STAR WARS -- The Originals, For Real, Coming on DVD

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AndyDursin · #1 Post by **AndyDursin** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:11 pm

Someone from USA Today says it's so and will be made "official" in the paper Thursday:

http://p075.ezboard.com/fmonsterkidclas ... =125.topic

Eric Paddon · #2 Post by **Eric Paddon** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:44 pm

If this is true, then all I can say is "About time!" I can dispose of the DVDs I had transferred from the CAV LD set (though I still keep the LDs themself since the bonus materials weren't transferred).

Maybe to celebrate, I should play the track of the original "Lub, Lub" Ewok song.

AndyDursin · #3 Post by **AndyDursin** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:59 pm

Eric Paddon wrote:If this is true, then all I can say is "About time!" I can dispose of the DVDs I had transferred from the CAV LD set (though I still keep the LDs themself since the bonus materials weren't transferred).

Maybe to celebrate, I should play the track of the original "Lub, Lub" Ewok song.

I guess I'm in a small minority, but I prefer the ORIGINAL "Ewok Celebration" to that tune Williams wrote for the "new" version of RETURN OF THE JEDI.

I remember Lukas played it for me before the re-issue was released, and he said something like "it's cool, like a Simon & Garfunkel tune." I didn't care for it then, I still don't now -- I wanted Williams to do something totally different and write a grand orchestral finale, but that "new tune" just didn't do it for me. I prefer the melody of "Yub Lub" any day, especially with the chorus joining in at the end!

BTW, I don't know if anyone else saw this, but on Craig Kilborn's Late Show, they had one of the writers come out on stage one night, guitar in hand, and perform the entire "Ewok Celebration"! It was uproariously funny, underscored with still photos of Wicket and company in action.

AndyDursin · #4 Post by **AndyDursin** » Wed May 03, 2006 6:00 pm

Here's an MP3 of that performance!

http://www.erwintang.com/mp3/kilborn-ewok.mp3

Hilarious -- it's even funnier if you see it.

Eric Paddon · #5 Post by **Eric Paddon** » Wed May 03, 2006 9:59 pm

The page mentioning all this has been deleted. Which really has to make you wonder if the gun was prematurely jumped on all this.

MarkB · #6 Post by **MarkB** » Wed May 03, 2006 10:07 pm

It's official:

http://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/rele ... 60503.html

AndyDursin · #7 Post by **AndyDursin** » Wed May 03, 2006 11:00 pm

2.0 DOLBY SURROUND ONLY??

Ugh. Yuck. That makes no sense at all! I'm all for "preserving the originals" but Lucasfilm did a terrific 5.1 mix for the last batch of Original Trilogy laserdiscs, taken from the original 6-track 70mm soundtracks and 4-track (4.0) Dolby Stereo mixes.

Shouldn't be ANY reason why they couldn't include the 5.1 that was done for those LDs along with the original stereo tracks, which make no mistake will sound compressed and lame in 2.0 DVD surround.

Frankly that's horrible news, particularly if this is the last go-around for the original versions on DVD

Monterey Jack · #8 Post by **Monterey Jack** » Thu May 04, 2006 12:50 am

Considering how awful the 5.1 remix on Jaws was, I don't really care. The OT was released originally in 2.0, correct? I'm just thrilled to be getting the unmutilated, Han Shoots First versions finally.

AndyDursin · #9 Post by **AndyDursin** » Thu May 04, 2006 2:28 am

Monterey Jack wrote:Considering how awful the 5.1 remix on Jaws was, I don't really care. The OT was released originally in 2.0, correct? I'm just thrilled to be getting the unmutilated, Han Shoots First versions finally.

Well my friend, you should care, because the 5.1 JAWS remix is totally irrelevant to this situation.

If you go back to what Ben Burtt wrote in the Original Trilogy Laserdisc notes, there were a HANDFUL of different audio mixes prepared in 1977 when STAR WARS was first released. There was a 6-track (six!) 70 mm mix, there were 4.0 mixes...there was even a mono mix for theaters that weren't equipped for stereo. He said you could experience a myriad of soundtracks depending on where you were and what theater you were in, with different audio elements enhanced/mixed dependant on the location.

Those STAR WARS 5.1 Laserdisc tracks were NOT "revisionist" soundtracks like JAWS but were mastered from the original elements and sounded AMAZING. (JAWS is not a good example to point to, IMHO -- in that instance some sound engineer thought they could do better than simply taking the music tracks and remixing them for stereo...not a wise decision).

At any rate, given how weak and compressed most DVD 2.0 stereo mixes are, it's doubtful -- to say the least -- that these DVDs will, in any way, take full audio advantage of the original STAR WARS sound design (whichever mix they want to use). 2.0 is a joke on DVD and we all know it...even the original JAWS laserdisc soundtrack (the original mono) is 10X better than the DVD's mono track, which sounds like it's being piped out of a drive-in speaker by comparison.

If it stands, this is disappointing news for any Star Wars fan, at least on the audio side...

Bill Williams · #10 Post by **Bill Williams** » Thu May 04, 2006 12:30 pm

Who cares if it's in Dolby 2.0 only? What matters is that it's the ORIGINALS! YES!!!!! Now I know what I want for my big 4-0 b-day in September (and I hope April more than gets the hint this time!!!) Heehee!!!!

Jedbu · #11 Post by **Jedbu** » Thu May 04, 2006 7:43 pm

Maybe this 2.0 track of A NEW HOPE will have the surround field correct-remember what happened when the DVD box set came out, and Williams music was switched in the surrounds? It didn't bother me until a LOT of people started complaining about it.

Lucas is probably doing it in 2.0 so that he can say to the fans-here, you wanted this so badly I'll give it to you-but the sound is gonna suck unless you keep the revamped versions which I love now.

mkaroly · #12 Post by **mkaroly** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:05 pm

Jedbu wrote: Maybe this 2.0 track of A NEW HOPE will have the surround field correct-remember what happened when the DVD box set came out, and Williams music was switched in the surrounds? It didn't bother me until a LOT of people started complaining about it.

Lucas is probably doing it in 2.0 so that he can say to the fans-here, you wanted this so badly I'll give it to you-but the sound is gonna suck unless you keep the revamped versions which I love now.

OR....Lucas is doing it in 2.0 so that when everyone complains he'll re-re-lease them in a 5.1 mix....

Did anyone see that Hasbro is releasing a limited edition Stormtrooper (helmet removed) with Lucas' likeness as the head? Ego-maniacism is alive and well in the STAR WARS universe.

I wish George would quit dragging his feet and release the complete scores on CD for Episodes II and III (since I was already released). It'd be the best thing he ever did in connection with the newer films in my opinion.

MarkB · #13 Post by **MarkB** » Thu May 04, 2006 9:54 pm

If you read the statement at the Official Star Wars website, it says:

In response to overwhelming demand, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release attractively priced individual two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each release includes the 2004 digitally remastered version of the movie and, as bonus material, the theatrical edition of the film.

The original theatrical editions are being promoted as merely a BONUS, not the main attraction itself. I wouldn't expect much in the way of cleaning up or new audio mixes. (Although there's no reason these can't be anamorphic, as some people have speculated elsewhere.)

Still, I'm happy to get even a bare-bones presentation of the originals, even if it means having to buy the 2004 editions again.

Mark

AndyDursin · #14 Post by **AndyDursin** » Thu May 04, 2006 11:41 pm

Jedbu wrote: Maybe this 2.0 track of A NEW HOPE will have the surround field correct-remember what happened when the DVD box set came out, and Williams music was switched in the surrounds? It didn't bother me until a LOT of people started complaining about it.

Lucas is probably doing it in 2.0 so that he can say to the fans-here, you wanted this so badly I'll give it to you-but the sound is gonna suck unless you keep the revamped versions which I love now.

Yes, exactly! That's the same feeling I have towards this decision.

Again, those of you turning a blind eye towards DVD audio in 2.0 surround are doing a disservice to the original soundtrack of STAR WARS. So 6 tracks in '77 is OK and 2 tracks in '06 is just as good? Didn't think so...

And if it were, why are so few films of the stereophonic era encoded in 2.0 surround on DVD? If you answered because 2.0 often sucks, you're on the right track...

Eric W. · #15 Post by **Eric W.** » Fri May 05, 2006 11:09 am

I wish there was a way we could get Special Edition tender lovin' care on the special effects, which were sorely needed, especially on the 1977 original Star Wars film, but everything else could be theatrical version for the purists. (Namely, Greedo shoots first, Williams's original Ewok theme at the end of Jedi, etc. etc.)

I can't imagine that these theaterical versions are going to look very good on quality DVD players, upconverting DVD players and such on HDTV's.

I'll pass on this myself.

The next time I buy Star Wars again will be when the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD format war stupidity is done and we get that setup.

STAR WARS -- The Originals, For Real, Coming on DVD

STAR WARS -- The Originals, For Real, Coming on DVD

Maybe a 2.0 A NEW HOPE will have the correct surround field

Re: Maybe a 2.0 A NEW HOPE will have the correct surround fi

Re: Maybe a 2.0 A NEW HOPE will have the correct surround fi