Laserdisc Collection Pt. 18: Star Wars and the best official release of the films to date
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- Опубліковано 1 сер 2024
- Now for my most asked question and most requested video:
For any further information, please check out originaltrilogy.com!
This video goes through, discusses and explains the main video history of the masters for the Star Wars trilogy on Laserdisc in their letterboxed editions. These masters were utilized for the other format releases of these eras so this also ties into the VHS history of the films. This is also designed to be a crash course for newcomers looking for affordable relatively unaltered versions in the best quality possible of any official release. It is possible to do this and one does not necessarily need to track down the most sought after expensive versions.
This discusses the Japanese Special Collection, the US Special Widescreen Editions, the Definitive Collection boxset, the Faces reissues, the 1997 Special Edition and the Japanese exclusive late release of The Phantom Menace with the exclusive theatrical cut and Dolby EX audio mix.
This is not a full description of SW on Laserdisc, nor do I have every edition. However it is possible to have all the major issues or the best overall in terms of transfer quality and price in this day and age for very little money provided you don't have to deal with the usual price markups simply due to most not understanding few if any video releases are truly untouched and original.
And finally I must reiterate: the Technidisc pressing of the SWE reissue is still the finest official release of Star Wars to date. Due to the constant and seemingly unending stupidity of those in charge, a 1993 Laserdisc from a lesser pressing plant with the 1985 home remix audio is still better than every other official release 25 years on. - Фільми й анімація
Back in 1992, I bought the first letterboxed widescreen edition of the Star Wars trilogy on VHS for $80. The blue box one with the hologram on it. I still have it. Haven't played them in decades.
I have those from the Lucas store. Mine isn't in all that good shape I kept the tapes separate from the box and I played From Star to Jedi so much more from that release than the actual films. Although Star Wars got way more play than Empire. Jedi is shifted up and terrible. I always substituted the THX tape when I watched that.
I had the Special Edition Laser Disc box set. I had some financial problems a few years after I bought it and ended up selling it and a bunch of other "rare" stuff back then. I don't regret it, but I do miss having those Star Wars discs. I do still have my laser discs of the original theatrical version, which don't look great on a 4K TV even with a 1080p upscaling device. But I was able to rectify that by getting copies of 4K77, 4K80, and 4K83
Very helpful. Even with many LD of SW already, some of the detail you have learned and shared was very informative. Thank you.
I've never had a LD player but this was very informative, I'm just really appalled at the many quality control issues found in the various releases considering how pricey they were.
It may be a lot to take in at once but it’s never easy or obvious when it comes to Star Wars!
I paid $200 plus tax for the definitive edition LD set in 1998. It’s fantastic to hear.
I was watching the THX disc for Star Wars the other day. The audio was fantastic, this was the Hong Kong pressing. The picture was nothing special but the audio was very good, loud and robust.
Excellent research and very informative video. Thank you for taking the time to do this and for all the work put into it.
Thanks very much!! I’m glad this helps as it took me ages to figure out on my own.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I was working at a specialized Video Store back in 1993/1994, which rented both Laserdisc hardware (basic Pioneer players) and software. The Star Wars Trilogy Laserdiscs we had on inventory were the very first American releases.
Personally in my opinion I have no issue with Special Editions of the Star Wars trilogy, but when I feel like I want to watch the Special Edition I would usually watch the 1997 version. I watch it on the Laserdisc that I own or some awesome fan-restorations in 4K.
Thanks so much for the information. I own the Technidisc and the box set. Was able to purchase at a great price. Found both out hunting not on Ebay.
Good video. Now i know more about the star wars discs. I have some of this discs and will have to take a closer look at them. Thank you!
Thanks!! Good hunting!
Yesterday I just got a new Star Wars Laserdisc set from Japan only this one's an interesting release. It's called the Star Wars trilogy Collector's Set, It used the same THX masters for the unaltered versions of the Star Wars Trilogy as the 1993 & 1995 Laserdisc releases. It also features the same Leonard Maltin interviews as the American release but the one thing that makes that particular laserdisc set unique is it include the documentary From Star Wars to Jedi The Making Of A Saga on Laserdisc. For some reason that documentary has never been officially released in higher video quality, it not even included on the complete saga Blu-ray. This Japanese Star Wars Collector's Set from 1995 is currently the only way you can officially get the From Star Wars to Jedi documentary in some-what higher video quality. The box set is gold and white I'm very excited to check it out once it arrives from Japan.
It’s a great set and fantastic for including the documentaries in higher quality with digital audio.
Had to watch this again. Lots of good info.
Great information!
Great review! The Special Collection discs are pretty easy to find here in Japan now. I picked up the entire collection for a cheap price.
Thanks! Good job on getting the JSC trilogy. I need to get on it and finally get the other two.
@18:54 this was super helpful! i wanted to try an ANH laserdisc (already bought the first japanese one) and found a technidisc on ebay and made an offer and got it 🤗...plan to get a player and adaptor box at some point too ....
Love the original aesthetic of the 85' special edition cover. I use mine to store my "4k77" bluray of STAR WARS :) but yours looks way more pristine than mine. Excellent video, man. Always informative!
Ha, I just got into LD collecting, and really wanted the versions of the discs with the movie poster sleeves, but skipped those in favor of the Definitive Edition box set (for a decent, not exorbitant, price). Wish I'd seen this video first! I'll just have to hope my copy isn't rotting, and keep an eye out for the earlier Widescreen editions in the meantime. :D
Hey spencer the 2000 Japanese widescreen special edition of Star Wars will be coming to you in September hope you enjoy
Hi there - I just got the Technidisc and love it - especially for it's colour timing. When I was comparing clips from the JSC and Technidisc side by side though I noticed that the Technidisc is stretched vertically slightly. I would never of noticed this if I hadn't of been making the direct comparison. Scenes where it is easy to make out are the pod escape with C3P0 and R2D2 and when Luke is training with the floating sphere. I posted some pics on Laserdisc Forever comparing the two releases. I'm able to vertical stretch / compress on my TV which corrects the issue thankfully.
I saw that post you made. It’s an interesting visual difference and shows just how weird and odd variations could pop up in LD. It reminds me of some of the weird croppings MGM used to do on scope films.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Yes and I think the aspect geometry thing is something that is more common than we realise as we don't tend to look for these things when watching movies unless it's really in your face obvious
I remember seeing the THX LD trilogy set at my military exchange in 98 and it cost 199. I didn't have that kind of spending money then so I had to pass on them. Fast forward 20 years and a fellow LD collector who knew I really wanted that set gave them to me for free. The picture quality on those laserdiscs are so crisp, I thought I was watching a HD edition of them on my CRT
Wow, that's a great deal even now! I'm glad you were able to get the whole trilogy. Definitely try out the older initial Fox widescreen LDs someday to see the transfer differences vs the remaster on CRT.
I also have the Star Wars Definitive Edition also and all 3 earlier laserdiscs and the star wars special edition box set laserdisc also
Did the Star wars movie come out on beta Max? I can't remember
Yes it did.
For Empire Strikes Back it seems to me the Japan Special Collection, the US Special Widescreen edition and US Technidisc and VHS Letterbox all share the same transfer. I just watched some of the first issue UK Widescreen VHS and the color timing is closer to the Gout, cooler and not as red shifted. It has to be a different master.
Darn, I was hoping to learn more about the 1983 LD release and how that compares.
In terms of listening to the best audio for the unaltered version of the Star Wars trilogy on laserdisc which is the best audio mix you would highly recommended? The 1985 mix or the 1993 THX mix?
It depends on what you prefer. On physical official releases you've got the 1985 home remix for Star Wars which is a less dynamic version of the Dolby stereo vs the more bombastic 1993 Definitive mix which did make a few tweaks at the time but is supposedly based on the 70mm mix.
ESB and ROTJ pre-1993 mixes are close approximations of their Dolby Stereo mixes.
Either option is a great choice but each is unique in their own way.
You got the star wars movies you were missing the Japanese widescreen version from 97 and 2000 and all the Japanese widescreen edition special collection all of them with there obies glad to help and fill in the blanks
I got lucky enough to get the DVD box set with the original untouched Star Wars trilogy. I think they took the laserdisc versions and put them on DVD. I also have the original laserdiscs you have shown here.
Japanese Box of SPECIAL EDITION has gate fold with Drew art!. pick one up!!!
The Hong Kong disc i watched a bit of. The full frame transfer isn't very good, but the THX audio was sweet. No chapter stops. Loved the Leonard Maltin interview and X-files previews, very nostalgic. For Return of the Jedi i mean. I swear the VHS US tape has better resolution.
Quite informative! I'm tempted to hunt down a set of the 1997 set since that was the version I got to watch in theaters. I don't own a LD player so I guess my question is should I try to get it? From what you said it's probably the BEST version out there legally. Also have there been instances of laser rot for this set? Sorry if I'm asking redundant questions but is there a way to preserve this set if rot is known to be a thing?
Ultra Instinct Goku Black thank you! If you’re interested in the 97SE the Laserdisc and VHS sets were the only release on video. The LD box can be had for $20-30 if you’re patient watching eBay. It’s has great quality though those who have the Japanese versions claim those are slightly better. The final release was japan only on LD and repressed these discs. None have any issues of rot. The only Star Wars discs with rot chances really are the definitive collection discs. If you don’t have a player but really want to see the SEs it might be easier to pick up the letterboxed vhs set for a few bucks which is what I did first many years ago.
Bought a set of the original trilogy CBS fox widescreen for my cousin never checked till watching this that the star wars laserdiscs I bought I'm was from technidisc were mine is mistubishi after checking the technidisc I don't think he's getting that LaserDisc he can have the mistubishi because as you had the difference is huge it's super clean thanks love the channel
Thanks! They're the sleeper discs of the format in my estimation. Cheap and plentiful and sadly still the best official release of the Trilogy to date. Congrats on finding a Technidisc as once you see a copy it's hard to go back to any other video edition. And even the Pioneer/Mitsubishi copies still clean up pretty well when viewed.
I got super lucky and got the definitive collection at a great deal when I bought my LD player 8 years ago, but I'm very curious about finding the Technidisc...
Nice you got start with the definitive box. If you can’t find a technidisc immediately the Japanese special collection or the standard fox letterbox USA release for the trilogy is quite good and will be noticeably better in color and detail.
20:00 The Technidisc you mention from 1992/1993, which you hail as the best version. What about the 1994 pressing of Technidisc, is it the same?
I’m not sure why there is a slightly later 1994 version but it should be the same. The side 3 is dated 1993 in that pressing which makes it even odder. I’ll have to find one of these and see if there’s any overall difference between 1993 and 1994 pressings.
Hello,
I just bought all three of the technidisc pressings of the widescreen Star Wars trilogy and noticed some things I have questions about.
All work and sound great on the analog stereo tracks but It is louder from the digital stereo tracks for all 3 films.
All my copies are mint marked from 1994 from technidisc except Jedi also has Image mint markings.
My copy of Star Wars has sides C & D with the finally act of the film pressed onto it even though the label says one side is suppose to be blank.
My copy of Jedi has the picture sitting higher on screen than any of the other films and does not have closed captions even though the labels on the discs and the jacket says it should have them. The only words that appear on screen are when the aliens talk and get English subtitles. I thought it was my player but my copy of American Graffiti has closed captions that work fine so I’m assuming it’s either a disc issue or it does not have them at all.
Is any of this things that has been reported before?
Does your copy of Jedi have closed captions, even though I can see it is not the technidisc pressing?
This is all interesting stuff. The Technidisc copies of ESB and ROTJ are the same masters as before and are ports of the Japanese special collection discs. This explains the ratio being shifted up as originally there were hardcoded Japanese subtitles on the bottom and some USA discs merely did not shift the image back down. I wasn’t aware they kept pressing these discs after the definitive collection came out in 1993 so that’s very interesting. To be honest I’ve never tried the captions so I’m not sure if mine has them but since it’s the same master it probably does not. Analog vs digital is usually pretty straightforward and on the digital track you don’t have to deal with cx noise reduction and fm noise so I guess it could be considered louder or may be mastered at a slightly higher level.
Lastly it’s uncommon but not unheard of that someone would duplicate the final side of an LD on what would normally be a dead side. Most discovision titles have parts of other films in their dead sides.
Damn Fool Idealistic Crusader thank you so much for the information!
On ESB the image was not shifted up but I do see how that should be why the film for ROTJ was higher up on the screen than normal; I remember reading that they were all 3 originally based off the Japanese masters. I will listen to the digital tracks next time I watch through the trilogy and see what is the true difference between the two.
I did not notice the aspect ratio shrinking on either ESB or ROTJ so was that an issue with those release also or just the original Star Wars that the technidisc pressings fixed?
Thecatdrums3 yes the ratio was only an issue on SW and thus the reason for the repressing. It is still unknown why and how Technidisc obtained and pressed the alternate master. Pioneer and Mitsubishi reissued the film and it was merely a fixed version of the preexisting master. Even more confusing is that Technidisc did the other two and they are also the same masters so their SW is this one rarity.
Hey Dave the technidisc pressing of starwars I found I told Sam hatch that it had a pressing date of 5-30-94 that's after the definitive collection but before the faces he couldn't because it was out that. Late but he checked and said it was possible and don't let it go
I suppose later copies could have been pressed and released. If the transfer appears different to standard fox widescreen copies then you’ll know for sure.
I think there is a digital version of the 35mm theatrical stereo mix on one of the Japanese Pan and Scan laserdiscs. The United States release was on the CAV pan and scan and analog only. The other was time compressed and analog on the first issue CLV. The re-issue was the 1985 remix.
Yes indeed! The 77 Stereo is on one of the Japanese LDs as pcm but which one I can never remember. It was found by one of the OT members almost by accident. Everything 1985-1992 is the remix.
Quite a number of early US discs have time compression which I can’t stand.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader , i love the original 1982 transfer. It is probably my favorite outside the technidisc. Too bad its time compressed. I haven't watched the first issue Japan transfer which isn't i wonder what master was used.
This is a great video.
The only Star Wars Trilogy LaserDisc release I own is the box-set from 1997 of the Special Edition versions. I bought it from the original owner for $15.00 and the condition is like new. The transfers were definitely some of the best ever put out on LaserDisc. I agree, the Dolby Pro Logic mixes are great. I still don't own an AC-3 Demodulator though but hopefully I'll acquire one soon because I want to watch the 1997 versions with their Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes.
Earlier this month I almost bought a Definitive Collection for $40.00. But the seller confirmed that it was an earlier pressing with Disc Rot and the missing footage from ESB. I do however own the 2-Disc DVD Editions from 2006 that have the Theatrical Cuts sourced from the 1993 Video Masters.
The Technidisc Pressing of Star Wars is one that I definitely want to track down. Whenever I message someone selling the Widescreen Edition of Star Wars I always ask if it is the Technidisc pressing and I provide the details to confirm it.
Riddler95 Thanks!!! Sounds like you’re definitely on you’re way then. Indeed if you have the 2006 GOUT DVDs then you have a technically superior rendition of the definitive master. The only difference between losing the LD pcm is that for some reason Lucasfilm went out and added a scan of the original 1977 opening credit crawl without the ANH header.
I would suggest picking up the fox special widescreen editions for good LDs overall for non-SE versions.
I just wish the SE set didn’t have the pink issue on the ANH master. Outside of that and maybe a touch of edge enhancement they are reference grade. Glad you’re going for a demodulator. I always thought it wouldn’t make much of a difference but so many LDs were not remixed when compared to later issues that it becomes really important.
I bought those 2-Disc DVD Edition of the Original Trilogy the day they were released. A few weeks ago I was really in the mood to watch the Theatrical Cut of Star Wars so I wound up watching my Letterboxed DVD Edition from 2006 and I have always really liked that 2.0 Surround Mix from 1993. I think that it has some advantages over the 6.1 Mix created for the 2011 Blu-Ray.
I'd buy good condition copies of the Fox Special Widescreen Editions if I can get them for a good deal. But the Technidisc pressing of Star Wars is one that I definitely want to acquire. I came across an ad on Craigslist for the 1995 THX/Faces CLV Editions of the Original Trilogy for $35.00, I am tempted to buy them but the seller has no way to test the discs. For the most part, I prefer the 1997 Special Edition Versions over the 2004 and 2011 Editions because there is no Prequel garbage in them. However the 1997 Special Editions still some have changes that I absolutely hate.
duckyousuckr, which LaserDisc Players and AC-3 Demodulator do you own?
@@Riddler95 Oh the 1993 mixes are still great and wonderful punchy tracks that still reflect the theatrical intent well. I just wanted to underline for the video purposes that the true "original untouched editions" are really far harder to nail down than most people realize. The Blu-ray 6.1 mixes are based on the 5.1 EX mixes for the DVDs and while they fix some of the most glaring errors on the DVD mixes they introduce many other issues of their own in addition to the new changes and display a complete and utter lack of respect for proper sound presentation. Even a lossy DD 2.0 rendering of the 1993 audio will absolutely obliterate those awful tracks. It's downright criminal what they did to the beautiful if revisionist 1997 SE mixes. And then even the prequels are bad on BD because you just can't win. ;)
I'm there with you on the 97 changes that should have never happened but at least it wasn't at the level of insanity that came later or such as on the destruction of THX 1138 in 2004.
If you really want the Faces I think they go on ebay for a bit less than that but you have to play out bidding wars. The SWE discs usually go for much less and are better across the board-and so much so in picture quality that it is noticeable to the naked eye on a CRT. The audio isn't quite as punchy as the 1993 mixes but those were fully optimized for home theater in 1993 and home single surround theaters. All you'd really be getting from the Faces over your DVDs is the audio in PCM and the possibility of a Kuraray SuperNTSC pressing. The picture on the GOUT DVDs are far beyond any version of the Definitive master on LD.
As for my equipment I did a lot of trial and error to get to my current setup. I started with a Pioneer CLD-D702 which is a great workhorse but lacks ac3 of course and can be a tad noisy in picture, went to the DVL-700 which is phenomenal for performance except that it has built in dnr and clv smear. I now use a modded Panasonic LX-900 with ac3 added and it's an incredible player with absolutely no smearing and is virtually noise free. Finding and obtaining a good working one can be tough but it's an incredible machine. I run direct into the Sony XBR900 HDCRT with their final flagship superfine pitch tube which is combined with the best comb filter I've ever seen onboard resulting in magnificent LD picture quality.
For a demodulator I have both the original yamaha ddp-1 but usually use my sony edp-800 for its digital out as my modern Onkyo receiver lacks multi analog ins.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader The 1993 2.0 Surround Mixes are some of the best Pro Logic mixes I’ve ever head. They still hold up even today. It is nice that they are faithful to the Theatrical Audio and I like how dynamic they are. The 6.1 Mix on the 2011 Blu-Ray of Star Wars was actually an all new mix whereas ESB and ROTJ were based off the 2004 Mixes with more changes made. I had the Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack of the Prequel Trilogy but I wound up selling it.
The 1997 Special Edition versions were one thing but I think that it seriously got out of control when George Lucas had more changes made in 2004 and again in 2011.
The superior picture quality on my GOUT DVDs is actually one of the main reasons for why I haven’t bought either the Definitive Collection or the THX/Faces Editions. I wonder how much better the PCM tracks on the LaserDiscs sound? I think that the audio on my GOUT DVDs sounds great even though it is Dolby. I've thought about buying the SWE discs, I probably would if I came across copies in good condition for cheap.
I’ve read great things about the Panasonic LX-900. Did you perform the AC-3 mod yourself? I've got three Pioneer LaserDisc Players including a DVL-919. I think that the DVL Series is underrated. Right now I am trying to acquire a CLD-D704. I haven't had much luck finding an AC-3 Demodulator. I'd be happy with either a Pioneer RFD-1, Sony MOD-RF1, or a Yamaha APD-1.
I would have gotten a Yamaha APD-1 brand new in the box still sealed last year in July for $10.00 but the seller was a jerk and threw the item in the trash before we could come down to an arrangement.
Ugh that sucks. Finding a demodulator can be very tough but is so worthwhile. The cheapest ones are usually going to be already in a unit that most don’t realize do demodulation. Even some old receivers had onboard decoders. I got my Sony at a goodwill for ten bucks because the front display light doesn’t really work.
The pcm will be better overall but depending on your system or setup you may not notice a large difference. Keep trying until you find cheap copies. They are out there but it takes patience. Many times people sell their spares on the Laserdisc forever Facebook group. The SWEs are so totally worth it though.
My 900 was modded by the previous owner. I’m not very good at equipment work..;) I love the sturdiness of my dvl and think that if they had better image quality that it would be the recommendable starter player for people. But once I got to the 900 and it’s amazing lack of noise I couldn’t go back to pioneer.
I'm not really into modern home theatre gear, but do you know if the Definitive Collection or Special Editions sound different on sound bars instead of a traditional home theatre system?
You'll still get the idea of how they sound and that they have notable differences when compared to each other. But you won't get a fuller experience until you move to a dedicated multichannel setup.
Even on a soundbar it should be pretty apparent how both obliterate the DVD, BD and UHD audio remixes.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader thank you for that, I don't get the appeal of sound bars over a real home theatre system
@@1dbanner or even a good pair of bookshelf speakers in a real 2.0 stereo setup! A pair of Pioneer, Polk, Klipsch, Elac or anything with a good receiver would work wonders for most people.
THX
Just got the Special Collection Star Wars and Empire and got to say I am a little underwhelmed particularly with the colour on Empire which has a green push. Still not sure which versions to keep the SC or the Faces
Do keep in mind the faces are using the definitive master which is coming from a contrasty interpositive that was newly made and is really lacking in color. Even worse is the awful baked in motion smearing. While the earlier masters are not 100% accurate they are a far better representation of the original films and hold up pretty darn well in my estimation.
The Technidisc Star Wars is even better than the JSC.
In my opinion I love the Star Wars prequels, and that also includes The Phantom Menace. I'm kind of interested in importing Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace on Laserdisc from Japan. One thing I thought I'd ask. Can Japanese Laserdiscs play on an American player?
Yes they do! The Japanese TPM is essential for the theatrical cut and most of all for the still reference grade theatrical audio.
You said the Technadisc is the best on laserdisc. Is it better than the 2006 bonus DVD disc, or no?
The 2006 dvd has the benefit of being from the master and is component video on dvd. However the audio is lossy and it is still the 1993 definitive master with all of its issues. In ways they’re magnified because the clarity is better. I’d still argue the older masters pre1993 are better despite being analog video because the color timing and lack of smearing/DNR. If you have any older letterbox copy on LD or even the first letterbox vhs copies you can see the difference. The technidisc copy outdoes even the JSC and USA ports so I would say wholeheartedly yes.
But it will depend on your setup exactly to determine what kind of results you get. Especially since LD is so hardware dependent.
on that website lddb where is that page with the numbers on the disc so i can start looking.
If you look on each disc info page there is a box called mint marks below the picture which then lists the inner ring codes and pressing plants for each title.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader i saw a page it had this 1130-85 and it said pioneer i assume that`s the one to get.
The best and only way to watch laserdiscs is on a crt. Preferably a crt projector which allows you to watch on a 2.35:1 screen without awful scaling / zooming and without projecting the subtitles at all.
Did the Despecialized Edition use any of this?
I think despecialized used LD materials in earlier versions but I’m not sure if anything remains in the later versions.
Agh - so sorry I deleted my question just before I noticed your response, sorry about that. I found out that it's a full screen (P&S) version so never mind that. Thanks. Still thinking I need to watch your entire video again to decide which set to buy. While I'm a purist and would like the JSC edition, I'm concerned about my TV's zoom having an issue since the matte is raised on the Japanese version. It sounds to me that one of the last box sets you reviewed (1997 silver set w/ Vader) may be best for me (the Japanese edition that you mentioned as I'd prefer CAV for better quality) though I'd love to know how this set compares to the original white JSCs. You mention "great transfer for the time period" but since the time period is much later I'm hoping the image quality is similar if not better? Sound doesn't matter to me as much. Thx.
alternatingbitmusic I always recommend people get the USA Fox special widescreen edition discs. Best bang for the buck and very close in quality to the JSCs as they use the same transfer. You can get a later ANH without the ratio issue and the Technidisc pressing of this reissue is the best version overall. I think these in any iteration are better than the definitive master because of its color and DNR issues.
The 97SE has great PQ but is of course the first special edition with changes.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Somehow I missed that note on the changes - I definitely don't want the added CGI stuff. Sorry there's just so much information its hard to keep track.
What is ANH?
alternatingbitmusic just shorthand for A New Hope. I usually just refer to it as Star Wars but in text it’s easier to write out either SW or ANH.
Loving to watch em on laserdisc if you can upload en
M here on UA-cam it’ll be awesome I found a few full length laserdisc the video quality it’s very smooth very cinematic if you know a website where I can watch em I’ll highly appreciate it my good friend
I just want to keep 1 set of SW Trilogy LD, which one you think is better? JSC or The Definitive Collection
Transferwise I’d go with the JSC but it’s hard to get a rot free Definitive box these days. Plus the DC has the custom 1993 soundmixes so it’s nice to have both trilogies.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Thanks for your suggestion, here’s a local seller selling 1 x SW DC + 1 x T2 delux set for only us$70. I have no idea how to check the disc condition (rot issue)
@@dwong2007 yeah unfortunately laser rot isn’t usually visible unless in certain cases. You’d have to get the mint marks from the seller of the actual discs or ask them if it has rot and is complete with Leia welding in ESB.
I just scored a 4 film laserdisc lot consisting of the 1992 Fox Video release of Star Wars and ROTJ, the CBS Fox Video release of ESB, and the Japanese TPM laserdisc. I paid $60 for them and I thought that was a pretty good price. They haven't arrived in the mail yet, so I don't know if I'm getting the Technidisc pressing of Star Wars, but for the price I paid I really don't care:).
Purple Sabbath awesome. Glad you got them all in one go. It’s definitely the easiest and best official means of watching the OT plus you get the one proper release of TPM. The ac3 will rock your house!
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Honestly, the only reason I wanted Episode I was just for the novelty of it being the last Star Wars movie to be released on LD. I didn't realize there were any real advanges to it over the DVD, ha ha.
Purple Sabbath Oh yes absolutely. The LD and VHS are the only releases of the theatrical cut officially. The LD also has the theatrical Dolby EX track and sounds better than the remix which first appeared for the DVD which was also the first appearance of the extended cut.
I bought the star wars special edition trilogy brand new for $ 25 dollars laserdiscs are the way to go if you have something like star wars
What does “time compressed” mean?
The film was sped up so they could fit it on less disc sides or tapes. This was common in the early days of video and also happened on broadcast tv to fit a longer film into a shorter time slot. That still happens on some broadcast channels to this day.
Does the JSC of Star Wars have the Episode IV chapter heading?
Eric Peeper yes I believe so. IIRC all video editions have the 1981 and beyond crawl with ANH. They rescanned a 1977 print crawl and inserted it into the definitive master on the gout dvd. Of course it’s possible some early pan n scan discs had a 1977 crawl but I don’t think even they did.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader yes I have the GOUT dvd, and I assumed all other videos post 1981 had the Ep IV chapter heading, but I wasn't sure😊 It's funny how many people I talk to who have no clue the crawl had no chapter heading originally
Eric Peeper if I actually met someone in person who knew about the crawl and say the audio mixes for example I think I’d be in heaven. No one outside of online communities has any idea for the most part.
Still trying to find the Tecnidisc. The LDDB is of no help. I don't recommend the special widescreen of ROTJ. The image is moved up on the screen and not centered. I would say watch the 1995 THX disc aka Faces.
The Technidisc is ultra elusive. You have to identify them by the disc mint marks.
Since they reused the jsc master on ROTJ and it has the Huttese subs they left the image shifted up a bit. However the difference in clarity, color, fine detail is so drastic that I couldn’t go back to the definitive master-even though it’s super clean and the faces copy has the awesome Kuraray pressing.
Hope you could be so kind and help me out a little bit, Spencer. Would be highly appreciated.
It's regarding the Special Edition. I own the PILF-2468, PILF-2469 and PILF2470, the Japanese ones with OBI.
A guy locally is selling the PILF-2860 boxset, also Japanese, but late release 2000.
Would you happen to know differences between these pressings?
As far as I know and have seen people report the 97se Japanese box is supposed to have slightly better picture transfer quality than the USA release. The final 2000 box version adds the prequel promo and should be maybe a teensy bit better in pressing quality but is most likely the same master as the 97 release. I’d love to know for sure but haven’t had the chance to look at them personally. I think people who own both sets have said the 2000 version is maybe slightly better.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I'll most probably buy the 2000 set, and let you know when I get the chance to compare.
Thanks for your insight, kindness and quick reply, Spencer.
@@rabarebra no problem. I’d be interested to hear if it’s any different.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I bought it for $115 in great condition. I think it is a good deal.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I've now got the 2000 box. I can't really tell any difference, except for the bonus content.
I've compared the Japanese, 1997 vs 2000.
I have the faces ones too, but didn't compare those.
Hey Spencer have you seen the team negative one starwars 4k 77 on Blu-ray it's awesome being taking from 35 millimeter prints and did 4 k scans of the movies they have starwars and return of the Jedi the audio is stereo from the prints and 5.1 DTS from the 70 millimeter print also the 93 thx laserdisc sound with the comintery they don't have empire done yet the prints were not in good shape I found mine on eBay from great Britain thought you might like to know
Jason Koestner yes I have, they’re wonderful in terms of what has been achieved in light of it being unofficial and using available elements. Empire is tougher because there are no dye transfer or safety stock prints available so most ESB prints will have by now had color shift and loss meaning the cleanup process would be far more invasive. This goes for any film from 1975-1983 except for those like Star Wars that had British dye transfer prints but of course SW is seemingly the last one in ‘77.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader , the German Print Poita scanned has very good surviving colors. The US and UK prints are terrible. The Fuji they are working off of is okay for 4k80 but i'd say about 50% of the color is gone.
I honestly wouldn't mind someone making a Phantom Menace de-specialized edition.
TPM really needs help but is still stuck as an old digital intermediate. It would have to be left as is in a new transfer or redone from scratch which is very expensive.
I was able to get the 97 Japanese special edition box set and a sealed copy of the Japanese 95 ESB for ₱600 separately (around $10 when converted) I can't say a lot about the transfer of the Special Edition because I have a sub par player that I can barely find information about it and I don't have the US release to compare but it looks pretty good, not reference quality in my opinion but it's great for the time.
Glad you found those at such good prices. Usually Japanese versions will use US studio masters and either be slightly better or worse than US pressings in my experience. Most of the time you're not going to notice much if any difference unless you scrutinize very closely on a good player. The biggest differences will be IRE levels and side break placement changes. For some reason Japanese pressings also seem to dislike having CAV final sides.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I noticed there's a bunch of video noise at the first few minutes of side 1 on the 95 ESB, dunno why but it disappears overtime, either it's a problem with my player or it's a mastering problem.
@@pepsiforbread1416 could be player related if it’s at the start only. I have noticed some Japanese releases are a bit noisier than US editions.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Any tips on getting the Definitive Edition box set Spencer? I am fine with the 97 special editions (sometimes I prefer them over the originals) but I'd like to get the theatrical cuts of ANH and ROTJ. Unfortunately, I can never find one in stores and the only way I can get it online is from other countries.
@@pepsiforbread1416 I’d advise just going for the standard Fox special widescreen editions. Cheaper, without the DNR of the definitive master, better looking imo in a hands off sort of way and you might eventually find a Technidisc copy of ANH.
If you really want the Definitive master the Faces are the cheaper option and don’t suffer rot like the boxset. The only easy way to get a good box is from a seller who did a complete rot check and can tell you if Leia welding is present.
Couldn't care less about the "official releases". The 4kNN versions serve me well.
Maybe we can use this to find the non digital shots from Episode I TPM that Lucas "DARES" anybody to find?
Somebody should scan the source film elements and mix it with the original surviving lower res Digital intermediate in the manner of the Star Trek TNG hd remasters. It’d be a lot of time and work but that’s what has to be done.
I must've been lucky because I bought the Special Collection releases of all three movies, in pristine shape, with obis, for like 30 bucks each.
Tetsuron very lucky indeed! That’s usually the cheapest they go for stateside and I always miss out!
Well I did buy them from a Japanese seller.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I just got the CBS FOX ones.
Trey Stephens good job. As I said in the video I think that’s about the best you can do on LD without going for JSC copies and the savings are significant since they’re a port of the same master anyway.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader they're apparently the Full Screen LDs I'm still looking for a player. What's JSC? The Japanese ones? So LD is just a little better then VHS video quality? I don't think VHS is that and I use it almost everyday.
One question Rod or Rut is that disc wear ?
If you mean disc rot that does happen on Laserdisc to a certain extent but it still can happen to dvds and Blu-rays. The glue layer between disc sides can erode in LDs causing disc playback problems to varying levels hence the term laser rot. 95% of the time it’s not an issue and is almost always limited to certain eras of manufacturing plants. Once you have a few LDs and interact with the Laserdisc community you can very quickly realize which discs to avoid. Also each disc on the laser disc database has a user submitted rot report so you can easily see if a disc should be avoided or not.
The only versions of Star Wars to really suffer from rot are the definitive collection first box pressings.
Thank you and great video I Just bought the laser disc TDC and was shock to find out in your video that the Lea welding shot was cut out I do not have a laser disc player but plan on buying one just for the Star Wars discs I have dam Lucas for not releasing the original trilogy I do own the Despecialized '4K77 '83 and silver screen of the original Star Wars I am going to have to do a manhunt for the technical version again great job on the video it answered all my questions thank you for getting back to me soon . May the Force Be With You .THX -Rich
Rich G no problem! Welcome to the club!
Depending on when and where your box was made you might get lucky with a later rot free pressing with the Leia welding shot. I think most rotted copies aren’t too bad off-most laser rot usually shows up as some speckles intermittently. The worse levels could make sound and image freak out a bit and then the critical rot is when a disc simply will not play at all.
If worse comes to worse the CLV Faces editions use the same master and are rot free. So if you need to replace a single film or the whole trilogy they go for significantly less than the boxset.
Good luck in finding a Technidisc copy. It’s a real treasure hunt to track one down but the results are so worth it!
Disney should think with more than two neurons and release the original, theatrical cuts of the original trilogy on Streaming and UHD blu-ray. Fans wanting to watch the REAL Star Wars really shouldn’t be seeking out for old video formats like Laserdisc or VHS, with their lower resolution. Not that they don’t have their place, but it would be great to watch the ORIGINAL trilogy restored in 4k, without those ridiculous George Lucas edits from the late 90’s.
Yeah just picked up the 1994 Japanese definitive. Edition that come with the George Lucas book accept it is all white and all in Japanese I have all the definitive sets the Japanese version's are better transfers also they were all pressed bye pioneer also I have the special collector's cav set and the 1995 Japanese collected set and 97 us and Japanese special edition and the phantom menace and the 2000 Japanese special edition oh got the technidisc version of starwars and the first pan&scan Japanese laserdisc of starwars in stereo 2 discs not time compressed.
I have all the special collection off all them with there obi also the Japanese pan& scan of starwars not time compressed the. 1992 starwars widescreen the Japanese and the American definitive collection the 97 special edition the Japanese 98 special edition last the 2000 Japanese version of the special edition and the phantom menace Japanese duel disc 6.1 channels also the 1995 starwars trilogy collector's box set
Hey spencer do you want the 97 Star Wars special edition Japanese. Set brand new never opened this is much better than the us version if you do leave me a message I’ll send it to you for no charge like I just did for Sam hatch thanks
Oh wow thank you! I would love to finally compare the Japanese set to the US set!
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader all I need is your address the Japanese box set just came in Friday it is completely sealed never been opened still in shrink rap it was sent from. Japan in three days fedex to me in normal Illinois hope to hear from you
@@jasonkoestner4630 I sent you a message on Facebook Jason. Thanks again!!
Damn Fool Idealistic Crusader, it is true when you said that "Everything Star Wars related automatically has that price mark built into it."
I recently came across a local ad on Craigslist of a LaserDisc lot with a bunch of movies. The Special Widescreen Editions of the Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi happen to be three of the movies. Star Wars is not the Technidisc Pressing from 1993, it is the CBS Fox Edition from 1989 with the Incredible Shrinking Ratio.
The seller wants $5.00 each for most of the movies in the lot. However the three Star Wars movies are $20.00 each and the price is firm because according to the seller, they are "Collector's Items" when they are actually very common LaserDiscs.
Back in January of 2015, I bought my Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition box-set on LaserDisc from it's original owner for only $15.00.
That’s nothing. I just found a local listing for the fox Widescreen discs and the whole trilogy was a low price of 250. Somebody just posted in the Facebook group there’s a listing on eBay for two wide screen and one pan and scan for 1,350!
Yikes! It is crazy how high of a price some people want for their used Star Wars LaserDiscs.
Do you still think that $15.00 each is a reasonable price for the Special Widescreen Editions of the Original Trilogy?
@@Riddler95 with the pricing you see nowadays that’s not terrible but it used to be you could get all three for $10-25.
If it’s a technidisc for ANH do it!!
Unfortunately the copy of Star Wars in the lot that I came across is not the Technidisc Pressing. It is the CBS Fox Video Edition from 1989 that has the Incredible Shrinking Ratio.
Mostly now since Disney owns Star Wars people started putting Disney prices on collectibles.
7:52p.m. 1/8/2024
I had a friend who had a laserdisc player and I had a vhs player and when episode 1 came out on vhs he couldn’t get it but he did get a DVD player with a video cd import because he has updating at the time and I had vhs until 2005 when revenge of the sith came out on dvd then I got a blue ray player in 2011 to see Star Wars in hd
I see one up at Ebay for the moment, an entire Technidisc trilogy. But for 80 bucks too rich for my blood. Why do they want so much for this. The pressings i have are the 1989 and 1992 incredible shrinking ratio. Technidisc copies shouldn't be more than 25 bucks for Star Wars. Empire and Jedi are not any different than the Mitsubishi copies.
You’re absolutely right. Unfortunately when some of us talk about the bed tissues people try and price gouge everyone else just like record pressings. Ironically the technidisc ESB and ROTJ are nothing special and merely are the same as the others but with a worse pressing. What happened is someone made a new master from a great source for the original film when they were fixing the master and for some reason only Technidisc got to use it.
I'm not the biggest fan of these original versions, but these sets look beautiful. Great video!
Laser disc is old history, is a bad and dirty video today, is incredible..
1999 me: episode I is a disappointment but at least the originals are still great and theres always the future
2021 me: disney star wars is utter trash, and i think i dont even care anymore
Does the video really have to be this long?
Hah, lucasfilm ensured the length simply to explain each edition and the differences not to mention continual changes!!😂
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader yeah Star Wars has the most home video releases then any other movie doesn't it?