PT Phantom Menace 3D Review

Just watched n early midnight showing in the UK and reviewed it here - http://theyorker.co.uk/arts/film/10422 - and thought you guys might want it.

Summary is that it works, the 3D adds to it and I heartily recommend it - but it's not perfect.

 

It didn't seem much different to me...

 

There were a few differences, and the 3D was better than other conversions (for the most part) and on occasion was very noticeable - but you're right, of course, that it didn't really add a massive amount to the film. Still, it wasn't useless or detrimental and that, at least, means that it's another chance to watch TPM in cinemas - but with the upgraded graphics (and good version of Yoda) that makes it even better than its initial release.

Sure, I was hoping that they killed off Jar Jar in the droid army scene and then spliced him out of the other two prequels, but I wasn't really expecting any major changes. I don't know what other differences there could have, realistically, been to improve the film..?

 

The Herald Sun here in Australia reviewed it too. They said it's like watching it through a wet sock.

 

I guess my only question is what format is used? Meaning is this the Blur-ray "Phantom Menace" or not?

 

As luck would have it, that's how I normally watch it.

 

Bad movies come out every single week. 13 years after the fact everybody still wants to talk about just one movie they think is bad. What does that tell me? Its not bad at all.

 

It's beautiful.

I caught an 11am showing at the local Vue cinema this morning. This was definitely a 'scenery' viewing since I'm familiar with the story. The planet and space scenes are great and you'll find yourself noticing a ton of background stuff that you might have missed before. I loved it.

 

I'ts the Blu-ray version, but obviously they are using master of the film, not the Blu-ray.

 

Here's my take, cut and paste from another forum:

OK, just got back from the midnight and here's the verdict:

It's the blu-ray cut of Episode I. I didn't notice any significant changes to the movie beyond what was on the blu.

As for the 3D, it looked best on the shots created in the computer (spacecrafts, planetary long shots, the pod race, etc.). A couple of shots looked re-composited in order to create a look of "depth". I certainly don't remember so many over the shoulder shots of between two people to focus on the background. There MAY have been an additional spaceship or something else created for a flyby to create depth as well. I will also say the re-composition may hurt some of the image quality as some of the actors seemed fuzzy around the edges, especially if they were in the foreground.

Be warned, it's taxing on the eyes as well. My right eye started to bother me about two-thirds of the way through. Believe me, I was getting grateful by the time we got back to Naboo since I knew the end was nigh.

That being said, not much else changed. I did seem more aware of the movie's flaws as I was watching (Jar Jar and Jake Lloyd's inability to convey emotion), but I would still argue that a bad Star Wars movie is better than a lot of the current crop of movies out there.

 

Just got back from the midnight showing, and I have to agree with the general consensus: I didn't notice the 3D really adding anything noticeable, except for perhaps a general sensation of there being more 'depth'. I expected it to be blurrier than it actually was. All in all, the quality was still pretty good. Seemed like the podrace scenes especially benefited from the 3D polish.

Once I got over the fact that the 3D wasn't going to be a big pop-bang production (around the halfway point) I stopped looking for it and just sat back and enjoyed the rest of the movie.

Looking forward to Episode II and another midnight showing!

 

What about Duel of the Fates?

How's THAT look?

I still haven't got the PT BluRays yet, so I'm still in the dark.

 

Based on what people are saying about the digital graphic bits looking best, that bodes very well for AOTC and ROTS....

 

Nothing special. I mean, nothing special beyond the already-amazing awesomeness of those scenes.

 

For all its flaws I loved the experience. Even if it wasn't 3D or wasn't the blu-ray version I would have gone to see it. I couldn't miss the opportunity to go to a SW movie in the cinema. It brought me back when I was 10 years old and saw it for the first time. I was so anxious the whole day, as if I was going to watch it for the first time... And when the 20th century fox fanfare was over and the LucasFilm LTD. logo and the crawl appeared...it was priceless. Sorry for my incoherent thoughts, I can't think straight now...

 

I thought it was pretty awesome. I mean, 13 years after its original release, I still have very fond feelings for this movie, and the one thing that I really didn't like the first time around (the awful Yoda puppet) has been removed.

(Mind you, I didn't mind that Yoda was originally a puppet, just that the puppet looked wrong... like stoner Yoda or something).

It is also really exciting to watch the movie with an all-new Lucasfilm logo. And just in case anyone's curious about it, the final credits have been recomposited so that they include the stereo conversion staffers (the cast list now appears in two columns instead of one). There's also a new copyright date at the very end, it's now ©2012, not ©1999 like it was originally.

As long as you don't have ridiculously high expectations and also as long as they don't mess up the projection (like not having enough light or being out-of-focus), every SW fan who enjoyed this the first time around should have a pretty good time with the 3-D conversion.

 

Just back from the cinema and my first ever viewing of TPM on the big screen. I had a great time! Loved it.. The 3D was nothing special; but the experience of a SW movie on the big screen again was certainly something i`v been waiting for..

Barely 40 people in the theatre; but i didnt mind.. I was the last one out the doors, as i watched the final credits to the very end

Cant wait for AOTC to hit the big screen!

 

I went and saw it this afternoon, and I don't think I stopped smiling once during the 146 minute runtime. I was expecting more 'make you jump in your seat' 3D effects, but enjoyed the film nonetheless. I actually think I enjoyed it MORE than I ever have before, even when I saw it on the big screen for the first time nearly 13 years ago (it's hard to believe that it's been that long since the film premiered). It was also neat (and pretty surreal) seeing the opening crawl (which I happen to think is one of the best in the entire Saga) rendered in 3D.

 

I only enjoyed the 3D in a few instances. The movie I still love to pieces but I thought the 3D didn't look very good. The 3D makes some of The Phantom Menace's age stand out more. With the exception of Coruscant, the podrace, and some of the final battle, there's nothing worth seeing in 3D and a lot of times the 3D made heavy CG scenes, like the Gungan-Droid fight, just look ugly.

 

Although the film is still a steaming pile of bantha poodoo (not that they could change it anyway), the price of admission is well worth it for the pod race scenes alone. The 3D added tremendously to the action. I swear I had a mild cardial infarction!

 

I enjoyed the movie be it in 3D, Blu-ray, DVD, whatever. I have always enjoyed the movie I will never stop enjoying it. I had fun last night being able to see it again on the big screen. I had forgot how much I enjoyed it the first time I saw it on the big screen.

 

Saw it again last night, this time with my daughter (16 year old Star Wars nut). Had a blast and so did the audience. Clapping and cheering at the crawl and the close of the picture. Lots of chuckles by the kids at Jar Jar's antics... the tongue gag at the dinner table and Jar Jar getting his hand stuck in the engine got the biggest laughs.

I really enjoyed the 3-D conversion for TPM. It's more about a sense of depth and drawing you into the movie than stuff flying at the screen. Some scenes really stood out, in particlular the opening on the Trade Federation ship, the arrival at Mos Espa and the pod race. The lightsaber duel looked fantastic, especially the big blaster door opening to reveal Darth Maul.

Certainly looked as vibrant as I remember in theaters back in 99 and did not suffer the same murkiness that other transfers have had from time to time. But then again I went to a Harkins Theater (metro Phoenix area) and they are always good for a quality presentation.


Yancy

 

Was it really necessary for you to say that? Think where you are....

 

Just got back and i have to say i thought the picture quality was horrendous not even Dvd quality, everthing that wasnt cgi was washed out and blurred.On a positive note the 3d conversion has given me high hopes for episodes 2&3 as they are much more cgi heavy and they will benifit a lot more from a 3d conversion.Hopefully by the time we get to the OT the tech and know how will have advanced enough for their conversions and as we all know George Lucas will then go back and do TPMs conversion again.

 

actually I think II and III will look worse because they were only shot in 1080 video , plus they're generally dark in image quality which is always where 3D looks worst .