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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

ST TFA DVD/Blu-ray Discussion

Discussion in 'Sequel Trilogy' started by shine, Dec 18, 2015.

  1. JabbatheHumanBeing

    JabbatheHumanBeing Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 14, 2015

    Well, Lucasfilm at least wouldn't have to worry about BB-8 breaking his NDA!
     
    EHT likes this.
  2. Mister Bones

    Mister Bones Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2016

    [face_laugh][face_laugh]

    (I wouldn't normally reply just with some smilies, but that was hilarious.)
     
    EHT likes this.
  3. Jedi_Sith_Smuggler_Droid

    Jedi_Sith_Smuggler_Droid Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 13, 2014

    What about the reporters who speak droid?
     
    EHT likes this.
  4. jedijax

    jedijax Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 2, 2013
    Anyone want to predict when the special features will be announced? Or better yet, when the names of these features will be leaked? (not the features themselves but what will be included)

    I'd consider getting this despite not having a 3D player IF they do something like they did with the saga BR set and release all new features and a plethora of deleted scenes. Will this be something just for 3D buffs or will it actually be worth it for 2D folks to double dip?
     
  5. seventhbeacon

    seventhbeacon Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 3, 2015
    I love love love this movie. I was very underwhelmed with the special features. Not even one commentary track? Really? As releases go, both TFA and Rebels Season 2 are seriously lacking in the content department. Same with Agents of SHIELD Season 2 and Agent Carter Season 1, all three of which I have not bought for that very reason. The latter two especially being Amazon-only exclusives, where the prices have been inflatingly high for ages, really peeved me off. I keep waiting for a non-exclusive version of them, or some sort of evidence that will ever happen...
     
  6. BigAl6ft6

    BigAl6ft6 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Nov 12, 2012
    Extra features ain't like they used to be in the PT/OT DVD release heydays. To be honest, I actually don't watch them that much myself anymore either.
     
    -Jedi Joe- likes this.
  7. themoth

    themoth Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 5, 2015
    I'm only really interested in deleted scenes. The rest is just a bonus.
     
  8. EHT

    EHT Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 13, 2007
    I like knowing I have the bonus features, but yeah... I end up not watching them as much as I think I will. I've watched all the bonus features that came with the TFA Blu-ray just one time each so far. The movie itself we've watched many times. I rarely get annoyed at what does or doesn't get included anyway, because I kind of view it all as extras on top of the main dish anyway.
     
    BigAl6ft6 likes this.
  9. theMaestro

    theMaestro Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2015
    Back in the days of the PT/OT DVD releases, having bonus features on home releases was kind of a new thing right? I mean, there's only so much you can put before the movie in a VHS before people get impatient for the movie to start. So it was uncharted territory and people didn't know how it should be done. And so, the documentaries in those days felt like real documentaries that tried to convey an all-encompassing and truthful narrative of how the movies were made; they even included things like creative disagreements and obstacles during production. They were like the first season of the reality show "Survivor"; it was raw and not deliberately edited to push a certain narrative (unlike today, where the show is heavily edited).

    But nowadays, bonus features on home video releases are a known factor. They're no longer new and companies know how to handle them. So if you look at the main TFA documentary, it seems like it's pushing the narrative that everything was "roses and sunshine" during production (besides the obvious PR-approved discussion about Harrison's injury). It doesn't touch on creative differences between Lucas and the Disney execs. It doesn't talk about the difficulty JJ & Kasden had getting the story done in time for production. It doesn't even mention the disagreements (which is a rumor I've heard from someone I think is reliable) JJ had with Ben Burtt. Everyone is just talking about how great everything is. And while they should be positive about their movie, I also want to hear about the juicy stuff! I want to know what had a falling out with who. I want to know if the first cut was an "unmitigated disaster" as the first cut of ANH apparently was. And we know from various documentaries that George Lucas' direction famously consisted of "faster, more intense"; so what is one quirk that JJ has while directing? Does anyone on the cast or crew have any comments about his direction that even remotely resemble criticism?

    What do you guys think? Is the lack of amazing bonus content the result of a more PR-centric approach by Disney to control the narrative of this film's production? Or is this more a matter of not wanting to reveal too much until the entire trilogy is complete? It is interesting to note that the "Making Of" book for TFA has been indefinitely delayed; whatever the reason for that is, it doesn't seem like Disney is in any rush for people to know the juicy details behind this film's production...for now, at least.
     
  10. EHT

    EHT Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 13, 2007
    Maybe, but I also can't think of too many other movies that included those types of "juicy behind-the-scenes drama" tidbits in their bonus feature "making of" documentaries either.
     
    DarthCricketer likes this.
  11. theMaestro

    theMaestro Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2015
    Yeah that's a good point. I guess if the "Disney wanting to control the narrative" reason is correct, then it seems to be a pretty common approach, especially these days. Maybe the OT/PT DVDs were the true deviations from the norm.
     
  12. B99

    B99 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 10, 2014
    Whos watching TFA tonight on Starz?
     
    Ricardo Funes likes this.
  13. Martoto77

    Martoto77 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2016
    I honestly found the extra features on the PT discs to be a little tiresome. As do the extra features on most new movies released to disc. It's hard to really be that enthused by supplements looking back at a movie that's only just been released and it often feels like that content producers struggle with that problem too.

    Extra features for movies newly released or re-released to disc but have been out for a little while benefit greatly from a bit of perspective. The documentary that came with TFA was quite successful in that the people involved were genuinely (or acting) spontaneously enthused with the whole process and the feeling of getting the show back on the road.
     
  14. Orrelios

    Orrelios Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 21, 2005
    This has probably been brough up before, but why didn't they put 'Episode VII' on the spine and the cover?

    I know it was advertised as only Star Wars: The Force Awakens before and while it was playing in theaters, likely to better sell the movie to new audiences who could be confused by it's numbered subtitle (even though the opening scroll does say Episode VII), but I definitely think that they should have added it to the paper inserts of the home releases, not only to better line up with the releases of the previous movies but because it is the next movie, the seventh part, of the saga and I feel it's kinda wrong to ignore that fact even though it's just the packaging.
     
    Prisic Duskleap likes this.
  15. theMaestro

    theMaestro Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2015
    It might be about accessibility. Like if a newcomer to the franchise just saw "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", they might be more inclined to buy it rather than if it had "Episode 7" in the title since that would imply that they had to go back and watch 1-6 before watching this one; and that implied time commitment might dissuade some from buying the movie. So I think it probably made sense from a business perspective to leave out the number on the Bluray & promotional materials, but to include it in the crawl.
     
  16. Darth_Harmon

    Darth_Harmon Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 4, 2005
    Disney, and studios in general, have been dropping the numbering for a while now for the exact reasons mentioned above. Personally, I think Star Wars is an exception. The movies are insanely popular and a good majority of audiences have seen 1-6. The prequels made the numbering very important, and even TFA was known as Episode 7 in popular culture. Lucasfilm should embrace the numbers and the titles.
     
    Prisic Duskleap likes this.
  17. Leoluca Randisi

    Leoluca Randisi Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 2014
    I don't know If this is the right forum but TFA Is available on STARZ Today! I think it looks great on my LG HD 42 Inch TV !
     
    B99 likes this.
  18. Gamma626

    Gamma626 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 6, 2014
    The Hobbit Extended editions detailed an emotional breakdown for Ian due to being on set by himself with a green screen. The middle earth bonus features are incredibly raw in that regard. They probably have the best bonus content of any film series, ever.
     
    Dagobahsystem and thejeditraitor like this.
  19. EHT

    EHT Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 13, 2007
    Yeah, those would definitely be some of the exceptions to that general rule.
     
    thejeditraitor likes this.
  20. thejeditraitor

    thejeditraitor Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2003
    yeah the lotr/hobbit extended edition bts has spoiled all other bts.
     
    Dagobahsystem and Ricardo Funes like this.
  21. A Chorus of Disapproval

    A Chorus of Disapproval Head Admin & TV Screaming Service star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2003
    I am in complete alignment with those who have said that BTS stuff is generally lovely but it ends up not getting much mileage from me. The sole exception is the short doc on how they restored Dracula (1931). I cannot reasonably estimate how many times I have watched it, forced people to watch it, recommended it, etc. I would watch that ish scrambled on Cinemax in an hourly rated motel room.
     
    Valency Jane and EHT like this.
  22. Pro Scoundrel

    Pro Scoundrel New Films Expert At Modding Casual star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 20, 2012
    I'm a special features nut. I love BTS/Making of documentaries almost as much as the films themselves. I've watched "Empire Of Dreams" an unhealthy amount of times. And, I agree that the LOTR extended cut features are the gold standard.
     
  23. Siphonophore

    Siphonophore Chosen One star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 13, 2003
    When I stop my TFA Blu-ray, the player's menu lists what's in the tray:

    Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Widescreen
    Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford [Indiana Jones]
     
  24. starocean90

    starocean90 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Feb 19, 2014
  25. B99

    B99 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 10, 2014
    I personally really hope there isn't more/extended footage!