Mielr

User Group: Members
Join date: 15-Jun-2006
Last activity: 27-Dec-2024
Posts: 2,805

Post History

Post: #239386
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239386/action/topic#239386
Time: 29-Aug-2006 5:43 AM

Originally posted by: StarWarsIsUs
I don't get something. Those images look wide-screen. But I thought the upcoming editions WEREN'T in wide-screen? I'm ... confused.

I don't have a diagram handy, so I'm going to steal Neil's signature image.

If you look at the larger image in the black box (the one that extends all the way to the left and right) that is how an "anamorphic widescreen" DVD image would fill the screen space of a widescreen TV.

The smaller image in the center of the box is how a "NON-anamorphic widescreen" DVD image would fill the screen space of a widescreen TV.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Indysolo/dvd_anamorphic_top.jpg

On a standard "square" TV, the two will look pretty much the same.

Post: #239383
Topic: How George Lucas created the O-OT fanbase...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239383/action/topic#239383
Time: 29-Aug-2006 4:50 AM

Originally posted by: darkhelmet

Originally posted by: Mielr
I just got the latest issue of Sound and Vision, and the future does not look bright for blu-ray.

Yeah, that's sad. I read an article about how HD-DVD, while inferior to Blu-Ray in its tech specs, is MUCH more cost-effective for a production line change-over. A process is in place right now that can convert your standard DVD production line into an HD-DVD one in 5 MINUTES!!

Whereas, Blu-Ray requires an entirely new and, thus, costly set up.

That, and most of the test reviews I've read so far have been favorable towards hd-dvd and unfavorable towards blu-ray.

Post: #239381
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239381/action/topic#239381
Time: 29-Aug-2006 4:38 AM

Originally posted by: THX The fullscreen DVDs do actually have improved resolution in the selected 4:3 area. The same picture area in the anamorphic widescreen DVD uses less pixels horizontally.

I assume you're referring to the difference between the aspect ratio of the standard 16:9 widescreen format and the sometimes "thinner" native aspect ratio of the film itself (and the scan lines that are wasted in the resulting thin black bars that fill in the difference), and a Pan and Scan transfer which extends all the way to the top and bottom of the screen, with no scan lines wasted on black bars?

Post: #239368
Topic: Where Does it Actually Say that the DVDs are *NOT* Anamorphic?!?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239368/action/topic#239368
Time: 29-Aug-2006 2:41 AM

Originally posted by: Knightmessenger
The official site has screenshot comparisons of the '77/'04 versions. I know they're at a small size but the original screens look rather good against the new ones.

Yeah, they do. I wonder what the sources for the '77 shots are? I hope it's coming from the same source used for the new DVDs.

Post: #239362
Topic: Ducks in Star Wars?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239362/action/topic#239362
Time: 29-Aug-2006 2:19 AM

....and Luke apparently doesn't know what they are. He said something like "what's a duck?" in the SW novel.

Post: #239360
Topic: DVD WRITING CAMPAIGN - WEEK TWO - "Sound & Vision" Magazine
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239360/action/topic#239360
Time: 29-Aug-2006 2:12 AM

Remember, this is our penultimate writing campaign before the release of these DVDs, and the press coverage that will accompany the release.

So, if we're going to make a stink about these DVDs, PLEASE put some of your typing skills towards composing a brief email, folks (and please don't hesitate to paste it here when you've sent it).

Thanks again, everybody!

Post: #239359
Topic: Dennis Lawson (Wedge) was nominated for an Emmy!
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239359/action/topic#239359
Time: 29-Aug-2006 2:06 AM

I don't know, I think that it's pretty ironic that Ewan's Uncle would have a small part in the three best Star Wars films, while Ewan would go on to have a starring role in the three worst.

It's a coincidence as well, though.

Post: #239349
Topic: Dennis Lawson (Wedge) was nominated for an Emmy!
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239349/action/topic#239349
Time: 29-Aug-2006 1:26 AM

He's also Ewan McGregor's Uncle, ironically.

Post: #239059
Topic: Any Star Wars TV stuff coming up?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239059/action/topic#239059
Time: 28-Aug-2006 1:11 AM

Dennis Lawson ("Wedge" and Ewan McGregor's Uncle) was nominated for an Emmy tonight (I forget which category). He lost to Jeremy Irons.

The Emmys ran on NBC opposite AOTC on FOX.

Post: #239057
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239057/action/topic#239057
Time: 28-Aug-2006 12:58 AM

Originally posted by: Mielr
I'm talking about letterboxed DVDs VS. doing a proper anamorphic transfer from film (or from all of the raw footage that was already scanned prior to the release of the 1997 SEs). Originally posted by: boris
Well that would be nice, but the improvement in quality would be minimal, and there's no guarantee they'd do it faithfully.

I think the improvement in quality would be substantial, unless you plan on watching nothing but a 4:3 TV the rest of your life. Why wouldn't they do it 'faithfully'?

Post: #239050
Topic: What are you going to do with your SE discs?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239050/action/topic#239050
Time: 28-Aug-2006 12:46 AM

I don't know, the subject was just brought up again in the 'so what are you going to do' thread.

I'd really love to see this sendback idea get back on track.

Post: #239045
Topic: 2006 OT DVD: Poll: So What are You Going to Do?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/239045/action/topic#239045
Time: 28-Aug-2006 12:35 AM

Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
Is anyone still up for doing the SE mail-back?

I'm game- but it doesn't look like many are willing to send their discs back. I think it's a fantastic idea.
In any case, I'll be keeping the box and the bonus disc from the 2004 set, and putting the new DVDs in the other DVD's place.

I will be checking to see which store has the best gift-with-purchase, and then I'll head out to buy them on the 12th.

Post: #238994
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238994/action/topic#238994
Time: 27-Aug-2006 8:10 PM

Originally posted by: boris

Originally posted by: Mielr
Boris, I understand what you're saying about the scaling, but that still doesn't change the fact that non-anamorphic DVDs still have like 33% less resolution than anamorphic ones, due to all of the space taken up by the black bars.

25% less resolution ... but then if they did release it in anamorphic they would have only been scaled, as the master tape isn't anamorphic. People would then instead complain that LFL is pretending that it's anamorphic...

Nobody is asking them to use the 1993 master tapes to make fake anamorphic DVDs (if you want the letterboxed image to fill your widescreen TV, you just have to hit the 'zoom' button).

I'm talking about letterboxed DVDs VS. doing a proper anamorphic transfer from film (or from all of the raw footage that was already scanned prior to the release of the 1997 SEs).

Post: #238991
Topic: Where Does it Actually Say that the DVDs are *NOT* Anamorphic?!?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238991/action/topic#238991
Time: 27-Aug-2006 8:04 PM

"So many fans have requested the original movies, we wanted to find a way to bring them to you. But since these movies do not represent George's artistic vision, we could not put the extraordinary time and resources into this project as we did with the Special Editions. The 1993 Laserdisc masters represented the best source for providing the original versions as DVD bonus material. Although these are non-anamorphic versions, they do preserve the original widescreen composition of the movies."

(Lynne Hale)

Post: #238988
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238988/action/topic#238988
Time: 27-Aug-2006 7:54 PM

Originally posted by: Blackjack
I like to use the 2004 editions to take screencaps of my favorite un-destroyed scenes, and having the full screen 2004 versions will allow for higher-res stills. that would make the 2004 discs worth buying again (but only if the OOT discs weres still widescreen)

Really, I don't think the full-screen DVDs will give you more resolution than the anamorphic widescreen DVDs- they only differ in that the full-screen DVDs have the sides chopped off. The only benefit I can really see to owning the full-screen DVDs is if you have a 4:3 TV (one without a 'widescreen mode'), and you want to make full use of all your TV's scan lines, but otherwise there's no real inherent resolution advantage for full-screen DVDs.

Post: #238954
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238954/action/topic#238954
Time: 27-Aug-2006 5:11 PM

Originally posted by: StarWarsFan1976
Here's a few questions I do not think I have seen addressed or asked yet...if they have sorry:

1) Do we know if they used the 35mm or 70mm print to do this DVDs?
2) Is it a newly mixed audio or the 35mm or 70mm audio?
3) There gonna be a widescreen and Fullscreen set ?
4) They putting them out as a boxset ?

1) When they did the then-new '93 transfers, they looked for the best film elements to make the masters. They most likely used 35mm prints.
2) It will be the '93 mix that was especially done for the Definitive collection.
3) All of the OOT DVDs will be widescreen/letterboxed- even the ones included with the fullscreen SE discs.
4) There's one in a collector's tin in Canada from Best Buy, I don't know of any others yet.
Originally posted by: boris

People are going to start buying HD-TV's. And HD TV's will see DVD players with better inbuilt scaling (in fact I've seen some excellent scaling just on set top boxes)... which will up scale both anamorphic and non anamorphic PAL/NTSC to an HD signal. Or you can buy a progressive scan DVD player ... or you can rip it and resize it yourself on your home PC. So why on earth does it matter so much that the disc is non-anamorphic? You're nitpicking it to death. It's standard procedure, and there are movies released on DVD - that were made after Star Wars - that are not available in anamorphic form.

Boris, I understand what you're saying about the scaling, but that still doesn't change the fact that non-anamorphic DVDs still have like 33% less resolution than anamorphic ones, due to all of the space taken up by the black bars.

Post: #238829
Topic: DVD WRITING CAMPAIGN - WEEK TWO - "Sound & Vision" Magazine
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238829/action/topic#238829
Time: 27-Aug-2006 2:20 AM

This is week 2 of our DVD writing campaign, and this week we're concentrating on Sound and Vision magazine. For more info about what the content of your letter should be, visit the week 1 thread here.

There are a couple of ways we could go about this- we could just send our emails to the magazine's editorial email address, or we can send them with "attention" to one of the S&V editors in particular. I recommend David Ranada, because I think he's their resident Star Wars nut, so if you choose to send your email to Mr. Ranada, make sure you include "attention: David Ranada" in the subject line (or on the envelope). If you don't want to direct the email to David, then just send it to "Editor".

Also - PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER in your letter or email. They need that info for verification, and if they print your letter, they will only include your name and town.

For reference, their website is:
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/

Here's the contact info:

soundandvision@hfmus.com

Sound and Vision
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
USA
Attention: (Editor, -or- David Ranada)

Again, thanks for your help everyone!

EDIT: For those of you who would like to reference a past S&V article in their letter, darkhelmet has gone to the trouble of compiling some links to past star wars-related articles:

Lucas interview by Carrie Fisher

John Lowry: Restorer of the Star Wars movies for the 2004 DVD release

SW: ESB Director Irvin Kershner Interview

Please keep in mind: This writing campaign is NOT about changing the September DVD releases but is about blasting Lucasfilm in the public arena for its shoddy, sub-standard presentation of the watershed original epic.

Post: #238807
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238807/action/topic#238807
Time: 27-Aug-2006 1:01 AM

They did a whole new set of transfers for the Definitive LD set- with color/contrast correction, new sound mixes, etc., and the resulting digital tape masters were used for the 1993 laserdiscs (and the 1995 "faces" videotapes and LDs).

I'm not defending the fact that they're using these masters for the DVDs (we should have a NEW set of anamorphic transfers for the DVDs) but there is a lot of confusion about these so-called 'laserdisc masters'.

Post: #238798
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238798/action/topic#238798
Time: 27-Aug-2006 12:32 AM

Originally posted by: bactaOT
Here is a comparison against a screen cap from the 2004 dvd release:

Can you guess which is which? Hmmmmm? Tough call I know.

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/7411/sdcompbo3.jpg

Is that a joke? Did that bottom pic come from the '04 DVD? It looks awful!

Post: #238788
Topic: How George Lucas created the O-OT fanbase...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238788/action/topic#238788
Time: 27-Aug-2006 12:17 AM

I just got the latest issue of Sound and Vision, and the future does not look bright for blu-ray.

Post: #238717
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238717/action/topic#238717
Time: 26-Aug-2006 3:52 PM

I understand these DVDs were farmed out to another company, so you'd have to ask whoever did the work. A company called 'New Wave' did the menus, but I don't know if they also authored the DVDs.

Post: #238715
Topic: www.dvdempire.com O-OT pre-orders rankings (updated)
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238715/action/topic#238715
Time: 26-Aug-2006 3:44 PM

Yup, people are starting to find out about the release. I hear there was a Wal-Mart flyer last week that showed the DVDs with the graphic novel exclusives.

Post: #238713
Topic: How George Lucas created the O-OT fanbase...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238713/action/topic#238713
Time: 26-Aug-2006 3:38 PM

One way to settle the format wars would be for one the camps to convince GL to release the SW films in their format. People would go out and buy either a blu-ray or hd-dvd player, for the sole purpose of watching the films. I know I would- but only if the OOT was included.

I begged my Mom for my first VCR so that I could buy a tape of Star Wars and watch it, and I bought a LD player so I could watch the OOT on LD. I'm sure many others can say the same.

Post: #238620
Topic: So, this is how the DVDs are going to look...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238620/action/topic#238620
Time: 26-Aug-2006 2:31 AM

Just out of curiosity- has anyone ever done any pre-THX (WS) LD screenshot vs THX (WS) LD screenshot comparisons?

Post: #238610
Topic: Even Cosmo Magazine is Talking About the 09/12 Release...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/238610/action/topic#238610
Time: 26-Aug-2006 12:23 AM

That makes three of us then...

I did admit that my Star Wars facination started with a crush on Mark Hamill, but if the films hadn't been fantastic, I wouldn't still be a fan after all these years. I really don't like the "chick flicks" that most women are supposed to like- in fact I hate them.