
Luke vs Fake Vader
Luke vs Vader, in 4 or 5 sections

There's also the shot where Luke cuts through the belly of the ATAT.

Fascinating. I'll go through the details and see what I can add. Excellent archive work!

The  Flunk 97SE ESB XviD screenshots none posted seemed a little weird to me, so I checked out my 97SE, which is an xvid sourced from a German Digi TV broadcast to which someone added a Czech dubbing (I just randomly found on the web, so I have no idea where this comes from). Anyway, the colours are quite a bit better here and also, this LD transfer apparently cannot be trusted, because when you compare the first shot (the upper shots are none's LD shots and the lower shots are the Digi broadcast) you can tell that the LD cap is two interpolated consequential frames (look at the flash but also at Vader's helmet) - this is probably due to an incorrect de-interlacing or pulldown removal in the LD transfer.

This is also interesting. It seems that the digital broadcasts used different transfer than the SE LDs as there is some dirt present in the DTV frame, that is not there in the LD - although maybe they are the same scans but the LDs just had more DVNR applied for their masters.

msycamore said:

The official website, starwars.com posted an official list of changes made to the Trilogy way back when there only was the 1997 SE. That list is probably gone for good at their site, but I noticed when I went through my computer that I had those changes archived. Unfortunately, they're only in scripted form, but if I remember correctly most of them was presented that way on the site as well. Makes a few of them a little vague.

The list isn't that comprehensive and most of these changes we've already covered, but I'll post the whole list in case some of you find it interesting.

Definitely an interesting list, I managed to find a copy of it on web.archive.org a couple of months back.

http://web.archive.org/web/19980422231445/starwars.com/unlock/confidential/changed/changes_details.html#newhope

Definitely not a comprehensive list. I'm guessing it's the "authoritative list posted by the official site" referenced in Tredewll's list of changes here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20070128023238/home.earthlink.net/~treadwell_jay/starwars/anh1.htm

Nice find, Bobby Jay! I've been searching for that old Treadwell site. :)

Those descriptions are frustratingly vague. What part of "Vader to Hoth" has CGI X-wings? What is a Sabre recomposite, even with the links on the old site it's hard to tell what they're talking about. It mentions ONE new wipe (one I missed!) and not the dozens in the first two movies! So random!

"Vader to Hoth" was just a stupid headline for what time in the film the change occurs, that one is already covered in your list, it's "the first transport is away". Sabre composite means that it was done by the Sabre Group, that's my understanding of it. But yes, it is vague and it is random, but remember how much they didn't include in the 2006 list. ;)

First Transport is Away doesnt have CGI anything. There aren't CGI ships outside of ANH (minus the Vader shuttle). I'll have to go over it again.

Acording to the site, Sabre: A digital compositing and editing tool used on SGI computers.

Edit: Oh I see, that's the only sequence I can think of, weird.

doubleofive said:

Those descriptions are frustratingly vague. What part of "Vader to Hoth" has CGI X-wings? What is a Sabre recomposite, even with the links on the old site it's hard to tell what they're talking about. It mentions ONE new wipe (one I missed!) and not the dozens in the first two movies! So random!

I did say it wasn't a comprehensive list. It actually makes the 2006 changes list look complete!

The Tredwell site didn't have a clue what they where talking about either

http://web.archive.org/web/20020313101603/users.southeast.net/~datalore/starwars/esb2.htm

Tredwell site said:

While the extra TA-DUH bumps the rest of the music ahead by a couple of seconds, the same accomodation was not made to the FX track. The ZZT of Luke cutting the ice is now out of synch, (it comes a split-second early), as is everything else for the rest of the scene.

doubleofive, let me know if you need a screen-cap of the '97 binary sunset, or do you have access to your Special Edition now?

I've got my fancy new cables so I can get at my 97SE now. I'm not seeing the static grain in the GOUT to get a picture of it.

My thing now will be to go through the 97 changes posted and make sure I have them all.

Wait a freaking minute. I was thinking the other day "I'm glad they reversed the scanlines on the Leia hologram so that the distortions go the right angle and match the rest of the saga..."

Then I looked again:


Oh yeah, it was going the right way, now it makes no sense and doesn't match any other hologram even the all CGI ones from the Clone Wars series.

Thanks ILM. Thanks a lot.

EDIT: And looking at the Luke hologram in RotJ, I think it has been modified. I see very tiny scanlines and less blue in the SE. Even better. :-/

EDIT 2: And looking at the 97SE, it looks just as blue as the original, but with the smaller scanlines.

none said:

Here's some possible changes from RotJ:

Captures are full res from the WG HD Splits, so not embedded since it would take a while to load.  Times are approximate from again the WG timecode not the movie.

The first shot of 3po and R2, seems like sky replacement.  The next shot in the sequence is significantly bluer in the 83 version.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7591/swchangesrotj000000.jpg

 

09:21 - you all mentioned the Emperor Hologram in ESB, Luke in RotJ might have a similar issue.  The horizontal bars look like they are there in the shirt but the face ones have been obliterated.  09:32, Luke's belt. 09:59

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/7420/swchangesrotj000921.jpg

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9687/swchangesrotj000932.jpg

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/9965/swchangesrotj000959.jpg

 

10:28 - The pan from Jabba to Han carbonite has been maniuplated:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3553/swchangesrotj001028.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/791/swchangesrotj001028a.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/996/swchangesrotj001028b.jpg

 

45:24 - does it look like Yoda begins to fade a few frames later?  or is it just the colors throwing me off.

 

Thanks Harmy. I forgot all about following that up! The colors are what is getting me...

I think that's just a matter of the 2004 colouring of the whole scene, not a recolouring of the hologram itself, when you look at it, it is quite apparent, that the original shot has an over-all blue cast, whereas the 2004 shot has an over-all red cast, so if the scan-lines are different in the 97SE, I think it's pretty safe to assume it's a 97 change regardless of the colour of the hologram.

zombie84 said:

Careful about trusting GOUT hologram scanlines as definitive visual representation of the original films. I still haven't wrapped my head around the whole debacle that last like five pages the other month. Just some advice; would be worth to double check against another transfer for each instance.

doubleofive said:

I'm not seeing the static grain in the GOUT to get a picture of it.

What they're talking about may not even be on the GOUT, it could also be hard to see due to the heavy DVNR applied, or the bad resolution. Just their description of it should be enough, besides you cannot even do a proper comparison of what they accomplished when the telecine turned out like this...

1997 SE

I actually think both shots were recomped for the SE, but it's impossible to know for sure though, besides the weird choice of colortiming the white sun always looked different to me in the SE, smaller and more spherical in shape...

...in the original film it is equal in dimension to the lower red sun, it cannot just be the clipped white levels that make it look that way, it looks like that in other transfers as well.

There's only one thing that is weird about all this, IIRC the bright white sun was the real location photographed one and the red one inserted in post or am I wrong?