Found another Ebay seller who's also selling some players, so they ought to be able to check the soundtrack for me.
Did a transfer of disc number two overnight. Sounds really good for analog. Will try to put up a song or two by this weekend.
Last time I saw TPM on Spike, it was still Creepy Puppet Yoda. I missed it over the July 4 showings they were doing though.
Been anxiously awaiting an update myself.
I've been thinking some Blade Runner shots could be slipped into the Coruscant speeder chase. Maybe even have Deckard shoot at Zam's speeder, which causes the flameout and crash? Just another crazy idea...
It may reset it, I've seldom fiddled with the tracking though. I don't have as many tapes as I used to, and tracking was never an issue with my own S-VHS recordings.
AntcuFaalb said:
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, everyone! The image I posted is from my first full-length capture test with PS78 and the Panasonic AG-1980.
I'm going to have to do the captures sans audio because VirtualDub's "Sync audio to video by resampling the audio to a faster or slower rate" resync mode doesn't work well with the ATI Theater HD 750 (it's well-documented) and I don't want to mess with the video by resampling it or adding/dropping frames. Don't worry -- I plan to capture the audio separately and sync it myself.
I've decided to use AviSynth's TooT() filter, so I'll have to do three captures. I'm going to post screenshots of the various settings involved (including a picture of the Panasonic AG-1980's front panel) tonight for everyone to critique. I think they're fine, but I'd like the experts here to chime-in.
Does anyone have any tips for setting the tracking on the Panasonic AG-1980?
The 1980 has pretty good automatic tracking, if the tape isn't giving you any problems, you shouldn't have to mess with it. I only ever had a couple tapes give me trouble over the years, and that was mostly keeping the Hi-Fi track from dropping out on poorly made pre-recorded cassettes.
If you are having tracking issues, repeatedly press the + or - buttons and see if the video gets better or worse, This will adjust the tracking in finer increments than simply holding the button down. Keep in mind ejecting the tape will reset the tracking from whatever "sweet spot" you find.
The LD format was littered with widescreen transfers that were incorrect in one way or the other, so don't feel bad.
Since THX was filmed in an unusual format anyway, I've never expected it to look perfect. The vertical stretch might even be in the dodgy print they used, just like Coily.
Joel is probably spot on about the pantyhose over the lens for the live action plate shot in Tunisia.
This is also one of the shots that was redone for the SE.
negative1, I think your amazing contraption needs a name. :)
How about The Millennium Falcon?
Is it possible it's an artifact of the camera used in the transfer? 1970's video cameras were notorious for "trails" on bright light sources like candles.
I know there were some pictures of the carbon freeze chamber printed before the movie was out. Whether they were officially sanctioned I have no idea.
IIRC, there was mention in the Alan Arnold making of book about someone at the lab making stills from the dailies, and selling them to the press.
Empire was supposed to be a closed set with tight security. Somebody dropped the ball if Prowse walked in with an unknown woman on his arm and admitted her. Then again, Prowse is a pretty imposing fellow!
Was Han getting frozen actually leaked to the press?
Google has a translation thingy.
Never do bloated CGI heavy adaptations of novels Robert Wise already made a better movie out of, I always say. ;)
Terrance Stamp was pretty much wasted in a bit part.
I'm not sure being a fan of the franchise is a requirement. Several Star Trek actors aren't exactly into it beyond the work they put in on their respective series.
Some actors never even watch the finished film they appear in. As much as we might love a character they potray, to the actors it's often "just a job".
Another poster I've never seen before...
For a movie that was considered a box office failure, it seems to have enjoyed a large worldwide release. I wonder if the accountants at Warner's hid some profits from George at the time?
There was a Starlog interview after Jedi was out, where Prowse talked about how he was blamed for a script leak to the press, and the resulting unpleasant atmosphere on the set towards him.
I could be wrong, but I don't think he was among the announced guests at the 10th anniversary celebration.
Oh my goodness!
That happens to be my favorite SW trailer too. :)
Mavimao said:
Uh that picture is not of Val Kilmer! He was not in Real Science. It was Bill Paxton as Chet transformed by "Lisa" for tormenting his brother.
I believe Frink was making a joke at Val Kilmer's expense.
Tell me about it. ;)
The mint numbers don't match any of those. The earlier disc has hand etched numbers by comparison. I'll try to find a match on the LDDB later.
It gets stranger with the CX. I can't turn it on with my 704, which seems like an opposite of the "auto CX" encoding some discs had to turn it on automatically in modern players. My older player would ignore such things though.
There's enough info to ask a seller now and avoid the earliest pressing at this point. The only other alternative would be to seek out a sealed pre-1998 VHS Hi-Fi copy. It seems like the movie was never really out of print even when the 20th anniversary rolled around.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261023146570?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/320881141221?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Note the back of the VHS is easier to tell apart from the 20th Anniversary tapes.
You're welcome! I've waited 20 years for a translation of that track. Especially the bit at the end.
With the exception of Disney, it seems very few foreign dubs try to translate songs.
Well, I'm stumped. This second disc has every indication of being the remaster. Bar code, Paramount 75th anniversary logo on the label, and chapter stops. Yet no digital sound. :(
On the plus side, no laser rot, and the sound seems much better.
I got the theater showing one of those prints of AOTC that looked like a bad videotape copy. ;)
The Warriors BD (Lack of original 1979 version) Walter Hill pulled a Lucas with his "Ultimate Director's Cut", but the '79 had an anamorphic DVD release in 2001 at least.
You might also want to list movies that have a superior version on HD DVD as well.
Bingowings said:
Odeon Kingswest, Brighton, England (picture from around 1973).
Why do I get the feeling I've seen this building in a old Doctor Who episode?
"Cineworld" looks more like a home improvement store than a movie theater! Talk about a bland exterior...
Was it AOTC, or the theater itself that put you off, Moth3r?
Interesting looking theater, Moth3r. How big was it on the inside?
As an aside, most of the movie theaters I went to locally in the 80's are gone but two. (Not counting the former movie palace.) And they were both built in the 80's.
