Star Wars On Blu-Ray
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They did redo some of the audio mixes though.
https://www.techradar.com/news/video/blu-ray/star-wars-blu-ray-behind-the-scenes-1011661
Given that Lucas once said that sound and music is 50 per cent of the entertainment in a movie, remastering the audio soundtrack has been key to putting all six movies on an even keel. This job was given to Matthew Wood who has been working for Skywalker Sound for 21 years, with a number of those years spent sprucing up the Star Wars soundtrack for a hi-def release.
"It was a long process; I started working on A New Hope around the same time as the DVDs were released. I was already preparing the soundtrack for some sort of high-definition release around that time," said Wood to TechRadar, minutes before he previewed the soundtrack to us straight from one of Lucasfilm's mixing desks.
"[George] Lucas loves sound; it is very dear to his heart. Skywalker Sound is actually at Skywalker Ranch so we have a very close relationship."
The soundtrack has been given a massive makeover by Wood and his team. For the first time we get to hear the movies in 6.1 DTS-HD MA, which has meant some hefty tinkering for the Original Trilogy. But with help from Lucas and a surprise find in the archives - production roles from 1976 - the audio re-fresh is how Lucas originally intended the movies to be heard.
"I wanted to make sure that George for the original trilogy was hearing what he heard when he first made the films, as we're remixing for a 6.1 format, so he spent a long time with us making sure it was right," said Wood.
"On this Blu-ray release one of things that came available to us that we found deep in our archive was the original production rolls.
"These were the rolls that were used for the original dialogue recording and the entire production recording that were done on the set.
Working from such an audio record was a special moment for Wood – a lifelong Star Wars fan – but it was also key to picking up audio cues that had been lost over time.
"These [production rolls] had only been played once, the first time they were used they were transferred to magnetic film back in 1977 and that was cut.
"So I got to take them and retransfer them into the computer and with the highest quality analogue to digital converters I could actually re-sync these back into the original picture. That is one thing that is new on the Blu-ray. It's amazing."
Wood also emulated the recording processes of the time so as to not lose the magic of the soundtrack, borrowing some of the tricks used compiling the original soundtrack to his benefit.
"When I think about what was done with the mixes back in '77, and I was talking to Ben Burtt [the original sound designer] about this, they were working on Star Wars on the night shift, as that was the only way they could get time on the main stage and mixes were done like a performance.
"The entire reel had to be mixed at once. You had somebody working on dialogue, someone on the effects, with all the tracks coming in synchronized from magnetic film machines which were very loud.
"And you have to remember all your favorite moves and what dialogue comes up and your EQ, and it is all done live. I have always found that fascinating and I always want to make sure that I hold on to that performance, because it is a performance.
"We have that mix and are constantly going back and forth and making sure that we are getting that and at the same time trying to expand it for the modern soundstage."
The demo we were given of the audio was exhilarating. Watching Darth Vader in the carbon freezing chamber in Episode V, it was the soundtrack you know and love but it fizzed with extra detail.
I just can't get enough japor snippets and fat space cow surfing!
Deak Starkiller
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Good to see General Grievous has job security. Ben Burtt is rolling in his grave. 
jye4ever
Broke and happy
#1...Ben Burtt is dead, what...when 
#2. It's been confirmed that they fixed the botched audio from ANH DVD when the X-wings dive towards the DS.
From The Digital (Kibbles) and Bits:
The Supervising Sound Editor on the Blu-rays for Skywalker Sound, Matthew Wood, gave us a pretty detailed demonstration of the new 6.1 DTS-HD MA uncompressed audio mixes on these Blu-rays. (For those wondering why 6.1 and not 7.1, Matt said that 6.1 was chosen because it builds nicely on the 5.1 EX mixing work that was done for the Prequel films.) The first scene he showed us was the beginning of the assault on the Death Star at the end of Episode IV. Now, I suspect he showed us this scene for exactly the thing I noticed immediately upon previewing it. Some of you may recall that on the 2004 DVD, when the X-Wings begin their dive down to the Death Star, the familiar John Williams trumpet fanfare was buried in the mix so you could barely hear it. No longer! The trumpets ring true in the Blu-ray mix loud and clear. When I heard this, I couldn't help thrusting my arms up in the air in a bit of happy relief. I then turned to Matt, who as it happens was standing right next to me, and saw him give a little smile and nod - he knew exactly what I was reacting to. When I leaned over to thank him for fixing it, his simple reply made me smile as well: "Trust me, I read the blogs too..."
Great read, here's the link:
https://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/starwarsbds/preview.html
#2. It's been confirmed that they fixed the botched audio from ANH DVD when the X-wings dive towards the DS.
From The Digital (Kibbles) and Bits:
The Supervising Sound Editor on the Blu-rays for Skywalker Sound, Matthew Wood, gave us a pretty detailed demonstration of the new 6.1 DTS-HD MA uncompressed audio mixes on these Blu-rays. (For those wondering why 6.1 and not 7.1, Matt said that 6.1 was chosen because it builds nicely on the 5.1 EX mixing work that was done for the Prequel films.) The first scene he showed us was the beginning of the assault on the Death Star at the end of Episode IV. Now, I suspect he showed us this scene for exactly the thing I noticed immediately upon previewing it. Some of you may recall that on the 2004 DVD, when the X-Wings begin their dive down to the Death Star, the familiar John Williams trumpet fanfare was buried in the mix so you could barely hear it. No longer! The trumpets ring true in the Blu-ray mix loud and clear. When I heard this, I couldn't help thrusting my arms up in the air in a bit of happy relief. I then turned to Matt, who as it happens was standing right next to me, and saw him give a little smile and nod - he knew exactly what I was reacting to. When I leaned over to thank him for fixing it, his simple reply made me smile as well: "Trust me, I read the blogs too..."
Great read, here's the link:
https://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/starwarsbds/preview.html
What? I thought he loved everything they did. What did I miss?
tomandshell
Blue Flame of the West/Mod
Amazon finally decided to ship mine. It had better be here tomorrow.
Thank God somebody at LFL does. Not that it does any good since George doesn't care. I did think his response in that youtube interview a couple days ago was pretty funny:
Interviewer: "What's your favorite sound effect in the history of Star Wars?"
Matthew Wood: "You mean besides the Vader 'no?'"
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So has anyone who ordered from DVD planet get theirs yet? I got a DHL tracking number, but it never updated?
Mine shows it dispatched from Carson, CA on 9-13-11... Silence since then. 
I think my friend just came up with the perfect analogy. We were talking on the phone when the topic of SW came up (she's an artist and is starting preliminary work on the next SW Galaxy set for Topps). I instantly snorted and said, "Eh... let's not talk about Star Wars, please." And she says, "You used to be the best person to talk to about Star Wars, but now you're like the ex-smoker who can't stand to be around other smokers, looks down on them and is militantly against smoking." Yeah... I'd say that's pretty damn close to the mark. Perhaps I could find a more palatable access point which would allow me to discuss SW again without tapping into the part of me that is burned out and disgusted with the LFL machine. The Droid Builders may provide that. Who knows. In the meantime I'm going to at least try to be less "militant" against these poopy Blu-rays. Maybe DiFabio's "burn it!" idea will provide the needed catharsis and I can go back to simple apathy when it comes to this release.
Perhaps I could find a more palatable access point which would allow me to discuss SW again without tapping into the part of me that is burned out and disgusted with the LFL machine. The Droid Builders may provide that. Who knows. In the meantime I'm going to at least try to be less "militant" against these poopy Blu-rays. Maybe DiFabio's "burn it!" idea will provide the needed catharsis and I can go back to simple apathy when it comes to this release.Canceled my Amazon order since it wasn't going to ship until next week according to their site. I will either get it at Target for the Lithographs or Best Buy for the film cel/shirt.
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Mine shows it dispatched from Carson, CA on 9-13-11... Silence since then.
Was yours shipped DHL as well? I thought DHL was only International now?
Was yours shipped DHL as well? I thought DHL was only International now?
Yeah DHL. I thought they were international as well.
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Hmmmmmm....the plot thickens!
Okay, I confess... I had all of your sets redirected to an oil waste landfill in Qatar. But I was only thinking of you and it's for your own good!
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