'Star Wars' Trilogy Debuts on DVD

Here's my quick take on the box:

Just to provide a little "balance" to Jamie's concerns. The sound mix seems OK IMO. Sure, some of the dialog is a little uneven, but I think they were working with the best sources available. The folks at Skywalker Sound are usually pretty good at these things and have done this type of work numerous times. I can overlook it. Aunt Beru's voice has always been dubbed, as the actress had a strong British accent. Appears to be the same to me

The picture is totally flawless! No dreaded Edge Enhancement (as seen on the EPI DVD), and all specks of dirt or scratches are completely removed. Almost too clean The sound mix is heavy in the front three channels, but the sub and surrounds do get used when appropriate.

Extras: As the current triology is being made, Lucas has a dedicated team to work on DVD extras, hence the ability to fill up a full disc per movie. Back in the '70s, there just wasn't as much behind the scenes documentation as we're used to today. Plus, he's gotta keep something for the HD-DVD release

The best thing about the extras/trailers: They are all presented in anamorphic widescreen! This takes time and care to be done right, and I'm very much appreciative.

I have been waiting for this set since I got my first DVD player over 6 1/2 years ago. There were times when I thought it would never come out! Given that Lucas used fantastic anamorphic widescreen transfers (not a given in the early days of Fox DVDs) and brought it out at an affordable price, I'm still totally stoked.

 

I wasn't trying to diagnose it as a layer change issue. Rather, some complication from the scene being at the disc's outer edge.

Being that the problem occurs so close to the layer change timeframe, it is virtually guaranteed the issue to be happening at a certain physical point on the disc (outer edge).

 

I didn't notice any difference with either.

 

Am I remembering correctly? It seems as though originally Lucas intended to make 9 Star Wars films. After episodes 4-6, he was going back to do 1-3, and then later was intending to do 7-9. I remember interviews with him at some point - not sure whether it was after 4 or 5, or maybe even later - stating this. And I remember thinking I was going to be an old man by the time they all came out, LOL.

Anyone else remember Lucas' plan this way as well, or am I off base here?

 

Gig 'em!

Yes and no. Lucas didn't come up with the "Episode IV" designation for the original Star Wars until afterEmpire was released in theaters. wanted to make the original triology as one movie, but it was too long. It wasn't until the '90s he started talking seriously about the prequels. He has stated on the record that there will be no EP 7-9.

 

Actually Episode IV was added for the re-release of Star Wars before Empire's release.

 

Added to the 1981 re-release.

From here.

Also here.

 

Lucas has flip-flopped on these issues so much that I don't think he knows the truth anymore. Yeah, he once indicated there'd be 9 movies total. He changed his mind later, though I did see vague rumors the Eps. 7-9 MAY someday exist.

Funny to think that if he'd gone with the original flick every three years route we originally saw, Ep. 9 would have come out three years ago!

 

My reviews will appear the rest of this week. If anyone's interested, here's the first installment with "Star Wars":

http://www.dvdmg.com/starwars.shtml

 

Nice review, Colin! Very fair and balanced...

 

I stand corrected! Neat sites.

 

Brian,

Took my set back to Best Buy yesterday. The guy at the door said that they'd had several returned, and he named the problem exactly before I could say a word. He said there had also been a similar problem somewhere around the first scene in Ewok village on Return of the Jedi.
The new set seems okay, so far. I've only watched the first film, though.

 

Great review, Colin! I agree about their choices of the diologue edits. Sometimes sentences are very clear and then not (and sometimes in mid-sentence). Also, the heavy handed fade at the start/end points of the diologue was a bit distracting. Hiss up-quickly hiss down.

 

I love this box sets. I think it is one of the best DVD sets I have in my collection. The video quality is terrific.

 

Just got mine today from amazon... no problems that you guys outlined...

 

Yeah I remember that...I saw it when it was re-released and everyone in the theatre was saying "What the ----?".

 

Shameless links strike back:

http://www.dvdmg.com/empirestrikesback.shtml

 

I've had the set for a day now. While I haven't had any of the obvious glitch issues that some others have discussed, I can't shake the feeling that this is a stopgap release, representing a restoration project not fully completed. The inconsistent touch-ups, the weirder additions (the new Jabba in ANH looks *really* bad and out-of-place, IMO, even when compared with the old one), the cheesy box-art, the "patchy" sound quality....it just screams "beta version" at me.

 

CEDAR?!? Holy light-sabre.....this project really went down the poop chute fast, didn't it? I'd almost have to buy it now just to spend an afternoon viewing the train wreck....

I've a hunch, if reading other boards and hearing from friends is an indication, that it won't be too long until I can buy it used and new at a hefty discount....and I'm not in a hurry for this one, never was....

 

Return of the shameless links:

http://www.dvdmg.com/returnofthejedi.shtml

http://www.dvdmg.com/starwarsbonus.shtml

 

Great reviews Colin.

 

So you were OK with the mixing errors, weird color correction, incomplete special effects, obvious digital entities, etc., but the use of noise-reduction technology on 30-year-old speech elements makes the project a "train-wreck?"

Priorities!

 

Despite the hubub, this is far from a train wreck. The audio issues are pretty exaggerated as far as I'm concerned. The dialogue is just adr vs. on the set issues. As I've said before, I think this set is great. Not perfect, but it'll do.