Author Topic: Star Wars on Blu-Ray  (Read 167980 times)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #345 on: September 16, 2011, 02:39 AM »
Well that's good then.  A guy in Cranberry said they had none (he got there late though), and a guy in Natrona Hts. told me same dealie, only the 3-film sets.  Same on the LIthos too, the employees had no idea about them.

No new toys either.

I saw on Twitter that Imp Holocron (eFranks' place) didn't have any COmplete Saga either.  Weird.
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Offline McMetal

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #346 on: September 16, 2011, 09:06 AM »
Yeah, I had a smimilar experience, where I proved my local status as King Geek.

Here's the deal: Walmart has a big display for these things that is shaped like an AT-AT. I saw them roll it out from the stockroom last night right after midnight. It was already pre-packed, but only with the OT/PT sets, not the Complete Saga. These things were nowhere to be found out on the floor.

Come to find out, there were only 5 copies of the Complete Set behind the check-out desk. FIVE. I was 4th in line. Luckily no one is front of me bought multiples, so I got one.

Here's the best part: When I got up to pay for my copy, I asked them if that long cardboard box the copies were sitting on behind the counter contained the free poster that was supposed to be given away to the first 50 customers. Blank stare. "Posters?" They opened it and sure enough I got my big-ass lizard riding Fett poster. All 3 dudes in front of me walked away emptyhanded because their Geek-Fu was not as strong.  ;D

So yeah, you may have to ask for the free swag, and maybe even need help actually finding the Complete Saga set.

Now, on to the good stuff:

I was able to watch all 50 minutes of deleted OT scenes last night before passing out. They range from awesome to sucky, but overall worth the price of the set alone, IMHO.

The most interesting scene is the one with Biggs, in that it gives you an different sort of perspective on the Empire and why people are actually rebelling against it. He has a neat line about the Empire "nationalizing commerce in the inner systems" or something like that which I found pretty cool. That dude is not a great actor though, the whole scene plays out rather stiffly. And Carnie and Fixer are a couple of Jag-offs, for real.

I loved the extended Cantina scene, with Han and "Jenny" and the good old bloody flipper hand on the floor.

I also loved the cut Wampa scenes, although I agree that thing looked pretty unrealistic. The whole shtick about 3PO pulling the sign off one of the holding pens and jacking up an oblivious snowtrooper who wanders in after him is priceless.

Loved seeing the fate of Lobot, although that was a bit of a quickie.

Loved the lightsaber building scene, that was way cool. Ditto the sandstorm scene, Lando looks badass with his goggles.

REALLY loved the added interior shots of the Falcon during the Battle of Endor, where they actually show Rebel troopers manning the gunnery stations. This would have been a good one to keep in the final cut, IMO. It never made sense to me how Lando and Nien Nunb could be doing EVERYTHING from the cockpit by themselves in that battle.

Great little snippet of Han's reaction to the classic "You rebel scum" blast: "Scum?!?!"  :D

Awesome scene with the Imperial officer telling Vader he is not allowed in to see the Emperor. That one almost gave me chills.

The pilot 1-on-1 sequences seemed hokey to me. The actors do not seem to have a good grasp of the dialogue. One of the women looks like she is about 75 years old. (The rebellion must have really been hurting for pilots) I did love the "Fried Calamari line" and something about "this is the last time I fly Lucas airlines"...LOL.

The only deleted scene that REALLY disappointed me was the death of General Veers. It's like not even a real filmed scene, sort of a cut-up with storyboards, animatics, etc. I was hoping for some kind of shot of Hobbie's snowspeeder actually hitting the At-At.

Ah well, it was fantastic nostalgia to watch that stuff, can't wait to tear into ANH tonight after the Clone Wars premier!
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Offline DoctorPadawan

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #347 on: September 16, 2011, 12:41 PM »
I'm doing the nerdy thing and watching the six films in order, then the bonus features.  I just finished watching TPM, and I'm thrilled with how good it looks.  I don't remember it looking this good in the theater, and certainly not on VHS/DVD.  I'm not talking about the uptick in quality that Blu Ray has over other format, per se, but the attention and care given to the look really improves the visual presentation.  The DVD looked like crap to me and it really stuck out like a sore thumb, quality-wise, alongside the other two PT films and the OT DVDs.  That has now been fixed.  There is a slight dip in visual quality during the "extended" pod race scenes (i.e. the additions made to the DVD release are of lower quality than the theatrical material), but overall, TPM looks incredible.

(Cue the comments about "Well, The Phantom Menace sucked anyway!"  I'm not talking about the content of the film itself; just the visual presentation.)

The only real noticeable change is the CG Yoda (which looks great, again), although I did notice two other changes: the first is that the Neimoidian viewscreen looks redone (I just confirmed that this was altered on MF.com) when Nute and Rune are watching Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan escape the Droidekas, and the Senate no longer chants "VOTE NOW!" after Amidala makes her motion for a vote of no confidence in Valorum.  Weird.

I bought my set at Target, btw, and got my set of lithographs, although I had to ask for them, as they hadn't put them out.  They were part of some display drop, and the guy working electronics said that they only got 10 sets for the whole store.  Something tells me they won't last.  I just couldn't get excited about that ridiculous poster of Boba Fett riding a Varactyl at Wal-Mart; if it had been Han Solo fighting that Otter thing, maybe. :)

Offline iFett

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #348 on: September 16, 2011, 12:49 PM »
I bought my set at Target, btw, and got my set of lithographs, although I had to ask for them, as they hadn't put them out.  They were part of some display drop, and the guy working electronics said that they only got 10 sets for the whole store.  Something tells me they won't last.  I just couldn't get excited about that ridiculous poster of Boba Fett riding a Varactyl at Wal-Mart; if it had been Han Solo fighting that Otter thing, maybe. :)

Ya my Target only had 1 lithograph set left this morning so I caved and bought the set because of that for some reason.  Was planning on getting the set at Target anyways, but don't like the fact they put those "don't steal me" devices on there which damages the packaging..oh well.  I guess I should be more concerned with the movies instead.  The lithographs are actually decent sized and quite nice - except for that stupid collage.
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Offline Carpeteria3000

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #349 on: September 16, 2011, 02:12 PM »
Color me idiotic - I guess I wasn't much paying attention to all of this, as I went and picked up just the OT BDs today at Target, expecting them to have the OT extra features, deleted scenes, etc. But it's just the movies. Which I assume everyone else in the world knew besides me. And of course I didn't figure this out until I popped it in the player and saw no options for extras other than commentaries.

Not sure if I want to shell out for everything PT related, as I frankly don't care about those movies much at all, but we'll see. I would like the deleted stuff for sure, despite the fact that I've seen a lot of it over the years online.

So yeah. Here's hoping Target takes back opened discs.

Offline iFett

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #350 on: September 16, 2011, 02:27 PM »
That sucks Carpet.  Target will only exchange for the same copy once opened so you're probably stuck with that set unless you decide to sell it.  They even open the packaging on the exchange so you can't try and return it somewhere else.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #351 on: September 16, 2011, 02:39 PM »
Color me idiotic - I guess I wasn't much paying attention to all of this, as I went and picked up just the OT BDs today at Target, expecting them to have the OT extra features, deleted scenes, etc. But it's just the movies. Which I assume everyone else in the world knew besides me. And of course I didn't figure this out until I popped it in the player and saw no options for extras other than commentaries.

Not sure if I want to shell out for everything PT related, as I frankly don't care about those movies much at all, but we'll see. I would like the deleted stuff for sure, despite the fact that I've seen a lot of it over the years online.

So yeah. Here's hoping Target takes back opened discs.

Dude, that SUCKS!  I think you may be SOL, because once any kind of media gets opened a majority of retailers will rarely take it as a return.
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Offline JediJman

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #352 on: September 16, 2011, 02:40 PM »
That stinks.  I assumed the dis s all came with the extras.  Luckily I don't have a blue ray player, so don't have to worry about it.
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Offline Carpeteria3000

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #353 on: September 16, 2011, 04:47 PM »
Yeah. Hm. I wonder if I can play it off if I am trying to buy the full set in the exchange? More money for them, technically, right? Hm.

Offline Diddly

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #354 on: September 16, 2011, 07:23 PM »
Dang it DocP, I wish I hadn't read your post before opening my set, now I'm doing the same thing. Might as well force myself to rewatch the movies now, because if I go straight to the bonus features I'll shelve this set for a while before watching them again. :P

Anyway, I picked up my set at Best Buy so I could get Reward Zone points. They wanted $79.99 for the 9 disc set too, and you got a free XXL shirt with Vader's helmet on it (the same shot as the one on the OT set). I'll never be able to fit into it but I could sleep in it or something, thus making it more useful than a poster of Fett riding Boga.

I'm halfway through PM now and the only change I've noticed (other than what DocP pointed out) is that they added CGI blinking eyes to the Nemoidians too. I must have missed that detail.
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Offline DoctorPadawan

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #355 on: September 16, 2011, 09:03 PM »
Was planning on getting the set at Target anyways, but don't like the fact they put those "don't steal me" devices on there which damages the packaging..oh well.  I guess I should be more concerned with the movies instead.

If it hadn't been for the fact that Target put the only two copies of the Complete Saga they had in those oversized boxes instead of the Iron Man chest reactor thing with wires, I wouldn't have gotten it there either.  When the last two Harry Potter Ultimate Edition BRs came out, I made the Target electronics woman go into the back storeroom to get me two non-reactorfied boxes, as the ones on the shelf had huge divots dug into them on each of the four edges.  I also don't buy any BRs with those cardboard outer sleeves at Target, as the security boxes are too small for them and Target just crams them in and/or pulls them out indiscriminately, ripping the sleeve in the process.  If I'm going to pay for something, I'd prefer it not to be damaged before it even gets in my hands.

Okay, back to the BRs:  I have now watched AOTC and ROTS (in addition to TPM; yes, I watched all three prequels in one day because I had a day off from work; no, I do not live in my parents' basement; and yes, I have known the touch of a woman), and here's the rundown on what I could notice different in those:

AOTC:  Audio of Shmi screaming for Anakin to help her has been added to Anakin's dream on Naboo.  I would assume this is to tone down the Oedipal creepiness of the original version, when he's laying there with his hands under the sheets saying, "Mom, no" over and over.  It works.

AOTC:  A major change that is extremely jarring and pretty much leaves you thinking your BR/DVD player is ****** up occurs near the end of the film.  An entire 30-second time period has been reedited from the point that Dooku topples the tower over on Obi-Wan and Anakin and Yoda catches it, and the point where Padme and the Clones come in the hangar. 

ORIGINALLY:  Tower topples, Yoda catches it, Dooku runs onto Solar Sailer, Yoda moves tower away, Solar Sailer takes off, Padme and Clones shoot at Solar Sailer, Dooku goes into space, Anakin gasps, Yoda looks concerned, Anakin and Obi-Wan get up, Padme and Clones run in, Solar Sailer approaches Coruscant

BLU RAY:  Tower topples, Yoda catches it, Dooku runs onto Solar Sailer, Yoda moves tower away, Anakin gasps, Yoda looks concerned, Solar Sailer takes off, Padme and Clones shoot at Solar Sailer, Dooku goes into space, quick shot of Yoda looking concerned again, Anakin and Obi-Wan get up, Padme and Clones run in, Solar Sailer approaches Coruscant

This might not seem like much on paper, but IT SUCKS.  And what makes it worse?  The music isn't even reedited to match the transitions, meaning the scenes themselves have just been reassembled with the audio intact, which makes it extremely jarring to hear and see.  It's like turning an FM radio dial from one side to the other really fast, but with Yoda and Natalie Portman and you can imagine John Williams punching the wall.

ROTS has no really obvious changes, although I did notice that there is a great deal more Clone chatter when they first arrive on Utapau (during Obi-Wan and Grievous' duel).  This may have always been there and was just buried in the mix, but either way, it was much more noticeable this time around.

Tomorrow is OT day.  Will update with whatever changes I see when I finish watching them.



Offline Jeff

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #356 on: September 16, 2011, 10:06 PM »
Was planning on getting the set at Target anyways, but don't like the fact they put those "don't steal me" devices on there which damages the packaging..oh well.

My Target had a whole endcap display set up right at the front registers and none of the sets (PT, OT, 9-disc) had any extra packaging on them - if you want minty packaging, maybe check that out.
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Offline Scockery

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #357 on: September 16, 2011, 11:39 PM »
Color me idiotic - I guess I wasn't much paying attention to all of this, as I went and picked up just the OT BDs today at Target, expecting them to have the OT extra features, deleted scenes, etc. But it's just the movies. Which I assume everyone else in the world knew besides me. And of course I didn't figure this out until I popped it in the player and saw no options for extras other than commentaries.

Not sure if I want to shell out for everything PT related, as I frankly don't care about those movies much at all, but we'll see. I would like the deleted stuff for sure, despite the fact that I've seen a lot of it over the years online.

So yeah. Here's hoping Target takes back opened discs.

Some of the deleted scenes from the set are already on Youtube.

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #358 on: September 17, 2011, 12:11 AM »
I'm going to browse most of it on Youtube tomorrow actually.  I'll get the set another time.  That was what I really wanted to see anyway...  Can't recall last time I sat and actually put a disc in to watch them anyway.
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Offline User897

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Re: Star Wars on Blu-Ray
« Reply #359 on: September 17, 2011, 12:37 AM »
For "Abomination Release Day", I popped in the AVCHD's of Harmy's Despecialized Edition.  Free of charge, no money to Lucas, and more care went into them than the Blu-rays.  I'll just get the bonuses off the Internet.