SilverWook

Sounds like someone dying inside an Orgasmatron!

Baronlando said:

Ideally, the Jedi book should be the most revealing if it's done right. It will probably be surprising how EMPIRE is perceived as such a not-masterpiece throughout 1981. And how much of JEDI is a deliberate reaction to the not-uncommon notion that EMPIRE just wasn't fun enough.

By whom? The fans or Lucasfilm? The only major criticism I can recall back in the day was "we only got half a movie" gripe.

Whatever perceptions there were back then, it certainly never stopped anyone from going back and seeing the movie five more times. ;)

zombie84 said:

Interesting. Have to say, didn't see this one coming. I'm genuinely curious what the real story is. Maybe he wants to devote more time to collecting 30 year old cereal boxes.

As to whether his towing the party line was just because Lucasfilm was paying him big bucks--from what I can gather, he'll probably be lurking the TFN prequel forums. No one who truely had any dignity would wear an adult-sized ewok costume. It reminds me of that Simpsons episode where Smithers dresses up as Burns' teddy bear Bobo. Yeah. Sansweet is the Mr. Smithers to George Lucas' Mr. Burns.

Photographic evidence required.

EDIT:Nevermind! Aieeeeeee!

I was flipping channels, and O.H.M.S.S. was on USA HD tonight! Haven't seen any classic Bond on tv in a while.

Did anybody catch the whole thing, to see if anything is different? Pity it was cropped to 16:9 though!

FanFiltration, have you tinkered with the adjustable video DNR settings on the 704 at all? Mine blew up before I really got started preserving my LD's (or had an HD set) and was curious if it's a help or hindrance now.

And did you get your hands on the early THX DVD's yet?

It took longer than I thought it would take to compare these. It's obviously very hard to keep PAL and NTSC sources in sync for very long. What surprised me is the Italian has slightly more picture info top and bottom at times. When there's an extreme pan to the right of the frame, there is more picture there too. It's also a different print, as our thin little white friend isn't there. ;)

Color and contrast are quite different. Some shots have a blue tint in the Italian, and the all white sets have more discernable edges to be seen. (Where the whites deliberately blown out by Lucas to conceal this?) The blinking dot that shows the way out of the holding area is obviously a light in white box that can't be made out in any other version I've seen.

(Post prologue) Some medicine cabinet camera shots are gone. As is the famous side scrolling monitors shot of robot police tending to a prisoner. We get to THX working the robot assembly line faster.

(10:56) Another voiceover occurs when THX returns to his apartment right before he takes a "shower". What is being said here?

(11:43) LUH's medicine cabinet scene is gone. It cuts right to a Italian text version of the "Possible Drug Violation" computer graphic. LUH closing the cabinet is also gone, cutting directly to the holographic naked dancer.

(12:36) Another voiceover as THX watches the robot police brutality channel.

(14:28) A shot of LUH in the apartment with her face to the wall is gone, it cuts straight to the marching monks as opposed to a fade from the missing scene.

(15:13) Most of THX tossing his cookies in the OHM booth is cut. It goes straight to the next scene where he passes out in the apartment. I'm also noting a tiny bit of print damage at some of these edit points.

(15:37) Another voiceover as LUH gets THX off the floor.

(18:43)  There is a P.A. system voiceover in the shot of the joggers. This is not present on the LD.

(18:49) A shot of a man looking out a glass door with a handwritten sign reading "Unassigned Space #3", and another of a man trying to read a numerical sign are both cut, This goes straight to the malfunctioning robot shot.

(20:16) A monitor shot of THX in a crowd not feeling well is cut. THX returning to the apartment and watching more holograms is also cut. THX approaching SEN's apartment cut, This goes strainght to the inside of SEN's place. More print damage at the edit point.

(22:41) A scene of LUH calling for THX is cut. The hologram prayer scene is cut. This goes straight into the middle of THX and LUH discussing what will happen he goes back on sedation.

(24:01) THX showering is cut. This goes straight into SEN walking into THX's prepping for his work shift.  Really obvious film splice as there is a jump in the soundtrack too.

(26:29) Computer display of info on THX in Italian. Different color and font from LD.

(28:26) More translated computer display.

(28:53) Some reordering of scenes here. LUH visits THX in the white void before we see his trial, police pole poking, and medical examinations. THX being toyed with by the unseen technicians has a couple shots cut.

(38:38) Another voiceover as THX is placed with the other outcasts of society.

(40:00) A cut right after the elderly prisoner puts his hand on THX's shoulder. Some of SEN's oratory is eliminated. This goes right to a prisoner with a similar name to LUH being brought in.

(51:17) Another translated computer display.

(1:00:31) Ditto.

(1:02:50)  Holy ****!  SEN's conversation with the children is longer! There is definitely footage here not in the LD! Donald Pleasance actually goofs with the kids a bit more here, and the kids have more dialog. *faints*

(1:14:03) More Italian computer display.

End credits translated into Italian along with a credit for the Italian distributor of the film.

What do you think, sirs?

Thanks for taking the time to do that, erri_wan. I will read it over the weekend.

I don't have the novel, but at least one ebay auction mentions it goes on a bit after THX escapes into the outside world. I'm curious about that!

As far as I know, Lucas always intended it to be set in the 25th century, hence the Buck Rogers clip at the beginning. Either the makers of the Italian dub got a little too creative, or Warner's really mangled the premise in their revisions.

I came across an Italian poster on Ebay. The cop cycles look more like California Highway Patrol than the far future!

http://cgi.ebay.com/THX1138-Movie-repro-poster-/180568393431?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0ab706d7

If I read that the Imperial capitol city that eventually evolved into Coruscant wasn't possible to realize on film back then, I'll just have a good laugh. ;)

I've been getting bogged down with everyday life stuff. Will post some screencaps of the Japanese disc soon.

dark_jedi, I am still looking for someone who could possibly do the scary technical stuff with the raw DVD captures, and extract clips from the Italian broadcast. I've never dealt with dual layer DVD burning before, although I think the drive in my laptop has that capability. Really want to keep the audio as PCM for this.

The PAL laserdisc popped up on ebay for those of you who have never seen it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/THX-1138-Directors-Collection-PAL-GOLD-Laserdisc-/370444378455?pt=US_Laserdisc&hash=item564034a157

Probably the same as the PAL Vhs, but I've never seen a gold LD before! I almost wish I had the ability to play this.

Either they had it "appraised", looked it up in a movie poster price guide, (semi-useless where Ebay bidders are concerned) or somehow white mice are involved. ;)

I saw an SW style "D" poster in a Hollywood memorabilia shop once that looked like it could cover the entire side of a two story house. Only the top half was even visible inside the store. No idea what the asking price was...

First time I've actually seen copies of these and wanted to share...

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAR-WARS-EMPIRE-STRIKES-BACK-Japan-VHD-VHP46167-8-/120627771785?pt=US_Movies_Other_Formats&hash=item1c15f9b989

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAR-WARS-Return-Jedi-JAPAN-VHD-Cart-VHP49243-4-/290484822008?pt=US_Movies_Other_Formats&hash=item43a23e9ff8

Unless you absolutely have to have this specific box set, odds are the individual French THX discs are from the same masters.

http://cgi.ebay.com/LASERDISC-LD-CDV-STAR-WAR-GUERRE-DES-ETOILES-/140463525057?pt=FR_SK_DVD_Laserdisc&hash=item20b4474cc1

http://cgi.ebay.com/LASERDISC-LD-CDV-STAR-WARS-EMPIRE-CONTRE-ATTAQU-/140463525119?pt=FR_SK_DVD_Laserdisc&hash=item20b4474cff

http://cgi.ebay.com/LASERDISC-LD-CDV-STAR-WARS-LE-RETOUR-DU-JEDI-/130441774429?pt=FR_SK_DVD_Laserdisc&hash=item1e5eef855d

TV's Frink said:

I'm rather shocked to hear it isn't on DVD, frankly.

Warner Bros. and Fox have been in a legal pissing contest over releasing the series on video for ages. (IIRC, this made the "Return to the Batcave" reunion tv movie a tightrope act.) Thankfully, the 1966 movie was covered by a separate deal, and has enjoyed a long life on video.

I read over at the HTF that the live action "Legends of the Super Heroes" tv specials Hanna Barbera made in the 70's will be coming out via Warner's made on demand DVD. Adam West and Burt Ward returned as the dynamic duo.

You are correct. :)

Well, this is what the Alan Arnold book hinted at back in the day. Didn't realize it until a few years ago, but 30 years of hindsight makes it easy to read between the lines.

People had pretty destructive ways of dealing with fame and stress back then. I don't think the real world problems of Carrie should take anything away from Princess Leia. I didn't appreciate what a role model the Senator from Alderaan really was until that Star Wars edition of "Deal or No Deal" aired.

Thanks to erri_wan, I finally have the AVI file of the Italian broadcast. Hotmail was being really uncooperative in getting me the download links for some reason. I plan to try running it in sync with the LD capture, and see if any other obvious changes occur past the opening.

I nearly freaked out when I saw this on ebay today.

http://cgi.ebay.com/16mm-Film-THX1138-/270647193771?pt=US_Film&hash=item3f03d470ab

Alas, it's not a scope print. :(

From what I've been reading at the HTF and elsewhere, the new Blu Ray still has some IMAX shots creep into the theatrical cut. The Work In Progress version has been reduced to one of those PIP tracks.

The included DVD apparently doesn't suffer these goofs, but there is still debate going on about the colors being different.

I've rediscovered my VHS of the 1992 Academy Awards telecast, and it's got the live musical performances done by Angela Lansbury, (singing BATB along with Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion) as well as Jerry Orbach perfoming "Be Our Guest".

Belle and Beast also appeared on stage to announce the winning animated short. (Via new animation.)

It would seem all copies are ratty or disintegrating now. (Mine included.) I really doubt printed copies will survive much longer. And Hoth will thaw out before it's ever reprinted.

Heilemann said:

Why would Lucasfilm try to cover up 'Revenge of the Jedi'? They never have before...

They can't. There's too much merchandise that came out with the original title.

But for obvious reasons, they would want to downplay Lucas coming up with the title and thinking it was a good idea to begin with.

Don't forget about "Feel-Around". ;)

I think there was at least one 3D skin flick in the 70's though.

My old VHS tapes from the 80's are holding up better than the 90's stock. ;)

There's seems to have been a long period where OHMSS was the bastard stepchild of the franchise, in spite of DAF and FYEO referring to events from it. Even the old CBS/Fox cover art seems to be trying to hide the fact it's a Bond film.

And yet, George Lazenby played a 007 type of fellow at least twice on tv in the 80's! Even drove the Aston Martin.

I don't think it got any real love until the first letterboxed LD with Lazenby front and center on the cover. Think I still have one of the old Laserdisc new release catalogs from when when that came out.

FanFiltration said:

SilverWook said:

I seem to recall much gnashing of teeth elsewhere about that curious error when the UE DVD came out.

Given how the studios sometimes grab whatever reels seem to be handy without really checking the contents, I'm surprised nobody ever released the ABC tv cut by mistake. ;)

I want to see that O.H.M.S.S. ABC T.V. abomination so badly! It was out in the torrents a few years ago as a faithful fan reconstruction, but somehow I missed getting hold of it. Yet, I do have the soundtrack audio around someplace, so I have heard it at least.

 

Even the website of the guy who made it seems to have gone missing.

I have vague memories of seeing it on ABC. (Honestly thought it was a made for tv thing at the time, as the other fellow wasn't in it!) All my early Bond experiences were with tv. I didn't realize until HBO ran all the Bond films in 1981(?) how much ABC snipped and sanitized them.

I seriously think an all 007 channel would be cool, actually. :)

And where the heck are all the 3D conversions of adult films? That's where the real money is! Entire generations are missing out on the experience of heading down to your local Pussycat theater in a raincoat and dark sunglasses.

Not that I have any personal experience with that...