Have not checked this forum in a while. Was wanting to do an entire rewatch of the saga, I see that 4K80 came out a while ago. So that is the OT covered. But what is the best version of the prequel trilogy to watch in their original cuts at the moment? I recall some attempts at scanning 35mm prints but none of them seem to have yet gotten released to my knowledge. So I wanna ask what the current state of affairs is with those movies and what the current best way is to watch them.
I’d say phantom menace cuz puppet yoda, attack of the clones is missing a thing or two in it’s first cut like context of jango’s jetpack malfunctioning, and revenge of the sith for a decent part seems a decent part the same besides some additions.
I think a scan of TPM does exist, but I remember the crawl and alien subtitles being in a different language. For me, the HDTV versions (dvd cuts but high quality) are close enough to the theatrical. TPM probably has the largest differences between that and theatrical, but with the hdtv you do still get puppet Yoda as well as the film not having been over-DNRd like the bluray.
So yea, not sure how “pure” you’re looking the versions to be, but schorman’s HDTV gets my endorsement
reylo?
For me personally if it doesn’t have to be HD the laserdisc. For Phantom Menace.
If I have to watch it in 35mm that exists also.
For II its either the SVCD or 35mm.
III maybe the 35mm but one wipe transition difference isn’t a deal breaker I could always watch the 4K.
For me personally if it doesn’t have to be HD the laserdisc. For Phantom Menace.
If I have to watch it in 35mm that exists also.
For II its either the SVCD or 35mm.
III maybe the 35mm but one wipe transition difference isn’t a deal breaker I could always watch the 4K.
Which 35mm scans are you specifically referring to?
The ones available I guess they are called grindhouse or preview versions. for all 3 prequels.
The 1080P flavor not 4K I can’t do 4K on my laptop.
Decent scans of all three prequel films can be found on the Star Wars Trilogy dot com.
As for Phantom Menace, I alternate between the official Video CD release (Sadly I accidently bought the Hong Kong version instead of the Malaysian release, which means I am stuck with hardcoded Chinese subtitles) and the “TB” Digital Broadcast preservation. Video CD is low quality and Pan and Scan, but I appreciate it being an official release. TB is just excellent. It is the real DVD version to me. Pretty much flawless.
I do have that Chzech (?) 35mm print scan, but those are not really my thing. Color correction can always be finnicky, the image might not be completely stable, etc. Many variables where the one scanning it has to make certain choices.
Watching digital versions just gives me peace of mind. Even if the quality is bantha poo, I can rest assured that the bantha poo is not tampered with (In case of the VCD. TB looks really good).
I cannot really speak of Clones and Sith, as the changes are really too small for me to bother with non-DVD versions.
A collection of preservation projects for the Theatrical Cuts of the Prequel Trilogy can be found in the…
Prequel Trilogy | Sequel Trilogy | Star Wars Saga
…category of ❕ An Index Of Projects for Star Wars Preservations… ❕
Projects range from VHS ‘Cam’ bootlegs of the Theatrical Cut - all the way through to HD preservations and reconstructions.
^ There are even a couple of completed ‘IMAX reconstruction’ projects for Attack Of The Clones.
It is probably worth going through the above Project Index to see which projects appeal to you more. Good luck with it. 👍
Some ‘Theatrical Cut’ projects for the Prequel Trilogy - including an IMAX reconstruction of AOTC - are also available in here…
📍 A few available Original Trilogy Preservations - from a long time ago . . . . 📍 | 225+ OT•com projects listed & available
A little patience goes a long way on this old-school Rebel base. If you are having issues finding what you are looking for, these will be of some help…
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‘How do I do this?’ on the OriginalTrilogy.com - includes info on how to ask for a fan project and how to search for projects and threads on OT•com.
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Take your time to look around this site before posting… Do NOT just lazily make yet another ‘link request’ post - or a new thread asking for projects.
Over on the TSWT forums we now have 4K99 2.1, which has been cleaned up and now has the English crawl and alien subtitles.
4K02 is also having cleanup done and is expected to release in the near future
There is a scan of 35mm print of ROTS but it has not been cleaned up yet and the crawl is in Spanish
https://forums.thestarwarstrilogy.com/threads/tn1-revenge-of-the-sith-4k05.828/
If film scans aren’t your thing I’d recommend Schorman’s prequel theatrical reconstructions. They use the HDTV preservations as their main source and are very well put together, TPM and AOTC will be receiving updated versions soon which will use the cleaned up footage from 4K99 and 4K02 instead of the grindhouse footage used previously.
https://forums.thestarwarstrilogy.com/threads/schormans-revenge-of-the-sith-theatrical-version.708/
For me, it’s not as important to have theatrical cuts of the prequels because the changes Lucas has made to the prequel trilogy (at least in my opinion) aren’t that bad compared to the original trilogy.
Any way to watch the original trilogy is valid, but the way they were released in the theaters is the best way to watch it.
I thought that too except about Phantom Menace until i saw the awful redone colors and DNR on Attack of the Clones, a digitally shot movie. The 4K is a mess. The 2011 blu has more detail in places. Lucasfilm keeps making these ridiculous mistakes with releases going back to 2004.
The 4K of Phantom Menace looks waxy and smeary in places like a 1080P HDCam and not a movie shot on 35mm motion picture film.
For me, it’s not as important to have theatrical cuts of the prequels because the changes Lucas has made to the prequel trilogy (at least in my opinion) aren’t that bad compared to the original trilogy.
I think the same too but then some are saying the 4K releases have lots of “mistakes”.