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4K restoration on Star Wars — Page 72

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Disney just doesn't want this thread to die, apparently.  It is really disappointing that Celebration has come and gone without any mention of the state of the OUT.  If they had plans of doing a restoration and release before the new movie, Celebration was probably the best time they could have picked, with those crappy digital editions pushed out just before, and their focus on practical effects going forward...  In the end all we got was mixed signals about what they value from the OT, but definitely got the cold shoulder on a return to force for the OUT.

It seems our only hope now for an official release in the near future would be if they were holding it back to be released as a set with the new film, or if they want to put it out exclusively in 4K to push that format.

It is just a damned shame they're choosing to miss this opportunity.

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yoda-sama said:

Disney just doesn't want this thread to die, apparently.

 Hmmm, I didn't know that you are Disney.

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yoda-sama said:

It is just a damned shame they're choosing to miss this opportunity.

 I'm right there with ya, but at the same time, I started to have "a bad feeling" once they released the digital version only a week before the con. There was no way they were gonna say jack shit about even the possibility of an OOT restoration only a week after this new digital release with "never before seen bonus content" (oh, golly). It would've been like shooting themselves in the foot, not to mention it would've pissed off apple, vudu, Amazon, Google et al who were expecting to do business off the digital version.

Which brings me to my second point, which is that we really don't know how long Disney is planning on milking these movies for the umpteenth time in the form of these digital versions. It's certainly not a good sign that they're only just releasing it now, and with exclusive bonus content for added incentive. We could be waiting years until the next release (in any form) for all we know.

But at the the end of the day we really have no idea. The digital release might've simply been a "let's get it out of the way" kind of thing, maybe just timed to take advantage of the convention. Like I said elsewhere in the forums, we've still got Comic Con in July.

Besides, it became pretty clear to me that Disney wasn't gonna blow their load and announce the OOT at the same time as the new TFA trailer. Their stock went up by $2 Billion on Thursday. They obviously wanted Ep7 to be the big talk of the con, followed by Battlefront and Season 2 of Rebels, in whatever order.

In regards to your 4k comment, Disney could very well be timing a new release to coincide with the upcoming 4k blu-Ray format, which is supposed to roll out by the end of the year. It would be Mind-blowing if one of the launch titles was an actual 4k transfer of the OOT. Imagine how many people would run out and buy a 4k TV and a 4k blu-Ray player just to see that. I'm not holding my breath on something like that happening, but when they do eventually put out the OT in actual 4k-on-disc (and they will at some point, even if it's just a 4k SE), I suspect they'll put it out on "regular" 1080p blu-Ray as well and not keep it exclusive to a fancy new format.

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Looking at all the hype around TFA I don't really think that an HD OOT transfer will be released anytime soon, I do have low expectations of this matter.

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I'm expecting some time in 2017, along with a limited time theatrical re-release for the anniversary. Maybe they can do the restoration justice by then.

There could be any number of things going on behind the scenes too. Issues with Fox, not happy with the restoration, Lucas has to kick the bucket first, etc.

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I agree that we won't be seeing any official release in the near future. Disney has too much going on with everything else. My bet is that any possible release won't happen until after this new trilogy is finished. Not that we don't have Harmy's version to enjoy in the meantime anyhow. I love these movies but there is only so often I can sit through and watch them these days.

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There's a chance we're gonna get an "ultimate collection" after thew new trilogy is done

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 (Edited)

As we know, Vidiot over on the SHTV forums had done some work on the 2004 trilogy ans has given some insight in the past as to how things were done. Recently, he's mentioned a few things which make perfect sense: That it was a bit rushed, understaffed for the scope of the project and continually tweaked and re-tweaked. This would account for many of the issue we have bemoaned for years and years.

But he did say that both the claims of no negatives existing, or that they were conformed to the SE were pretty much bogus.

Nice to have some confirmation for a change isn't it? ;)

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/star-wars-the-digital-movie-collection.427154/page-8#post-12232532

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I have a feeling we need someone to convince the Mouse to do this at some point, much like it took the influence of Spielberg to get Coppola's proposition to restore The Godfather films at Paramount.

Perhaps if some of the current production could voice some thoughts...?

VADER!? WHERE THE HELL IS MY MOCHA LATTE? -Palpy on a very bad day.
“George didn’t think there was any future in dead Han toys.”-Harrison Ford
YT channel:
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 (Edited)

They'd be brain dead not to release star wars in a 4k format. It will happen, we don't have to worry about George's ego getting in the way...assuming they aren't contractually obligated to only release the special editions.

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captainsolo said:

I have a feeling we need someone to convince the Mouse to do this at some point, much like it took the influence of Spielberg to get Coppola's proposition to restore The Godfather films at Paramount.

Perhaps if some of the current production could voice some thoughts...?

I'd like to think Abram's is on our side. He at least has Kennedy's ear.

Rian Johnson has outright stated that he doesn't like the special editions and wants the originals released. 

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Baronlando said:

captainsolo said:

But he did say that both the claims of no negatives existing, or that they were conformed to the SE were pretty much bogus.

Nice to have some confirmation for a change isn't it? ;)

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/star-wars-the-digital-movie-collection.427154/page-8#post-12232532

 This seems like a pretty big deal to me, to have it stated unequivocally that the negative was not physically recut.

 Well, if there are copies of the negative that are "fine" then a nice, simple release of the OOT shouldn't be too difficult for the Mouse. Keep in mind I'm not talking about a restoration here, just a 1080p transfer of the original versions to be included in some kind of 2 disc edition that will cost an absurd amount of money. 

The Person in Question

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 (Edited)

It's been 20 years since the negatives have been touched. They may very well be in need of an extensive restoration.

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Who cares about the negative? An interpositive, internegative, or even a release print is fine to use as a basis for restoration. Obviously, lower generations are better, but all would hold up just fine on Blu-ray.

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captainsolo said:

As we know, Vidiot over on the SHTV forums had done some work on the 2004 trilogy ans has given some insight in the past as to how things were done. Recently, he's mentioned a few things which make perfect sense: That it was a bit rushed, understaffed for the scope of the project and continually tweaked and re-tweaked. This would account for many of the issue we have bemoaned for years and years.

But he did say that both the claims of no negatives existing, or that they were conformed to the SE were pretty much bogus.

Nice to have some confirmation for a change isn't it? ;)

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/star-wars-the-digital-movie-collection.427154/page-8#post-12232532

Could you please quote directly what he said?

I don't see any mention of him saying the o-negs weren't reconformed to the SE. Didn't Zombie confirm that they were?

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Fang Zei said:

Could you please quote directly what he said?

 http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/star-wars-the-digital-movie-collection.427154/page-7

Vidiot said:

captainsolo said:

Please tell me that they didn't do what LFL has claimed at times, and actually conformed and edited the negatives to match the Special Edition.

They did not. All the new versions were reconformed with digital files -- the film itself was not spliced and respliced. A lot of it is so damaged, it can't be used because it's just falling apart. There are copies of the negative that survive and look just fine. It's just sections here and there that are bad, but even the 1977 IP still survives and looks fine, last time I saw it in the 1980s.

Sounds like he describes the workflow on the 2004 release. Vidiot (Marc Wielage) was the main colorist on that disaster.

In 1996 a new negative was most likely produced from which new IPs and INs were struck in order to make release prints. Since the original negative is A-B rolled they easily removed the shots that was going to be replaced or digitally altered in the computer, without any loss of frames.

This has been documented in many articles over the years. That's why it was so enormously ridiculous when the statement of Lucasfilm in 2006 was that the negatives had been permanently altered.

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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Just to clarify it here. A 4k restoration of Star Wars from Disney/Reliance would be pointless. They obviously don't have the resources, motivation, or incentive to do a proper restoration. Speculating about it, which may seem entertaining, is just diverting effort from the real job of doing it ourselves.

Disney can let the originals rot, or stay locked away forever. The results would be the same. Any attempt they make will end in a total disaster, just like all their other projects.

Lets all move onto getting this done the right way.

Team Negative1

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I actually think that their apathy could be a bit of a good thing. If they don't want to do a "restoration" but still feel the need to release it, then maybe they won't put a lot of effort into ruining the colors or anything like LFL did in 2004. If they just want to release a blu ray to shut people up then we're more likely to get a release like AntcuFaalb said. Obviously that won't restore the film, but it'd provide us with a way to watch it in it's original glory. I also think that we need to start referring to Lucasfilm specifically instead of Disney, because I suspect that LFL is in charge of Star Wars home video decisions with somewhat little. I doubt corporate Disney is looking into LFL and telling them not to release the OOT or anything like that. As long as they're making money they're probably happy to let LFL be fairly independent. I could be (and probably am) wrong though.

The Person in Question

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team_negative1 said:

Speculating about it, which may seem entertaining, is just diverting effort from the real job of doing it ourselves.

I fail to see how.

Disney can let the originals rot, or stay locked away forever. The results would be the same. Any attempt they make will end in a total disaster, just like all their other projects.

 So sure you are...I'd accuse you of being the actual negative 1 if your formatting were worse.

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 (Edited)

Anyone hoping for a release of the original Star Wars in 4k, is just getting their hopes up prematurely. Time has shown that they are not capable of handling a project of this scope no matter how much money and time they are willing to spend on it.

There are many more talented people on this board, working on solutions actively, and with better results than they could ever hope to reach.

It's not worth getting a token Subpar barebones release of the OOT, because it deserves much more comprehensive treatment. In the end, it would be better to get nothing from them, than any attempt they would make at trying to do it properly and failing miserably.

Team Negative1

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team_negative1 said:

It's not worth getting a token Subpar barebones release of the OOT, because it deserves much more comprehensive treatment. In the end, it would be better to get nothing from them

 Uh, no.

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Baronlando said:

team_negative1 said:

It's not worth getting a token Subpar barebones release of the OOT, because it deserves much more comprehensive treatment. In the end, it would be better to get nothing from them

 Uh, no.

 This.

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Good luck to the people that will have to wait forever, for vapourware and announcements of a hypothetical release.

Disney's silence is the best thing that has happened to the original Star Wars trilogy in a long time.

We'll be happily working on our own, and enjoying the results along with everyone else that has the patience to wait for it, and finally get to see Star Wars receive the respect and treatment it deserves.

Team Negative1