The eventual release of the Prequel Trilogy on 4k Blu Ray...

No matter what it is the best the movies have ever looked. I cant wait to get all of my preorders here in germany. The release in germany is set for April 30th.

 

This certainly changes my plans. Instead of buying some massive 9 film set, I might just get the 4k releases piecemeal and skip TPM and AOTC for now, hoping that some future release will improve these two.

 

They're improved quite a bit. The picture quality is without doubt better. Not the huge jump we see in the OT but you'll see the difference. The audio is a giant step forward.* The mix on the BluRays is some of the best I've ever heard. The way ships and voices move around 7.1 sound is some of the best mixing I've ever heard. High recommend these for that alone.


*Return of the Jedi looks reshot compared to the DVD and 2011 BluRay.

 

So are these versions indeed the ones included on Disney+? I must admit that when I rewatched the films in the lead up to TROS, I was rather disappointed in how TPM looked.

 

I hate to say this, but I wouldn't count on Disney doing a new 4K transfer on any existing PT / OT film, let alone on physical medium. A simple re-release with one new extra, maybe. It's Disney, they only want to push their streaming platform and they're no friends of people owning home releases, they *never* were. Since the winter of 2019 theaters aren't even allowed to show Disney and Fox catalogue films on the big screen anymore.

They'd have to go back to the individual elements for TPM and build it back together from the ground up in order to get the highest-quality scan out of the shot-on-celluloid material. This is something GL might have greenlit eventually- he was even willing to go back and do a second pass at TPM 3D after he saw how much further you could push the stereoscopic effect on AOTC 3D and ROTS 3D (the former I saw, and it was breathtaking, the latter I unfortunately I was four people in line short of making into the screening). If Paramount owned Star Wars, it would be more likeley they'd put in the effort of rebuilding TPM by splitting up the 35mm material and the CGI work (see their incredibly work on TNG, TOS).

As it stands, TPM looks the best it's ever looked on a *home release*, period. Maybe when some fans are done doing a 35mm restoration we'll have something that looks truer to the cinematic release from 1999, which will restore some of the surface detail and grain that was DNR'd out of some shots.
Same for AOTC, with the exception of that blanket teal tint, which can be managed. Only the HDTV source looked more accurate to the film's release.

 

I watched ROTS last night and I am blown away by the visuals. I'm watching tonight AOTC just to see what visual color improvements have been made. That movie is of interest because of the fact that its completely digital so it's going to look even more amazing

 

Does the AOTC 4k still have the odd teal tint?
(Sorry if this has already been answered)

 

With everything Disney has done to restore and preserve so many of their classic films, I hold out hope for such work to be done with Star Wars.

 

I actually didn't mind the teal hue on the Blu-ray version. IMO it added a kind of more earthy grittiness to the overall visual tone of the film, which before felt a little to polished and video-gamey in its color palette before. Not sure what the 4K version does, but if the restoration to a deeper and more natural color grading that was done with the OT, then perhaps it could look its best yet in 4K!

 

I agree for the most part with the exception of the Kamino scenes. The “furniture made of light” feels off in the Blu-ray, as well as a few other scenes. But you’re right, it does look better for the most part.

 

Funny you mention that, cos to me Kamino was one of the parts of the blu ray version that looked better! The background isn't just a blinding white, but has other faded colors, and the color tone when they're walking thru the clone training facility looks particularly good IMO.

 

OK, I got the 4ks a few days ago and I've been watching them. That is, so far I've watched ROTJ and AOTC.

As for AOTC, that hue we talked about one and a half months ago here (see the previous couple of posts) isn't as present on the 4k as it was on the old Blu-ray Disk. Overall, as you'd predict, AOTC looks better than the original BD but not by a whole lot--it doesn't look sharper, but the colors are better balanced. IMO.

It sounds fantastic though, especially if you have a surround sound setup. AOTC has always sounded fantastic, now it sounds even better.

ROTJ though. Holy hell. I didn't particularly like the way it looked on the old BD--maybe it's just my TV--but that's all moot now. The new 4k looks spectacular.

 

I am waiting for the Disney Movie Club to have their sale with 60% off AND free shipping, then I think I will pounce on the SW films I don't already have in 4k.

 

Just to get back to this post, I forgot to mention something. On the new 4k, the elevator scene at the beginning looks awful, especially Anakin’s face which looks all waxy—presumably from DNR. I don’t know why TPTB deemed excessive DNR to be necessary. It’s just in this scene though, IIRC.

 

Still no word on a UK release date? I only have the 2011 OT and PT Blu Rays, I refuse to buy the Skywalker saga as the last 3 films were utter garbage

 

I never even bought the Blu Rays

 

The Blu Rays look decent especially Revenge of the Sith, I have a 4K Blu ray player and TV so upscaling will help but I really am waiting for the Original Trilogy and the Prequels to get a 4K release here in the UK, I would buy them individually if possible, I know the US have new 4K releases but seeing as they are region A would be no good for a UK Blu Ray player. But the Blu Rays are decent for what they are, It all depends on your set up.

 

Saw this interesting bit of info in the Sequel Trilogy thread about Revenge of the Sith being changed on DVD from the theatrical release.

Does anyone have info on these changes?

 

The only one I can recall with 100% certainty is the music. It's never been changed, nor did the theatrical cut use a different version. I specifically remember being upset they cut the music off of the soundtrack even as far back as 2005.

 

It all matters. 4k vs 2k difference is trivial to spot.
I remember people claiming home screens were too small for people to notice the difference between VHS and DVD and then DVD and HD etc. too.

 

The digital camera did act a little wonky at times and it was more like 1450 across detail, etc. but also the home releases have tended to be a bit muted and sometimes weird colors compared to the theatrical (below):

 

The trailer colors were even more intense:

 

Thank you for sharing those beautiful 35mm scans, RogueDianoga! Especially that deleted scene shot from the Forbidden Love trailer is a pleasant surprise. We're so used to that shot in SD.

 

Thanks! Yeah it is cool to see this stuff! The full AOTC teaser trailer (Attack Of The Clones "Black Eyes" Trailer 'A') is up on another SW forum now in both 4k (UHD technically) and HD. It's still not quite a final finished product, but not so far off now. Same goes for the main TPM trailer (TPM Trailer 'B'). The main AOTC trailer and the TPM teaser are up there as well as a few stills in 4k (UHD) of the original 35mm theatrical version of the hands scene at the wedding (don't think this has ever been seen by more than a few a handfuls in anything even close to HD since the original theatrical release left theaters) too but not publicly yet.

 

In hindsight, I guess I'm glad I saw the 40th anniversary re-release of Alien in theaters when I did.