Just when George Lucas was starting to make his fans happy...

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 2:46pm

Yeah, so everyone was excited when Lucas finally announced he'd release the original theatrical versions of Star Wars on DVD, right? Of course. It's what a lot of the fans had been waiting for.

Unfortunately, it's recently come out that these are not going to be pristine, clean, restored, anamorphic widescreen transfers, but rather letterbox transfers copied from the original Laserdisc masters. Why? Because Lucas essentially "taped over" the original negatives when he made the Special Edition versions. According to LucasArts, there are just no more original masters to work from in the entire UNIVERSE.

The webcomic Penny Arcade just did a comic commentary on it (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/06/07), and more informative editorials can be found at AICN (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23493 and http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23367), and at The Digital Bits (http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocentsa121.html down at the bottom).

Final word? Lucas is full of crap and just can't get over the fact that fans like the original versions better.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:18pm

Well, I prefer letterbox editions but that's just me. But what kind of film person of his stature would record OVER a set of masters?

[greeneyed_one]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:31pm

What's the difference between letterboxed and wide-screen?

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:39pm

There is no difference. I think bwaysinger may have misunderstood the original post, which was about the quality of the transfer, rather than full-screen vs. letterboxed. The laserdisc editions were letterboxed (widescreen).

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:43pm

Anamorphic widescreen is basically just letterbox with a higher resolution. Letterboxing is just a type of widescreen, but anamorphic widescreen creates the best resolution with the most picture. Anamorphic widescreen is also the most effective on widescreen TVs, as you get the largest, clearest picture. A film just done in regular letterbox would actually have bars on the sides as well as the top and bottom in a widescreen TV, as opposed to one done in anamorphic widescreen which would fill the TV.

Anamorphic widescreen has pretty much become the standard in modern filmmaking. It's not something special, it's the norm, and George Lucas not doing it is ridiculous.

[Luscious]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:45pm

There's no difference between Letterbox and Widescreen; just two different terms for the same thing. However, there's a big difference between Widescreen and Anamorphic Widescreen. For detailed information click on the following links...

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/anamorphic/

http://thecinemalaser.com/anamorphic-enhancement-support-page.htm

Updated On: 6/9/06 at 03:45 PM

[Craig]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 4:05pm

I believe it's hogwash - and in about 5-10 years a pristine copy will be "discovered" in the vault - and will sell again...

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 5:01pm

I believe what you believe, Craig. Not that I give a damn, I hate the Star Wars films.

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 9:23pm

I did read where there were originally supposed to be 9 Star Wars films. When are the last three going to be made? Anyone know?

Not that I care, because I don't understand any of that Sci Fi stuff.

[Parks]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 9:36pm

For some reason, I misread this and thought it said, "George Lopez"...

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 9:46pm

Shold you be gropping yourself in such a manner, young man?

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 10:02pm

Fiction Writer, that was the original plan, but Lucas has said that he's since scrapped any plans for the last three (which would be set after the original trilogy chronologically).

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 10:03pm

Better he's gropping himself, than someone else gropping him. I guess.

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 10:14pm

True.

[tz0o]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 2:27pm

Wait, I'm confused. Does this mean that Greedo still shoots first?

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 4:37pm

No, Han shoots first. Just in bad quality.

Oh, I forgot to mention (although its in the links I provided) that the original versions aren't going to be sold separately, but only will be available in a set WITH the special edition versions that fans who are buying the original versions don't want ANYWAYS.

[mateo]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 4:41pm

do you know if the never before released Luke and Biggs scene included in the features? or any deleted scenes or features for that matter?

Updated On: 6/10/06 at 04:41 PM