Realityghost

User Group: Members
Join date: 20-Mar-2005
Last activity: 12-Mar-2007
Posts: 13

Post History

Post: #277263
Topic: What were your original expectations for the PT?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/277263/action/topic#277263
Time: 14-Mar-2007 4:30 AM

In 1999, I was sixteen, and the thought of new (and very special) Star Wars films during 'my generation' was very, very exciting. At the time, I had no reason to doubt what brilliance would come. I don't think anyone did. I simply expected more good Star Wars. I was so intent on making Episode I a special experience that I absolutely refused to watch any of the teasers, trailers, or read any sort of review beyond the most basic plot synopsis. Much to the ridicule of my friend, I put my head down in the theater when the Episode I trailer rolled at another movie I attended! I simply did not want to be distracted by repeated sequences once I actually got to see The Phantom Menace. But the few frames I remember seeing- the Noobian (or Nabooian) tanks slowing creeping along green grass- established a very intriguing atmosphere in my head. I was confident that it was going to be an awesome entertainment experience in every sense of the word.... In 1999.

Post: #276930
Topic: Hypothetical: 30th anniversary theatrical release
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/276930/action/topic#276930
Time: 12-Mar-2007 7:06 PM

SkyJedi, no, you are certainly not the only one who appreciates the "less is more" philosophy. The OOT and the I-VI saga can certainly co-exist. There are times that I'd prefer to watch the movies exactly as I remember from my childhood, and there are also times that I'd like to see what 'ol George has put together recently and experience a more modern visual interpretation of the Star Wars universe. I don't think the true originals should be suppressed either, but I also think that the current state of the IV-VI portions as they fit into the I-VI saga are in a sorry state. We have some great opticals that still hold up superbly today: The opening flyover of the Tantive and the Star Destroyer from ANH, for example. We also have a plethora of gawdawful opticals still present. We also have some AWFUL CG effects from 1997, mainly the animal/alien life in Mos Eisley. And lastly, we have some STRONG CG effects from 1997 that still hold up well today, effects which mainly appear during the climactic Death Star battle.

Imagining what COULD be done with the IV-VI with present Lucasfilm technology to the entirety of the visual effects in the films- would be something to make the "circuit complete." It's just a concept that seems highly preferable to the uneven visual quality of the OT in its current, official incarnation. George would probably see things the same way if it were put to him, however, he has gone on record saying that he is "happy" with all the films as they are now and that they are "done." What? The visual quality is all over the place, George.

To be clear, I'm also happy to watch the OOT and see the original visual effects as they were done in '77, '80, and '83, because everything is consistent. These ARE the true masterpieces. You can lose yourself in the visual universe. Much in the same way you can lose yourself in the visual universe of the prequels, simply because they are visually consistent. But.... Giving the OT the full treatment would lend better to the modern legacy of Star Wars as its creator envisions. The 2004 restoration of the practically shot actors, locations, and sets combined with exclusively prequel quality visual effects would make for a phenomonal audience experience. It would just be worlds better than it is now, folks. But unfortunately, this is the stuff of dreams.

Post: #276777
Topic: Hypothetical: 30th anniversary theatrical release
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/276777/action/topic#276777
Time: 12-Mar-2007 5:31 AM

Unfortunately, right now, the official version of the Star Wars saga is something of a messy collage.

While watching the 1997 SE tonight for fun, I was thinking about how much better it might have been if George Lucas and Lucasfilm had made the Special Editions starting in 2007. Specifically, I thought about how incredible it would have been if EVERY special effect shot of the OT- every optical and blue screen shot- had been redone to the standards of the prequels. We would have probably seen a 2007 release of A New Hope followed by a 2008 release of Empire and so on. In this way, all six films would have been released in the "saga order" beginning in 1999. Granted, what was done in 1997 was successful and it generated a lot of interest for the prequels, but it's still fun to dream.

My main fantasy involves a complete redo of the effects in the original trilogy. In this way, all six episodes would maintain a very similar level of visual effects along with a consistent SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF. This concept is much more in line with what I think George Lucas wants for Star Wars as a whole, but right now we have a pretty shoddy cut and paste job with elements from three different generations. It makes for an uneven visual experience. Imagining the kind of audience satisfaction of seeing the original trilogy on the big screen AFTER the relative disappointment of the prequels.... In a completely redone and polished manner.... Is staggering. It would have probably evoked an even larger sense of wonder than we all experienced in 1997. There's almost no doubt in my mind that it would have been a monumental success for Lucasfilm and audiences alike, and we would be left with something pretty amazing to enjoy for years to come.

Post: #233385
Topic: Lucas saved face as director?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/233385/action/topic#233385
Time: 8-Aug-2006 7:10 PM

Despite all the new junk coming out, I've found that it's delightfully easy to "go home." I pulled out my old P&S vhs copy of Star Wars a few days ago (pre-THX) and watched it all the way through. All the print imperfections, grain and bad colors didn't seem to distract me at all; in fact I think it helped me to go back in time for a couple hours. As far as I was concerned, it was a generation closer to the original. Surprisingly at no point did I really think about overall video quality, the prequels, or the special edition. It was just Star Wars. I'm starting to think that the older the transfer, your brain is quicker to accept the 70's/early 80's "look" after the first few minutes and just get into the story again.

Despite how much Lucas wants to shove his new vision of the Star Wars universe down our throats, we can always go back!

Post: #233188
Topic: Lucas saved face as director?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/233188/action/topic#233188
Time: 8-Aug-2006 4:39 AM

A while before the prequels were made, it seems like I remember media outlets saying George Lucas intended to "direct the first film" and presumably hand over the duty to others for the second and third episodes. After the poorly received Episode I came out, it was made known that Lucas would also direct Episodes II and III. Considering how everyone would have had a field day criticizing Lucas and his present-day abilities if another director had taken over for II and III and made vastly superior films, I believe Lucas did not relinquish directing duties in order to save face. He doesn't even like directing! He obviously knew that the remaining episodes would contain (slightly) more compelling material and likely wanted to preserve his integrity and respect by directing them, as well.

Any thoughts?

Post: #232618
Topic: Idea: My weird idea for a hybrid OT project
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/232618/action/topic#232618
Time: 5-Aug-2006 5:29 PM

Perhaps a hybrid of the described 1997 digital broadcast and the September DVDs would yield a final product superior to any one Lucasfilm release of the OT thus far. I just worry about variations in the sources that might be noticeable... The replacements and filling-ins should be done "on the cut" and never in the middle of a shot, maybe not even in the middle of a scene. That's why I thought two laserdisc releases would go together best because of their similar signal/noise ratios. (Maybe call it the "Suspension of Disbelief Edition." Eh? Eh?)

Isn't it fun to think about hypotheticals?

Maybe this transfer theory (or variations of it) will gain steam if we find the September DVDs leave much to be desired.

Post: #232502
Topic: Idea: My weird idea for a hybrid OT project
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/232502/action/topic#232502
Time: 5-Aug-2006 3:56 AM

Great! If someone were to tackle this project, they might consider requesting the use of Dr. M's PAL->NTSC footage, for the simple fact that it probably doesn't alias at all when compared to the DC. That would make for a slightly easier blend of the footage, theoretically. It would be very neat to see the Biggs scene added because it is an entirely original element that adds more emotional impact to the Death Star battle. However, it might cause inconsistencies with audio.

While it is very disappointing that Lucasfilm will not issue an anamorphic Star Wars OOT in the foreseeable future, an edit like this would go as far as possible to eliminate technical distractions using the best original home video elements available.

I don't think I've heard the Special Edition laserdiscs discussed at all in these forums. Can anybody vouch for their superiority over DC/faces? Or does someone know if my idea is mostly moot because 'faces' doesn't alias like the DC?

Post: #232340
Topic: Idea: My weird idea for a hybrid OT project
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/232340/action/topic#232340
Time: 4-Aug-2006 7:30 PM — Edited 4-Jul-2020 11:08 AM

I want to throw this idea out here despite the fact that I don’t have any of the equipment necessary to do it. Hopefully it will spark some response and/or interest.

I think it’s fair to say that we’ve all grown up with or absorbed the OT on home video in its various forms. The 2004 transfers of the films are “prequalized” right down to the very look of their color and lack of grain. It’s safe to say that the films never looked the way they do there, not even in the theater, and I don’t even consider a single frame of these new ultra-digitized transfers to be the OT anymore. Ignoring for now all the ludicrous changes made in the 1997, the traditional restoration work done on the trilogy negative- namely the optical recomposites and (some) matte removal- made for what is arguably the best and most definitive look of the original trilogy.

A DVD fan transfer of the OT could be made using both the Special Edition laserdiscs and the Definitive Collection/Faces laserdiscs. The latter would fill in the gaps where special edition effects and scene changes rear their ugly heads, lightsaber luminance blows out, and where frames are missing at side breaks. One of the most distracting aspects of the ‘Definitive Collection’ and I assume the ‘faces’ laserdiscs as well are their copious amounts of aliasing artifacts on any kind of diagonal or horizontal lines and edges. The Special Edition home video transfer doesn’t exhibit these kinds of artifacts at all if I take my VHS copies to be representative of the laserdiscs.

Obviously the DC/faces material would have to be carefully color corrected and carefully anti-aliased in spots to match the SE, but I believe that both would be similar enough to blend together well. And in the end we’d have a very solid transfer of the OT that does not exhibit distracting aliasing or smearing, showcases the restored 1997 print with compositing and matte errors reduced, exhibits better color, uses an uncompressed soundtrack, and ultimately causes us to suspend our disbelief the same way we did for years in the past. It would present the apex of the “home video” look of the films we all know very well and would probably have distinct advantages over the September release, considering the new DVDs are a straight transfer of the flawed 1993 remastering.

I realize that it would be a considerable undertaking to sync everything up with sound and match frames perfectly around the changes, but it is still something do-able, and it would represent the best the true OT has to offer us on home video. Am I onto something, or have I been reading these forums way too much?

Post: #136812
Topic: .: The X0 Project Discussion Thread :. (* unfinished project *)
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/136812/action/topic#136812
Time: 6-Sep-2005 4:35 AM

Laserman/Zion: I'm curious to know how the black level will be dealt with for this project. In spite of the shallow contrast of these laserdiscs, will it be possible for you to arrive at a proper black level without sacrificing other details? The black level is the well known gripe with the new TR47 discs, even though the "gray level" preserves all luminance detail from the LDs. I wonder how you plan to get around this- will meticulous color passes allow for perfect black levels without loss of detail?

Post: #129469
Topic: <strong>The Cowclops Transfers (a.k.a. the PCM audio DVD's, Row47 set) Info and Feedback Thread</strong> (Released)
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/129469/action/topic#129469
Time: 10-Aug-2005 5:05 PM

are laserdisc COLOR levels any different?

My first inclination is to say no, though the brighter black level of the LD's and these DVDs leaves color saturation lower than we're used to on official DVDs. I increased the color level slightly for the old TR47's, I'd reccomend you do it conservatively because all you are really doing is adding red to the picture.

I read a home theater guide that said you should turn sharpness all the way down

I'd say that advice is not always correct. While you should always do what you can to turn off edge enhancement circuits or "VM" as it's sometimes called, turning the sharpness control all the way down on most CRT TV sets will yield too soft of a picture- you will actually lose resolution. Most sets I've worked with have a neutral sharpness position, and it's commonly smack in the middle of the scale. Pop in an official DVD that has the THX test package (Star Wars prequels) to bring up a test pattern for sharpness, and you'll be able to tell pretty quickly if lowering sharpness to zero harms the resolution of your set.

The color noise in the blacks on Cowclops is often the result of a special effects matte, and it's most apparent when the star destroyer first appears onscreen during ANH. I'd say your brightness level could be lowered a bit more. Hope this helps.

Post: #128405
Topic: StarWarsLegacy.com - The Official Thread
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/128405/action/topic#128405
Time: 7-Aug-2005 4:53 AM

The project is very much alive. A massive update is coming.

Come on, Mike! There hasn't been an update in nearly half a year! I know everyone is extremely interested in seeing the progress you've made. Bring on the massive update! Bring on the massive update!

Post: #123649
Topic: Info: The 'complete' OT feedback thread. Put all the star wars glitches & fixes in here.
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/123649/action/topic#123649
Time: 17-Jul-2005 4:24 AM

A moment in the trilogy that I've always winced at occurs during ESB at counter position 0:39:57 (Special Edition videotape, counter zeroed at 20th Century Fox). On the large asteroid, the Millenium Falcon turns on its side to evade pursuing TIE fighters. As the fighters explode, the contrast shifts wildly, and we are presented with an ill-defined mess of an image for that second or so. I wouldn't expect a miracle fix, because this is a huge problem with the source and the original blue/black screen photography. But, I would hope the crazy contrast shift could be stabilized so this sore thumb of a shot could be better blended with the shots that precede and follow it. Color passes? Filters? Thank you all for considering this fix.

Post: #97491
Topic: Letterboxed Widescreen vs. Anamorphic Widescreen Discussion
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/97491/action/topic#97491
Time: 20-Mar-2005 3:09 AM

Greetings, fellows. I'm a long time reader, first time poster. I own the original TR47 set and enjoy reading about the technicalities of laserdisc transfers. I wanted to throw an idea out that pertains to one of the bigger problems with doing laserdisc transfers- low resolution and aliasing artifacts. I imagine some of you have heard of DCDI technology by the Faroudja company. They put motion adaptive scaling chips in displays and in DVD players that intelligently eliminate interlacing and "jagged edge" artifacts. If one was to pass the output from a laserdisc through a display with DCDI and then somehow output the resulting signal to a capture card, would that gain a significant advantage over simply applying various "anti-alias" filters to an already lower-resolution signal as has been done already? I say this because the laserdisc transfer I have seen seems to double up on aliasing flicker- there are interlace/jagged artifacts from the laserdisc source and additional interlace artifacts from the DVD encoding. It can be downright distracting. Hypothetically, I would think somehow harnessing this advanced de-interlacer chip would yield a more refined and smooth picture than we've seen before. There is a decent explanation of this algorithm near the bottom of this page: DCDI I know most Sharp LCD screens make use of this chip, for instance.

Let me know if I'm crazy or maybe onto something. Aside, I'm in awe of all the hard work being done here. Thank you!