Star Wars coming to Blu-ray!

Look at the two babies at the end of Episode three. Luke's eyes are still shut when he is returned to his Uncle and Aunt on Tatooine. Leia's eyes are open when she is given to her adopted mother. The implication is they were open when she was born. So, the images Leai had were of Padme. Since Luke's eyes had not opened he had no memory of his mother.

Now fans have trouble with this. It can't be. They are only babies. Babies are too young to remember images when they are newly born. Yes, they are babies...alien babies! They live in another galaxy and can move things by a force with a city in a cloud, etc.

 

Yep, that's one of about a hundred logistical inconsistencies in the films. You might be able to excuse it by saying that with twins, one might get more of a certain biological trait than the other; maybe Luke got 90% of the force, and Leia only got 10%. That might explain why Vader didn't pick up on this earlier on. And yet, it doesn't explain why Vader didn't know he was Luke and Leia's father in the first film, but at least knew he was Luke's father in the second, and acknowledged Leia in the third. ("Sister!")

The Secret History of Star Wars makes a good case that flaws like this happened because Lucas had no real idea what was going to happen in the earlier episodes. In fact, the author makes a very strong case that the character of Luke's father was intended to be separate from Darth Vader even when they started writing The Empire Strikes Back. Lucas himself is vague on the issue, which the book illustrates by pulling out interviews from 1977 and 1978.

 

Good idea!

 

Well... in ANH Luke has done some work (the lightsaber training on the Millennium Falcon) towards learning about the force and is certainly a believer by the film's end, so maybe Vader picks up on that. Leia, on the other hand, didn't seem to have any knowledge or interest in the force.

I had a thought today. It will be interesting to see what kids who were five years old or so when the PT started and loved those films, Jar Jar and all, will have to say about them when they are in their 30s. I wonder if the love will still be there.

Vidiot - I have read that "Secret History of Star Wars". It is a very interesting read. Needs a good edit though. It's about 200 pages too long.

 

Well, one argument is that Luke was being trained to use the Force by Obi-Wan, and was actually in communication with the "spirit" of Obi-Wan in the Death Star trench, where he takes that leap of faith and uses the Force to guide his torpedo. Leia, on the other hand, had not been trained to consciously use the Force.

 

I'm with his wife - I always interpreted that line to be literal and that Vader sensed Luke's Force skills, just like he sensed Obi-Wan's presence on the Death Star.

I like the convoluted explanations for why Leia's force wasn't noticeable, but the truth is that Vader didn't sense the Force in his daughter during "Star Wars" because Lucas hadn't figured the lineage out yet!

 

The best way to get around all these inconsistencies is to treat the first movie as a stand alone movie. It's fairly obvious (at least to me) the first movie was written with no detailed thoughts of a sequel especially one where Darth Vader is Luke's father. I personally have disowned the other movies and prefer to think of Darth Vader as a Jedi who turned to the dark side and killed Luke's real father. It works for me.

 

Yeah, repeats some stuff, too. But for what appears to be a fan-published book, it was far better than I expected. And I had a hard time disagreeing with most of the author's conclusions.

Exactly.

 

This is what I plan on doing. I can just hear my son or daughter now, "Daddy, who's Jar Jar Binks?" "Er, nobody, sweetheart...want to watch Empire Strikes Back again?"

 

"What's a midichlorine?"

"Something they use in pools, I think...."

 

Deleted scenes revealed via official trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCv6XZFf9tk

Looks good!

 

I wonder if these are going to use the 2004 transfers for the OT? If so Luke's green lightsaber in A New Hope and Vader's pink one in Empire are going to look fantastic in HD.

 

Still not touching these with a ten foot pole. It's the original theatrical versions or nothing.

 

A purported list of the special features is now circulating among fans. There is some reason to be skeptical that it's genuine (as the original report provides no sourcing, to the best of my knowledge), but if it's inauthentic, it's written in an impressively convincing manner with details that are hard to imagine a hoax including.

I've extracted a list of the deleted scenes from the original report, but the full list of features is included below as well. If nothing else, it may provide context for some of the more vaguely titled scenes.

I've been waiting to see many of these scenes since I first read the comic book adaption of the first movie and was confused and intrigued by Biggs, Jabba, and other elements that I wasn't familiar with from the theatric cut. Since then, I've sought out information about cut footage with great interest, and I'm awaiting their long-overdue release with tremendous anticipation.

It occurs to me that the "luke watches battle with binoculars" scene isn't listed, despite being included in the teaser trailer. Assuming the list is genuine, you have to assume it's now part of the Tosche Station sequence. Likewise, I'm assuming that C-3PO removing the Wampa warning sign on Echo Base is simply part of the "deleted wampa scenes."

Strangely, many (perhaps all, I haven't compared them directly yet) of the deleted scenes from the Prequel Trilogy that were part of the DVDs seem to be missing. I wonder if they're on another disc (presumably that of the corresponding film)? Also a bit odd that the report only uses roman numerals for the first two episodes, but I assume that's just a transcription error.

STAR WARS SAGA DELETED SCENES

Episode I

Trash-Talking Droids
The Battle Is Over
Anakin’s Return
Battle on the Boarding Ramp
Extended Podrace Wager
Bail Organa of Alderaan

Episode II

Extended Speeder Chase
The Lost Twenty
Anakin’s Nightmares
Anakin and Ruwee
Raid on the Droid Control Ship and Extended Arena Fight

Episode 3

Elevator Antics
Escape Through the Hangar
Changes to the Constitution
Utapau Chase Animatics
Mustafar Duel Animatics
Mustafar Duel
Lava River Animatics
Kashyyyk Attack and Order 66 Animatic
Anakin Kills Shaak Ti
Jedi Imposters at the Temple
Senate Duel Animatic
Yoda Communes with Qui-Gon


Episode 4

Tosche Station
Old Woman on Tatooine
Aunt Beru’s Blue Milk
The Search for R2-D2
Cantina Rough Cut
Stormtrooper Search
Darth Vader Widens the Search
Alternate Biggs and Luke Reunion

Episode 5

Han and Leia: Extended Echo Base Argument
Luke’s Recovery
Luke and Leia:Medical Center
Deleted Wampa Scenes
The Fate of General Veers
Yoda’s Test
Hiding in the Asteroid
Alternate Han and Leia Kiss
Lobot’s Capture
Leia Tends to Luke

Episode 6

Vader’s Arrival and Reaching Out to Luke
Tatooine Sandstorm
Rebel Raid on the Bunker
Jerjerrod’s Conflict
Battle of Endor: The Lost Rebels


SPECIAL FEATURES DISCS - BREAKDOWN!

Episode I
• Archive Fly-Through
• Naboo
•Interviews
Naboo Overview / Liam Neeson Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scenes
Trash-Talking Droids / The Battle Is Over / Anakin’s Return
•The Collection
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery
• Tatooine
•Interview
Tatooine Overview / Rick McCallum Interview(Podracers) / Rick McCallum Interview(Filming in Tunisia)
•Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Battle on the Boarding Ramp / Extended Podrace Wager
•The Collection
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Coruscant:
•Interviews:
Coruscant Overview / George Lucas on Preparing to Write Episode I – 1994
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Bail Organa of Alderaan
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:

Episode II
• Coruscant:
•Interviews:
Coruscant Overview / Ewan McGregor Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Extended Speeder Chase / The Lost Twenty
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Naboo:
•Naboo Overview:
•Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Anakin’s Nightmares / Anakin and Ruwee
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Tatooine
•Tatooine Overview:
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Geonosis:
•Interviews:
Geonosis Overview / Hayden Christensen Interview / Blue Screen Acting
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Raid on the Droid Control Ship and Extended Arena Fight
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:

Episode 3
• Coruscant:
•Interviews:
Coruscant Overview / Samuel L. Jackson Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scenes
Elevator Antics / Escape Through the Hangar / Changes to the Constitution
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Utapau:
•Utapau Overview:
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Utapau Chase Animatics
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Mustafar:
•Interviews:
Mustafar Overview / Natalie Portman Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Mustafar Duel Animatics / Mustafar Duel/Lava River Animatics
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Kashyyyk and Order 66:
•Kashyyyk and Order 66 Overview:
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Kashyyyk Attack and Order 66 Animatic / Anakin Kills Shaak Ti / Jedi Imposters
at the Temple / Senate Duel Animatic / Yoda Communes with Qui-Gon
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:


SPECIAL FEATURES

Episode 4
• Archive Fly-Through:
• Tatooine:
•Interviews:
Tatooine Overview / Mark Hamil Interview / Anthony Daniels Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scenes: »
Tosche Station / Old Woman on Tatooine / Aunt Beru’s Blue Milk /
The Search for R2-D2 / Cantina Rough Cut / Stormtrooper Search
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Aboard the Death Star:
•Interviews:
Aboard the Death Star Overview / Carrie Fisher Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Darth Vader Widens the Search
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• The Battle of Yavin:
•The Battle of Yavin Overview:
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Alternate Biggs and Luke Reunion
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:

Episode 5´
• Hoth:
•Interviews:
Hoth Overview / George Lucas on Editing The Empire Strikes Back – 1979 /
Irvin Kershner Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Han and Leia: Extended Echo Base Argument / Luke’s Recovery / Luke and Leia:
Medical Center / Deleted Wampa Scenes / The Fate of General Veers
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Dagobah:
•Interviews:
Dagobah Overview / George Lucas on the Force - 2010
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Yoda’s Test
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Pursued by the Imperial Fleet:
•Pursued by the Imperial Fleet Overview:
•Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Hiding in the Asteroid / Alternate Han and Leia Kiss
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Cloud City:
•Cloud City Overview:
•Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Lobot’s Capture / Leia Tends to Luke
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:

Episode 6
• Tatooine:
•Tatooine Overview:
•Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Vader’s Arrival and Reaching Out to Luke / Tatooine Sandstorm
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Endor:
•Interviews:
Endor Overview / Harrison Ford Interview
•Deleted/Extended Scene:
Rebel Raid on the Bunker
•The Collection:
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery:
• Death Star Space Battle:
•Death Star Space Battle Overview
•Deleted/Extended Scenes
Jerjerrod’s Conflict / Battle of Endor: The Lost Rebels
•The Collection
360°Turnaronds / Video Commentaries
•Concept Art Gallery

• Documentaries:
•The Making of Star Wars: (SD 49 minutes)
•The Empire Strikes Back: SPFX: (SD 48 minutes)
•Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi: (SD 48 minutes)
•Anatomy of a Dewback: (SD 26 minutes)
•Star Warriors: ( SD 84 minutes)
•Star Wars Tech: (HD, 46 minutes)
•A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later (HD, 25 minutes)
• Star Wars Spoofs (HD, 91 minutes)

 

I did my best with those details, but the scans were often clipped out to the point where I couldn't get a lot of color back into them. My hope is that they redid these effects in CG, because it would look a lot better than what's on the 1977 negatives.

The transfers we did in 2004 were all at 2K resolution, so in theory, they'll hold up fine for HD.

 

I had thought they were only 1080p. At 2K that will hold up better.

Nice to see someone saying errors/issues weren't "deliberate creative decisions". Through things like the Home Theater Forum Q&A thread and some press releases LFL has said that some things have been corrected. Looking at trailers/previews/screenshots (not the best method, but still a bit of an indicator) I think they messed around with some levels because the image is brighter but issues are still there.

Vidiot, does this mean you saw the o-negs in the process of the scan?

 

I wasn't quite five and I'm not quite thirty but i more or less fall into the age range you suggest. When I look at the films objectively, yes the prequels are a shadow of the original trilogy, but i still love them. I think people tend to forget that all the star wars movies are kids movies. Jar Jar does get on my nerves but no more than the ewokes. And the prequels gave us Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson who I think are only out shined by Vader in the original trilogy (as far as Jedi are concerned).

I did watch the original trilogy on TV as a kid but my first star wars theatrical experience was waiting in line with my parents to see Episode One. Walking out of that theater i can tell you that all i wanted to be was a Jedi. I think as time goes by that the younger fans that saw the prequels in theaters will be kinder to them than those who grew up with the original trilogy.

 

The 2011 Star Wars Saga Blu-rays - First Insights

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/starwarsbds/preview.html

 

The Digital Bits got a preview of the new set:

"Once again, George has apparently added a few new "surprises" into these films. I don't know what they are and didn't get to see any of them on Friday, but I was assured that there will be "new things to notice" when we watch the films."

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/starwarsbds/preview.html

This trailer shows the packaging for the Complete Saga set. Good luck keeping those discs from getting scratched.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLhGocXP-Is

 

Yes, 100% of the time. The OCNs were scanned by Post Group in Hollywood, and I did all the final color at IL+M in San Rafael in Building C (the old post building) on Kerner Blvd., using conformed 2K scans on a Quantel iQ, and a Pandora Platinum color corrector. This was from February-April of 2004.

We were using the 1999 version of the movie with some new fixes, so these were the revised effects versions from that time. Certain sequences were almost completely new, like the updated Jabba.

All I will say about the creative choices is that what you saw is exactly what the director specifically wanted. I was told several times that this was the first (and at that time, the only) video transfer Lucas had ever personally supervised.

 

For your amusement if nothing else: there is a rumor that that The Holiday Special might be included as an Easter egg (just about impossible to believe) or perhaps just the Boba Fett cartoon from it (which seems more plausible). In fact, the packaging for the Complete Saga set does include a piece of artwork inspired by that Fett cartoon (technically, his debut appearance), so maybe there's something to it?

 

Well there's your problem, right there.

 

Vidiot, was the Lowry Digital restoration done after your color correction sessions?

Derek

 

Yes. I was actually very impressed, given that what I saw had all kinds of noise, dirt, and damage in it, and then we'd ship the DPX files out and a week or two later we'd get back in the cleaned, perfect-looking pictures. Those guys are miracle workers.

 

Didn't Lucas crush all copies of the Holiday Special with a hammer?

You know, before he did the same thing to the 77/80/83 films.