[unkle_brains]

well my boxed set just shipped from amazon. now i'll see what all the fuss is about.

[Eriamjh]

Originally posted by MacNStein:
No.

OK. Then live with your crummy VHS or no-longer-cutting-edge Laserdisk versions.

[Shaddim]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
OK. Then live with your crummy VHS or no-longer-cutting-edge Laserdisk versions.

With my line doubler and Pioneer Elite LD player, I'd say they look as good, or better, than what most people are seeing from the new DVDs. So, neyah!

[icruise]

Originally posted by MacNStein:
With my line doubler and Pioneer Elite LD player, I'd say they look as good, or better, than what most people are seeing from the new DVDs. So, neyah!

I can see where you're coming from, but I'm watching the DVDs right now and there's no way you're getting anywhere close to this off of laserdisc. Not if you have a decent TV. The quality really is good, despite a few questionable changes.

[Eriamjh]

Originally posted by MacNStein:
With my line doubler and Pioneer Elite LD player, I'd say they look as good, or better, than what most people are seeing from the new DVDs. So, neyah!

I doubt it. I own the laserdisks, too. I bought a couple extra copies of the original trilogy when they came out in CLV in 1998 based on the 1993 CAV version. They look good, but not as good as the best DVDs today.

[Shaddim]

Originally posted by Icruise:
I can see where you're coming from, but I'm watching the DVDs right now and there's no way you're getting anywhere close to this off of laserdisc. Not if you have a decent TV. The quality really is good, despite a few questionable changes.

Well, I'm not kidding. The Definitive Collection, with a Focus Centerstage video scaler (line doubler/quadrupler), on my Epson DLP TV is pure butter. As long as the source is good to excellent (and the Def. Col. is excellent) it will scale 480i to 1080i perfectly. Really looks like HD. It's all in the scaler.

[fireside]

Originally posted by MacNStein:
Well, I'm not kidding. The Definitive Collection, with a Focus Centerstage video scaler (line doubler/quadrupler), on my Epson DLP TV is pure butter. As long as the source is good to excellent (and the Def. Col. is excellent) it will scale 480i to 1080i perfectly. Really looks like HD. It's all in the scaler.

i highly doubt its as good as the dvd considering all the cleaning up they've done.

for those of you who bought the DVD set, is it worth it? im not the biggest fan of star wars, they're fun to watch, enjoyable, etc, is it worth buying?

[nredman]

Originally posted by fireside:
i highly doubt its as good as the dvd considering all the cleaning up they've done.

for those of you who bought the DVD set, is it worth it? im not the biggest fan of star wars, they're fun to watch, enjoyable, etc, is it worth buying?

i picked it up today, they are classics, i think its worth it to have in my dvd collection.

[icruise]

I've finished watching them all now. The changes (aside from the cleaning up of the special effects, etc) suck. I can't understand why he felt the need to do this. But this horse has been beaten into the ground. Anyway, the video and audio quality is quite good.

[iREZ]

mmmmmmmmmm..............numbers (in Conan voice)

[Brien]

I think I'll wait until he puts a box set with all 6 of them out.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

I just watched Jedi, almost all the "Updates" to it are horrific.

The music scene in Jabba's palace is painful to watch, the 3 backup singers are embarrassing. That blue asian chick that doesn't fully open her mouth for any of the singing and Greedo in some sort of Tina Turner drag.

The new shots of Boba in Jabba's palace to make the nerds creme is also stupid.

The new pic of sarlac looks like the special effects were done in 1989.

For some reason I sorta enjoyed the ghost of Anakin though.

On the plus side the sound is INCREDIBLE and i like the new ending song.

[calamar1]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
I just watched Jedi, almost all the "Updates" to it are horrific.

The music scene in Jabba's palace is painful to watch, the 3 backup singers are embarrassing. That blue asian chick that doesn't fully open her mouth for any of the singing and Greedo in some sort of Tina Turner drag.

The new shots of Boba in Jabba's palace to make the nerds creme is also stupid.

The new pic of sarlac looks like the special effects were done in 1989.

For some reason I sorta enjoyed the ghost of Anakin though.

On the plus side the sound is INCREDIBLE and i like the new ending song.

Aren't those all leftover from 1997? i agree, for the most part, though, though i haven't seen anything but screenshots yet.

i watched Empire today, 'cause it's my favorite movie in the world, and honestly, i'm actually content with what has been done to it now. Luke's scream falling in Cloud City bugged me more than Greedo, if you can believe that. And they fixed that to be back to silence. The rest of the special edition changes from before were either harmless, or a big help (e.g. the opening-up of Cloud City's windows). The new stuff for this release is pretty good, though. The new hologram of the Emperor looks decent, and more importantly, establishes some continuity. The dialogue that was added also seems to be very carefully chosen indeed, and answers one question about Episode III. Beyond that, the major change is that Boba Fett's voice is Jango Fett's voice. It doesn't really sound that different to me, and some of the hardcore Boba Fett freaks are up in arms about it, but it'll go unnoticed by 95% of the people that see the new version. And it looks and sounds amazing. Absolutely incredible.

In other news, the 'return of Darth Vader' documentary they had on the bonus disk has me wicked excited about Revenge of the Sith. Just seeing the way Anakin looks when fighting Obi-Wan, even in front of a blue screen is awesome. Good stuff.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by calamar1:
Aren't those all leftover from 1997? i agree, for the most part, though, though i haven't seen anything but screenshots yet.

ya except for the new ghost and they show Naboo in the end now.

I think that all the changes to Empire were 100% needed and very well done. Cloud City was far to bland and claustrophobic before, when I was a kid the ice monster scene confused me and the changes helped.

The only thing I don't like about Empire was how they had Vader return to the star destroyer, the scene was needed but you can tell they just used a clip from the opening of Jedi (just another angle).

Funny thing about ther new Jedi was how they removed Vader eyebrows when Luke took off his helmet.

[d.fine]

I just got my Trilogy Box 10 minutes ago ... Awesome !

Now the wait until I get home and be able to watch them ...

[MilkmanDan]

I always had big questions in my mind about what was happening in Star Wars:

The original:

1) Why do you have moisture farmers? Space travel is super cheap. Why not drop off some big ass chunks of ice from somewhere else. Even within the same solar system.
2) The Death Star was nice, but honestly, a big fleet of ships is far more practical then one big slow battle station that employs half your military forces and then support personnel.

Empire: Which I love.
1) Why didn't they use X-Wings or Y-Wings to blast the AT-ATs. I mean, that would've worked.
2) Who did the rebels escape that blockade? Did they send in the flunkies from Imperial school to do that work? Honestly. Bad work Empire.

Return:
1) Those damn care-bear wannabes sucked. Arrows VS Storm Trooper armor isn't going to do much.
2) Just cuz you kill the figurehead Emperor, doesn't mean the empire goes away. Where is the post war plan that they rebels have? Its like killing the President, winning a battle, but there is still the entire country to deal with. The Empire at least kept order and peace, even if it was an evil one. I mean, we learn that the Old Republic was ineffective and the politicians were corrupt, so maybe the Emperor was doing them all a favor. (Kinda like how the Soviet Union kept Ugoslovia in line, as soon as the USSSR is gone, everyone starts killing each other again.)

Anyhow, thats me and my thoughts after watching these movies way too many times over the past 22 years. I love the films, but honestly, its a movie, and its for entertainment. Being super hard core geeky about it is never any good. (From they guy who spent way too much money on SW:CCG. Anyone want to buy them? Mail me)

[ort888]

1) Why do you have moisture farmers? Space travel is super cheap. Why not drop off some big ass chunks of ice from somewhere else. Even within the same solar system.

It's fantasy? I dunno. Maybe it is cheaper. We don't know.

2) The Death Star was nice, but honestly, a big fleet of ships is far more practical then one big slow battle station that employs half your military forces and then support personnel.

Not when the one ship can blow up a planet in one shot. They already have a massive fleet. Now they have a big ship that can blow up planets too.

1) Why didn't they use X-Wings or Y-Wings to blast the AT-ATs. I mean, that would've worked.

Not sure. They were really just trying to buy time until the bulk of the people could escape, so it was probably more of a distraction than anything.

2) Who did the rebels escape that blockade? Did they send in the flunkies from Imperial school to do that work? Honestly. Bad work Empire.

It's a movie. That's the best possible explination.

1) Those damn care-bear wannabes sucked. Arrows VS Storm Trooper armor isn't going to do much.

True.

2) Just cuz you kill the figurehead Emperor, doesn't mean the empire goes away. Where is the post war plan that they rebels have?

Obviously he was a lot more than a figurehead. He was a sith lord, filled to the brim with dark evil power.

[ort888]

I'll propose a better question. What the hell was up with the "plan" to rescue Han Solo?

Let's go through it again...

Step 1: Send in Lando to impersonate a guard and be the inside man.

Step 2: Send in the Droids with a message asking for Han to be released. Plant a lightsaber inside of R2-D2 and give the droids over to Jabba.

Step 3: Send in Leia disguised as a bounty hunter with Chebacca. Hand Chewbacca over to Jabba in exchange for money.

Step 4: While Jabba is sleeping, have Leia sneak up to Han and defrost him.

-------At this point the droids and Chewbacca are all prisoners of Jabba. If this "plan" had worked to this point, what the hell we're they going to do about Chewie? Why did they give them the droids? It must have not been the final step so we'll continue...

Step 5: Have Leia get captured by Jabba, and have Han put into prison with Chewie.

Step 6: Send in Luke, unarmed, to tell Jabba to give him all of his friends back.

Step 7: Have Luke get captured. Anger Jabba to the point that he demands their execution.

Step 8: Get everyone together right before they are to be formally executed, retrieve lightsaber from R2, kill everyone and leave.


--------- Can someone explain to me how, at any stage of this plan there was anything that resembled a rational thought? What's the deal? Did I miss anything or was this just the stupidest plan ever???

[zeebe]

Haven't watched the films yet, but what I don't get is that most of the set up work for this stuff was done on a Mac right? So why the HELL do they not have the website access available to Macs?? They even include the software to install for it work, but when you get to the web site, it says you need Windows, what a crock of sh!t!

[LoganCharles]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Funny thing about ther new Jedi was how they removed Vader eyebrows when Luke took off his helmet.

Did they remove his sweat glands too? It had to get hot under all that rubber. Just think uncomfortable that is to have an itch and not be able to scratch it.

[zeebe]

Originally posted by ort888:
I'll propose a better question. What the hell was up with the "plan" to rescue Han Solo?

Let's go through it again...

Step 1: Send in Lando to impersonate a guard and be the inside man.

Step 2: Send in the Droids with a message asking for Han to be released. Plant a lightsaber inside of R2-D2 and give the droids over to Jabba.

Step 3: Send in Leia disguised as a bounty hunter with Chebacca. Hand Chewbacca over to Jabba in exchange for money.

Step 4: While Jabba is sleeping, have Leia sneak up to Han and defrost him.

-------At this point the droids and Chewbacca are all prisoners of Jabba. If this "plan" had worked to this point, what the hell we're they going to do about Chewie? Why did they give them the droids? It must have not been the final step so we'll continue...

Step 5: Have Leia get captured by Jabba, and have Han put into prison with Chewie.

Step 6: Send in Luke, unarmed, to tell Jabba to give him all of his friends back.

Step 7: Have Luke get captured. Anger Jabba to the point that he demands their execution.

Step 8: Get everyone together right before they are to be formally executed, retrieve lightsaber from R2, kill everyone and leave.


--------- Can someone explain to me how, at any stage of this plan there was anything that resembled a rational thought? What's the deal? Did I miss anything or was this just the stupidest plan ever???

You have forgotten that Luke can see the future, so he was able to tell what would happen at every step you mentioned. It was probably the only way he saw it working. You can think he had other plans but maybe one person or the other gets hurt or killed in them.

That is all I can think of.

[ort888]

Luke can vaguely see a possible future. This was established in Empire. Unless he somehow got the ability to see exactly how every situation would play out with perfect clarity, this theory is a stretch.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by ort888:
Luke can vaguely see a possible future. This was established in Empire. Unless he somehow got the ability to see exactly how every situation would play out with perfect clarity, this theory is a stretch.

Oh God lets please not pick apart the writing. It totally sucks. It is more then obvious that GL wrote each episode one by one and NOT all at the same time like he has suggested. If he had Luke and Leia would not have sexual feelings for one another in a new Hope. Not to mention all those other continuity errors.

[goMac]

Originally posted by MilkmanDan:
I always had big questions in my mind about what was happening in Star Wars:

The original:

1) Why didn't they use X-Wings or Y-Wings to blast the AT-ATs. I mean, that would've worked.

Return:
2) Just cuz you kill the figurehead Emperor, doesn't mean the empire goes away. Where is the post war plan that they rebels have? Its like killing the President, winning a battle, but there is still the entire country to deal with. The Empire at least kept order and peace, even if it was an evil one. I mean, we learn that the Old Republic was ineffective and the politicians were corrupt, so maybe the Emperor was doing them all a favor. (Kinda like how the Soviet Union kept Ugoslovia in line, as soon as the USSSR is gone, everyone starts killing each other again.)

Being a Star Wars nerd I'll answer the above ones.

Hoth was too cold for X-Wings and Y-Wings to run for long. The speeders they used were specially outfitted for the cold, and even then failed quite often.

The Emperor was using the force to bind everyone to him. In addition, his powers were so strong he used them to keep his troops in top shape. As soon as he died, the fanatical devotion he gained through his force powers dissipated, and his troops were thrown into chaos at the loss of his power backing them up. They scattered right away.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by goMac:
Being a Star Wars nerd I'll answer the above ones.

Hoth was too cold for X-Wings and Y-Wings to run for long. The speeders they used were specially outfitted for the cold, and even then failed quite often.

I don't know about that. You can hear them say that they are "having problems outfitting the speeders for the cold" which sounds like they were not MADE for the cold but being retrofitted. If that is the case they should have done it to the X-Wings.

And call me crazy but I thought the coldness of space is much much greater then some snow.

[goMac]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
And call me crazy but I thought the coldness of space is much much greater then some snow.

Only in reality, not Star Wars land.

[Miniryu]

Originally posted by goMac:
Naboo has been added to the celebration scene in ROTJ:

How are you getting screen captures from a DVD? I've tried using the screen shot feature of the OS, I've tried using a shareware app that was supposed to do it as well- nothing has worked for me.

[xi_hyperon]

Originally posted by Miniryu:
How are you getting screen captures from a DVD? I've tried using the screen shot feature of the OS, I've tried using a shareware app that was supposed to do it as well- nothing has worked for me.

I think it depends on what graphics card you have in your Mac (not sure which ones work and which ones don't).

[Eriamjh]

Originally posted by calamar1:
Aren't those all leftover from 1997? i agree, for the most part, though, though i haven't seen anything but screenshots yet.

If he was smart, he didn't buy the SE released on VHS. Not everybody owns a LD player.

[goMac]

I didn't, I found the shot online elsewhere.

[finboy]

Chewy now looks scared in the asteroid field.

I had asteroids once, but my doctor told me how to fix 'em.

[xi_hyperon]

I am just amazed at how well these movies were restored. Ep IV simply does not look like it was released in 1977, but more like a year ago.

My only real gripe, as far as the changes go, is the dumb Jabba scene with Han. Yeah, they improved it from the 1997 SE, but it is still terrible, especially with Han "walking" over Jabba's tail. If that doesn't look hinky, I don't know what does. Additionally, the scene adds no real information to the movie, as the conversation between Han and Jabba is similar to the one between him and Greedo.

Otherwise, a good investment if you're a SW fan, especially with the documentary.

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
I don't know about that. You can hear them say that they are "having problems outfitting the speeders for the cold" which sounds like they were not MADE for the cold but being retrofitted. If that is the case they should have done it to the X-Wings.

And call me crazy but I thought the coldness of space is much much greater then some snow.

Sapce is colder than snow. And explosions don't make much noise there, either.

TESB assumes you buy the logic than space ships aren't outfitted for cold: but it's freaking outer space - that's as cold as it gets! temperature of space.

You were right, you just can't apply logic to something as fun as Star Wars. Like Harrison Ford said, "It's not that kind of movie."

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
Sapce is colder than snow. And explosions don't make much noise there, either.

Space is cold, but it's a vacuum, so wouldn't the heat transfer be a lot slower?

Regardless, a snowspeeder looks a lot more maneuverable than an X-Wing in small places. An X-Wing is quite a bit larger, and looks to be faster - not good for tight turning circles.

[LoganCharles]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Oh God lets please not pick apart the writing. It totally sucks. It is more then obvious that GL wrote each episode one by one and NOT all at the same time like he has suggested. If he had Luke and Leia would not have sexual feelings for one another in a new Hope. Not to mention all those other continuity errors.

I think Lucas always had a vision of a space opera of sorts. Remember he based Star Wars after Saturday afternoon serials which means there was room for evolving the original story.

I agree though that the ground work for what ended up being the Skywalker legacy is a little rough in A New Hope. However by Empire, Lucas knew exactly the direction he was heading in. You as a Star Wars geek should know this. Lines like "There is another..." and Luke using the force to communicate to Leia at the end is enough to show their sibling relationship.

The only other continuity errors I have found in A New Hope is Ben's line about first meeting Annakin when he was a pilot. That's more stretching things because technically Annakin was a pilot abeit a 9 year old one.

[sideus]

Anyone have any info on this?

Posted on IMDB:

Fans of John Williams are up in arms over an apparent glitch in the new Star Wars DVD set in which the left and right channels fed to the rear speakers in surround sound are reversed in the original Star Wars movie (Episode 4). John Takis, who frequently analyzes film scores for Internet groups, points out that the violins can be heard coming from the left surround-sound speakers and the cellos from the left. "It is essentially a 124-minute audio glitch," Takis writes on the John Williams fansite, www.JW-Music.net. "The sound effects are correctly positioned in the surround channels. It's just the music that's backwards." Takis also takes issue with other aspects of the sound mix for the original movie. "Remember the awesome fanfare version of the Force theme that kicks off the Death Star battle?" he writes "Good luck hearing it this time around -- it's virtually inaudible."

[Person Man]

Originally posted by sideus:
John Takis, who frequently analyzes film scores for Internet groups, points out that the violins can be heard coming from the left surround-sound speakers and the cellos from the left.

WHO the HELL cares?

I can understand being upset with replacing Sebastian Shaw with Hayden at the end of ROTJ or Greedo shooting first, but violins from the left channel instead of the right? Oh my GOD! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!

Give me a freakin' break!

[macaddict0001]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:

And call me crazy but I thought the coldness of space is much much greater then some snow.

maybe the x-wings couldn't handle the dense cold air but they could handle the vacuum of space.

[macaddict0001]

Originally posted by Person Man:
WHO the HELL cares?

I can understand being upset with replacing Sebastian Shaw with Hayden at the end of ROTJ or Greedo shooting first, but violins from the left channel instead of the right? Oh my GOD! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!

Give me a freakin' break!

spoken as someone who doesn't have surround sound.

[Person Man]

Originally posted by macaddict0001:
spoken as someone who doesn't have surround sound.

I have surround sound. Of course, I don't have "audiophile" ears either. The vast majority of nonaudiophiles won't notice either.

[macaddict0001]

Well i don't know how noticable it is because i have not seen it.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by macaddict0001:
spoken as someone who doesn't have surround sound.

And you are saying you would have noticed if it wasn't pointed out?

Does it really matter in the end?

[MilkmanDan]

Next on the list of things to argue about: Star Wars vs Star Trek.

Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

Becomes:

Yoooooooooooooooooooooooodddddddddaaaaaa!

PS: If the emperor was so important to maintaining the empire, why (in the books) did it take the rebels so darn long to actually take back the rest of the galaxy? Blah, the rebels were just a bunch of hippies who had no respect for an authoritarian government that had the balls to actually keep everyone in line, as opposed to the old republic which was highly ineffective and corrupt.

This from someone who still has way to many SW: CCG cards. Anyone want them (for a price)?

[GRAFF]

It was funny listening to GL on the commentary track, especially the way he dances around his mistake with the term parsec.

I won't try to minimize his achievement which is Star Wars, but he really sounding full of himself on these tracks.

[macaddict0001]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
And you are saying you would have noticed if it wasn't pointed out?

Does it really matter in the end?

I might of noticed it because I can notice when the entie speaker is reversed.

[starman]

It's not the speaker that's reversed. The effects are fine, the MUSIC is reversed.

Mike

[Eriamjh]

Found a neat goof on the Episode 4 disk thanks to the hidden easter egg blooper reel on the fourth disk.

Go to the scene where Luke and Owen are buying Artoo from the Jawas. Wait for 3PO to say "Here he comes" referring to Artoo and freeze the picture on Artoo coming at the camera on all three legs.

Now look to the right in the background at the droid with the spindly arms. You can see a guy in a Jawa robe whose arms are sticking way out of the sleeves. He's trying to hide behind the droid because he was there to nudge the third leg to drop from Artoo's body. The footage is in the blooper reel on disk four.

I thought it was cool to find. Maybe it has been seen before, but not by me!

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

I like when the Ewok's eye falls out.

Anywho, they seemed to have FIXED the most famous goof of Han's vest coming and going when they lower him into the machine in Empire.