I found this on www.digitalbits.com (http://www.digitalbits.com) web site. There seems to be an audio problem with the episode 4 disc.:(

I quote:

In all the hype over the DVD release of Star Wars, I'm afraid to say there's a bit of bad news about the discs (or at least one of them) from a quality standpoint. We've discovered what we believe are serious audio defects on Episode IV - A New Hope. We've updated our DVD review of the set (http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews3/starwarstrilogy.html) accordingly with the details as follows:

[Editor's Note: since we initially wrote this review, we've detected a number of audio/mixing errors on the DVD version of A New Hope. They are as follows:

1) The familiar Force theme trumpet fanfare that used to play right after Red Leader says: "This is it!" and just as the X-wings start diving towards the Death Star's surface has been dialed back in volume so that it's almost inaudible - it's almost completely buried in the surround mix.

2) The audio quality varies wildly as Tarkin says the line: "You would prefer another target, a military target? Then name the system." - almost as if the master sound element was damaged. It's very distracting.

3) Possibly most critically, John Williams' entire score for the film has been flipped in the rear channels, so that what should be the left rear channel is playing from the right rear channel (and vise versa). What this means is that the rear channels don't match the front channels - instruments heard from the front right channel come from the left rear instead of the right rear. Again, this is very distracting once you notice it.

These problems are certainly severe enough in our opinion to merit a repressing/exchange of the disc. We're waiting to hear back from Lucasfilm on this issue and we'll update this review with the details as soon as we do.]

If anyone else sees this problem, please let us know.

That would just figure.

Hopefully, someone already caught this before the preview DVD sets were sent out for review and this won't be present on the release discs.

No...this error is on the release discs.

If you check the SW Glitch thread on hometheaterforum you see that Lucasfilm is claiming this isn't a glitch at all. They claim it was a creative decision. So an instrument heard in the front right speaker can also be heard coming from the rear left speaker.

I just can't believe what absurdly BAD LIARS we are finding this week!

I'm not saying that people are anymore honest or dishonest today than they were 20 years ago. But, in "my day" if somebody told a lie, they at least tried to tell a plausible lie and they were damn embarrassed when they got caught!

Today, guys are telling lies that are so bad that they can't stand up to 5 minutes of examination. Did CBS News think they could pass along fake documents and not have the fraud exposed? Did Fox think they could put "Digitally Remastered" on their Lost in Space DVDs while admitting they used 1988 analogue tapes?

Does George Lucas think he can claim that this colossal, 124 minute glitch was a creative decision and people will believe him past Tuesday night?

In the good old days, a nice whopper of a lie could last for YEARS if you had a plausible cover story. You'd think people in the media today could come up with at least half-way believable baloney.

I tried very hard to snag this set today. Too busy with other things to get to it. I'm glad I didn't! What a gaff! It's gonna be fixed, right?

This reminds me of a line Khan had in an unused version of the ST 2 script. David lies to him about the location of the genesis torp, and he responds by saying,
if you're going to lie to me, I want to hear a great lie, a staggeringly lie, an overwhelming lie! (or words to that effect, it's been awhile since I saw the extract, it was in the MAKING OF TREK II book.)

Clearly the LucasFilm people weren't aware of the brilliance of this approach, or the even greater brilliance demonstrated in CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER, when Jack Ryan tells the president to tell so much truth that the press won't have anywhere left to go with their questions.

Once more I'm glad to have the pre-SE LDs.

I'm still going to grab the set today -- I'll just hope that a plan will be created that will allow exchanges for corrected discs later. There's too much inertia to turn back now. You know, once I start down the path to the store, forever will it dominate my destiny ...

You sure that wasn't Jon Lovitz telling us about this "creative decision"? :D "It's quadrophonical-esque! -- Yeah, that's the ticket! Did it myself, on the advice of my wife, Morgan Fairchild!"

Qapla'

SSB

What, did Rick Berman remix the music?

I watched Star Wars last night. The problem with the Dialog is during the whole movie. I suspect its damage and or wear and tear and it might be a problem that's not easily fixed.

I still have not bought the Back to the Future discs because of the image cropping problem. Is it fixed? If so, how do you know?

Concerning these Star Wars discs, George Lucas has more than enough money so he's not getting a damn penny from me until he fixes this crap. The man is a pompous ass.

Huzz

Well, I am sure that it will be fixed for the rumored "high-definition box set of the whole 6-film saga, possibly for the original film's 30th anniversary in 2007" (from digitalbits.com) Personally, I wish that Lucas would fess up to the fact that there were originally 9 films planned.

Personally, I wish that Lucas would fess up to the fact that there were originally 9 films planned.
He has. He said he's just not going to do them and he doesnt want anyone else to do them. He says he's too old now and wants to do other things.

I suspect a few years from now he'll change his mind. He's good at that.

Steve

I still have not bought the Back to the Future discs because of the image cropping problem. Is it fixed? If so, how do you know?


Yes it is fixed. I know becuase I had the "broken" ones first, then got them replaced, and can really see the difference.

He probably IS too old to do them...Doesn't he have kids though? They could follow in Daddy's footsteps...Surely he has OTHER talented people around him that could finish his vision.

Today, guys are telling lies that are so bad that they can't stand up to 5 minutes of examination. Did CBS News think they could pass along fake documents and not have the fraud exposed? Did Fox think they could put "Digitally Remastered" on their Lost in Space DVDs while admitting they used 1988 analogue tapes?

Does the Bush administration really think it can invade a country based on trumped up weapons charges?

Oops.

He probably IS too old to do them...Doesn't he have kids though? They could follow in Daddy's footsteps...Surely he has OTHER talented people around him that could finish his vision.

Remember, the recent TIME MACHINE movie was directed by H.G. Wells's great-grandson. Don't expect family members to be true to your vision.

Does the Bush administration really think it can invade a country based on trumped up weapons charges?

Oops.
Yeah, boy! It's a good thing CBS wasn't in charge of intelligence on Saddam Hussein's WMDs. If they had been, we would be in a real mess in Iraq right about now.

Can we please not go into this tangent?

I have a Slightly Diffrent Problem with this "Trilogy" DVD Set So far I just rented the New Hope Disc. Okay Well I was looking forward to seeing a Vibrant ,Sharp Restored 1977 Classic JUST THE WAY I SAW IT IN '77!! BUT what I'm seeing here is that "Star Wars Special Edition" footage Like the addition of The Storm Troopers on the Dewbacks (I think they're called that?)Anyhoo I want to see the Movie JUST LIKE it was WITHOUT the Added CGI Stuff. It's same way I don't like to alter my Original Auroras, It's like Being a Historian I would want to have at least One Copy of the UN -Tampered (Non-CGI) Version in my collection! thats just me... Now last thing A Question about the Original Star Wars Film, After the Droids crashland on Tatonie (Sp) you see the debris from the Escape Pod scattered over the Desert Well Finally My Question is How The Hell did R2 D2 climb out from that Wreckage? lol

JOHN/LONFAN

......Now last thing A Question about the Original Star Wars Film, After the Droids crashland on Tatonie (Sp) you see the debris from the Escape Pod scattered over the Desert Well Finally My Question is How The Hell did R2 D2 climb out from that Wreckage? lol

JOHN/LONFAN
Well, R-2 can fly since he has rockets built-in. So he must have flown out of the pod with c3po hanging about.

Of course this rises another problem with the plot/story. R2 should have flown to his destination instead of rolling!

Nah... when R2 has his boosters, they were added in for a specific purpose. R2 units are easily modifyable for a variety of purposes, so it is safe to assume that he had those boosters removed and replaced with other tools somewhere in the 20 years between AOTC and ANH....

And besides, he probably did it that same way he was able to walk down the stairs of Docking Bay 94....

Nah... when R2 has his boosters, they were added in for a specific purpose. R2 units are easily modifyable for a variety of purposes, so it is safe to assume that he had those boosters removed and replaced with other tools somewhere in the 20 years between AOTC and ANH....

And besides, he probably did it that same way he was able to walk down the stairs of Docking Bay 94....YEAH j. Yeah that's the Ticket! lol



JOHN/LONFAN

I have a Slightly Diffrent Problem with this "Trilogy" DVD Set So far I just rented the New Hope Disc. Okay Well I was looking forward to seeing a Vibrant ,Sharp Restored 1977 Classic JUST THE WAY I SAW IT IN '77!! BUT what I'm seeing here is that "Star Wars Special Edition" footage...
Call me a blockhead, but you're kidding here, right?

BTW, I have the DVD set, and...

1) The familiar Force theme trumpet fanfare that used to play right after Red Leader says: "This is it!" and just as the X-wings start diving towards the Death Star's surface has been dialed back in volume so that it's almost inaudible - it's almost completely buried in the surround mix.
Yep, it's buried. Still not as offensive as Greedo shooting first. :freak:


2) The audio quality varies wildly as Tarkin says the line: "You would prefer another target, a military target? Then name the system." - almost as if the master sound element was damaged. It's very distracting.
I don't know about "very distracting." It's there if you're listening for it, but I didn't even notice it the first time around. :confused:


3) Possibly most critically, John Williams' entire score for the film has been flipped in the rear channels...
I don't know about this one, cuz I don't have an octophonic sound system with surgically implanted receivers in my eardrums. :rolleyes: Sounds just fine on my RCA.

I agree, however, that if this is a legitimate problem, Lucas should admit it and make reparations for those of us who already own this set.

Zombie- Man I know it might sound Stupid that with all the High tech methods at Lucas' Disposal to "Improve" upon HIS own Creation (adding Tweeked up FX and such) well thats Terrific,But Please Mr. Lucas,How bout a Digitaly Restored and Cleaned Version of Star Wars Just The way it was released in 1977? I mean then the Purists (like myself) could have this one and also the "Special additions" Or perhaps a Bonus Feature of the "Tweeked Up Scenes" Disc along with the Original Theatrical Version? This Reminds me of when I went to see a Midnight Version of "Metropolis" with a "Contempory" or "Hip" Soundtrack by Vangelis and Georgio Moroder well That's cool but At Least give us a choice! lol Hey I'm by NO Means on my own on this either, I've read other BB's where people have expressed intrest in adding the Theatrical Print to their Collection. Sorry if I sound Foolish But I also have a similar Opinion about the "Upsizing" of the Old Aurora Kits! lol (I think that Two versions Oughta be Availible,the Original repop OR the Up-Sized ) Again just my Opinion Actually In the case of the Kits I know we're Lucky to have gotten them AT ALL! but I don't think an alternate Disc of a movie is too much to ask. I just rented a movie called "Glen Gary,Glen Ross" it came on Two Discs 1) Full Screen 2) Wide Screen So I think this is Possible And this is all I was Sayin' Zom LOL it ain't really Important in the big Scheme of things though.There's a ton of more important things goin' on in the world to worry about a Couple of extra Models added to a Movie right?lol

JOHN/LONFAN I'm goin' to work on my Dr. Jekyll and watch the Punisher (Sucks so far! lol) Travolta's Wife (in this movie) IS Smokin' Hot though! lol

There was a certain kind of poetic grace to the notion that "great films are never finished, only abandoned".

I hear ya' Ig, Lucas can Re-invent or "Finish" his masterpiece for the rest of his career for all I care, but just let us have a copy of the Film the way it was "Finished in 77' lol I Don't want the Version with the Big Huge "Exploding Deathstar effect" with newly added "Shockwaves" I just want the Little NON CGI Destruction! lol I want to go back to that magical summer I saw Star Wars, Empire of the Ants,and Viva Kenevil! lol I just bought the Aurora Prehistoric scenes "Jungle swamp" and Allisaurous Kits and Met the Band Kiss! (True but I had no Idea who they were I was about 12 then) Anyhoo I just want a DVD of the ORIGINAL Star Wars not a Director's Cut NOT a Special Edition NOT a Restored Edition, Just the Damned Film AS WAS! lol why do I get the feeling this request is not very popular around here? hmmm lol Now ONE Thing I would change if I was Lucas is those #$@&ing BEAR COSTUMES in "Jedi" Agragggh! What the hell oh the Ewoks (?) I think I may just hate them more than Jar Jarr Binks! lol Okay George you have all this Nifty Technology at your fingertips,Hows about you Rotoscope Something a Little more realistic looking over Wakkit or whatever Sesame Street Charcter that was!lol hell the Land Of The Lost "Sleastacks would have been a step in the right direction! LOL
But I digress
Yes I agree with ya' Totally But I Maintain that WE you and I should get a choice as to How we wanna see our Films (like Widescreen or Fullscreen) etc Some other Film I recently Rented Came with an "Expanded or Directors Cut OR the Original "Theatrical Version" So I figure it Could be done. I promise this is all I have to say about this Now you "Magnificent SOB'S Now You Know How I Feel" (General Patton) lol sorry I'm takin the Punisher off and watchin' George C. Scott! lol MUCHO Better!!! lol
LON/JOHN

Lon: just grab the pre-special-edition laserdiscs off eBay like I did. About the same price as the new DVD set, and they're the REAL movies. If you don't have a 16*9 tv, the video quality will be about the same between the laserdiscs and teh DVDs. The sound is 2.0 dolby surround not 5.1, but the real movies were 2.0 dolby surround, too.
Now, if you don't have a laserdisc player (like I didn't), check local thrift stores and pawn shops: perfectly fine players for $15-25.
Now, I can watch the theatre versions of the SW trilogy and of ST:TMP. (I like the director's ST:TMP, but I also like the original.)
Another laserdisc worth getting is Blade Runner, another movie for which only the director's cut is available on DVD; you can get laserdisc versions with the theatre-version narration and ending.

Lon: just grab the pre-special-edition laserdiscs off eBay like I did. About the same price as the new DVD set, and they're the REAL movies. If you don't have a 16*9 tv, the video quality will be about the same between the laserdiscs and teh DVDs. The sound is 2.0 dolby surround not 5.1, but the real movies were 2.0 dolby surround, too.
Now, if you don't have a laserdisc player (like I didn't), check local thrift stores and pawn shops: perfectly fine players for $15-25.
Now, I can watch the theatre versions of the SW trilogy and of ST:TMP. (I like the director's ST:TMP, but I also like the original.)
Another laserdisc worth getting is Blade Runner, another movie for which only the director's cut is available on DVD; you can get laserdisc versions with the theatre-version narration and ending.
Thanks For Understanding What I'm asking For LOL
JOHN/LONFAN

Hey, I get what you're asking for, Lonfan, it's just that Lucas has repeatedly said (so far) that he's never going to spend the money to clean up the originals and put them on DVD.

Then again, the horse ain't dead yet, and if enough people keep clamoring for the original releases, he might just acquiesce to fans' demands, against his better judgement, of course, and put out a version of the movies that will make him even MORE money.

[QUOTE=justinleighty]Hey, I get what you're asking for, Lonfan, it's just that Lucas has repeatedly said (so far) that he's never going to spend the money to clean up the originals and put them on DVD.



WOW Justin, I had no Idea that Lucas has already made a statement regarding this subject I wonder what the Devil his Problem is? I would figure He AS WELL AS ANYBODY would Appreciate the Need for Future Film Scholars to have a Theatrical Version to study and/or compare to the Later Versions Look at how much Trouble MGM had trying to "Reconstruct" an old Orson Wells film (not Citizen Kane) Sorry can't remember the Title this was a Cape Fear TYPE of film starring Chuck Heston, The way I understand it The Studio made Wells cut it for Length (it was "Too Long" at about 3 1/2 Hours!) but 45 Years later the Studio decides that this film is a Perfect Exsample of Oron Wells' "Filmmaking Genius" So now they wanted to put the Film back together as Wells INTENDED IT TO BE! lol Trouble was now some of this Footage has been LOST! They still Restored it BUT it was an undertaking of OVER FIVE YEARS because of the Missing Pieces! I'd hate to see this same fate befall the Original Star Wars Wouldn't you?
JOHN/LONFAN

[QUOTE=justinleighty]Hey, I get what you're asking for, Lonfan, it's just that Lucas has repeatedly said (so far) that he's never going to spend the money to clean up the originals and put them on DVD.



WOW Justin, I had no Idea that Lucas has already made a statement regarding this subject I wonder what the Devil his Problem is? I would figure He AS WELL AS ANYBODY would Appreciate the Need for Future Film Scholars to have a Theatrical Version to study and/or compare to the Later Versions Look at how much Trouble MGM had trying to "Reconstruct" an old Orson Wells film (not Citizen Kane) Sorry can't remember the Title this was a Cape Fear TYPE of film starring Chuck Heston, The way I understand it The Studio made Wells cut it for Length (it was "Too Long" at about 3 1/2 Hours!) but 45 Years later the Studio decides that this film is a Perfect Exsample of Oron Wells' "Filmmaking Genius" So now they wanted to put the Film back together as Wells INTENDED IT TO BE! lol Trouble was now some of this Footage has been LOST! They still Restored it BUT it was an undertaking of OVER FIVE YEARS because of the Missing Pieces! I'd hate to see this same fate befall the Original Star Wars Wouldn't you?
JOHN/LONFAN

That was "Touch of Evil", Chuck Heston played a Mexican!

Lonfan, for what it's worth, I posted this a while back on one of the other SW Trilogy threads on the board. It's an interview that ran on the AP entertainment wire last week.

This is from an interview with George Lucas done by the Associated Press' David Germain. Below are a couple of relevant quotes.

AP: Why not release both the originals and special editions on DVD?
Lucas: The special edition, that’s the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it’s on VHS, if anybody wants it. ... I’m not going to spend the, we’re talking millions of dollars here, the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it doesn’t really exist anymore. It’s like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I’m sorry you saw half a completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be. I’m the one who has to take responsibility for it. I’m the one who has to have everybody throw rocks at me all the time, so at least if they’re going to throw rocks at me, they’re going to throw rocks at me for something I love rather than something I think is not very good, or at least something I think is not finished.

AP: Do you pay much attention to fan reactions to your choices?
Lucas: Not really. The movies are what the movies are. ... The thing about science-fiction fans and “Star Wars” fans is they’re very independent-thinking people. They all think outside the box, but they all have very strong ideas about what should happen, and they think it should be their way. Which is fine, except I’m making the movies, so I should have it my way.

Just for the record, all 4 of my discs play just fine...and I have not really noticed the audio changed in ANH...probably I am not tuned to it to really give a damn about it..no offense...

Trent

Well, mine showed up from Amazon already! Only placed the order Tuesday.

Watched ANH. The Han/Greedo thing still has Greedo technically shooting first, but the timing between his shot and Han's is so fast now that unless you knew otherwise, you'd think Han shot first and Greedo just got off a poorly aimed counter shot in the nick of time. The Jabba scene is also a big improvement now that Jabba looks more "alive" than the '97 SE version.

There's been complaints floating around about Tarkin's dialogue volume fluctuating when he's talking to Leia (You would prefer another target...a military target? Then name the system!). Yeah, it varies a little, but not the "shouting to silence to shouting" that people are saying it does. If you look at the way he's walking around, it could almost be justified as the one part of the line being muted a little because his back was to the camera.

Yes, the music at the beginning of the final battle is VERY much in the background. That does seem like a screw-up. As far as the "reversed rear channels" issue, my surround is mono, so I can't tell one way or the other.

Video quality is INCREDIBLE! Right from the opening shots in the Blockade Runner you can see the difference. 3P0's shin is VERY OBVIOUSLY silver. Whether that's a result of more digital FX tweaking or just the cleaning of the master is hard to tell. Overall, the film is also a little darker than previous releases, but that might be that my TV is showing its age and limitations in light of DVD quality.

Haven't gotten to the audio commentary or the other discs yet. I'll try them over the course of the next few days.

Zombie- Man I know it might sound Stupid that with all the High tech methods at Lucas' Disposal to "Improve" upon HIS own Creation (adding Tweeked up FX and such) well thats Terrific,But Please Mr. Lucas,How bout a Digitaly Restored and Cleaned Version of Star Wars Just The way it was released in 1977?
Hey JohnLon, I agree with you 100% here! I am one of those purists that wants a set of the original un-tampered-with trilogy on DVD. (Actually, I want a nice clean version I can actually watch, instead of the muddy, audio-out-of-sync-with-the-video bootleg DVD's I have now.) Now, if Lucas wants to clean up the effects shots so they look more seamless, that's fine with me. But leave well enough alone.

Back to my original response, I just wasn't sure whether or not you were being facetious about expecting to see the original version on the DVD you rented. Believe it or not, I know some real blockheads who might seriously expect to see just that. :rolleyes:

As Mr. Iverson wrote in an earlier post on this thread, I'm hoping "Lord Lucas" is just waiting for the sales of this set to drop off before announcing he will release the original trilogy to appease his fans. After all, it worked for Coca Cola when they released that "New Coke" crap, didn't it?

I'm right there with ya Lonfan. I want the Original releases too. Not only for myself but to show my son the differences in the two versions too. You know, the original to show him what I saw when I was a kid and the SE to show him what he saw as a kid. I do have the originals on VHS though but DVD is much better.

i heard an interview last weekend on the radio about this very thing. (i believe it was the president of the company that does the criterion collection dvd's that was being interviewed.) the problem is that the negatives for the 1977 version no longer exist. too many prints of the film were struck from them and they are shot. a crying shame that such an important part of cinematic history is now lost. (for the rrecord, i'd much prefer the 77 version as well.)

I don't buy it. The first step in creating the '97 SE version was to clean up and digitize the original negative, so to me that means George has the entire '77 version of the film in digital form on a hard drive somewhere.

Also, in the "Empire of Dreams" special, talking about the film's opening day, they show the original crawl, WITHOUT "Episode IV - A NEW HOPE" at the top. So the original negative HAS to still exist somewhere, somehow.

I still think he's just milking the marketing machine as far as it will take him, then the original will be out in like 2007 as a "40th Anniversary Edition".

2007 would make it a 30th Anniversary edition.

I have an excellent DVD set of the original trilogy, obviously from a laserdisc, but it is real nice.

I would also love to see Mr. Lucas to release the original versions. I just have no faith that it will happen. But then I had no faith in the trilogy (in any form) being released before 2005-06. :wave:

Right, my mistake. Trek will hit its 40th in '06.