zombie84

User Group: Members
Join date: 21-Nov-2005
Last activity: 12-Jan-2024
Posts: 3,557

Post History

Post: #216528
Topic: Info Wanted: What is the preservation project closest to the original 1977 release?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/216528/action/topic#216528
Time: 6-Jun-2006 12:57 AM

Originally posted by: SilverWook
Wow! Hearing the 1970's audience reaction on a DVD track would be something really special!

Yes--even if the 1977 one is 35mm, just to have a live audience track is priceless!

Post: #216425
Topic: Info Wanted: What is the preservation project closest to the original 1977 release?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/216425/action/topic#216425
Time: 5-Jun-2006 7:36 PM

Wow, this is incredible--not one but possibly two people recorded the 70mm soundtrack, seperately, and later met and married! I have to say this is almost too perfect.

Awesome that we will finally get to hear this thing.

Post: #216371
Topic: Luke's rope-throwing talents in EP4
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/216371/action/topic#216371
Time: 5-Jun-2006 4:20 PM

Originally posted by: Invader Jenny
I could have SWORN that the planet/city of Coruscant was mentoned somewhere before the PT made its debute. I don't think that it is said in the OT, but maybe in one of the books? I don't know. My best friend and I were talking about this and we both seemed to know a fair amount of it before episode I.

I know that in the ROTJ SE there is a scene where they show the city/planet partying, but even then I recall we seemed to know that, "yup, there is Coruscant."

Maybe the PT really has polluted my mind.

Its in all the EU from 1991 onwards. Lucas got it from either Edgar Rice Burroughs or EE Smith, i can't remember which.

Post: #216321
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/216321/action/topic#216321
Time: 5-Jun-2006 2:11 PM

Originally posted by: andy_k_250That Catch 22 is for dang sure. I was mad at first, but now I think everyone needs to buy the September release just to prove how much demand there is for the OT. If no one buys this, there is absolutely zero chance a better release will come out further down the road. This could be just Lucas testing the waters for the potential. I say we all call Lucas bluff. Let's make this set sell better than the 2004 set.

Either way. The OOT will be released again some time. Lucasfilm knows how angered fans were over the quality of the release so if it doesn't do as well as they thought they will know exactly why; they are not dumb. Buying this in the hopes of "proving Lucas wrong" is just throwing your money down the toilet. If you genuinely feel compelled to buy the set, by all means do so, but if you dont want it then save your money. I think whatever our actions are for this release they will have no effect on an upcoming release. Personally, I'll wait and see how good the video looks; I've been thinking about picking up ANH and seeing if its worth buying the rest.

Post: #216313
Topic: Luke's rope-throwing talents in EP4
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/216313/action/topic#216313
Time: 5-Jun-2006 12:56 PM

Theres just as many people that swear they remember the rebel fleet crashing into the Death Star shield in ROTJ as well.

Post: #216209
Topic: HAPPY SATAN DAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/216209/action/topic#216209
Time: 5-Jun-2006 1:15 AM

This is also my friends birthday. She must be the anitchrist.

Post: #216167
Topic: editing from Premiere Pro
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/216167/action/topic#216167
Time: 4-Jun-2006 11:11 PM

Okay, I'm about to start my first fan-edit and I've run into a problem. I'm using Premiere Pro 7, and it doesn't handle MPEG-2. This is the first time I've had to import files other than AVI so i am somewhat stuck. What can I do? Is there a way around this? Is it possible to convert an M2v into an AVI? I imagine there must be someone who has made a fan-edit using Premiere, or at least started with a DVD source. How do you go from dvd to Premiere?

Post: #215577
Topic: The Omen
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/215577/action/topic#215577
Time: 2-Jun-2006 2:18 AM

I hated the first one so no. Maybe this one will be better though.

Post: #215536
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/215536/action/topic#215536
Time: 1-Jun-2006 9:04 PM

Originally posted by: Guy Caballero
That blooper/outtake stuff is probably trims from the workprint, not negative.

The workprint is shown--its black and white and virtually unwatchable. The trims are not from any cut of the film, they are actual unused footage.

Post: #215514
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/215514/action/topic#215514
Time: 1-Jun-2006 7:25 PM

Originally posted by: andy_k_250
There was a bunch of talk earlier about what pieces of the original film elements survive. Here's a question -

Why was it so easy to add in the Biggs footage prior to the Battle of Yavin for the SE release, and why does it look so great? This was obviously not part of the original film, but it was spliced in seamlessly and looked perfect, despite being 20 years old.

How is it that a single cutscene could be in better shape than the rest of the OT?

Forgive me if I'm being naive.

I've been wondering this myself. The Empire of Dreams shows outtake footage that would be based off the original camera negatives--the footage is scracthed to hell and faded.

One possibility is that he had ILM hand paint out each scratch and nick. This would have been pretty time consuming but it is very possible.

The other is that there is Empire of Dreams footage is taken from some kind of dupe print and the actual original camera negatives are more or less well preserved.

Post: #215360
Topic: End of SE ROTJ...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/215360/action/topic#215360
Time: 1-Jun-2006 2:12 PM

I think the new 2004 dvd ending works in the context of the I-VI "Saga" very well (other than Hayden at the end there). The original "celebrate the love" works in the context IV-VI very well.

Post: #215359
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/215359/action/topic#215359
Time: 1-Jun-2006 2:10 PM

I'm sure the quality will be acceptably watchable for SD television owners. However, "Acceptable for SD" is not what DVD is designed for. Anyone with a widescreen set, an HD, LCD, Plasma or a DVD-ROM will quickly discover the poor quality of the transfer.

Post: #215357
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/215357/action/topic#215357
Time: 1-Jun-2006 2:07 PM

Originally posted by: boris

Originally posted by: THX
I'm gonna have to go with boris on this one. All VHS tapes were non-anamorphic but that doesn't mean it'll be VHS quality either. Anamorphic vs. letterbox has nothing to do with Laserdisc. The digital tape masters which these DVDs are made from have nothing to do with Laserdisc either.

Just to point something out:

“If Lucas can't be arsed to do the original trilogy justice, then I say, hand whatever he has over to Criterion and let them do the rest.”
see this link

I have some criterion DVD's... most of them were mastered form their laserdisc masters, for instance Robocop and Life of Brian. Silence of the Lambs was too (audio commentary lifted from the LD release too for both Silence of the Lambs and Robocop). When comparing Robocop to the MGM release I think Criterions looks much better... I think the guy who wrote that really doesn't know what he's talking about... if he hates DVD's released from LD masters Criterion should be on the TOP of his hate list!

Criterion ceased doing this in 1999 or so. It was common back then for any company. No one will deny this. But we are not living in 1999 and Criterion has not done this for many years.

Post: #214907
Topic: Darth vader
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214907/action/topic#214907
Time: 30-May-2006 5:36 PM

Originally posted by: SW
Hi am new well i seen the classics and wanted to know that in ESB Darth Vader takes his mask off and puts it back on why does he do that ? Thanks

Well, this is an EU answer, but in the novel Shadows of the Emperor it is revealed that the egg-shaped chamber he sits in is actually a medically-sealed chamber where he can take his suit off--in fact, at various points in the book he is descibed as sitting in it naked, trying to use the Force to heal his injuries. He had also been experimenting with taking his helemt off when the chamber is not sealed, to see how long he could go without air--this is what is happening when Captain Piett enters his quarters in that scene and we see his helmet being put back on.

But this is all EU stuff. There really isn't an explaination in the film itself.

Post: #214888
Topic: Info Wanted: What is the preservation project closest to the original 1977 release?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214888/action/topic#214888
Time: 30-May-2006 3:16 PM

Originally posted by: Red5

Oddly enough, there is ONE visual difference. As the stormtroopers
are distracted by the duel between Vader and Kenobi, Threepio turns
and says, "Come on, Artoo. We're going." CUT to Han who says, "Now's
our chance, go!" In the version with the mono mix, these two shots are
reversed!

http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/star-wars-lost-footage.html

Has this been confirmed? It feels like one of those Star Wars urban legends.

Post: #214857
Topic: Info Wanted: What is the preservation project closest to the original 1977 release?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214857/action/topic#214857
Time: 30-May-2006 12:49 PM

The actual picture cut has been identical until 1997. The only differences were in sound.

edit

and of course the opening crawl.

Post: #214765
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214765/action/topic#214765
Time: 29-May-2006 10:24 PM

Originally posted by: THX

Originally posted by: zombie84
If the case is that the original negative now has segments of it replaced with the CGI SE frames, what happened to the original pieces that these SE segments replaced? They would surely be stored somewhere, and it would be no trouble at all to simply scan these elements and digitally edit them into their proper original place on the new scan of the rest of the negative.

It's possible that the pieces were stored, but if the o-neg was in such bad shape that parts of the first-gen interpositive had to be used, they probably aren't the best source for restoration. Either way, it is not "no trouble at all" to de-SE the OT, even with all that might be at LFL's disposal. I see no reason to doubt LFL's claims on this issue, as reports contemporary to the making of the '97 SE support it (and make no mention of the restored OUT negative/print that we all wish existed). Now all this doesn't mean it's impossible to restore the OUT, but it does mean that it would be time-consuming and costly.

But why would this be difficult? I know that there were a few pieces of the original negative that, whether affected by the SE or not, had to be replaced with interpositive segments, but I'm not even talking about this. I'm talking about, for instance, the original dewback shot, or the original Greedo shot (pardon the irony) or the original space battle shots. If the original negative was altered with SE segments, then the originals segments which the SE segments replaced (i.e. the original dewback shot, the original shot of Ben's hovel, etc.) would have had to be removed and then stored somewhere. So maybe there is 200 feet of the original negative that is stored due to the fact that it was replaced with CGI-altered shots. Maybe there is another 1000 feet that has been stored due to the fact that it degraded to uselessness--I'm not even talking about that, nor do i care about the footage, as the interpositive material that replaced it is of better quality anyway.

But re-constructing the original negative would be fairly easy. Step 1: Scan the original negative, even though it has SE segments in it. Step 2: Retrieve the original non-SE segments from storage and scan them. Step 3: In the new DI, replace the SE footage with the original footage.

Very complicated, huh? They could even output the final product into a new 35mm print to give a new interpositive of this restored OOT.

This wouldn't be very expensive either. The stored OOT negative segments would be very easy to locate, and I'm pretty sure that ILM must have in-house film scanners, so really it costs nothing to scan the film itself. How many hours would it take to edit the material back in? Maybe an hour or two? So the whole act of completely restoring the OOT from the original negative is literally a day's work.

Post: #214670
Topic: Myspace
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214670/action/topic#214670
Time: 29-May-2006 3:16 PM

Here is mine for all those interested, although i havent really gotten around to completing it

Post: #214483
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214483/action/topic#214483
Time: 28-May-2006 11:45 PM

Originally posted by: THX
Once again, the o-neg was taken apart to make the '97 SE. Due to its poor condition, parts of the interpositive used for the '93 LD masters were also used. This means that making a new scan of the OUT would require significant restoration. It certainly could be done, but it wouldn't be cheap or easy and is not sitting on the shelf, ready to go.

What i want to know is: was a new interpositive struck before making the SE changes? In other words, were the altered parts of the SE (i.e. Mos Eisley, space battle) re-instered into the original negative, replacing the original footage, or was a new interpositive made from the restored original negative which was then modified for the SE?

If the case is that the original negative now has segments of it replaced with the CGI SE frames, what happened to the original pieces that these SE segments replaced? They would surely be stored somewhere, and it would be no trouble at all to simply scan these elements and digitally edit them into their proper original place on the new scan of the rest of the negative.
If the case is that the original negative was restored, untouched, and then a new interpositive struck from which the SE was worked on, why the hell couldn't a quick scan of the original negative be used for a new transfer (or is LFL planning this for a few years from now?).

I have a hard time believing that the first scenario is true--that the new, finished SE segments were edited into the original negative--but if it is, obtaining a real OOT from negative elements is only marginally more complicated, as it would simply require the original stored negative pieces to be scanned and edited back in. Really this whole "teh negative is destroyed!!1!" excuse is balls.

Post: #214459
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214459/action/topic#214459
Time: 28-May-2006 11:03 PM

Originally posted by: Darth Richard

Originally posted by: ShiftyEyes

Originally posted by: Darth Richard
Also GL has his perosnal copy of the OOT remeastered by Lowary Digital while they did the SE's.

Lowry Digital only cleaned the SE prints. They never touched the OOT.

no they did. I read an interview with John Lowary on MAC.com (don't know if it still there though) talking about them cleaning nearly 30 year old masters and I'm almost positive that the SE's aren't nearly close to being 30 years old lol.

Lowry never touched the actual OOT--they started with the 1997 SE print. The elements which make up the 1997 SE print are 30 years old.

Post: #214387
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214387/action/topic#214387
Time: 28-May-2006 2:21 PM

Yes, it was restored in 1993.

Post: #214261
Topic: Amazon.com ratings crucial to LFL reversal!
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214261/action/topic#214261
Time: 27-May-2006 8:00 PM

I dont think it will affect Lucasfilm except telling what they already know. It will however probably scare unaway unknowing casual-consumers, so i suppose that is good. Dont expect it to make LFL release a real version of the OOT because of our pouting--when and if that happens it will be for financial gain, like anything else.

Post: #214237
Topic: ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY OUT 09/2006 BY LUCASFILM
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214237/action/topic#214237
Time: 27-May-2006 5:56 PM

The print is not rotting. Fox spent $20 million for the Special Edition which included a full restoration of the negative. Additionally, the various interpositives are in relatively good shape, and even without those there are plenty of release prints that are in decent shape as well. The price of cleaning and scanning these is relatively little--just over a hundred thousand dollars. Not only would you have a high quality dvd transfer but you would also create an HD master to be used for every other subsequent video release from now until pretty much the end of the world. This is not an expensive undertaking--every other film distributor does it and makes back big profit. All those Criterion releases. The new dvds of Dog Day Afternoon, Godfather, Raging Bull--all the same process as i have described. Theres no excuse at all for Lucasfilm--they simply dont want to spend any money because they dont care about the films. This release is simply to put and end to the LD bootlegs, which is why the LD master is being used. It costs nothing and is marginally better than the bootlegs, thus nullifying the black market and putting that lost profit in Lucasfilm's pocket.

Post: #214161
Topic: Idea: Personalized preservation possible with September 2006 OT DVD's
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214161/action/topic#214161
Time: 27-May-2006 12:50 PM

OCP's Classic Edition might be done well to be remade using the September disks, since the quality will be much closer. Will be interesting to see how close they match up to see if this is viable.

Post: #214160
Topic: Just Saw The Unaltered Trilogy For The First Time...
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/214160/action/topic#214160
Time: 27-May-2006 12:46 PM

Yeah, i LOVED the SE when it came out. I read all about it in Star Wars Insider, memorized all the screenshots that they previewed--and when the first trailer debuted in late 1996--WOW! You have no idea how powerful that was--seeing the first snippets of Star Wars on the big screen, such as the jump to hyperspace, and the new jabba footage--it was just incredible. I remember it was attached to the beginning of that Stallone film Daylight.

When the SE came out it wasn't supposed to replace the films. As Scruffy pointed out, it was a "special" edition. In fact, rumour was that it wouldn't even be available on home video! I saw Star Wars i think five times and loved most of the changes. Greedo was always a bad WTF moment but I quickly forgot about it, and the Jabba scene was great to finally see, and it was very surprising to see extra Biggs footage and I remember finding Han's run-in with the extra Stormtroopers hilarious. Anyway, it was a fun way to celebrate the original--you got some new and improved footage and got to see it all in theaters. Great!

Then it came out on video. I thought "great, now i can watch them again!". But then after the prequels started coming out this whole "the OOT doesn't exist" stuff started coming out...and then everything went downhill. Honestly, the Special Edition is fine as a "Special Edition", existing alongside the originals--the backlash didn't even exist until Lucas began suppressing the originals around 1999 or 2000 or whenever.