logo Sign In

4K restoration on Star Wars — Page 7

Author
Time

Williarob said:

jero32 said:

^^Blade runner style release sounds somewhat likely to me. Disney did pay 4 BILLION dollars. They are known for making excellent digital negatives out of all their movies (even if the releases don't always reflect it) So most likely they wanted a digital negative of the OOT as well now they own it. (and the '97 and '04 release)

Do they own it though? It was my understanding that Fox still owns the original movie. Disney bought Lucasfilm and the rights to all sequels, new prequels, reboots and spin offs to Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but I don't think they own the original films.

20th Century Fox controls all theatrical and home video distribution of both Star Wars Trilogies, and they own A New Hope in perpetuity.

 For 4 billion dollars? Eh, Disney will work out a deal with Fox on the side ;)

I mean Disney wants to market their new movies, they need the first movie to hype it up, sure they can spend some extra cash to restore it and strike a deal with Fox for distribution. (Especially since Disney would be doing all the work)

Author
Time

Don't rule out the OOT + GL's Vision + 2014 SE, being the latter a training ground (or at least incorporating some shots) for the re-opened practical FX unit.

So this edition could be to ST what the 97 SE was to PT. And in a sad way, a pronunciation against Adywan's work, since it would be mostly the same scope.

Or maybe i'm flying too high.

Author
Time

Williarob said:

Do they own it though? It was my understanding that Fox still owns the original movie. Disney bought Lucasfilm and the rights to all sequels, new prequels, reboots and spin offs to Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but I don't think they own the original films.

20th Century Fox controls all theatrical and home video distribution of both Star Wars Trilogies, and they own A New Hope in perpetuity.

Fox own 'distribution rights' to I-III and V and VI until 2020.  They own 'distribution rights' to IV in perpetuity.  George owned the films from Empire on, and he made a deal to get back ownership of IV when he signed the distribution deal with Fox for the prequels.  Disney now owns all the films, but will need to make some kind of deal with Fox over distribution.

“Yes, it speaks of the trinity; casting light at the sun with its wandering eye”

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Quick question.  What about restoring the 1981 version of SW?  It would be a good hybrid version, as the changes aren't as offensive as the special editions, and is closer to the theatrical.  But more importantly it is labeled as Episode IV.  Of course, I have no clue about the possibility of it.

Or do you think they might make the original theatrical version just with the new crawl, just to maintain continuity with the series.

Obviously, it seems this might be the 97 version, but it could just be a bases for an OOT restoration.

Personally, my dream release for SW is 77 (with and without episode 4 crawl), 81, 97, ultimate cut (ala Revisited style), and final cut (ala Angel's interesting ANH project style).  Of course, that kind of release won't ever be happening...

JEDIT: I really don't want the fox fanfare replaced.  Disney already replaces their classic Disney intro with their new CGI Disney intro on their animated film's Bluray releases.  Makes my blood boil!  But I think they'd respect the fanfare.

Author
Time

Um, isn't the 81 version just the 77 version with the Episode IV crawl and a slightly different sound mix?

Author
Time

Octorox said:

Um, isn't the 81 version just the 77 version with the Episode IV crawl and a slightly different sound mix?

 That's what I thought, just I think some people would prefer the original mix but with crawl.

Author
Time

Well we've already had a Star Wars release with the Disney ownership. The blu ray/dvd combo pack released this past October.

Author
Time

Beatleboy99 said:

Well we've already had a Star Wars release with the Disney ownership. The blu ray/dvd combo pack released this past October.

 It wasn't a Fox/Disney release, it was just a Fox release. I received the Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack as a gift and there is no mention of Disney on it at all.

Author
Time

So could this supposed new scan just be a Fox release Or would Disney have to be involved?

Author
Time
 (Edited)

emanswfan said:

Octorox said:

Um, isn't the 81 version just the 77 version with the Episode IV crawl and a slightly different sound mix?

 That's what I thought, just I think some people would prefer the original mix but with crawl.

 The 81 release had original mixes from 77. (70mm or stereo depending on where you saw it. I think mono was mostly over by then, but maybe not.)

And I really think Fox has zero decision making ability about anything. They are just the venue for whatever LFL/disney wants to release, which gets them a piece of the action.

Author
Time

Baronlando said: I think mono was mostly over by then, but maybe not.)

Speaking of mono, I was dissappointed that GOUT didn't use the mono mix.

Author
Time

So wait, the GOUT doesn't have the original mix?

Author
Time

Anchorhead said:


Disney doesn't give someone 4 billion dollars and then allow that person to continue making business decisions for them.  Yet there are people here, in the above article, and all over TFN who think he's still part of the franchise.

It's likely there were conditions attached to that $4B, such as never releasing the rights to original IV in any better format than the current GOUT whilst GL is still alive.

Difficult to understand why GL is still so resistant to an original IV release in the best possible quality as many, many Blurays have theatrical, director's, unrated, etc cuts coexisting quite happily; plus the GOUT was released (albeit in crippled quality).

Does anyone know why the Technicolor print can't be used for a 4k original IV release?  Is it only because of rights issues and the fact there are so few copies, or was it actually a "perverted" form of the original already?

Author
Time
 (Edited)

emanswfan said:

So wait, the GOUT doesn't have the original mix?

 Yes, it has the original stereo mix.  

SW was first released in 70mm 6-track and 35mm stereo. When it went to a wide release in June '77, it was also released with a mono mix that contained a few changes and additions.

*edit - whoops, my mistake.  The GOUT contains the 93 mix.

“In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be “replaced” by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.” - George Lucas

Author
Time

emanswfan said:

So wait, the GOUT doesn't have the original mix?

 No it's a new mix created for the laserdiscs in 1993. I think it's based on the 70mm, but with some new stuff added on.

Author
Time

Baronlando said:

emanswfan said:

So wait, the GOUT doesn't have the original mix?

 No it's a new mix created for the laserdiscs in 1993. I think it's based on the 70mm, but with some new stuff added on.

 ah, that's right.  I forgot it was the 93 mix. 

“In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be “replaced” by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.” - George Lucas

Author
Time

What's mverta's take on all of this?  Doesn't he have the connection in Hollywood?

Author
Time

I guess, then it would be best to include multiple audio mixes as well (although that's assumed already if they went the blade runner route).  They could have the original mono theatrical mix, a 7.1 remix of the theatrical (no changes), and a final "enhanced" mix in 7.1 with whatever changes Disney so desired.  Disney has actually done this before on previous releases their films, having multiple mixes (original, original surround, and enhanced/new surround) and would be fit here.

Author
Time

I think the '97 version should be included alongside the OOT. It's got a certain historical value to it, and the SE of ANH is still the highest grossing January domestic release in history if I'm not mistaken.

But people would probably scream bloody murder at having to buy not one, but two of the revised versions just so they can get the original. That's what makes me think Disney will simply include the original version and the "most recent" version and call it a day.

If they really wanted to justify the '97 version's inclusion in an ultimate blu-ray set they could just go fucking nuts with any additional changes they want to make for the "final" SE. That way there would be less redundancies and future viewers could chart the evolution of these films throughout their three theatrically released versions (77-83, '97 and 2015).

I'd be fine with the 2004 and 2011 versions being "forgotten" in future bd sets, especially since the latter already had an official blu-ray release and the former is nicely preserved from the hd broadcasts. The most recent work done by teamblu to preserve the '97 version is exemplary, but it could still use some love from the official source.

Author
Time
 (Edited)

I wonder if they'll go back to marketing ANH as "Star Wars", ESB as "The Empire Strikes Back", and ROTJ as "Return of the Jedi".

Author
Time

I highly doubt any official restoration of SW is going to include the original crawl but I'm hopeful the rest will someday be put back the way it was.

Somebody mentioned somewhere here that the Bond 4K scans had been scrapped in favour of waiting for 8K or higher. The same Reliance video as the SW had shots from the Bond scans, so this could all be very much pie in the sky.

However I'm excited that there at least seems to be some movement towards improving the official copies of the OT, even if it's not as improved as we here would like.

VIZ TOP TIPS! - PARENTS. Impress your children by showing them a floppy disk and telling them it’s a 3D model of a save icon.

Author
Time

Octorox said:

Um, isn't the 81 version just the 77 version with the Episode IV crawl and a slightly different sound mix?

 Doesn't it have also different colouring? You know like the artificial darkening of the "R2 in the canyon" sequence, or the different colours of the binary sunset sequence ....

And the shot were the fighters take off to fight the Death Star was redone - I don't remember if it was for the 1978 mono mix version or for the 1981 version.

Author
Time

emanswfan said:

So wait, the GOUT doesn't have the original mix?

 Nope. It's the 1993 version of the movie with everything, including different colouring, darkening of some scenes, the horrible noise reduction and the 1993 stereo remix. The only "change" they done was a last minute change of the 1977 crawl to Star Wars, otherwise the movies are the 1993 versions

Author
Time

Cobra Kai said:

Don't worry. We'll get a theatrical restoration soon.  Disney has "top men" working on it now.

 

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