Laserdisc to dvd Star wars conversion
- Thread starter Megatron
- Start date
SSgt Burton
Sr Member
Ummm...
Isn't that what the extras disc of the 2 disc dvds of the SE Original Trilogy is? The laserdisc copy of the non special editions converted to dvd?
Kevin
Isn't that what the extras disc of the 2 disc dvds of the SE Original Trilogy is? The laserdisc copy of the non special editions converted to dvd?
Kevin
As awesome as it is, you know talking about pirated media on the RPF is not allowed.
Timmythekid
Sr Member
Honestly curious - this came up last time there was a discussion about Harmy's project, and the thread was locked. The stated rules over at OriginalTrilogy.com are that you can't download anything you don't already own the sources for. In the case of the LDs, that means owning the LDs. In the case of something like the DeSed's, that's the blu-rays. If you already own the sources, but someone has just re-arranged them into a more pleasing order for you, does that still count as piracy? You've still paid for the use of those items.
Mechinyun
Sr Member
robn1
Master Member
Harmy had a neat idea but the work is flawed. I can plainly see where he did some erasing to remove the SE parts, and some shots are recreated using still photos.
Beats watching the alternative...
its more of a fan reedit which is a strange area if you think about it.
not just a straight rip from the LDs
and its not for profit but because someone will not release the versions from 77 and 80's.
I wish some one would fix all the Transformer movies:darnkids
Riceball
Master Member
This brings up something that I've always been curious about; when Lucas claims that he doesn't have re-mastered masters of the untouched original trilogy, how can that be? I'm no expert in re-mastering of films but it would seem to me that they would re-master the film first before doing any editing, cleaning, and adding of new effects, it just seems logical doing it that way. So if that is the process shouldn't Lucas then have a fully re-mastered version of the original trilogy sans new edits, footage, and effects unless he tossed that master out keeping only the reworked master.
cboath
Master Member
You'd think so.
However, if they just updated and fixed the pieces that were cut into the original film and just cut them into a new release, then there wouldn't be a 1977 edit. There'd just be the current edit.
That said, when you turn a billion dollar profit on the prequels before they hit the screen (merchandising deals) then you'd think you'd have the money to spend to re-cut a 1977 version with no issue. It's more about want to than anything else I think.
However, if they just updated and fixed the pieces that were cut into the original film and just cut them into a new release, then there wouldn't be a 1977 edit. There'd just be the current edit.
That said, when you turn a billion dollar profit on the prequels before they hit the screen (merchandising deals) then you'd think you'd have the money to spend to re-cut a 1977 version with no issue. It's more about want to than anything else I think.
Too Much Garlic
Master Member
Because they claim they added the edits directly to the original source master they created.
The 1997 SE spliced the new elements into the original negative. So the negative for SW has many, many parts swapped out of it, technically making Lucas correct. However, at LFL they never throw celluloid away. They have the trims, they have alternate elements. It would take a new restoration to clean it up, but the original theatrical version could be rebuilt. It is not destroyed. It's just in pieces.
It wasn't a master they cut up, it was the original negative.
They did it, at least in part, for good reason: it had to be treated and cleaned. And as different parts of the film were shot on different film stocks, each one had to be given a different treatment.
More troubling to the restoration effort was the fact that all the effects shots had degraded to the point of being useless.
When copying photographically every generation away from the negative you go brings a reduction in resolution and an increased amount of grain. With some of the effects shots going through the printer several time it soon begins to add up. This is especially problematic when cutting between something shot in the studio and a multi element optical. You go from a relatively sharp, fine grained image to a soft grainy one. It is jarring to see.
To mitigate this ILM used larger negative area VistaVision cameras (larger negative = more resolution + smaller grain = more genrations of printing before the image becomes unacceptably soft and grainy) and printed on reversal stock so they could lose a generation of printing and with it a generation of image degradation.
This reversal stock was cut straight into the negative, and unfortunately was even less archive safe than the rest of the film. Whereas the camera negative was bad but salvageable the effects shots were a total loss.
All the effects shots (those which weren't completely redone) had to be recreated from the original camera elements, and re-composited. This was done digitally and the results were cut in to the negative.
The negative as it exists today is the Special Edition.
The original shots which weren't restored would have to be recreated from the original camera elements or taken from a lesser source such as an inter-positive or inter-negative, should any in good enough condition exist.
It would be a lot of work, and most people would thing entirely worthwhile. However most people's opinions are worth nothing when it comes to this issue. Only one man's opinion counts, and he doesn't want to do it.
Adam C.
Sr Member
Yup. I've still got these versions of all three films on DVD even though I went ahead and picked up the Blu-Ray box set, (mostly for the ''extras'' discs), and I wouldn't even think of getting rid of them. You can't beat having the original trilogy in it's uncut form in my opinion.
Amazon.com: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (Two-Disc Widescreen Enhanced and Original Theatrical Versions): Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, James E
Amazon.com: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980 & 2004 Versions, Widescreen Edition): Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Alec Guinness, J
Amazon.com: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983 & 2004 Versions, Two-Disc Widescreen Edition): Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Marquand: Movies & TV
Timmythekid
Sr Member
I can think of one shot where it's an issue in SW (the Mos Eisley roadblock where the ronto was removed), and apart from that the stuff is just about invisible. Now, OCPs old versions, those were pretty blatant, stuttery, and a little crude, but looking at Harmy's v2 you'd be very hard pressed to see the composites.
SW and ESB are pretty horrifying to watch as the SEs (the colour is waaaaay off, the changes are bewildering), but honestly for RotJ I'd be perfectly happy if someone would do a quick colour pass and replace the audio during Vader's redemption with the HD broadcast audio.
phez
Sr Member
I think I just used an older version of something like this to convert mine (it was the high end version at the time).
Roxio Easy VHS to DVD - Walmart.com
Use the yellow red and white cables instead of using the S-video (less grain in the dark areas. The down side is that the audio is not full quality. I seem to remember trying to get the AC3 audio track copied over but it would get out of sync with the video and I never managed to solve that problem (it has been about 5 years so I don't remember exactly what I did). I can't remember what I used for the encoding software but I do remember that you had to hack the config file to black out the the top and bottom black bars to reduce the size of the encode.
They come out pretty good (not close to blu-ray) but good. There may be a better way to get the direct digital and convert it but not that I could find.
As far as the copyright, you can copy (backup :lol) the video to DVD as long as you do not distribute it in any way shape or form. Also you need to keep the original media (Laser disks). If you copy them and then sell the Laser Disks your right to have a back up copy go with them.
Sorry this is not a heck of a lot of help but figured it might at least get you started.
Roxio Easy VHS to DVD - Walmart.com
Use the yellow red and white cables instead of using the S-video (less grain in the dark areas. The down side is that the audio is not full quality. I seem to remember trying to get the AC3 audio track copied over but it would get out of sync with the video and I never managed to solve that problem (it has been about 5 years so I don't remember exactly what I did). I can't remember what I used for the encoding software but I do remember that you had to hack the config file to black out the the top and bottom black bars to reduce the size of the encode.
They come out pretty good (not close to blu-ray) but good. There may be a better way to get the direct digital and convert it but not that I could find.
As far as the copyright, you can copy (backup :lol) the video to DVD as long as you do not distribute it in any way shape or form. Also you need to keep the original media (Laser disks). If you copy them and then sell the Laser Disks your right to have a back up copy go with them.
Sorry this is not a heck of a lot of help but figured it might at least get you started.
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