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Dark Helmet · May 5, 2006, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by angelmb

Well, I guess the spaniard site is one of those praising the video delivered by Nemo's DVD, you can see how they gave it the highest Image(n) rating (five stars).

http://www.zonadvd.com/modules.php?n...wcontent&id=95

Well, it would be pretty boring if everyone had the same opinion…

Ya well some reviewers suck.

andreas_g4 · May 5, 2006, 03:43 PM

Can I get banned (or killed) for admitting that I actually have not seen all three early Star Wars movies?

Person Man · May 5, 2006, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by andreas_g4

Can I get banned (or killed) for admitting that I actually have not seen all three early Star Wars movies?

No.

Here's something... I'm 30, which means I should have been the right child age to at least have seen ESB and ROTJ first-run in the theaters.

I actually never saw Star Wars until I was 18, when they had an all night marathon showing of all three movies on the little 21 inch community television in the dorms. And then I never would have gone to see them if my roommate hadn't dragged me, upon finding out I never saw them before.

So, my first viewing of the movies was on a small screen in pan and scan 4:3 format.

Later on I saw the revised 1997 editions in theaters as they came out.

I'd love to see what an all-night marathon of all six Star Wars movies would be like. Probably similar to an all-night marathon of all three Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Films (approx. 11.5 hours).

andreas_g4 · May 5, 2006, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by Person Man

No.

Puh…

JoshuaZ · May 6, 2006, 11:05 AM

khaaan!

abe · May 6, 2006, 11:17 AM

Last week (or was it the week before?) on AMC's Sunday Morning Shootout with Peter Guber and Peter Bart, Francis Ford Coppola was interviewed and going into a break they flashed a factoid on screen...Lucas' inspiration for the Han Solo character was Francis Ford Coppola.

FWIW

Dark Helmet · May 10, 2006, 11:14 AM

"With this move, Lucas has managed to surprise absolutely nobody except for a few clinically credulous people who actually believed Lucas when he said, "There is no way I am releasing the original film versions on DVD ever, seriously. I'm not going to do it, so you may as well go buy all the versions I am releasing, because there's no reason to suspect that you're just going to have to buy them again when the original versions come out on DVD in late 2006. Believe me here. If I'm lying, you can make me eat a llama." Lucas answered "no comment" when asked about this statement, but I have since learned that he has canceled all trips to South America."

http://www.wired.com/news/columns/al...l?tw=rss.index

BrunoBruin · May 17, 2006, 07:59 PM

The Digital Bits is reporting that the DVDs are apparently the same transfers as the old laserdiscs: NOT anamorphic, but simply letterboxed.

Who the hell releases a non-anamorphic transfer in this day and age? Why not just go whole hog and release them pan-and-scan while you're at it, George?

Eriamjh · May 17, 2006, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by BrunoBruin

The Digital Bits is reporting that the DVDs are apparently the same transfers as the old laserdiscs: NOT anamorphic, but simply letterboxed.

Who the hell releases a non-anamorphic transfer in this day and age? Why not just go whole hog and release them pan-and-scan while you're at it, George?

Luc-ass-film just lost a sale. I have the LDs and don't want sh*tty resolution DVDs. I guess it's time to start another petition.

George, you are a stupid

!

abe · May 17, 2006, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

"With this move, Lucas has managed to surprise absolutely nobody except for a few clinically credulous people who actually believed Lucas when he said, "There is no way I am releasing the original film versions on DVD ever, seriously. I'm not going to do it, so you may as well go buy all the versions I am releasing, because there's no reason to suspect that you're just going to have to buy them again when the original versions come out on DVD in late 2006. Believe me here. If I'm lying, you can make me eat a llama." Lucas answered "no comment" when asked about this statement, but I have since learned that he has canceled all trips to South America."

http://www.wired.com/news/columns/al...l?tw=rss.index

Como se llama, llama?

http://www.krug.org/bob/eat.html

Jersey Bob's Llama Ranch

Eat 'Em

Llama - the other dark meat. After you get done ridin' your llama, be sure to head on over to Bob's butchering center. As guests of Jersey Bob's Llama Ranch�, you'll be able to tour the entire slaughtering area. First, you'll want to check out the kill floor. You can watch Bob's employees stun, skin, and de-bone entire herds of llamas. Of course, the llamas feel no pain thanks to Bob's hi-tech machinery.

Next, mosey on down to the freezer section. Here you'll be able to get all of your favorite llama cuts, at wholesale prices! We also plan to offer on-line llama meat ordering on this Web site. Soon you'll be able to order good 'ol llama while sitting at home!

Llama Recipe Of The Month:

The Other, Other Burger - seasoned llama delivers a fresh taste for burgers!

1 pound ground llama
1 teaspoon pepper
1 case Yakima Honey Weis beer
Divide llama into two parts and shape into patties about 2 inches thick, handling meat as much as possible. Sprinkle both sides of patties with seasoned pepper and then dunk in 1 can of beer that you already put in a bowl. Grill over direct heat over hot fire 20 minutes per side, or until charred. Serve right away on buns with favorite condiments and glasses of beer.

Dark Helmet · May 19, 2006, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by BrunoBruin

The Digital Bits is reporting that the DVDs are apparently the same transfers as the old laserdiscs: NOT anamorphic, but simply letterboxed.

Who the hell releases a non-anamorphic transfer in this day and age? Why not just go whole hog and release them pan-and-scan while you're at it, George?

That is the most pathetic thing ever. What a moron.

Person Man · May 19, 2006, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

That is the most pathetic thing ever. What a moron.

Here's another editorial on that subject from The Digital Bits

Now it looks like LucasFilm is just looking to make as much money from this thing as they can.

Instead of spending money to do a proper anamorphic transfer, they're just going to take the letterboxed laserdisc version and pocket the difference.

BrunoBruin · May 19, 2006, 01:49 PM

Lucas is no moron. I mean, he's created an entire empire on the basis of one pretty good movie, endlessly recycled and repackaged.

He really can't lose on this deal. If the DVDs sell, he gets richer. If they don't, he can say "See, the fans clearly wanted the special editions rather than the 'work prints' that were not the films as I envisioned them. They voted with their dollars."

What seems most ridiculous about this (especially since there are people saying anamorphic is an "enhancement" and therefore isn't the way the movies were released) is that the damn things were SHOT in 35mm anamorphic, weren't they? So you either do a straight transfer to digital and let the player stretch the image, or you stretch it when you do the transfer. It's not some super-special magical process you have to do the the source material. Unless, as some have speculated, these aren't transfers from the original material at all, but just the laserdisc transfers dumped on DVD.

::maroma:: · May 19, 2006, 02:06 PM

Hahahah! Lucas is just rehashing what Coke did to us a long time ago.

Get everyone hooked on Coca-Cola.

Release "New Coke" and make it taste really bad.

Everyone gets pissed off. Demands old Coke back.

They hold off for a while and then release the old Coke, rebranded as "Classic".

Sales skyrocket.

Coke wins.

Lucas wins.

Big Mac · Jul 5, 2006, 07:51 AM

I just found about the LD transfer. Lucas is obviously doing it to make noob geeks believe the special edition is of far superior quality. Lucas claims to not even have the original film prints, and some say he went so far as to destroy as many of them as he could get his hands on. Sickening.

Person Man · Jul 5, 2006, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

I just found about the LD transfer. Lucas is obviously doing it to make noob geeks believe the special edition is of far superior quality. Lucas claims to not even have the original film prints, and some say he went so far as to destroy as many of them as he could get his hands on. Sickening.

Well, considering the processing that was done for the special edition, they ARE of far superior quality.

Given his views on the original versions of the trilogy, I'm not surprised that he's not spending the extra money on doing the same processing as on the special editions.

This sounds like more of an afterthought, really. He never had any intention of rereleasing them, but I'm sure he (and the studios) "discovered" there was money to be made in them. Probably found out about the number of people who have bootleg DVDs of the laserdisc versions. Even if these are just laserdisc transfers, they'll still be of better quality than the bootlegs, as most of them are single layer discs.

As far as destroying original prints, I'd guess not. They have to have SOMETHING to use to start with, and then modify further. I bet there will be a high-definition release of all six movies that will have further "tampering" to unify the whole thing.

But Lucas has said of the Holiday Special that "if [he] had time and a hammer, [he'd] track down every bootleg and destroy it." So, I wouldn't put it past him to destroy SOME original prints. But I bet there are collectors out there who have original prints safely tucked away where Lucas can't get his hands on them, waiting for him to die so they can release them somehow...

Shaddim · Jul 5, 2006, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Sijmen

What about the laserdisc versions? You'd have to buy an extra player, but you'll have the originals.

Looks cool

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAR-WARS-GEORGE...QQcmdZViewItem

Don't know about the quality though...

I've had `em for years and years, they still look great too.

Lucas won't be getting another dime from me until they come out in HD.

Shaddim · Jul 5, 2006, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by aristotles

The quality is not as good as DVD obviously. I have a remastered to DVD version of those that I *cough*aquired*cough* somewhere.

Many LDs are BETTER quality than DVD, there are many factors involved. Just because a technolgy is newer doesn't mean it's always better.

Landos Mustache · Jul 5, 2006, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by MacNStein

Many LDs are BETTER quality than DVD, there are many factors involved. Just because a technolgy is newer doesn't mean it's always better.

Were any LD's anamorphic?

Landos Mustache · Jul 5, 2006, 10:14 AM

Oh and good old George lucas made 235 Mil last year. Think about that when you buy these damn movies for the 10th time.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/53/Compen_Salary.html

starman · Jul 5, 2006, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

Were any LD's anamorphic?

MUSE LDs were. THey weren't popular at all.

imitchellg5 · Jul 5, 2006, 10:43 AM

I am going to buy them for sure.

Shaddim · Jul 5, 2006, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

Were any LD's anamorphic?

With a good quality line doubler, you'd be impressed with how good many LDs can look.

MUSE LDs were. THey weren't popular at all.

I sincerely wish there were more of them (HiVision LDs), the relative few that I have are absolutely gorgeous in HD.

Eriamjh · Jul 12, 2006, 01:07 PM

Update:

Originally Posted by The Digital Bits.Com

And here's a little something that's very interesting: Our friend Arnaud Calistri, who runs the DVDRama.com website in France, e-mailed me yesterday to say that Fox France has confirmed with him that the original versions of the Star Wars films to be released on DVD there will be in anamorphic widescreen (enhanced for widescreen 16x9 TVs). As many of you know, they were announced for release here in the States and elsewhere in non-anamorphic (letterboxed) widescreen only, causing a furor among fans (and rightly so). This news, if true, means one of two things: Either Lucasfilm quickly got their act together when fans complained and created new anamorphic masters for the DVD release everywhere (and it just hasn't been announced here in the States yet), or France is getting better DVDs that the rest of the world. If they DID get their act together, expect Lucasfilm's fan relations guru, Steve Sansweet, to make a massive deal about it the company's Star Wars panel at Comic-Con next week. If they DIDN'T get their act together, and France IS getting better discs, expect fans to make a massive deal about it. We'll ask all the right people to see if we can find out the truth of the matter.

production_coordinator · Jul 12, 2006, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Update:

Want to translate for non-tech movie people?

I assume it's good news, but what is the real advantage?

Landos Mustache · Jul 12, 2006, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Update:

SO WHAT?!

We are supposed to be happy that in 2006 widescreen movies are anamorphic?

The point when they made the latest DVD release they took all the original film and cleaned it up to fix fading and dust scratches. At the same time they captured them at an extremely high resolution for a future High def release

That film did NOT have those silly new effects on them.

Now George is not using those cleaned up transfers and instead giving us the old laser disk ones and expects us to be happy?

lpkmckenna · Jul 12, 2006, 02:19 PM

When I first heard Lucus was now releasing the original Star Wars, I was pretty ticked. Lucas, you'll never see another dollar from me.

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

Hahahah! Lucas is just rehashing what Coke did to us a long time ago.

Get everyone hooked on Coca-Cola.

Release "New Coke" and make it taste really bad.

Everyone gets pissed off. Demands old Coke back.

They hold off for a while and then release the old Coke, rebranded as "Classic".

Sales skyrocket.

Coke wins.

Lucas wins.

That's an urban legend. "New Coke" was a massive business blunder. See: New Coke at snopes.com

Dakar · Jul 12, 2006, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

SO WHAT?!

We are supposed to be happy that in 2006 widescreen movies are anamorphic?

The point when they made the latest DVD release they took all the original film and cleaned it up to fix fading and dust scratches. At the same time they captured them at an extremely high resolution for a future High def release

That film did NOT have those silly new effects on them.

Now George is not using those cleaned up transfers and instead giving us the old laser disk ones and expects us to be happy?

Enough idiots will buy and thats all that matters.

analogika · Jul 12, 2006, 03:58 PM

Wait, so if all I want is the ORIGINAL trilogy in excellent - widescreen - quality, do I buy these, or do I wait for some future release?

Landos Mustache · Jul 12, 2006, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Wait, so if all I want is the ORIGINAL trilogy in excellent - widescreen - quality, do I buy these, or do I wait for some future release?

If they are anamophic than they will look good but not as clean as the recent DVD release.

voodoo · Jul 12, 2006, 04:03 PM

All I want are the three original movies in their original edition in proper DVD quality - anamorphic widescreen.

When that is offered, I will buy.

V

analogika · Jul 12, 2006, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

If they are anamophic than they will look good but not as clean as the recent DVD release.

Sounds like exactly what I want.

olePigeon · Jul 12, 2006, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna

That's an urban legend. "New Coke" was a massive business blunder. See: New Coke at snopes.com

You can still get the real Classic Coke from countries in South America, Mexico, and (I think) Hawai'i. Cane sugar is still cheaper there than corn syrup and it helps out the local economy. A regular treat for my mom when she was living in Donna, Texas, was to buy Mexican Coke made with cane sugar instead of American Coke made with corn syrup.

smacintush · Jul 12, 2006, 04:49 PM

Man, I am SO done giving a rat's ass about Star Wars. Lucas is a huge tool.

Star Wars - great
Empire Strikes Back - awesome
Return of the Jedi - meh
Phantom Menace - meh
Attack of the Clowns - lame
Revenge of the Sith - meh

i just don't understand how this franchise is so loved when there hasn't been a good movie out of it in TWENTY SIX YEARS.

Big Mac · Jul 12, 2006, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

Now George is not using those cleaned up transfers and instead giving us the old laser disk ones and expects us to be happy?

No, the update posted claims that France will be true widescreen original trilogy DVD by way of anamorphic transfer. If they are, that means it's from the original film stock rather than the LaserDisc transfer. I guess we'll have to wait and see for ourselves.

Kevin · Jul 12, 2006, 11:30 PM

Yeah Empire was the bomb.

I remember wearing my Boba Fett tshirt to see that one.

voodoo · Jul 12, 2006, 11:41 PM

France schmance. All of region 2 would have this anamorphic version. I find it highly doubtful there will be two different versions out there. If region 2 will have anamorphic widescreen, then so will region 1.

Stupid regions (btw)

V

production_coordinator · Jul 13, 2006, 12:16 AM

IMHO, this would be news if he was releasing the original movies... as they appeared in the movie theater... completely restored (CLEANED [scratches removed and color corrections, but no special effects changes]) for HD-DVD or Blu-Ray in 1080p.

I just feel like it's too little... too late.

imitchellg5 · Jul 13, 2006, 02:18 PM

I love ESB. I walked out of Attack of the Clones.

Eriamjh · Jul 14, 2006, 07:19 AM

Update:

Originally Posted by The Digital Bits

We've got some more interesting standard DVD news to report today, starting with a follow-up on that French Star Wars DVD controversy we mentioned the other day. We've gotten a follow-up e-mail from our friend Arnaud at DVDRama in France. It turns out Fox France was wrong. Someone in marketing over there apparently still doesn't know what anamorphic means. The special edition versions of the films on Disc One of each set are anamorphic, but the original theatrical editions on Disc Two of each are definitely NOT anamorphic. They're just letterboxed widescreen as we expected. Fox France has apparently apologized for the confusion, and we definitely appreciate Arnaud's efforts in confirming the truth of the situation. France is getting the same sub-par Star Wars DVDs as the rest of us. 'Nuff said.

So they won't be anamorphic. So far, I'm not buying until some reviews come in.

christ · Jul 14, 2006, 04:02 PM

I think that I'll wait for the torrent.

olePigeon · Jul 14, 2006, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

Star Wars - great
Empire Strikes Back - awesome
Return of the Jedi - meh
Phantom Menace - PLEASE MAKE THE BAD MAN STOP!
Attack of the Clones - meh
Revenge of the Sith - meh

Fixed.

smacintush · Jul 14, 2006, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Fixed.

I'd watch PM over AOTC anyday, I just plug my ears, close my eyes and go "la la la la" when Jar Jar comes on.

Attack of the Clowns was just sad.

imitchellg5 · Jul 14, 2006, 10:33 PM

I didn't mind PM. AOTC was grossly horrible, ROTS was ok. I guess I am just an old school fan.

lpkmckenna · Jul 14, 2006, 10:36 PM

Believe it or not: Revenge of the Sith is the featured article at Wikipedia today.

cjrivera · Jul 15, 2006, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by Dakar

Enough idiots will buy and thats all that matters.

Hey... isn't that Microsoft's new ad slogan?

production_coordinator · Jul 15, 2006, 01:26 AM

And just about the time Blu-ray becomes obsolete... he will come out with a new release for it.

analogika · Jul 15, 2006, 05:32 AM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

I didn't mind PM. AOTC was grossly horrible, ROTS was ok. I guess I am just an old school fan.

Attack of the Clones would have been pretty okay, actually, had only Lucas cast ACTORS for the two main parts.

****ing woodpuppets and sledgehammer dialogue made me retch all through Phantom Menace and AotC...

Return of the Sith was actually pretty good, EXCEPT for that stupid, stupid, STUPID completely out-of-character "Nooooooooooooooooooooo!" moment, and the fact that, again, Hayden and stick insect should have been replaced by actual actors.

production_coordinator · Jul 15, 2006, 10:41 AM

IMHO, Lucus tried to push the CGI too far... and it showed. There were just too many scenes where I said "this just looks fake" and EVERYTHING looked too clean in the first movie.

IMHO, the original three didn't make me fell that way nearly as much.

lpkmckenna · Jul 15, 2006, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Attack of the Clones would have been pretty okay, actually, had only Lucas cast ACTORS for the two main parts.
Both Hayden and Natalie are excellent actors. (See My Life as a House or Closer.) It's not the actor, it's the director.

Return of the Sith was actually pretty good, EXCEPT for that stupid, stupid, STUPID completely out-of-character "Nooooooooooooooooooooo!" moment

I liked the "No!" moment. Every SW flick has one. Maybe Vader shouldn't have gestured that way during the "no," but overall it was fine.

Originally Posted by production_coordinator

IMHO, Lucus tried to push the CGI too far... and it showed. There were just too many scenes where I said "this just looks fake" and EVERYTHING looked too clean in the first movie.

No matter what, some of the effects in a movie - whether CGI, stop-motion models, puppets - are gonna look fake. Nobody's perfect, not even Lucas.

Have you watched ESB recently? The AT-AT scene looks totally fake. The tauntauns look totally fake. As a rule: stop-motion animation looks fake.

People are too hung-up about CGI in Star Wars. Yeah, some of it looks fake. But some of it also looks amazing. Watto, Yoda, the arena crab/dragon, all the droids including Grievous. I hate Jar Jar as much as anyone, but you can't deny: he looks incredibly real when surrounded by real actors and sets.

Another thing about CGI in Star Wars: there's far less of it than you think. I can't count the number of times someone has said "that CGI right there looks fake," but in fact the effect was a model. On the other hand, most people walked out of AotC having no idea that every CloneTrooper was actually CGI.