Rumor: Restored theatrical print of Star Wars for the 40th anniversary this year.

[sprytel]

Every major release of the trilogy has included special effects "upgrades". Even if they promote this as the original theatrical cut, I suspect some special effects fixes (like the distortion under Luke's landspeeder) will be applied. My guess is Han will shoot first, Jabba will be gone, but A New Hope will be in the crawl and a number of more subtle changes will survive.

[hedrap]

The word after the Disney buy was Lucas telling people he didn't want to be involved in a Blu-Ray with all the alternate versions accessible, as he didn't believe the first cuts were suitable for release.

Disney kinda confirmed it, but nothing since. I'm guessing the 4K is the first step in the rollout of that project. I would also bet we see the Holiday Special included in a premium boxset. Disney has released a number of lost gem properties and a SW set with Scottish Jabba and Holiday Special would be an easy sell at a hundred.

[phil]

Maybe Disney will go crazy some day and put in the scenes with Luke and Biggs and their friends.

[Hedji]

Ahem... speaking of the Luke deleted scenes...

If ever there was a Star Wars movie that would benefit from a post credit scene, it is Rogue One. I'd have given anything if they restored the deleted scene from ANH of Luke on the Moisture Farm, watching the battle with his binoculars, and then zooming off in his Landspeeder to tell his friends. Here's the scene... I'd fade to black around the one minute mark.

Seriously, if they tacked it onto the blu-ray at the end, I'd die of joy.

But I digress...

Yes, it gets complicated when you look at subtle changes in the sound mix, dialogue, etc, even in the early theatrical run of Star Wars. I think there would be a way to tastefully present all of the versions on home video, which "celebrates" the history of the films and their many incarnations. Seamless branching and bonus content could do a lot to show the evolution of these films over the decades. Like them or not, the tinkering with them is remarkable, and it would be neat to have one package which preserves and spotlights all of them.

Please do it now, while physical media in home video is still a viable market.

Oh, and while I'm on Santa's lap, can we please have the first 6 films in 3D Blu Ray also? (The Jurassic Park 3D conversion was spectacular.) 3D is kinda an obsession with me.

[Bruce Banner]

I'd really like a release of the mono sound mix version of SW which featured a number of differences to the original Dolby mixes, including different ADR takes of Aunt Beru's dialogue.

and a SW set with Scottish Jabba and Holiday Special would be an easy sell at a hundred.

Northern Irish Jabba.

[Hedji]

^ Wouldn't it be possible to just do the multiple sound mixes as different audio tracks? None of those mixes change the pacing or the scene lengths, so I wouldn't think there'd be any synchronization problems, right?

[Bruce Banner]

^ Wouldn't it be possible to just do the multiple sound mixes as different audio tracks? None of those mixes change the pacing or the scene lengths, so I wouldn't think there'd be any synchronization problems, right?

Yes indeed!
(I used to have the mono mix on VHS, and the differences are really interesting.)

[Werewolf]

Having different audio mixes would definitely be a nice extra. But I do think most people would be overjoyed just to have a version that predates the special edition changes.

[Hedji]

It can get dicey though, because there are certain lines of dialogue that weren't in some mixes. Like "Close the Blast Doors!" and "The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave." Those are fairly significant changes, not just in quality or distribution of sound.

But you're absolutely right, Werewolf. At the end of the day, 99.99% of fans would be overjoyed with any one of those pre '97 versions.

Interesting read about the changes here:
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/List_...rs_re-releases

We have the technology to present the Trilogy in a format that is inclusive of all of those.

[Allie Fox]

Star Wars was shot on 70mm film. Which is, from what I understand, roughly equivalent to 8K resolution and 35mm is 4k. That's why it is so important to restore and preserve the original masters. Native high definition video wouldn't be possible without them.

Star Wars was shot on 35mm for Scope ratio. The VistaVision cameras used by ILM used 35mm, but ran it sideways so that one frame was exposed over what would normally be two (Scope ratio). In effect it gives the resolution of 70mm without having to use the more expensive 70mm film stock. Everything was then composited onto 35mm film to create the master negative. Final release prints were blown up to 70mm as necessary.

[Iron Mego]

Okay, I love Star Wars, but more casually than a lot of folks. I don't know all the subtle changes from every different version etc. Seeing that deleted scene for the first time was a hoot! I love the Three Stooges sound effect of the droid. And, just one question, who was the young lady amongst that group of dudes!

[Bruce Banner]

And, just one question, who was the young lady amongst that group of dudes!

That's Camie, played by the actress Koo Stark.

[palitoy]

She was famous for dating Prince Andrew, the press kept saying she was joining Doctor Who in the 80s but it never same to be. She also has amazing genes, she looks fantastic now.

[Iron Mego]

Yes, I remember Koo Stark, believe me I do. Had no idea she had anything to do with Star Wars in any way though. Pretty cool.

[Hedji]

That whole storyline with Luke's friends was played out VERY effectively in the NPR Radio Drama, as was a story on how the Rebels got the Death Star plans to Leia, which is now non-canon after Rogue One.