The ‘Custom Special Edition’ That Almost Wasn’t, But Then Was (Released)

(Cover artwork pictured here by DM247)

Hal9000’s Custom Star Wars: A New Hope Special Edition

(This is Version 4 of this project.)

If the following strikes you as esoteric, I invite you to peruse the forums of Originaltrilogy.com.

First and foremost, credit is due to OohTeeDee for presenting the 1080 and 2019 versions of the filM; CapableMetal, Jetrell1969, and SilverWook for their combined efforts at making the theatrical DTS audio from the 1997 Special Edition available; Harmy for producing the famed Despecialized Edition (used in V1 and V2); Team Negative 1 for producing 4K77; NeverArGreat for producing his technicolor version; Sir Ridley for visual FX work; TMWNN for a few FX shots and help; Dat_SW_Guy for a FX shot; ChainsawAsh for encoding a DTS mix; and MalàStrana for assisting with subtitles.

Having satiated my restlessness with the Star Wars prequels, I wanted to put together a custom ‘Special Edition’ of the original trilogy to place on my shelf alongside the original, theatrical versions (currently represented by Harmy’s Despecialized Editions). I thought about calling them the “So You’ve Decided To Watch The Special Edition” version, because they wouldn’t be intended as one’s sole version of the films. Rather, a companion piece to the original versions, as a Special Edition should be.

I do not consider this a full-blown fan edit, as I am primarily hybridizing existing official versions of the film, keeping changes I can appreciate and excluding those I feel hinder the film. Of course, this is highly subjective, and everyone’s perfect blend would be slightly different.

The primary video source is the ‘19SE’ as presented by OohTeeDee. The primary audio source is the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio. Exceptions are described in the list of changes.

This project is presented in 1080p BluRay-compliant video, with DTS and AC3 audio tracks, and subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

Available as a 1080p BR-compliant mkv, 720p mp4, and a DVD5.

Here follows a list of changes made to the primary video and audio sources for this project. Changes new to Version 4 are marked with an asterisk (*).

***Video Changes, beginning from OohTeeDee’s color corrected ‘19SE’ transfer

• Overall color correction based loosely on Adywan’s color corrected 2011 BluRay transfer*
• Retimed the opening shot so musical cues correspond to the action as they did in the 1977 version, before the ‘A New Hope’ title was added*
• With help from Sir Ridley, retimed the “look sir droids” scene to the original theatrical version while retaining Special Edition imagery. The scene feels like the original version without resorting to its footage or shortening the scene to remove added shots (The following scene’s opening shot of the sandcrawler remains in its Special Edition version.)
• The ‘cone of light’ missing from the Special Edition version of R2 projecting Leia’s image in Luke’s garage has been restored (Sir Ridley provided FX to achieve this for V2, though in V3 this is achieved by using D+77)
• The entrance to Mos Eisley has been reconceptualized to feature as close as possible to the best of both the original and Special Edition versions. The intended effect is to retain some of the improved visuals while avoiding the poor pacing and tone of the Special Edition.
• Restored two shots of the Wolfman alien, who had been replaced for the Special Edition
• Removed an added ugly CGI stormtrooper dismounting a dewback outside the Cantina, though for Version 4 I used TMWNN’s version which retains the SE dewback in the background*
• New subtitles for the Greedo scene have been added, borrowing from Catbus’ Project Threepio in order to match the look and feel of the originals as closely as possible
  Removed the added floating CGI droid to the stormtroopers’ search of the streets
• Removed the scene between Han Solo and Jabba The Hutt added for the Special Edition, using a wipe transition rather than the original theatrical version’s crossfade in order to retain quality
• Replaced the shot of Alderaan being destroyed with Dat_SW_Guy’s version, removing the Praxis shockwave*
• Thanks to Sir Ridley, a new FX shot depicts the Falcon traveling through hyperspace toward the Death Star, and the following cockpit interior has been updated to correctly appear to be traveling through hyperspace (this was done for continuity with a subsequent change)
• Restored blaster damage to the chests of Imperial officers in a few shots which were censored for the Special Edition
• Used a shot from Dat_SW_Guy to fix an awkward effect on Vader’s mask for one shot, which was done for the SE*
• Restored the original dianoga
• Thanks to laborious work from Sir Ridley, the Falcon’s interior is properly depicted as traveling through hyperspace, with a blue flicker present in the cockpit and through its windows. The establishing shot of the following scene has been gently modified without altering sync to depict the Falcon exiting hyperspace as it approaches Yavin IV.
• Added engine glow to a SE shot of a TIE fighter where it was missing*
• Fixed Y-Wings disappearing for one frame, a 2004 change that was lost in the 19SE remaster*
• Recreated the original theatrical timing of the closing iris wipe, avoiding an awkward point at which the frame freezes during the Special Edition version

***Audio Changes, beginning from the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio mix:

• As a nod to the original mono mix, the Cantina band can be heard softly outside the Cantina, leading into the point at which the song has progressed when cut into the interior
• Used a line from the mono mix as Wedge flies to assist Luke, going from “Blast it, Biggs, where are you,” to “Blast it, Wedge, where are you?”
• Added a brief line from the radio drama after Biggs is killed, allowing Luke to react to the death of his friend to provide greater continuity to the scene between the two of them establishing them as friends in the Special Edition

(I have included an alternative audio track that omits the following audio change.)

• Altered Kenobi’s line to Luke introducing the lightsaber for continuity with the prequels. Rather than, “Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough,” it now reads, “I wanted you to have this when you were old enough.”

Hal9000’s Custom Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Special Edition

(This is Version 5 of this project. The 19SE remains the primary video source, but it has been color corrected using OriginalTrilogy.com’s DrDre’s Color Matching Tool to resemble Adywan’s 1997 SE Reconstruction project. I am very satisfied with the results. DrDre’s tool also allowed me to use Aydwan’s Revisited footage to fix a continuity error introduced in the SE with Cloud City’s window during the ‘Vader dinner’ scene. I also included a 2.0 stereo track which maintains ProLogic II compatibility throughout.)

If the following strikes you as esoteric, I invite you to peruse the forums of Originaltrilogy.com.

First and foremost, credit is due to OohTeeDee for presenting the 1080 and 2019 versions of the film; DrDre for his color matching tool; DrDre and Sir Ridley for providing color correction LUTs for the prior version; Adywan for producing his ‘Revisited’ and ‘1997 SE Reconstruction’ projects; CapableMetal, Jetrell1969, and SilverWook for their combined efforts at making the theatrical DTS audio from the 1997 Special Edition available; ChainsawAsh for encoding a DTS mix; and MalàStrana for assisting with subtitles.

Having satiated my restlessness with the Star Wars prequels, I wanted to put together a custom ‘Special Edition’ of the original trilogy to place on my shelf alongside the original, theatrical versions (currently represented by Harmy’s Despecialized Editions). I thought about calling them the “So You’ve Decided To Watch The Special Edition” version, because they wouldn’t be intended as one’s sole version of the films. Rather, a companion piece to the original versions, as a Special Edition should be.

I do not consider this a full-blown fan edit, as I am primarily hybridizing existing official versions of the film, keeping changes I can appreciate and excluding those I feel hinder the film. Of course, this is highly subjective, and everyone’s perfect blend would be slightly different.

I utilized three video sources for this project: The ‘19SE’ transfer as presented by OohTeeDee, OhTeeDee’s partial OOT restoration (D+80), and Adywan’s ESB: Revisited. The primary audio source is the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio, though audio from Revisited was used for a few scenes, and 2011 BluRay audio for one scene.

This project is presented in 1080p BluRay-compliant video, with DTS and AC3 audio tracks, and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

Available as a 1080p BR-compliant mkv, smaller 1080p mp4, and a DVD5.

Here follows a list of changes made to the 19SE starting point for this project.

***Video Changes

• Overall color correcton from OohTeeDee
• Used wampa escape scene from D+80, save for one shot
• Used the conversation between Vader and the Emperor from Adywan’s Revisited, as he essentially honored the content of the original version of the scene while realizing the potential the 2004 DVD version presents.
• Removed added CGI sparks to the Cloud City boiler room which I find off-putting
• Used Adywan’s Revisited to avoid a continuity error posed by the Special Edition as an expanded cityscape out a Cloud City window disappears a few shots later.
• Used D+80 for the shot of our heroes reuniting with R2 in Cloud City to avoid sketchy work in the SE to introduce a skyline and balcony.
• Recreated the original pacing of the escape from Cloud City, removing Vader departing for and arriving on his star destroyer, though leaving two brief shots of the shuttle ascending.

***Audio Changes, beginning from the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio mix:

• Reinstated Luke’s line to R2 of, “You’re lucky you don’t taste very good.”
• Used 2011 BluRay audio to include updated sound design for Slave I during its first appearance to match Episode II.
• Removed Luke’s scream from the 1997 mix as he falls down the Cloud City shaft after his confrontation with Vader.

(I have included an alternative audio track that omits the following audio changes.)

• Used the 2011 BluRay audio track to use Temeura Morrison’s voice for Boba Fett’s four lines (for v4.1, replaced some of his dialogue using close paraphrases from two video game sources in order to get superior line deliveries).
• Altered Ben Kenobi’s description of Yoda from “The Jedi Master who instructed me” to “A Jedi Master who instructed me” for better continuity with the prequels.

Hal9000’s Custom Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi Special Edition

(This is Version 4 of this project. The primary alteration from the prior version is to use OriginalTrilogy.com’s DrDre’s Color Matching Tool to bring the footage used from 4K83 closer to the primary source. A modest overall color correction has been performed, though it remains very similar to OhTeeDee’s color work on the 19SE source material.)

If the following strikes you as esoteric, I invite you to peruse the forums of Originaltrilogy.com.

First and foremost, credit is due to OhTeeDee for presenting the 1983 and 2019 versions of the film; DrDre for his color matching tool; CapableMetal, Jetrell1969, and SilverWook for their combined efforts at making the theatrical DTS audio from the 1997 Special Edition available; Team Negative 1 for producing 4K83; SkyDude for processing the 4K83 release; and ChainsawAsh for encoding a DTS mix.

Having satiated my restlessness with the Star Wars prequels, I wanted to put together a custom ‘Special Edition’ of the original trilogy to place on my shelf alongside the original, theatrical versions (currently represented by Harmy’s Despecialized Editions). I thought about calling them the “So You’ve Decided To Watch The Special Edition” version, because they wouldn’t be intended as one’s sole version of the films. Rather, a companion piece to the original versions, as a Special Edition should be.

I do not consider this a full-blown fan edit, as I am primarily hybridizing existing official versions of the film, keeping changes I can appreciate and excluding those I feel hinder the film. Of course, this is highly subjective, and everyone’s perfect blend would be slightly different.

The primary video source is the 2020 disc release, or “19SE,” first seen on Disney+, color corrected by OhTeeDee. The primary audio source is the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio. Exceptions are described in the list of changes. (Secondary source is the OTD version of ROTJ, partially restored to the theatrical version.)

This project is presented in 1080p BluRay-compliant video, with DTS and AC3 audio tracks, and English, French, and Spanish subtitles.

Available as a 1080p BR-compliant mkv, 720p mp4, and a DVD5.

Here follows a list of changes made to the primary video and audio sources for this project.

***Video Changes, beginning from 19SE transfer:

• Overall color correction from OhTeeDee
• Used the original theatrical version of the opening logos
• Restored the original, sensibly sized door to Jabba’s palace
• Restored Lapti Nek, though the SE extension of Oola falling into the Rancor pit remains (two shots of Boba Fett alongside SE singers also remain)
• Used the original effects for Han’s carbonite slab thawing
• Removed the CGI dug that was added wandering around Jabba’s palace
• Removed the SE Sarlacc, with two shots being “despecialized” by RogueLeader
• Removed the added gizmos to R2 as he blows his stack after being shot by a trooper on Endor
• Removed the SE shockwave to the Death Star explosion using 4K83
• Reinstated Sebastian Shaw portraying Anakin Skywalker’s ghost
• New subtitles for Huttese have been added, borrowing from Catbus’ Project Threepio in order to match the look and feel of the originals as closely as possible (these are noticeably fuzzier than the crisp subtitles seen on the 2020 disc)

***Audio Changes, beginning from the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio mix:

• Other than changes needed to reflect the visual changes described above, removed the line “Wesa free” from Naboo during the ending galactic celebration montage

(I have included an alternative audio track that omits the following audio changes.)

• Replaced some of Boba Fett’s vocalizations during the Sarlacc action sequence to feature Temeura Morrison in keeping with how ESB was redone

***I have included two versions of this project: One with the SE ‘planet montage’ version of the ending, and one that restores the original ‘Yub Nub’ Ewok celebration ending.

I assume you know of my version of ANH, which is a hybrid Special Edition conforming to several of your desired changes. 😉

NeverarGreat said:

I assume you know of my version of ANH, which is a hybrid Special Edition conforming to several of your desired changes. 😉

Thank you for reminding me. It sounds like that and a future DeEd would be the way to go.

So, here are all the changes that would require manual work, aside from cobbling existing sources together. For ANH, I suppose using NeverarGreat’s Technicolor project (for ANH) would be relatively future proof in executing any of these for the potential use of anyone, if there is desire. (ESB doesn’t seem to require any manual FX work.)

ANH

• Ala Adywan, recreate the timing of the crawl in relation to the music (including the timing of Tatooine entering the frame), while retaining “Episode IV: A New Hope.”

• This would require tampering with available footage beyond merely selecting between official versions. I would like to use only 2011 footage for the “Look sir, droids” scene, though manipulated to sync seamlessly with OOT timing. The beginning of the shot would need to be extended artificially. At present it would only be possible to do this in a way which is shorter than the OOT. It is minor, but I would prefer not to have this scene come off any choppier than in the OOT, while using only SE footage.

• Mos Eisley entrance. This would require some technical work, rather than combining existing official sources. (See OP.)

• Use 2011 footage as 3PO and R2 observe stormtroopers interview a man outside the Cantina, though manually remove the trooper dismounting a dewback in an unconvincing manner. Retain the SE dewback, however.

• While retaining the SE version of the Alderaan explosion, manually remove the added shockwave.

• Depict the Falcon in hyperspace after their escape from the Death Star. (Could be taken from the upcoming Revisited HD Remake, though would be relegated to 720p.)

• Ala Adywan, retain the SE Biggs scene, though smooth R2’s vertical trajectory to avoid an awkward jump cut masked by a passerby in the foreground.

• Manually fix the SE’s little issue where Leia starts to move her hands upward right as the frame freezes as we wipe to credits.

• Manually fix the scale issue between the added Cloud City balcony and our heroes as they run past. (The scene where they meet up with R2.) Could borrow from Adywan, though would need to use the SE’s version of the sky over his for continuity’s sake.

ROTJ:

• Either use OOT or apply manual work in order to remove two SE shots of Boba Fett with the SE backup singers.

• Use the 2011 galactic celebration montage, modified: Matching the 1997 SE’s timing and audio, replace Tatooine with Naboo manually. (I could probably do this myself.)

Updated the preceding post and the OP to remove the idea of hybridizing the original and SE versions of the establishing shot/sequence of Han and Leia in their apartment on Cloud City. If I were trying to “thread the needle” with a perfect version, I’d like to do it that way. But, for a tweaked SE intended as a companion to a properly restored OOT, the SE sequence is just fine.

I also decided that it is worth making an additional exception to the rule by depicting the Falcon as being in hyperspace after the escape from the Death Star in ANH, as Adywan did. At first I thought, “It’s not like ANH had no concept of a hyperspace blue tunnel thing which reflects into the cockpit, because we see it when Han comes out of hyperspace over Alderaan’s location. They just, for whatever reason, chose not to depict this scene in that way.” But, then I remembered that Vader describes the company as just having made the jump into hyperspace immediately prior to the scene, and no passage of time can be inferred.

While I would prefer to stick close to the official versions, this and Adywan’s emperor scene would be worthwhile, wholesome exceptions.

I’d agree with that reasoning. Ady’s Emperor scene was done amazingly well!

This thing might not be as ‘out there’ as I assumed. I believe I have the resources I would need for ESB and ROTJ, or I would only need minimal help. No promises, as I am very busy, but I’m going to let this incubate.

JEDIT: The biggest problem will be source material. NeverarGreat’s color correction of ANH is fantastic, but I don’t see anything comparable for ESB and ROTJ. I would need a suitable primary source for the 2004/2011 version to begin with, in the same vein of NeverarGreat’s ANH.

Neverar, are you planning to give the other two the same treatment? DrDre has a thread about matching ESB to the SE grade which looked pretty good, too. For ESB and ROTJ, matching the OOT or 1997 SE would be perfectly fine. (ANH’s 1997 SE transfer had some color issues, and your technicolor grade for it leaves nothing to be desired.)

Hal 9000 said:

This thing might not be as ‘out there’ as I assumed. I believe I have the resources I would need for ESB and ROTJ, or I would only need minimal help. No promises, as I am very busy, but I’m going to let this incubate.

JEDIT: The biggest problem will be source material. NeverarGreat’s color correction of ANH is fantastic, but I don’t see anything comparable for ESB and ROTJ. I would need a suitable primary source for the 2004/2011 version to begin with, in the same vein of NeverarGreat’s ANH.

Neverar, are you planning to give the other two the same treatment? DrDre has a thread about matching ESB to the SE grade which looked pretty good, too. For ESB and ROTJ, matching the OOT or 1997 SE would be perfectly fine. (ANH’s 1997 SE transfer had some color issues, and your technicolor grade for it leaves nothing to be desired.)

I don’t see doing the other two any time soon if at all, unfortunately. Maybe when Poita’s unfaded scan of Empire is released and we see how crummy the Blu-ray is in comparison, but otherwise I’m hoping to focus on the Starlight fanedit(s).

Thanks for the clarification, that’s good to be aware of. Having the holy grail of sources would be the biggest hurdle to clear, and the only solution is time.

benduwan said:

Hal 9000 said:

• Ala Adywan, retain the SE Biggs scene, though smooth R2’s vertical trajectory to avoid an awkward jump cut masked by a passerby in the foreground.

why you don´t use the complet deleted Biggs scene?

The Special Edition itself did not use the entire scene, but edited out a brief conversation about Luke’s father. To mask the edit point, someone passes by in the foreground. As this happens, R2 suddenly is much higher up. For Adywan’s project, he smoothed R2’s trajectory and made it more gradual.

I am not suggesting cutting anything from that scene, but merely smoothing out a problem caused by how the SE has the scene cut to begin with.

Here’s a snippet of that portion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwkZT7ETH_8

Compare to the SE’s version:
https://youtu.be/lWYtpdcbLEM?t=44s

It would seem really strange to go from, “They’ve just made the jump into hyperspace,” to a shot of the Falcon exiting hyperspace and Han taking his gloves off, IMHO.

OP updated again for ANH, to reflect more thinking and refining on the subject.

In putting together a realistic battle plan for this project, here is what I would need (and a few wants included in parentheses) in order to tackle ANH, save for the upcoming NeverarGreat color corrected 2011 transfer and a Despecialized Edition based on it. Here follows what would be needed (or wanted), starting from only these two sources:

• Re-undo R2’s jump cut on the Taintive (Neverar’s source re-added the jump cut, and he ought to be able to export an untouched, color corrected version.)

• Add missing SE vaporators to one shot. (Or simply use OOT to remove them from the first shot.)

• Remove one set of stormtroopers to a SE Mos Eisley establishing shot which are perfect mirror images of each other.

• (Remove the shockwave from the SE version of the Alderaan explosion. If this were done, both Death Star explosions would retain their added shockwaves. Alternatively, Alderaan could keep its SE shockwave, and use the OOT for both Death Star explosions. The idea is to only have one ‘class’ of explosion depicted this way, rather than all and only OT explosions being depicted this way.)

• Depict the Falcon as being in hyperspace during the “sometimes I amaze even myself” scene, with flickering blue wormhole visible out the cockpit and flashing blue light cast on the set. (Refer to Disney-era films for the look.)

• (Smooth R2’s ascension into the X-Wing during the SE ‘Reunion with Biggs’ scene. The alternative is merely not to include this scene.)

• (During the award ceremony, manually modify R2’s red/blue light to match the rest of the saga.)

Well, it probably won’t exist for some time, if at all. And even then, the DTS 1997 SE audio will likely be my primary source, which would rule out any alternate language tracks.