FF:WA Classic Trilogy DVD - September 04

You've got to admit, though, Cloud City was amazing to watch in the SE. I think that's the best alteration of the lot.

No doubt. I loved the new Cloud City shots with the entrance of the Millenium Falcon, the way that the city was 'opened up' so you could see more. I prefer the ending of ROTJ more as well. It's bigger in scope and ties it to the prequels when showing Coruscant.

 

I like the way Bespin looked in the SE's, and the death star battle. but imo the bad stuff far outweighs the good.

 

Agreed. I thought that adding the old footage in the hangar was a nice idea but I thought the CGI jabba looked crappy. I'm glad they improved they way he looked for TPM. The only change in the SE I liked less than Greedo shooting first was the big musical number in Jabba's Palace with the cartoon characters bouncing around the place. The original was boring sure but it didn't steal the focus away from the rest of the scene and I prefer bring to hideously cheesy.

 

The thing with Jabba that always amused me:
In a 1997 interview about the SE's ( I think it's on the ANH tape) they interview an ILM keyboard jockey, and he says that the problem with the Jabba scene is that Han walks around Jabba, and when he mentioned it, George came up withe the idea of "Oh just have him step on the tail"

I'm sorry, but this struck me as the remark of apathy, not genius, the way he quotes Lucas as saying that just sounds like Lucas couldn't be bothered thinking for 5 minutes. The beter idea would be to cut from Han a frame or two before he initiates action to walk around Jabba, cut to an insert shot of one of the thugs, or even a new shot of someone wearing the Chewie suit, continue the dialogue off screen during this, then cut back to Han when he's finished moving.
And even if it seems a little jumpy having him suddenly on the other side, it's not that much more effort on a keyboard jockey's part to seperate Han from the background plate (which they had to do to make him step on the tail in the first place) and flip the image just on that element, and even if his blaster is suddenly on the wrong side, there's not a whole lot of frames left they'd have to paint it out for.

So, how did digitising the OT go? I'll put my hand up to help with that if it's needed.

 

I've got the DVD burner and editing software but I haven't got set up for recording from VCR yet. If someone wants to beat me to it then go for it. I've got a lot on my to-do list atm.

 

Hmm, you know, if we crossed that idea with the multimedia meet.
just thinking out loud

 

If someone brings over a VCR I can rip it to hard drive and make divX copies...... but only for people who own the originals of course

 

I wouldn't bother bringing the DVD burner. It often takes all night to do a single disc.
I'd certainly like getting a VCD copy. If anyone wants it on DVD, they could bring blank DVD discs to the meet, I could burn a copy from the VCD and then get the finished copy to you somehow. Actually, I'll probably be back in Perth a couple of weeks later for the western derby so I could bring the finished ones down then.

 

Sounds like a plan,
I have a 6 head hi-fi VCR and a digital encoder with analog (RCA) inputs that plugs into any firewire port.
Lemme know what to bring...

 

Just bring the VCR.... I can go straight from that, via an S-Video cable, to my Graphics Card and that has a digital encoder built in to it, and its about bloody time I used it

 

My VCR doesn't have S-video out unfortunately, just stereo RCA plugs.
Not a prob though is it?

 

Saving encoded video takes a bloody long time so you guys might want to get that done before the day so we can use the time just for copying the files. On the topic of digital video, any of you guys know much about DVD ripping? I've tried it a few times with the Gordon Knot apps and never get any sound. Perhaps someone can give me some tips on the day.

 

I've got some good software that I use when making legal back up copies of my dvd's. It takes me about an hour an a half to make a full copy including decrypting, compressing and burning.

The only problem I have is that when the files get compressed the quality suffers a little, but it's still watchable.

P.M. me if you want any info dude.

 

I've got some DVD copy programs but I haven't had a chance to use them yet. I'm still learning the ins and outs of making DVDs. I think I've mastered Ulead DVD Workshop 2 now though. Pretty good program and you can make pretty decent menus with it. I could make even beter ones if I learned some of the 3d animation programs my sister's learning at Uni. It would be cool to make up some nice video clips to use as menu transitions.

 

According to latest internet rumours, it looks like old George is adding in new scenes and updating effects for the upcoming DVD release. TF.N has a report on the front page.

 

So, when are we burning the originals to DVD then?

EDIT: Just reread your comment about the DVD burning taking all night Steve, I saw one recntly in action that took about 20 mins to burn one 2 hour movie...

 

Was that doing it from scratch? It's not the burning itself that takes all the time. It's the encoding of the video. So copying DVDs or burning prepared VOB files wouldn't take so long. Encoding/converting a few hours worth of video takes time though.

 

No longer a problem!

The original trilogy on DVD in widescreen with chapters, transferred from the laser discs.

If someone is bringing a DVD burner to the multimedia meet, Then just let ppl know what kind of discs they should be bringing.

 

Sweet! I still can't decide whether I want to bring my machine all that way but if I do, that will be one burner at least.

 

If I'm there I will have my burner there.

Mine only does dvd-r and dvd-rw disks.

So have you already got them on dvd dude ?

 

I will have by next week, one of the sound guys I was working with yesterday has them,(transferred them himself from his own laser discs and did his own chapter breaks and menus) we wrap filming friday so we're gonna have normal lives back for a few days, he's gonna burn me copies then.
After I show him that I do have copies of the OT on video for backup purposes of course

 

According to DVDTimes.co.uk they have said that Fox
Home Entertainment have revealed to them the participants in the
audio commentaries.

"For each film in the trilogy audio commentaries have been recorded
with George Lucas (creator/director), Ben Burtt (sound designer),
Dennis Muren (visual effects) and Carrie Fisher (actor) present for
all three. Irvin Kershner (director) joins the group for The Empire
Strikes Back, as does Lawrence Kasdan (writer) who stays on for
Return of the Jedi."

This is great news. Pitty that Harrison and Mark couldn't join but
I'm glad that Irvin, Lawrence and Carrie have jumped on board with
the regulars from the Prequel DVD releases.

 

29 Days to go.

 

Just been reading alot on the DVD and Lucas has once again made many changes to the Special Edition version. Some very minor and some very drastic.

 

I've got my originals from the laser disc version. I might get the official ones at some point but only for the sake of getting professional quality copies. I'm not thrilled about the films being changed even more than they already have and I'll probably stick to only watching the original version.