Thank you for saying so. This video was a little too over the top for how well it's done but maybe it will have done better when I take a look in six months time. John.
I had the 200ft, black and white, and silent Super 8 print. I talked my 7th grade teacher into letting me show it to the class one day. Of course, I brought along my soundtrack album and played the music along with it on the old school phonograph. Wowed everyone that day, many of whom didn’t believe I was telling them the truth about having the print or were completely unaware it existed!
@@adamATOM3 Shortly after the film was in cinemas here in the UK, Ken Films released a 400ft reel which ran about 17 minutes and made you feel like you'd seen the entire film except for the final Yavin battle around the Death Star. They later released a further 400ft reel which contained the Cantina sequence and the Death Star battle and that's the 400ft reel I showed in this video. Splice the two 400 foot reels together in the right order and you had a 34 minute cut down of Star Wars that told the whole story. John.
I think I was 13 Coyley and it is probably a major reason why I've had a lifelong love of film. Being introduced to Super 8 at the age of 2 or 3, seeing Jaws in 1975, Star Wars in 1978 and then not being allowed to see Alien in 1979 are all the catalysts for why I ended up a complete basket case! John.
Another great video. Keep up the good work. We’ve had Star Wars in so many formats over the years inc VHS, DVD, Laserdisc, Blu-ray and now the new 4K releases. I’ve got the despecialised version of the original and hold no guilt playing that every now and then when I want a pure hit!
I didn’t have the super 8 myself but I remember seeing as a 9 year old at school in assembly the tatooine desert scene projected. It was only a few minutes from what I remember but it still was amazing and is still my fave scene in the film. Gives me goosebumps!
@@JohnDoe-uu2zs I don't think children today would be able to understand the magic of being able to see those Super 8 reels back in 1977 before the film was even released to cinemas over here. It was an amazing time and it's still a dream come true for me that we are able to purchased films on video in such good quality for so little and watch them in our own home cinemas. I may not be a child any longer but I've never grown up, that's for sure. John.
I had first seen SW at the theaters in 1977. When the Star Destroyer came overhead my jaw hit the floor and I dont think it ever came off the floor. I have the original version on laser disc as well as the box set of the special editions. One collectible is the full story of SW on two LP set. I now have the Blu Ray box set of all the movies. I just finished watching Lights and Magic, the documentary of ILM on Disney+. Ive enjoyed all the movies including the side projects (Rogue One, Solo and Obi Won Kenobi Etc etc etc}.
I think the only Star Wars I've seen that I really didn't like was The Last Jedi and then the second and third films in the prequel trilogy. I haven't seen any of the television series but I expect I will sometime. I just hope they make a series with Babu Frik as the lead character! John.
Great video. Small quibble, though. The US premiere was actually 25 May 1977. I know because I was there. Plitt Cinema in Orange, California. Life was very different for me after that day.
phenominal video, John! funnily enough I was looking at 4K77 and 4K83 earlier today and I forgot how nice the colours look on it, the grain also looks very crisp and sharp thanks to no DNR used. it would be amazing to see one of those 70mm blow up prints, perhaps for its 50th anniversary coming up in 2027, there might be a few screenings happening of this historic film. I also hope disney publishes 4K77 and the other 4K projects. It would be unreal if they would screen them in cinemas too. have a great day, John! I think I've got a 35mm dark knight coming soon, I haven't filmed it yet, but that will be in about a week. Then after that I'll be attending a screening of Drive on 35mm, which I'm interested to see how the 4K compares to a 35mm print seeing how they are both from a digital source.
Drive certainly will be interesting Clark. It's quite amazing how good that one looks on 4K disc given that it was never 4K so to see it blown up onto a real cinema screen will surely put that 35mm from the 2K video master to the test. The Dark Knight should also be interesting because of the VistaVision type effect from the genuine IMAX down to a 35mm anamorphic print. I watched a RUclips video about how 4K77 was done and I'm not surprised that dye-transfer Technicolor prints have been the main source because being dye they don't fade. Surprising to see such difference in the colour between two Technicolor prints though. Without using image noise reduction the grain is going to appear coarser and more visible than it ever was on the film prints. I suspect the ol' DNR has been used a little too liberally in the 4K Special Edition disc so I'd have preferred that none was used at all just so we could be sure of looking at a genuine representation of the film but most won't notice and will probably prefer the more sterile look. It is very good despite any misgivings I may have about noise reduction. John.
I’m excited to hear the drive soundtrack in the cinema, not to mention it’s amazing visuals, I wonder if the Colour grade on the drive 4K will look the same as the 35mm print. I prefer there be more course grain than no grain, it lets me know I’m seeing as much detail as possible. I’m also interested in how the 1570 imax sequences look on 35mm for the dark knight. Also, in this video you show a Star Wars super 8 print being projected and the picture is quite green, why is this? Regards, Clark
@@ClarkTeddles - According to the Second Sight 4K UHD Blu-ray marketing: BRAND NEW 4K MASTER produced by the original post production company and approved by Nicolas Winding Refn DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION with grade completed by the film's original colorist and Director approved So, it should closely resemble the original colour grading of the theatrical run.
The 4k77 fella has THE best copies. Considering how many alternate original sound options there are it already beats the sterile Disney controlled versions that have never stopped being updated (we don't even have the original SE versions to watch) They look amazing, even ESB which is so far only a colour corrected grindhouse print. There is no other way to watch these films once you have copies. Same with the Raiders print they released.
@@HoorayTV21 I think we should probably say that there is no other way to watch them on video because many enthusiasts have film prints on one format or the other. I do have all three of the original trilogy on Super 8 and that was always good enough for the home, particularly with re-recorded sound or sound running in synch from the videos. And they're fully legal which is a bonus. If 4K77 ever gets official recognition then that will be a game changer and a whole load of us will no doubt pile in there. John.
4k77, 4k80 and 4k83 are all fantastic efforts. I only wish it were easier to decode atmos tracks at home so we could modify the retail atmos track to work with the community 4k transfers. The tools for editing are there with davinci resolve and pro tools, but decoding to a compatible format is the issue.
I've never been able to get the multi-channel surround sound tracks to work in Davinci. Might try it again one day but so far, no banana. Star Wars did have a six track stereo with the 70mm prints so pulling those off would facilitate re-working something much more easily. John.
I saw Star Wars 5 times at the theater. Every time was with different people. I also had the silent B&W reel and I watched so many times. I enjoy the 4k quality but would rather they be available in the original version. The JJ movies I liked the 1st and 3rd movie but the 2nd I thought was real poor. Rogue One I thought was really good. I enjoyed it a lot. The 4K77 I have seen and it brought me back to how I enjoyed the original movie. But as you say, it would be nice if the powers to be would authorize that copy. The original teaser if I remember had completely different music play with it and I remember back then being so excited for the movie every time I saw it.
Surprisingly similar memories to my own Stephen. We also agree on the Disney films because I like the J.J. Abrams films but not the one in the middle. Although that film, The Last Jedi, does have the most amazing opening act of any Star Wars film. I was really enthused while that was first running through but after that I found it all a bit boring and rather depressing. By the end of it I was chucking rotten fruit at the screen! Okay, I made that last bit up. John.
Graham here. We all knew back in the 70s "Star wars "was something special. I saw it in the then Bombay in a 70mm print. Till this day I remember the beauty of it all with those wonderful colours and of course the big wide screen which is so Necessary to view "Star Wars" in all it's glory. Definitely one of your top reviews John you can tell your heart is in it.
Thank you Graham. I had been asked to review that 4K Star Wars disc many times but it really wasn't something I wanted to see owing to all the added animation. What is disappointing is that it's not been a very popular video but picking up now from a very lowly position. Up until last night it was one of the worst performing videos I've ever done. It's a funny old world. John.
At the height of the last 3D wave we were promised 3D versions of the first 6 films, if you look carefully the prequel trilogy features many shots of lightsabres pointing at the screen, fully ready for post 3D work to be applied. Unfortunately only The Phantom Menace was finished and released.
Well thank goodness for that Portland. Hard to believe anyone could thing of making a faux 3D of such an historically important film but I suppose that if it brings money in then that's what it's all about. It does explain the almost complete lack of visible film grain which does spoil the look of this 4K a little. John.
Never heard of Star Wars released in Dimension 150. That must have been fantastic! 70mm was old hat by the time Star Wars was released in 1977 and arguably on its way out. The revolution that Star Wars truly sparked was in sound. Dolby already had a four-channel noise reduction system that was first deployed for the 1976 Barbara Streisand remake of A Star Is Born. Using only four of Todd-AO/Cinemascope six -track sound format (five across the screen, one surround), Dolby took it one step further with Star Wars by creating mini subwoofers out of the two unused screen speakers (center-left and center-right). That created the remarkable bass response that matched the images and thrilled audiences. Dolby called it the Baby Boom, although they never marketed it that way. The popularity of the six-track Dolby sound system spawned by Star Wars caused a rapid outfitting of cinemas with the system and the rest is history. In 1978, the separation of the single surround channel into left and right was tested in a couple of theatres with Superman. Apocalypse Now was the first film to use the final 5.2 system that became the standard throughout the 80s and 90s until the dawn of digital cinema sound. Back to Star Wars, part of what Dolby invented for Streisand was encoding the four sound tracks on the two optical stereo channels on 35mm prints. So the Star Wars 35mm prints had the same sound as the 70mm, only without the sub woofer tracks. The combination of noise reduction and more tracks offered improved sound quality even in small and medium-sized houses that could only show 35mm prints.
What great information Mike. Thank you for taking the time. Now then, what was the sound format on the 35mm prints of Rollerball because I've long thought that it was Dolby Stereo but from what you've said it seems to have been something else. The label applied was 'Dolby System' at the time but that was the same as the label on Star Wars. D-150 should be resurrected now that cinema is on its knees and looking like it's on the way out. Something is required to tempt more general audiences back now that the teenager/twenty something comic book superhero films aren't enough on their own. John.
I think I was 13 when I queued up to see it at my local ABC. I think it was responsible for kick starting my love of all things cinema but I had been into Super 8 on a lesser basis for years up to the time Star Wars appeared. John.
I was one of the lucky few in this country who got to see Star Wars a full 10 days before its first screening. The Sunday Mirror at the time back in 1977 ran an art competion, with the prize being an all expenses paid trip to the December 17th 1977 press screening in the private cinema in Twentieth Century House in Soho Square. Very plush and memorable, although the press pack and guests got the best seats, of course.
I've got fantastic bootleg Blu-Rays of restored original prints of "Star Wars" and "Return of the Jedi" and the so called despecialized version of "The Empire Strikes Back". I watched the 4K versions of the "Special Editions" once (the audio was the best feature) and then went straight back to the pirate copies. I'd love a legitimate "Blade Runner" style boxset with all the extant versions compiled together but apparently there are complex contractual reasons why that will never happen.
I did actually reply to this Dan but it's disappeared. I just wish I could remember what I said! Something along the lines of we're all going to have to track down Super 8 features of the original films. John.
John, I’m sure I speak for many subscribers when I tell you how much we appreciate this review. Love the fact you did a proper deep dive. You reminded me of the long wait between the US release, then the Leicester Square and West End release, then everywhere else. What torture that was. I went with my older brother in 1978-perhaps 1979, it’s remarkable to think how long films stayed in the cinemas back then. Love your lobby cards, it never ceases to amaze me how many of us have collected so much Star Wars ephemera. It really did change the world. I’m off to watch my old VHS recorded off the TV in 1982 😂
That is certainly going to be panned and scanned Ghost, complete with adverts unless Darth managed to use the pause button successfully during the breaks. John.
Darth, I was collecting the red versions of the bubble gum cards and although I never managed to attain the lot before the film was first released over here, I did finally get to see it knowing every single scene from those cards and the Super 8 200ft reel by then. If I'd have been more cinema aware I'd have known that it was on in the West End and badgered my parents to take us to see it. I really would love to be able to say I was lucky enough to see the D-150 presentation at the Odeon Marble Arch but sadly it was Star Wars that began my fascination of all things cinema so I wasn't as switched on as I was to become after that life changing experience of first seeing Star Wars on a big screen. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thats brilliant- the bubble gum cards being your own trailer/sneak preview. our local cinemas would show all movies on a pretty tight schedule, and back then they didn’t care if you stayed and watched it again, we used to do that quite a bit. Another lost moment was the supporting movies- I can remember an old Spider-Man film and a Sinbad movie being on before the main film, I guess that was to help parents trying to offload their kids for as long as possible in the holidays. I’m never really sure why more cinemas don’t do retrospective showings of classics. I’ve been fortunate enough to see Star Wars and 2001 on the big screen, but never Jaws or Alien, which both warrant a full screen viewing.
@@ManCave1972 Jaws is on re-release right now Darth. It's being passed off as IMAX which of course it can't be and never could have been because it was shot 35mm but it might be a chance to see it in a purported IMAX cinema on a huge screen.... without any masking! I do wonder why it's been brought back though and it's possible it's because cinema is in serious trouble right now because there is hardly anything for them to screen. The last days of cinema as we have always known it perhaps? I hope not but I do have concerns. By the way, I don't have any recollection of what the supporting films to Star Wars were back in 1978 when I saw it. And sadly those bubble gum card were accidentally thrown out when the family home was sold and I wasn't there to rescue all of my things. John.
Really interesting history of SW. Saw at Theatre One in Coventry with my dad back in 1978. Remember like yesterday as well as all the toys and magazines.
It seems that a lot of us have treasured memories of where and when we saw this historic film. It's probably not quite so historic now that we just have a version of the so-called 'Special Edition' and the original has been hidden from view for so long. John.
Absolutely I queued round the block with my dad aged 9 1/2 and the showing we got into only had 2 seats left (Brighton Odeon) right at the front. I’ve been hooked ever since that opening shot!
@@MikeTheBike2010 I queued with my parents and brother and got nowhere near getting in before being turned away for the day. I went again a few days later with school friends and got in then. A couple of days after that I went with my whole family again and got in. Today the cinema we all saw it in is a gym. What a waste because for a local town cinema there was a pretty big screen in there - getting on for 40 feet wide I think. John.
Fantastic video John . Star wars always be seeing for the first time with my Late Dad at my local cinema in 1978 was the best film experience l ever had in my life . I saw super 8 version of star wars at school in late 70s . I enjoyed Empire strikes Back Return of the Jedi with my dad . I recorded star wars in October 1982 when it was ltv and watched it every day for weeks l was 16 . I brought star wars on video in 1988 .l enjoyed every star wars film but nothing will more exciting than the original one . I have got star wars movies on 4k blue ray the box set you were showing. You got Fantastic collection John. Thanks for sharing. All the best to you .
I first went with my parents and brother when it was first on general release in 1978 Jonny, but we couldn't get in. This was partially because people back then could pay to go into a cinema and stay all day so not as many people vacated the cinema as usual in between each of those Star Wars screenings. That is what caused the end of 'continuous performances' and cinema staff all over Britain would soon thereafter usher everyone out of the auditorium prior to the next show. I went back a few days later after the disappointment of not getting in but this time with some school friends and got in. I then went again with my family once more so I got to see the film it twice. I have never found that the film works on a telly and now that the original film is not permitted on home video I'm glad I have the Super 8 feature print even if it isn't the best quality ever issued on the gauge. John.
This gentleman should have 5 million subscribers. No one does what he does. Incredible information. Presented as good as any National Geographic documentary. Extreme respect and admiration. Sir if I asked how many movie titles you own would you share that? Not how many disks or films. Just how many movie titles. I am very curious since I have a bigger than typical size collection. Thank you sir. For everything you do.
I really don't know how many. I estimate around 50 features on film prints, loads of feature cut downs on Super 8, loads of extracts, hundreds and hundreds of trailers and then dozens of cartoon shorts and dozens of newsreels and travelogues. Video discs will be around 1000 movies and about 100 television series I suppose. Enough to take probably more than ten years to get through the lot at current viewing rates. And thank you for your kind words about the videos. I've just shot an 8mm projector and a Super 8 projector running so if that's turned out okay then I'll get that cut together and uploaded in the coming days. John.
@@moviecollector5920 John thanks for the reply. I use an on line service to keep up with my ever growing collection. Right now I have nearly 6200 titles. These go way back to the beginning of dvd. About 20 percent are Blu-ray with a couple dozen 4ks for super important ones. Wish we lived close. I can imagine hours of great movie conversations over hot tea. Thanks again for what you do so well. Your knowledge is amazing.
Sorry the video went on a bit but I'd been asked over and over again to review the 4K disc and I didn't just want to do that. We only get a chance to cover a film once so I made something that I hope is a bit more interesting and informative than telling everyone there's been a lot of noise reduction applied... which I don't think I even bothered going into because I thought it looked good and not excessive. I do prefer Star Wars to have its inherent film grain though. John.
Probably not David. Such a shame that the Special Edition hasn't been re-worked into something a little more suitable for the 1977 release because a combination of the best of both would probably make the best version of the lot... but some of the computer animation might have to be toned down a little as it's too 'in yer face'. John.
Yet another fantastic video. Thank you. I first saw it aged 5 at the Classic in Blackburn. For some bizarre reason I remember having my polio inoculation before! It was on a loop so I remember peeking through the doors and watched everyone getting their medals. At 5 I wasn't too sure what it was about and used to think the Millennium Falcon had 2 cockpits, one at each side. Strange what useless information my mind retains. Anyway, I have a personal link to the film as my mum gets about £14 a year royalties from Lucasfilm from something my grandad did for the score. See was an ex-professional musician and was involved with the Musicians Union. He kept having to go to London a lot around this time and being rather discreet he never uttered a word. We never knew anything about this until the annual cheques kept coming after he passed away. I've checked with the London Symphony Orchestra and he didn't play on the score, so I've no idea what he did....but the annual royalty cheque still comes! I've got it on VHS (original) and Laservision (sadly no LD player any more). I've even got some empty VHS display packs as my mum worked in Tesco and they were throwing them away after the displayed finished. Whilst very excited about the special editions at the time, they have not aged well. So after investing on multiple releases on VHS, DVD & Blu ray I've not invested in 4K as it's not the original. If Disney released "Star Wars" (not Episode IV) I'd buy it. So, it's 4K77 for me on either DNR and DNR free (the latter is wonderfully grubby!) Maybe the original will be re-released in 2027?
i really like your description that the special edition has "not aged well". That was a line I could have done with before recording the video. However, I did expect this video to be really popular so in a way it's just as well I didn't put any more work into it as I was over 30 hours as it is. I don't know if Star Wars ever will see the light of day about but 50 years since it's USA release date would be the time if it is to ever be released. If it were up to me I'd strike new 70mm blow-up prints and put it in the top cinemas in the world still capable of showing film. And by the way, film is not so grainy as it appears when scanned for a video, it's a by-product or side-effect of the scanning process. Project a film and it looks far less coarse grained than it appears on all these discs which is why image noise reduction is played with. There is too much of that applied to Star Wars though and that results in it looking more like a video than a film. Great memories and stories there Loft Legacy. Thank you. John.
I just bought a 9.2 receiver, installed 2 height speakers for Atmos, and what a joy it was to hear some of John Williams' music plus SFX like the voices on the Death Star landing bay squawk box saying "Unlock 1, 5, 7 and 9--release charges" overhead in the 4K!
It's just a shame the original film hasn't had a re-release for gawd knows how long Mike. I find it difficult to watch the re-hashed versions but when I watch the original, I'm not sure I'd like it so much with modern, re-worked sound. I'm a bit of a fuss pot when it comes to Star Wars, probably because I've had the Super 8 print for over 30 years and completely used to how it looks and sounds. Every home should have a copy! John.
Saw back in May 1977. Have vhs, dvd, br & uhd. Got online the 4K restoration 77 project of original Star War. They did a fine job & I watch on 120” screen with JVC 2000 projector. It looks like what I remember, lol. Han shoots first. Thanks for review of my fav👏👏👏
I don't think Greedo even fires in the original. And what are those subtitles all of a sudden because I never saw them on the original... they're certainly not on the Super 8 print and thank gawd too because they're pointless and take you out of the film. John.
Very informative video loved it.I saw Star Wars in Jan 1978 with my mum at Tottenham court road and never forget that ship going over our heads at the beginning.
Think people of a certain age all have a Star Wars tale to tell seeing the picture as a 13 year old certainly inspired and shaped my future career, Projectionist, my parents bought me a dual gauge Fujicascope M36 projector and the Ken Films 200ft Colour Silent for Christmas in 1978, upgrading from my old eumig P8 standard, I rigged up a mini cinema in my mates garage and showed it to other kids in the street using the appropriate tracks from the soundtrack album as best I could. The seeds of my future well and truly planted as I slowly added to my silent collection saving paper round money, and doing regular screenings in the garage. In 1980 I left school got a job and went Sound with Star Wars and CE3K being my first 400ft Colour Sound purchases followed soon after by that first amazing The Empire Strikes Back 400ft, WOW did that 2 reeler see some action. Happy Days, never forget the excitement when that package dropped through the letter box with the sticker URGENT USELESS IF DELAYED all over the Derann label.
I love stories like this Graham. I never lost the excitement of getting hold of a new Super 8 title even when we had the glory days in the early to mid-1990's and the most amazing feature release line-up from Derann that anyone could have wished for. John.
A beautiful history lesson worthy of being included on future video disc releases of Star Wars. It's amazing that you have those 8mm reels of the original version. I didn't know that the genuine IMAX documentary Special Effects existed. It's awesome that you include stuff like that. That 35mm film frame you show at the 10:36 point looks like it's from a Widescreen trailer for Revenge of the Sith - if that's the case, the Scope 2.39:1 aspect ratio of the film (not anamorphic on the print of the trailer) is masked within the Widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio and screened with the non-anamorphic 1.85:1 projector lens. However, I do wonder about what the cover says: "... a unique 35mm film frame taken directly from the original film footage and reproduced using state-of-the-art imaging and printing techniques."
I think the film frame in the box was created by someone who doesn't know or understand film Erik and it's as simple as that. It bothered me from the day my brother bought me that fabulous set as a birthday present and so I thought I'd make the point in this video in the hope that it would get around and a few people would be educated. There were previously collectible film frames issued in packs like it and they were all in the 'Scope format so something has changed in the video era and I think it's simply down to a lack of knowledge. I hope I get to see that IMAX film again one day. The Star Destroyer coming over head was even more impactive than it was on the original film and has to be seen to be believed. Pure movie magic that I could sit there and watch again and again on a loop. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, that scene recreated in IMAX sounds like pure movie magic. I imagine I could sit there next to you and watch it again and again on a loop.
Thank you Aurelio. No one sets out to make a bad film so I'll always try to give any production a chance and find the good in it even if I don't particularly like the film myself. John.
@@moviecollector5920 and that's much appreciated because I've fallen down the 4K rabbit hole and seem to be gradually replacing all my blu rays so really enjoy your reviews and passion for the content
Dear John. Today there is an important home video anniversary here in Denmark. Today it is 25 years ago that the first DVD was issued, and the title was "Evita" with Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce. A VHS edition was also released on the same day. The sound was coded in Dolby Pro Logic, but the distributor Scanbox eventually learned to issue DVD´s in Dolby Digital. My wife, my brother and saw it at the cinema in February that year (1997), and we were very pleased with the movie, both the music and the spectacle . I got the soundtrack on CD at my birthday, April the 2nd. The CD was on my CD player for 14 days in a row. So we are having a home video jubilee tonight at our home. Three weeks later, October 22nd, the second DVD release was issued and that was Bille August´s : Miss Smilla´s Sense of Snow with Julia Ormond, Gabriel Byrne, Richard Harris and Peter Capaldi before he became Malcolm Tucker. It was also issued by Scanbox coded in Dolby Pro Logic.
DVD was a long time coming after CD-I was pulled but it did fuel the LaserDisc market and that wasn't a bad thing. I don't know what the first DVD was over here but i remember there were only four titles available when the first DVD player was available and one of them, a Wallace & Gromit cartoon, came with the player. It looked fabulous by the way but hardly anyone bought the first player so that was the end of that. It seemed to take many months before a dozen titles were available and I got t couple of them back then. Second generation players were better than that first machine but suffered from slipping sound synchronization. It took a couple of years to get the new format right but thankfully the MPEG digital audio was quickly dropped and that's how the Region 2 area ended up with Dolby Digital sound as the standard. Now we're getting 4K discs and many of them are just like looking at 35mm prints. I never would have thought that home video would get this good, particularly not for such a low cost. Quality like we are getting today should cost hundreds of pounds but £20 a disc is about the average. Amazing. John.
In '99 my best friend was working at a 2nd run theater and I was able to get several slices of 35mm film before he sent them back to Fox. I mounted them and gave some to family. Obviously I kept one for myself, A great shot of a Naboo Starfighter.
I love your RUclips tube. My favourite. I found this video very interesting. I learnt a lot from your informative Star Wars video. I have the 1997 Drew Struzan quad poster. I first saw Star Wars in 1978 very early 1978 when I was 4 years old. I saw it at an Oden cinema in Bury Lancashire. With my mum and my friends and their mum
And I bet you can remember your cinema outing that day Liam. I was a little older and I went to see it twice at a local ABC. I can still remember the thrill and I think I can remember the print being a little grainy but it may be my Super 8 print superimposed over it somehow. The mind and the memory can play tricks. I have the 1997 Special Edition posters of all three but annoyingly my copy of the Star Wars item is not double sided. Empire and Jedi are both double sided to appear best in a lightbox. I realized recently that the poster for Last Night In Soho is a bit of a take-off of the original Star Wars quad. Certainly copied the style of it anyway. I expect a lot have done that over the years but I never noticed it before. John.
Wonderful, thanks John, as usual lots of things I was not aware of. My wife and I saw it when it was first released at the Leicester Square Theatre - it blew our minds and we realised from that moment that cinema had turned a corner and would never be the same again. Not bad for a film that was almost dismissed as a B movie that would most likely not appeal to the public. Absolutely fascinating, thank you.
It seems to have had an effect on many of us Trevor. I probably wouldn't have become a Super 8 addict if it hadn't have been for the early Star Wars releases and therefore wouldn't have ever turned up at the BFCC. Funny how things turn out. John.
sleeper star wars was and then suddenly box office tills was ringing like no other . same with ghost , it was sleeper then suddenly box office tills ringing
Saw all 3 Star War films in Hollywood and Beverly Hills movie theaters. I have the video on beta and vhs plus laser disc. Then dvd and now 4K DVD. Thanks for the review John.
As always John a fabulous dive into what’s probably almost all of the communities favourite film - I think RUclips was made for Star Wars discourse - my dad picked me up from school in his 1600E as a surprise and I took him as a surprise in 97 for the special edition - the star destroyer looming in overhead is one of those shots, moments and memories that anyone of a certain age has a fondness for - as always thank you for the review and the nod to dog soldiers as well - got my copy from second sight and can’t recommend it enough
That opening with the two ships has to be one of the best - if not, the best - openings to a film ever. To see it in genuine IMAX was even better so I hope prints of that Special Effects IMAX film still exist so that I get another chance to see again one day. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I’d love to see that myself - even when I put it on my digital projector in the house it still looks amazing - I think that the quality of the effects and the believably of the model work coupled with the spectacle and the fact that it just hadn’t been done before to that standard blew everyone away and it’s one of the reasons it has such a special resonance for people of a certain age - in 77/78 nothing could touch it and now it wouldn’t hit people in the same way - you can only get a first once and for sci fi it was Star Wars much like Psycho for suspense and the Exorcist for horror
@@deanrussell2224 And Jaws for Great White Sharks Dean. A darned good summing up of why so many of us still have such an affection for that first story set a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. John.
I wasn't born, but my father saw Star Wars in December 1977 in Seville, Spain, in a local cinema called "Alameda Multicines", the first "multi-cinema" of Spain, with 4 cinemas. Obviously it was a Spanish 35mm print with Spanish titles and Castilian dub. I know that it was screened in Madrid in November 1977 in 70mm. Unfourtnely, the only way today to watch the original 1977 Spanish titles it's from early video releases.
There are the fan created 4K versions of the original film out there Martin but I won't look for those until it gets the official seal of approval from the copyright owners. That means that the best legitimate way to see the first three Star Wars films is via the Super 8 feature releases. Quite amazing really as they're all about 30 years old or more now. John.
I did shoot a lot more collectibles Darren but didn't get them out of display cabinets and off the shelves so in the end I didn't use those shots as it rather spoiled the flow of the video... which isn't doing very well sadly. Time will tell if it was a complete waste of time though. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I imagine your home theatre collection to be like a history lesson of film. Regardless if the video gets lots of views, I think it worthwhile for the subscribers would enjoy and watch all your videos like me. I certainly enjoyed it and shared it with a Star Wars enthusiast friend
Grest recap/review here Jon! I didn’t catch star wars special edition in theatres but i did see Empire and ROTJ with my uncle back in… ‘97 I believe it was. For me, as someone who was born the year after ROTJ was released it was nice to catch them. I don’t recall how big the screen was but as a 13 yr old it was big lol I had every VHS release from 90s on, special edition etc, dvd, blu-ray but not UHD. That’s next!
Well JB, you'll not only have to take a look at the 4K but you'll also have to get that Elmo GS1200 Super 8 projector you've been promising yourself and track down a Super 8 print! Then again, that may prove to be a little expensive these days. John.
@@moviecollector5920 - Thoroughly enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Star Wars was the first movie I ever watched on a cinema screen. The Apollo Theatre in Oxford had a screen installed on stage in order to show Star Wars. I’ve been a fan of watching movies on the big screen ever since. Thanks again, John, I can’t even imagine the amount of work that went into making this video but the editing side alone was far longer than yesterday’s Berlin Full Marathon! 😱
@@cheekster777 Good to know you liked it Cheekster. A lot of editing but I could have gone on for days longer finalizing it all so in the end decided that that was enough, which is how you have to be if you still want to have a life outside of editing. John.
Thank you for showing us your collection John. As a kid of the 2000's, the prequels will always hold a special place in my heart even if I do accept that they have some pretty rough spots. I only watched the original trilogy as an adult and while Empire and Return didn't impress me as much, the first movie did blow me away, what a fantastic experience. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for audiences in the 70's to watch this for the first time. Sadly I think we won't get the original, non-CG versions of the trilogy released for wide consumption until Lucas passes away. For whatever reason he seems to loathe them now.
It's a shame that so many people haven't really ever seen Star Wars as it was because it really is special. I can understand George Lucas being frustrated that he couldn't get the film finished as he wanted in 1977 but he was totally immersed in every aspect of it and couldn't see the film the way we all did. Some of the additions would have improved that first version but very few of them. If the 4K77 work ever does get the green light for a legal release then I'd certainly take a look at what they've done and I'm sure it will prove to be the best home movie version ever released but until then the Super 8 remains in the top spot. John.
@@deanrussell2224 The contractual arrangements for Star Wars were different so there could be something hiding away that necessitates it's never issued again as it wouldn't be worth the expense and the trouble. I'd have thought that now Disney own 20th Century Fox all of the rights to all of the films would have fallen under their ownership but apparently not. John.
Another great video, thank you John. I had no idea sprockets on 16mm could be either single or double! Fascinating! If you ever need any idea for a future video, a retrospective on Cannon Cinemas would be great. Cheers
Thank you Ben. Sadly I know nothing about Cannon Cinemas other than they had darned good daysets to splice into the adverts, trailers and movie introductions. They seemed to own everything during the late 1980s but have gone now. John.
Brilliant Video John, great to look back to when it was released. I was lucky over the years I have projected 35mm and 70mm prints of Star Wars, Empire strikes back and Jedi. Best. Mike
Well get hold of one of those 70mm Star Wars prints and stick it on at the BFI IMAX Michael. I'll be there, you can count on that. But please get Tenet back on first!!! John.
My home town on of Tijuana, Mexico had a D-150 cinema: the El Cine Roble (The Oak) downtown. Sadly, I never saw any film here. The building is still there, but has long stopped being a theater and has some other function partially occupying the lobby level. Believe it ot not, Tijuana had many movie palaces, each with their own theme. Most have closed with a couple restored for live events.
Cinema seems to be increasingly struggling across the world Rene. Even the West End of London has lost several of its top cinemas in recent years with others being split into multiple screens. Of course, anti-business policies won't have helped but I do fear it's a bigger problem than just making it difficult for people to travel into London. Such a shame you never got to see a D-150 presentation. Perhaps now that cinema is in danger we'll see innovations like it return to entice people back to theatres. John.
If only they'd have shot the whole film in genuine IMAX in the first place! Then again, it wouldn't have turned out the way it did and they certainly wouldn't have got the special effects finished in time. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I've been watching the documentary 'Light and Magic' which shed light (pun) unto the complexity of getting the special effects of 'Star Wars' actually done.
@@jremy7 I haven't seen that one jremy7 but I'd like to. I have seen an awful lot about ILM over the years though. I just wish they'd asked me to make the new documentary! John.
Great video again, John, and nice to see you back, I thought I was the biggest Star Wars fan; such fond memories of seeing in 77 coming out n rejoining the queue. I also have a super 8mm reel, but I never had or had the equipment to view it. As for my hypothesis on why films will never make classic status, as you said, SW would be 10yrs old before you can own it physically. Unlike today when DVDs can be owned after six months, they collect dust. I remember seeing the double bill also of SW and ESB, I also still have The Story of SW on vinyl which I now own on MP3 for the car. Amazing Video John hope you are well
I think this was the biggest I've done so far Carl but there have been a few biggies in the past. This one did take a lot of planning but it seemed to turn out alright in the end so I hope it does really well otherwise I'll be a little miffed. Looks to be okay so far. Probably put five days into this one but certainly four so at least 30 hours. Your Super 8 reel was most likely before low fade stocks were introduced so you really need to get that through a projector soon to see if it's still good. Some were struck on low fade so you might find you're lucky. The later features are all struck on low fade stock so they should be alright for 100 years. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I think the Super 8 is the trailer reel, thanks for the reply mate, I also have all the various DVDs and Videos inc the first Video VHS copy, but more recently got the big 4k box set which is amazing but its nice to own the different stages of the film , i never collected the laser disc era, I agree re the SE of the film and request a 4k of the OG film in atmos, that would be amazing, take care my friend , CARL .
Omnimax is even more impressive than IMAX Mike. I saw Omnimax 3D with liquid crystal flickering glasses in the early 1990's and that was one of the most memorable things I've even seen in a cinema. The film might have been crap but the 3D was perfect and I thought that was going to be the future. Alas, the usual hard to watch 3D because the norm once again. Well done for getting to see the genuine IMAX Star Wars opening in Omnimax. You're the only one to report on that so far. John.
You're not alone there David. I think it's the most important film in terms of affecting peoples lives. It certainly had an effect on me and I've never recovered! John.
I saw SW many times at that Edwards Newport theater, it was great! Folks were so excited pre show, it was a real event like a sporting event or a rock show. The 4K looks great on my 120" scope screen, but as you say it is not large to convey the impact as when it was originally shown. Also it is too clean, grain is reduced, no dirt, scratches, etc. In the film there is a cigarette burn/sound pop reel change after Cushing says "We will crush the rebellion with one swift stroke!" When watching the 4k of course this is not there, just silence till the next scene. It struck me then that a lot of my memories of SW are tied to the film medium and the presentation method in the theater as much as the content of the movie. Anyway still glad for the 4K HDR format, many movies look like 35 mm prints to me, albeit very clean ones.
4K is proving to be excellent Carl and the closest representation to an actual film that video has ever achieved. Film dirt, neg dust and scratches have a different appearance somehow even on 4K and are distracting whereas on film they are not. It must be something to do with the methodology of the projection or the way video is translated onto a telly but something isn't quite as forgiving as real film. I'm really quite excited to have a comment from someone who actually saw Star Wars on that enormous Edwards Newport screen. Imagine being able to go into a traditional picture palace today that boasted a 75 foot 2.20:1 screen. All we have today that equate to it are giant IMAX screens and some of those aren't really IMAX. But no masking or curtains, that's the big difference. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Curtains! Yes the curtains were closed over the screen and you would sit and listen to Music before the show, I miss that aspect of going to the theater. I was fortunate to live a short drive from the Newport so we saw all of the big films there, SW, Indiana Jones, Bond, etc. Waited in line for 2+ hours to make sure you could get the perfect seat! Sometime during the course of the SW release they upgraded the sound system to get the back channel echo effect when Luke/Leia do the Tarzan swing. So that kept SW going for several more months! Good Times.
@@carlbarlow6942 The showmanship has largely gone from cinemas now. Even most of the projectionists have been replaced by someone who can press a button. John.
I've just bought the original trilogy on 4K John. After getting em on VHS, laserdisc, twice on DVD and Blu-ray this is the last time I'm buying em. It was 2 for £24 in HMV so I picked up the 4K of Ambulance.
The Star Wars films aren't the same any longer Steve but much of the original film is intact. It's just that Jabba The Hut scene that makes me throw my popcorn at the screen... and my Coca Cola, crisps, chocolate raisins and anything else I can lay my hands on! Ambulance would have been really good if the cameraman could have held the camera a little more steady. It's fine until there's any action on the screen. The only film I think I've seen that's worse for that is Mission Impossible 3 but if you're prepared then it should still be a lot of fun. Not a movie to project, that's for sure. John.
Great video John. I was lucky enough to get the steelbook of this with I think the original cover art. I thought the picture quality was great, what struck me was how the creators created that used worn in look to the droids and everything else, you could see the scratches on R2D2 that I hadn’t noticed before on home video.
Oh yes, the droids have always looked beaten up but I think that up until the 4K it's only been the Super 8 features that have been good enough to pick up that sort of detail... and they're not exactly perfect prints in terms of how good Super 8 can be. John.
My first Star Wars experience was a 4:3 without pan&scan. Wasn’t until I got the letterbox version I saw the complete movie. Of course I already watched the first version 40 times by then.
That's a good one Andy. Thank you. I thought it might be the best yet when I finally completed it but sadly it's not yet finding the sort of size audience I was hoping for. That might change of course so we'll have to wait and see. John.
Sadly I don't think I'll be able to do anything on the later films as this one hasn't proved to be popular at all so far. Let's hope that changes because I was hoping to do something similar for Star Trek. John.
Me Mum took me to Ipswich to see Star Wars in 1978 and I have been in love with the theatrical original trilogy ever since. I have 4K77 and 4K83 and they are beautiful!!
4K80 must be coming soon as one of the people working on it was on here some time ago so surely it will be ready soon. I have all three on Super 8 and although none are top examples of the Super 8 gauge, there's nothing like having the original versions on the big screen. John.
10:38 I do have a lot of 35mm frames from the trailers of the prequels and a lot of them are in the flat format. I’m not sure all showings of the full films were in scope. So this frame might actually be from a release print or more likely from a trailer
That frame is from Revenge of the Sith which was released on Super 8 and it's 'Scope. Trailers come out in various formats to fit the aspect ratios of other trailers being shown but features tend to have the one master internegative format. I think the frames in that pack were produced by someone who doesn't know film and so it was done in error. John.
Good morning Pinoy. It's a bit like a trip into your amazing home cinema room isn't it? We're two people on opposite sides of the world with a similar love of the Star Wars films. John.
I also saw that Special Effects show in IMAX when i was a kid and the recreated scene with the Star Destroyer chasing the Tantive IV was amazing. I actually thought that was going to be used for the opening shot in the Special Edition and didn't realise at the time it was specifically done for the doc.
Excellent work John, very comprehensive, I thought I was bad and I've only got the laserdiscs, Vhs's, dvds, blu rays and 4ks. It's hard to imagine now what effect Star wars had on me (13 in 1978).
I think I was 13 when I first saw Star Wars too Clive. I don't think there is any doubt that it had a major effect on a lot of young boys who have kept their love for the film for 45 years and counting. There aren't many films that have changed the world but Star Wars is one of them. I can't think of another that ever had quite such an effect either. John.
Thank You very much for thee review. It's been a while since I've visited your channel. BTW the projector you recommended from Optoma worked amazing. thanks for that. It is really something to enjoy 4k movies at home that way
I'm pleased that you're pleased with your Optoma video projector. There's nothing like projecting to get the best out of a film. I grew up with Super 8 home movie projectors so it was always logical to video project as soon as it didn't look so awful (about 16 years ago video projection finally became viable) but it seems that a lot of movie enthusiasts have stuck with a telly and that's possibly because they've never known projection. I suppose it's all a big unknown whereas the box has always been there. A smaller telly and a budget video projector is the way to go for most of us. John.
I loved them when they were first broadcast. Excited to see they were being released on cassette but then couldn't get hold of them in Britain at the time. Fortunately I had a trip to America coming up and managed to get a copy then. John.
That was suberbly put together, I remember seeing it in 78 at my local Odeon and can still remember how excited the chatter was and the applause of the audience at the end, something you don't get these days... Nice seeing you again, been a few years, looking forward to the BFCC next year... Chris Quinn... ;)
Good to hear from you Chris and it will be even better to see you in April. I'll be paying for the hall in November and sorting everything else out then whereupon that's when this channel starts to be used for what it was started for: Namely, to resurrect the BFCC and make it viable. If we can get some home video enthusiasts along and into film then that will be mission accomplished as far as I'm concerned. Keith isn't very well so I don't know if we'll be able to get him along but I hope so as that was another major reason for doing all this. John.
I only watch my laserdisc copy of Star Wars. I find that the original trilogy is only watchable on that format due to the numerous changes that hurt the film making for a much more taxing watch. I also prefer Jedi over empire and even Jedi over Star Wars. I grew up watching them as the phantom menace was releasing as I was a boy. I would hope that we can get the original cuts released again but having that super 8 of the film movie seems to be the most authentic you can get. I have the dvd for phantom menace & Star Wars due to them both having the bonus disc of content I wanted. Hopefully they release the madalorian psychically as that’s a show I actually enjoy that they have made
I think that you'll find a close analysis of the three original films will reveal that the first is the best film but Jedi benefited from having the most amazing special effects ever seen in a film up to that time. I was more taken with it initially but as the years have gone on I've been able to see that it's basically a re-make of the first film without so many great characters and not such an interesting, convoluted version of the same story. I also really like The Phantom Menace but it's the only one of the prequels that I do like. The 35mm reel you see i this video is actually The Phantom Menace and the intro on each of my videos is reel 1 with the pre-film trailers that came on the start of it. But don't tell anyone I told you this! John.
Another great video and one that brought back memories of my fellow Super 8 collector friend Alan and I rushing from our Blackburn homes to the Film Shop ( as we called it) in Blackpool to purchase the 200ft release of Star Wars. We then tried to rush back home, ignoring everything else Blackpool had to offer, even faster to project it. We had scraped enough together, with a little pleading to our parents, to get the colour sound versions. We were very popular with our friends at that time. The 400ft versions were purchased later and I did get the first 400ft of Empire Strikes back. I sadly sold the lot ages ago and have started collecting again due to your channel and have the first 400ft of Star Wars again - I will not be so stupid as to sell it again.
I gave my Ken Films cut downs of Star Wars and Empire away when I got the features Christopher but fortunately the friend I gave them to still has them so they're in good hands. Super 8 collecting really has been a wonderful thing in my life and I wouldn't have started this channel if I'd never have taken up that film collecting adiction. John.
You really went all out on production with this one, great video John. I was a huge fan myself. I remember seeing RotJ as a small child in the cinema, but didn't think much of SW till many years later. It was actually Timothy Zahn's novel "Heir to the Empire" that hooked me, circa 1994. A continuation of the story of our heroes after the end of the films intrigued me and that was a great trilogy. Back then, Star Wars was so niche, my local bookshop said I might only find more at Forbidden Planet in London, which became a regular hangout for teenage me :-) The Star Wars products were in a dark, dusty corner in the basement back then! That got me into the novels, comic books, movies and the rest. There was a once in a lifetime back-to-back showing of the whole trilogy at a venue in Borehamwood, Herts around 95-96 I attended, and met several of the actors who were there. I kept my VHSs of the original versions for many years until I just couldn't justify keeping VHS around anymore. I still have the comic books from Dark Horse, some Dave Prowse autographed photos, my book collection and other paraphernalia. I was sad that Disney made all the Extended Universe non-canon and didn't care for their trilogy very much. It is still lovely to remember Star Wars before it was the cultural phenomenon it became. I haven't watched the 4Ks, my last viewing was the HD fan 'theatrical' cuts. Still great cinema. Thanks again for such an exciting and informative video!
I thought it was the most ambitious video I'd ever done for the Movie Collector channel but sadly it's been a bit of a flop so far. I've been massaging things slowly to try and get it out there but it's still not making much of an impact. Up until this morning it was my worst performing video of the past six months and only two previously had done worse so it's probably ruled out something similar I was hoping to do on the Star Trek films. Oh well, we'll see. The early nineties saw the release of Empire and Jedi on Super 8 so that was actually a really good period for avid Star Wars fanatics. To this day they are still the best fully legitimate way to see the original films. If only the VHS releases hadn't been done to death after that time then perhaps the original films might have got a re-release in 1997 without so much cartooning added to them. It's such a shame that they're now virtually hidden away but at least the 4K looks terrific even if it isn't the version of the film many of us would have preferred. I still visit Forbidden Planet whenever I return to London although that's increasingly difficult now owing to the anti-car policies. John.
No I don't have it Dave. I do have a lot of Star Wars making of documentaries though so I dare say most of what was in that Elstree 1977 production has been re-used elsewhere. I will keep a look out for a copy now though. John.
Nice retrospective, John, and great to see some of your old film versions of SW. Although you are joking when you say catch it in an IMAX near you, right? :) I think there's one genuine IMAX left in the country isn't there, and it's certainly nowhere near most of us! We did used to have one in B'ham and I very much lament its closure. Paul
There are still genuine IMAX cinemas around the nation but whether or not they ever get the chance to put a genuine IMAX film on is another matter. I suppose we'll find out when Oppenheimer is released and if it's only really the BFI IMAX that still has the capability then I'll see you and everyone else there! I saw 'Special Effects' in Bradford and if they've done away with film when they are the museum for the format then they really have let us all down. John.
Bravo sir, really interesting stuff. I hope you are going to talk about the other two parts of the original series as well, in terms of the 4k review. I can never get over the fact that you have actual film reels.
Sadly this video isn't proving to do too well so far Timothy so if that remains the case then I doubt I'll ever spend days producing anything quite like it again. I was hoping to have an excuse to do something similar with the Star Trek films but I think my main audience is primarily for 4K disc reviews on their own. We'll see how this one does over time. John.
Always come back to these videos. I love your channel John you have a welcoming nature. I would have loved to have had a friend to hang out and watch movies with like you. Merry Christmas John.
Well, I've just seen the trailer for Oppenheimer which is out the end of next July, and it's been filmed in IMAX and Super Panavision 70 so I'll see you at the BFI IMAX on opening day! John.
Omg I had those THX Laserdiscs. John you’re completely out of control 😂 This was so cool. Thanks for the really amazing detail. Rob ps HT still in shut down. The seamstress is evil.
The home cinema is still closed Rob?!? Well, this is unforgivable and you have got to do something about it... how about an open air cinema until you can get the seamstress fully trained in the ways of the Force?
I remember when I first showed the first STAR WARS to my dad on home video so many years ago. After it was over my dad said, and I quote: "I must be getting silly, I actually enjoyed that." LOL. Well dad, what's not to like? There's loads of swashbuckling, a princess is rescued by our heroes and a big battle at the end in which the good guys win. George Lucas put good old fashion elements into the film for audiences of all ages and made one grand entertainment. I have most all the STAR WARS films on 4k including the Jerry Bruckheimer versions including a couple in 3D which has some of the best 3D put to film.
I can't watch the re-worked versions of Star Wars Daniel. I like the 1997 Death Star battle which might be even better than the original but I just can't get that far through it without throwing a tantrum! I had a look at the opening of The Phantom Menace on Blu-ray about three and a half years ago and they've even re-hashed that! So I turned that off too. John.
Great Video, Ahh Star Wars , it was my best friend growing up in the early 80's , loved the original trilogy and everything about it, I'm not keen on the new disney era at all , as for the 4k versions i have the 4k77 edition and thats amazing , Memorabilia now thats another story, i had a huge collection , a lot of which i sold to buy a house!! My prized possession is probably a mark hamill signed lithograph or a thermal detonator signed by Carrie Fischer .....
This 4K is very good Aidey but it is a version of the Special Edition. It would be interesting to find out how many people would prefer the original version of the film or the re-worked versions but I don't imagine anyone is going to commission a major survey like that to tell us the answer. I suspect younger people will prefer the later versions but all of us over the age of 5 will prefer the originals!!! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Original Versions for me, I close my eyes at some of the revisions .... I have the definitive collection Laserdisc boxset sat in storage also.
We're playing Star Wars Monopoly right now Shaun! I think I need help... psychiatric help! I love running the Super 8 prints of the original films. I don't think anything else will ever match the excitement of getting those three films complete on Super 8 and that's a big reason why I still love to screen them and never get bored of them. John.
Congratulations on 20K Subscribers. I cannot wait to see you hit 100K! I love the channel and love your knowledge & adoration of classic cinema. Keep up the lovely content!
Thank you Matthias. I've been looking at the figures of a couple of us who started similar channels around the same time and how the figures tend to correspond on how many views a video gets dependent on the number of subscribers. From this I've been able to conclude that for any of us to be truly successful on RUclips requires a heck of a lot of subscribers. Hundreds of thousands actually. John.
@@moviecollector5920 you just need to keep putting out genuine & heartfelt content without compromising the essence of this channel for more 'views'. All of the channels that have 500k subscribers at one time or another only had 100 subscribers then only 5k subscribers......... it's a process. You have touched my heart with your reviews and that isn't common for me , so if you have improved one jaded movie lovers quality of life are you not already a success? You are winning, trust me. No one does what you do with your experience and knowledge : )
@@JDrago-746 It was just that the Star Wars video that got me a bit down Matthias because all that work and there was little interest. I played with the title and then things started to pick up and then changed the thumbnail so people thought it was the usual 4K review and then it took off. I've done a 4K review of Hacksaw Ridge which I'll probably upload for tomorrow evening and I won't be surprised if that does better than the Star Wars video for the first couple of days. Ridiculous really but that's the way it is. Thank you for all the encouragement. I know there is a very good group of film enthusiasts following this channel and that's always been enough... until I sunk far too much time into the Star Wars video. Over the next few months it may turn out to be a good success though so time is going to tell and if it is a success then I may tackle something similar on the Star Trek movies after all. John.
If anything is going to happen then we'll know by the end of 2027 because I can't imagine the 50th anniversary of the USA theatrical release not being recognized. Maybe we should start a campaign to pressurize Georgy Boy. John.
I’m quite the Star Wars fiend, so I’ve been waiting/hoping for this one for over a year now 😆 Thanks for the great review, John! My favorite version is the widescreen THX remaster on VHS (non-special edition). Vhs isn’t the best of course, but I always like getting the tapes out of the little collectors box it came in.
I think we should start a Babu Frik fan club Timothy! I still think the Super 8 prints are the best {legal) versions available in spite of this 4K being so good but because it's not the original version of the film there's something not quite right to my mind. John.
I have special edition DVD's what came with a originals on 2nd disk. It was a limited edition and I did order from the UK because you couldn't buy those in Finland.
Those discs used the master from the LaserDisc releases Simmy so there are still plenty of them out there. The Super 8 feature copies are the best fully legitimate copies still around though. John.
Great video..loved this one...I remember seeing star wars in the cinema on its first run and it made me fall in love with cinema at the age of 7..I dont like the special editions at all and even though I own the 4k versions on bluray I prefer the 4k project editions that are taken from original unaltered 35mm prints..I cant stand the disney sequels but did enjoy rogue one...my love for the ot is still with me at 51 and my home is full of props..costumes and collectables from the galaxy far far away
The Disney films are actually better than most think Barrie but it's going to take many years for many to forgive them for daring to purchase the rights to Star Wars and then have the audacity to actually make some films. The Force Awakens may be the second best Star Wars film so far so worth trying again. John.
@@brewt1mer Maybe it needs to be seen in a genuine IMAX to get that six minutes of genuine IMAX fully ingested. That's a sequence I'm never likely to forget. John.
I think I was 13. Just too early for me to really take in how it looked in terms of definition and all that sort of thing. It was a couple of years after this I really started comparing Super 8 releases and began to learn all about it. Star Wars is probably the most historic piece of cinema so it really should see the light of day again. If it doesn't get resurrected in 2027 then perhaps it will have to wait until George Lucas is gone which will be rather sad as his masterpiece deserves to be seen while he's here to take all the plaudits. I can see a big cinema re-release where only cinemas with film projection and massive screens get to show it. John.
This has become one of my favorite RUclips channels, fantastic content as always. Your passion and love for cinema comes across in every video
Thank you for saying so. This video was a little too over the top for how well it's done but maybe it will have done better when I take a look in six months time. John.
I had the 200ft, black and white, and silent Super 8 print. I talked my 7th grade teacher into letting me show it to the class one day. Of course, I brought along my soundtrack album and played the music along with it on the old school phonograph. Wowed everyone that day, many of whom didn’t believe I was telling them the truth about having the print or were completely unaware it existed!
So good this comment had to appear twice. Well done 1165mac. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Ha! I didn't mean to post it twice. Thanks for the Super 8 memories!
That would have blown me away as a kid
@@adamATOM3 Shortly after the film was in cinemas here in the UK, Ken Films released a 400ft reel which ran about 17 minutes and made you feel like you'd seen the entire film except for the final Yavin battle around the Death Star. They later released a further 400ft reel which contained the Cantina sequence and the Death Star battle and that's the 400ft reel I showed in this video. Splice the two 400 foot reels together in the right order and you had a 34 minute cut down of Star Wars that told the whole story.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 that must have been incredible. I love stories like that. Showing that off to friends and family must have been thrilling.
What a wonderful essay. Thank you for such an informative video.
I was lucky enough to see Star Wars at the cinema in ‘78… at 6 years old 😊
I think I was 13 Coyley and it is probably a major reason why I've had a lifelong love of film. Being introduced to Super 8 at the age of 2 or 3, seeing Jaws in 1975, Star Wars in 1978 and then not being allowed to see Alien in 1979 are all the catalysts for why I ended up a complete basket case! John.
Another great video. Keep up the good work.
We’ve had Star Wars in so many formats over the years inc VHS, DVD, Laserdisc, Blu-ray and now the new 4K releases. I’ve got the despecialised version of the original and hold no guilt playing that every now and then when I want a pure hit!
You mean you don't have the Super 8 features John? And I thought you were a Star Wars fan!!!
John.
I didn’t have the super 8 myself but I remember seeing as a 9 year old at school in assembly the tatooine desert scene projected. It was only a few minutes from what I remember but it still was amazing and is still my fave scene in the film. Gives me goosebumps!
@@JohnDoe-uu2zs I don't think children today would be able to understand the magic of being able to see those Super 8 reels back in 1977 before the film was even released to cinemas over here. It was an amazing time and it's still a dream come true for me that we are able to purchased films on video in such good quality for so little and watch them in our own home cinemas. I may not be a child any longer but I've never grown up, that's for sure. John.
I had first seen SW at the theaters in 1977. When the Star Destroyer came overhead my jaw hit the floor and I dont think it ever came off the floor. I have the original version on laser disc as well as the box set of the special editions. One collectible is the full story of SW on two LP set. I now have the Blu Ray box set of all the movies. I just finished watching Lights and Magic, the documentary of ILM on Disney+. Ive enjoyed all the movies including the side projects (Rogue One, Solo and Obi Won Kenobi Etc etc etc}.
I think the only Star Wars I've seen that I really didn't like was The Last Jedi and then the second and third films in the prequel trilogy. I haven't seen any of the television series but I expect I will sometime. I just hope they make a series with Babu Frik as the lead character!
John.
Great video. Small quibble, though. The US premiere was actually 25 May 1977. I know because I was there. Plitt Cinema in Orange, California. Life was very different for me after that day.
I might remove the video and scrap it then.
phenominal video, John!
funnily enough I was looking at 4K77 and 4K83 earlier today and I forgot how nice the colours look on it, the grain also looks very crisp and sharp thanks to no DNR used.
it would be amazing to see one of those 70mm blow up prints, perhaps for its 50th anniversary coming up in 2027, there might be a few screenings happening of this historic film.
I also hope disney publishes 4K77 and the other 4K projects. It would be unreal if they would screen them in cinemas too.
have a great day, John! I think I've got a 35mm dark knight coming soon, I haven't filmed it yet, but that will be in about a week. Then after that I'll be attending a screening of Drive on 35mm, which I'm interested to see how the 4K compares to a 35mm print seeing how they are both from a digital source.
Drive certainly will be interesting Clark. It's quite amazing how good that one looks on 4K disc given that it was never 4K so to see it blown up onto a real cinema screen will surely put that 35mm from the 2K video master to the test. The Dark Knight should also be interesting because of the VistaVision type effect from the genuine IMAX down to a 35mm anamorphic print.
I watched a RUclips video about how 4K77 was done and I'm not surprised that dye-transfer Technicolor prints have been the main source because being dye they don't fade. Surprising to see such difference in the colour between two Technicolor prints though. Without using image noise reduction the grain is going to appear coarser and more visible than it ever was on the film prints. I suspect the ol' DNR has been used a little too liberally in the 4K Special Edition disc so I'd have preferred that none was used at all just so we could be sure of looking at a genuine representation of the film but most won't notice and will probably prefer the more sterile look. It is very good despite any misgivings I may have about noise reduction.
John.
I’m excited to hear the drive soundtrack in the cinema, not to mention it’s amazing visuals, I wonder if the Colour grade on the drive 4K will look the same as the 35mm print.
I prefer there be more course grain than no grain, it lets me know I’m seeing as much detail as possible.
I’m also interested in how the 1570 imax sequences look on 35mm for the dark knight.
Also, in this video you show a Star Wars super 8 print being projected and the picture is quite green, why is this?
Regards,
Clark
@@ClarkTeddles - According to the Second Sight 4K UHD Blu-ray marketing:
BRAND NEW 4K MASTER produced by the original post production company and approved by Nicolas Winding Refn
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION with grade completed by the film's original colorist and Director approved
So, it should closely resemble the original colour grading of the theatrical run.
The 4k77 fella has THE best copies. Considering how many alternate original sound options there are it already beats the sterile Disney controlled versions that have never stopped being updated (we don't even have the original SE versions to watch) They look amazing, even ESB which is so far only a colour corrected grindhouse print. There is no other way to watch these films once you have copies. Same with the Raiders print they released.
@@HoorayTV21 I think we should probably say that there is no other way to watch them on video because many enthusiasts have film prints on one format or the other. I do have all three of the original trilogy on Super 8 and that was always good enough for the home, particularly with re-recorded sound or sound running in synch from the videos. And they're fully legal which is a bonus. If 4K77 ever gets official recognition then that will be a game changer and a whole load of us will no doubt pile in there. John.
4k77, 4k80 and 4k83 are all fantastic efforts. I only wish it were easier to decode atmos tracks at home so we could modify the retail atmos track to work with the community 4k transfers. The tools for editing are there with davinci resolve and pro tools, but decoding to a compatible format is the issue.
I've never been able to get the multi-channel surround sound tracks to work in Davinci. Might try it again one day but so far, no banana. Star Wars did have a six track stereo with the 70mm prints so pulling those off would facilitate re-working something much more easily.
John.
I saw Star Wars 5 times at the theater. Every time was with different people. I also had the silent B&W reel and I watched so many times. I enjoy the 4k quality but would rather they be available in the original version. The JJ movies I liked the 1st and 3rd movie but the 2nd I thought was real poor. Rogue One I thought was really good. I enjoyed it a lot. The 4K77 I have seen and it brought me back to how I enjoyed the original movie. But as you say, it would be nice if the powers to be would authorize that copy. The original teaser if I remember had completely different music play with it and I remember back then being so excited for the movie every time I saw it.
Surprisingly similar memories to my own Stephen. We also agree on the Disney films because I like the J.J. Abrams films but not the one in the middle. Although that film, The Last Jedi, does have the most amazing opening act of any Star Wars film. I was really enthused while that was first running through but after that I found it all a bit boring and rather depressing. By the end of it I was chucking rotten fruit at the screen!
Okay, I made that last bit up.
John.
Graham here. We all knew back in the 70s "Star wars "was something special. I saw it in the then Bombay in a 70mm print. Till this day I remember the beauty of it all with those wonderful colours and of course the big wide screen which is so Necessary to view "Star Wars" in all it's glory. Definitely one of your top reviews John you can tell your heart is in it.
Thank you Graham. I had been asked to review that 4K Star Wars disc many times but it really wasn't something I wanted to see owing to all the added animation. What is disappointing is that it's not been a very popular video but picking up now from a very lowly position. Up until last night it was one of the worst performing videos I've ever done. It's a funny old world. John.
@@moviecollector5920 may the force be with you. I'm certain this will have many more views.
At the height of the last 3D wave we were promised 3D versions of the first 6 films, if you look carefully the prequel trilogy features many shots of lightsabres pointing at the screen, fully ready for post 3D work to be applied. Unfortunately only The Phantom Menace was finished and released.
Well thank goodness for that Portland. Hard to believe anyone could thing of making a faux 3D of such an historically important film but I suppose that if it brings money in then that's what it's all about. It does explain the almost complete lack of visible film grain which does spoil the look of this 4K a little. John.
Never heard of Star Wars released in Dimension 150. That must have been fantastic!
70mm was old hat by the time Star Wars was released in 1977 and arguably on its way out. The revolution that Star Wars truly sparked was in sound. Dolby already had a four-channel noise reduction system that was first deployed for the 1976 Barbara Streisand remake of A Star Is Born. Using only four of Todd-AO/Cinemascope six -track sound format (five across the screen, one surround), Dolby took it one step further with Star Wars by creating mini subwoofers out of the two unused screen speakers (center-left and center-right). That created the remarkable bass response that matched the images and thrilled audiences. Dolby called it the Baby Boom, although they never marketed it that way. The popularity of the six-track Dolby sound system spawned by Star Wars caused a rapid outfitting of cinemas with the system and the rest is history. In 1978, the separation of the single surround channel into left and right was tested in a couple of theatres with Superman. Apocalypse Now was the first film to use the final 5.2 system that became the standard throughout the 80s and 90s until the dawn of digital cinema sound.
Back to Star Wars, part of what Dolby invented for Streisand was encoding the four sound tracks on the two optical stereo channels on 35mm prints. So the Star Wars 35mm prints had the same sound as the 70mm, only without the sub woofer tracks. The combination of noise reduction and more tracks offered improved sound quality even in small and medium-sized houses that could only show 35mm prints.
What great information Mike. Thank you for taking the time. Now then, what was the sound format on the 35mm prints of Rollerball because I've long thought that it was Dolby Stereo but from what you've said it seems to have been something else. The label applied was 'Dolby System' at the time but that was the same as the label on Star Wars.
D-150 should be resurrected now that cinema is on its knees and looking like it's on the way out. Something is required to tempt more general audiences back now that the teenager/twenty something comic book superhero films aren't enough on their own.
John.
Excellent review John, I remember queing to see it in 1977 at my local Odeon as a 11 year old. Looks like I will have to save up for these on 4k!!!
I think I was 13 when I queued up to see it at my local ABC. I think it was responsible for kick starting my love of all things cinema but I had been into Super 8 on a lesser basis for years up to the time Star Wars appeared. John.
I was one of the lucky few in this country who got to see Star Wars a full 10 days before its first screening. The Sunday Mirror at the time back in 1977 ran an art competion, with the prize being an all expenses paid trip to the December 17th 1977 press screening in the private cinema in Twentieth Century House in Soho Square. Very plush and memorable, although the press pack and guests got the best seats, of course.
Now that's a wonderful, historic memory to have. And well done for winning that competition too. John.
I've got fantastic bootleg Blu-Rays of restored original prints of "Star Wars" and "Return of the Jedi" and the so called despecialized version of "The Empire Strikes Back". I watched the 4K versions of the "Special Editions" once (the audio was the best feature) and then went straight back to the pirate copies. I'd love a legitimate "Blade Runner" style boxset with all the extant versions compiled together but apparently there are complex contractual reasons why that will never happen.
I did actually reply to this Dan but it's disappeared. I just wish I could remember what I said! Something along the lines of we're all going to have to track down Super 8 features of the original films. John.
John, I’m sure I speak for many subscribers when I tell you how much we appreciate this review. Love the fact you did a proper deep dive. You reminded me of the long wait between the US release, then the Leicester Square and West End release, then everywhere else. What torture that was. I went with my older brother in 1978-perhaps 1979, it’s remarkable to think how long films stayed in the cinemas back then. Love your lobby cards, it never ceases to amaze me how many of us have collected so much Star Wars ephemera. It really did change the world. I’m off to watch my old VHS recorded off the TV in 1982 😂
Is it the ”no pan&scan” version? Thats nostalgia for me.
That is certainly going to be panned and scanned Ghost, complete with adverts unless Darth managed to use the pause button successfully during the breaks. John.
Darth, I was collecting the red versions of the bubble gum cards and although I never managed to attain the lot before the film was first released over here, I did finally get to see it knowing every single scene from those cards and the Super 8 200ft reel by then. If I'd have been more cinema aware I'd have known that it was on in the West End and badgered my parents to take us to see it. I really would love to be able to say I was lucky enough to see the D-150 presentation at the Odeon Marble Arch but sadly it was Star Wars that began my fascination of all things cinema so I wasn't as switched on as I was to become after that life changing experience of first seeing Star Wars on a big screen.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thats brilliant- the bubble gum cards being your own trailer/sneak preview. our local cinemas would show all movies on a pretty tight schedule, and back then they didn’t care if you stayed and watched it again, we used to do that quite a bit. Another lost moment was the supporting movies- I can remember an old Spider-Man film and a Sinbad movie being on before the main film, I guess that was to help parents trying to offload their kids for as long as possible in the holidays. I’m never really sure why more cinemas don’t do retrospective showings of classics. I’ve been fortunate enough to see Star Wars and 2001 on the big screen, but never Jaws or Alien, which both warrant a full screen viewing.
@@ManCave1972 Jaws is on re-release right now Darth. It's being passed off as IMAX which of course it can't be and never could have been because it was shot 35mm but it might be a chance to see it in a purported IMAX cinema on a huge screen.... without any masking! I do wonder why it's been brought back though and it's possible it's because cinema is in serious trouble right now because there is hardly anything for them to screen. The last days of cinema as we have always known it perhaps? I hope not but I do have concerns.
By the way, I don't have any recollection of what the supporting films to Star Wars were back in 1978 when I saw it. And sadly those bubble gum card were accidentally thrown out when the family home was sold and I wasn't there to rescue all of my things.
John.
Really interesting history of SW. Saw at Theatre One in Coventry with my dad back in 1978. Remember like yesterday as well as all the toys and magazines.
It seems that a lot of us have treasured memories of where and when we saw this historic film. It's probably not quite so historic now that we just have a version of the so-called 'Special Edition' and the original has been hidden from view for so long. John.
Absolutely I queued round the block with my dad aged 9 1/2 and the showing we got into only had 2 seats left (Brighton Odeon) right at the front. I’ve been hooked ever since that opening shot!
@@MikeTheBike2010 I queued with my parents and brother and got nowhere near getting in before being turned away for the day. I went again a few days later with school friends and got in then. A couple of days after that I went with my whole family again and got in. Today the cinema we all saw it in is a gym. What a waste because for a local town cinema there was a pretty big screen in there - getting on for 40 feet wide I think. John.
Fantastic video John . Star wars always be seeing for the first time with my Late Dad at my local cinema in 1978 was the best film experience l ever had in my life . I saw super 8 version of star wars at school in late 70s . I enjoyed Empire strikes Back Return of the Jedi with my dad . I recorded star wars in October 1982 when it was ltv and watched it every day for weeks l was 16 . I brought star wars on video in 1988 .l enjoyed every star wars film but nothing will more exciting than the original one . I have got star wars movies on 4k blue ray the box set you were showing. You got Fantastic collection John. Thanks for sharing. All the best to you .
I first went with my parents and brother when it was first on general release in 1978 Jonny, but we couldn't get in. This was partially because people back then could pay to go into a cinema and stay all day so not as many people vacated the cinema as usual in between each of those Star Wars screenings. That is what caused the end of 'continuous performances' and cinema staff all over Britain would soon thereafter usher everyone out of the auditorium prior to the next show. I went back a few days later after the disappointment of not getting in but this time with some school friends and got in. I then went again with my family once more so I got to see the film it twice. I have never found that the film works on a telly and now that the original film is not permitted on home video I'm glad I have the Super 8 feature print even if it isn't the best quality ever issued on the gauge.
John.
This gentleman should have 5 million subscribers. No one does what he does. Incredible information. Presented as good as any National Geographic documentary. Extreme respect and admiration. Sir if I asked how many movie titles you own would you share that? Not how many disks or films. Just how many movie titles. I am very curious since I have a bigger than typical size collection. Thank you sir. For everything you do.
I really don't know how many. I estimate around 50 features on film prints, loads of feature cut downs on Super 8, loads of extracts, hundreds and hundreds of trailers and then dozens of cartoon shorts and dozens of newsreels and travelogues. Video discs will be around 1000 movies and about 100 television series I suppose. Enough to take probably more than ten years to get through the lot at current viewing rates.
And thank you for your kind words about the videos. I've just shot an 8mm projector and a Super 8 projector running so if that's turned out okay then I'll get that cut together and uploaded in the coming days.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 John thanks for the reply. I use an on line service to keep up with my ever growing collection. Right now I have nearly 6200 titles. These go way back to the beginning of dvd. About 20 percent are Blu-ray with a couple dozen 4ks for super important ones. Wish we lived close. I can imagine hours of great movie conversations over hot tea. Thanks again for what you do so well. Your knowledge is amazing.
I initially just came here for a review of the 4K release. I ended up learning a lot. Well done!
Sorry the video went on a bit but I'd been asked over and over again to review the 4K disc and I didn't just want to do that. We only get a chance to cover a film once so I made something that I hope is a bit more interesting and informative than telling everyone there's been a lot of noise reduction applied... which I don't think I even bothered going into because I thought it looked good and not excessive. I do prefer Star Wars to have its inherent film grain though.
John.
Star Wars: A New Hope is a time capsule of pure movie magic. I don't know if we'll ever see something like it again.
Probably not David. Such a shame that the Special Edition hasn't been re-worked into something a little more suitable for the 1977 release because a combination of the best of both would probably make the best version of the lot... but some of the computer animation might have to be toned down a little as it's too 'in yer face'. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I agree.
Yet another fantastic video. Thank you.
I first saw it aged 5 at the Classic in Blackburn. For some bizarre reason I remember having my polio inoculation before!
It was on a loop so I remember peeking through the doors and watched everyone getting their medals. At 5 I wasn't too sure what it was about and used to think the Millennium Falcon had 2 cockpits, one at each side. Strange what useless information my mind retains.
Anyway, I have a personal link to the film as my mum gets about £14 a year royalties from Lucasfilm from something my grandad did for the score. See was an ex-professional musician and was involved with the Musicians Union. He kept having to go to London a lot around this time and being rather discreet he never uttered a word. We never knew anything about this until the annual cheques kept coming after he passed away. I've checked with the London Symphony Orchestra and he didn't play on the score, so I've no idea what he did....but the annual royalty cheque still comes!
I've got it on VHS (original) and Laservision (sadly no LD player any more). I've even got some empty VHS display packs as my mum worked in Tesco and they were throwing them away after the displayed finished.
Whilst very excited about the special editions at the time, they have not aged well.
So after investing on multiple releases on VHS, DVD & Blu ray I've not invested in 4K as it's not the original. If Disney released "Star Wars" (not Episode IV) I'd buy it. So, it's 4K77 for me on either DNR and DNR free (the latter is wonderfully grubby!)
Maybe the original will be re-released in 2027?
i really like your description that the special edition has "not aged well". That was a line I could have done with before recording the video. However, I did expect this video to be really popular so in a way it's just as well I didn't put any more work into it as I was over 30 hours as it is.
I don't know if Star Wars ever will see the light of day about but 50 years since it's USA release date would be the time if it is to ever be released. If it were up to me I'd strike new 70mm blow-up prints and put it in the top cinemas in the world still capable of showing film. And by the way, film is not so grainy as it appears when scanned for a video, it's a by-product or side-effect of the scanning process. Project a film and it looks far less coarse grained than it appears on all these discs which is why image noise reduction is played with. There is too much of that applied to Star Wars though and that results in it looking more like a video than a film.
Great memories and stories there Loft Legacy. Thank you.
John.
I just bought a 9.2 receiver, installed 2 height speakers for Atmos, and what a joy it was to hear some of John Williams' music plus SFX like the voices on the Death Star landing bay squawk box saying "Unlock 1, 5, 7 and 9--release charges" overhead in the 4K!
It's just a shame the original film hasn't had a re-release for gawd knows how long Mike. I find it difficult to watch the re-hashed versions but when I watch the original, I'm not sure I'd like it so much with modern, re-worked sound. I'm a bit of a fuss pot when it comes to Star Wars, probably because I've had the Super 8 print for over 30 years and completely used to how it looks and sounds. Every home should have a copy! John.
Saw back in May 1977. Have vhs, dvd, br & uhd. Got online the 4K restoration 77 project of original Star War. They did a fine job & I watch on 120” screen with JVC 2000 projector. It looks like what I remember, lol. Han shoots first. Thanks for review of my fav👏👏👏
I don't think Greedo even fires in the original. And what are those subtitles all of a sudden because I never saw them on the original... they're certainly not on the Super 8 print and thank gawd too because they're pointless and take you out of the film. John.
Very informative video loved it.I saw Star Wars in Jan 1978 with my mum at Tottenham court road and never forget that ship going over our heads at the beginning.
I think a lot of us have similar memories David but sadly, not of seeing it in the UK premiere theatre. Keep that memory safe! John.
Think people of a certain age all have a Star Wars tale to tell seeing the picture as a 13 year old certainly inspired and shaped my future career, Projectionist, my parents bought me a dual gauge Fujicascope M36 projector and the Ken Films 200ft Colour Silent for Christmas in 1978, upgrading from my old eumig P8 standard, I rigged up a mini cinema in my mates garage and showed it to other kids in the street using the appropriate tracks from the soundtrack album as best I could. The seeds of my future well and truly planted as I slowly added to my silent collection saving paper round money, and doing regular screenings in the garage. In 1980 I left school got a job and went Sound with Star Wars and CE3K being my first 400ft Colour Sound purchases followed soon after by that first amazing The Empire Strikes Back 400ft, WOW did that 2 reeler see some action. Happy Days, never forget the excitement when that package dropped through the letter box with the sticker URGENT USELESS IF DELAYED all over the Derann label.
I love stories like this Graham. I never lost the excitement of getting hold of a new Super 8 title even when we had the glory days in the early to mid-1990's and the most amazing feature release line-up from Derann that anyone could have wished for. John.
I caught the first showing of Episode IV in Vancouver BC, which started at 11:30am on that Friday, IIRC.
I wish you'd have invited me along! John.
I own multiple laserdisc editions of the original trilogy, and that's the only way I watch them.
You need the Super 8 features too Eric!!! John.
A beautiful history lesson worthy of being included on future video disc releases of Star Wars. It's amazing that you have those 8mm reels of the original version.
I didn't know that the genuine IMAX documentary Special Effects existed. It's awesome that you include stuff like that.
That 35mm film frame you show at the 10:36 point looks like it's from a Widescreen trailer for Revenge of the Sith - if that's the case, the Scope 2.39:1 aspect ratio of the film (not anamorphic on the print of the trailer) is masked within the Widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio and screened with the non-anamorphic 1.85:1 projector lens. However, I do wonder about what the cover says: "... a unique 35mm film frame taken directly from the original film footage and reproduced using state-of-the-art imaging and printing techniques."
I think the film frame in the box was created by someone who doesn't know or understand film Erik and it's as simple as that. It bothered me from the day my brother bought me that fabulous set as a birthday present and so I thought I'd make the point in this video in the hope that it would get around and a few people would be educated. There were previously collectible film frames issued in packs like it and they were all in the 'Scope format so something has changed in the video era and I think it's simply down to a lack of knowledge.
I hope I get to see that IMAX film again one day. The Star Destroyer coming over head was even more impactive than it was on the original film and has to be seen to be believed. Pure movie magic that I could sit there and watch again and again on a loop. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, that scene recreated in IMAX sounds like pure movie magic. I imagine I could sit there next to you and watch it again and again on a loop.
I love this channel it's so good hearing someone be enthusiastic in the world we live in👍
Thank you Aurelio. No one sets out to make a bad film so I'll always try to give any production a chance and find the good in it even if I don't particularly like the film myself. John.
@@moviecollector5920 and that's much appreciated because I've fallen down the 4K rabbit hole and seem to be gradually replacing all my blu rays so really enjoy your reviews and passion for the content
Dear John. Today there is an important home video anniversary here in Denmark. Today it is 25 years ago that the first DVD was issued, and the title was "Evita" with Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce. A VHS edition was also released on the same day. The sound was coded in Dolby Pro Logic, but the distributor Scanbox eventually learned to issue DVD´s in Dolby Digital. My wife, my brother and saw it at the cinema in February that year (1997), and we were very pleased with the movie, both the music and the spectacle . I got the soundtrack on CD at my birthday, April the 2nd. The CD was on my CD player for 14 days in a row. So we are having a home video jubilee tonight at our home. Three weeks later, October 22nd, the second DVD release was issued and that was Bille August´s : Miss Smilla´s Sense of Snow with Julia Ormond, Gabriel Byrne, Richard Harris and Peter Capaldi before he became Malcolm Tucker. It was also issued by Scanbox coded in Dolby Pro Logic.
DVD was a long time coming after CD-I was pulled but it did fuel the LaserDisc market and that wasn't a bad thing. I don't know what the first DVD was over here but i remember there were only four titles available when the first DVD player was available and one of them, a Wallace & Gromit cartoon, came with the player. It looked fabulous by the way but hardly anyone bought the first player so that was the end of that. It seemed to take many months before a dozen titles were available and I got t couple of them back then. Second generation players were better than that first machine but suffered from slipping sound synchronization. It took a couple of years to get the new format right but thankfully the MPEG digital audio was quickly dropped and that's how the Region 2 area ended up with Dolby Digital sound as the standard.
Now we're getting 4K discs and many of them are just like looking at 35mm prints. I never would have thought that home video would get this good, particularly not for such a low cost. Quality like we are getting today should cost hundreds of pounds but £20 a disc is about the average. Amazing.
John.
In '99 my best friend was working at a 2nd run theater and I was able to get several slices of 35mm film before he sent them back to Fox. I mounted them and gave some to family. Obviously I kept one for myself, A great shot of a Naboo Starfighter.
What a shame you didn't manage to get the whole film! But I know someone who did!!!
4K77 and despecialized for me👍. Another great video
If the 4K77 version ever gets authorized then I think a lot of us will be jumping ship Chris. John.
My dad had all the super 8. I was amazed by the whole thing
Did he have the 'Scope feature Dale. They are worth a lot of money now... a lot of money! John.
I love your RUclips tube. My favourite. I found this video very interesting. I learnt a lot from your informative Star Wars video. I have the 1997 Drew Struzan quad poster. I first saw Star Wars in 1978 very early 1978 when I was 4 years old. I saw it at an Oden cinema in Bury Lancashire. With my mum and my friends and their mum
And I bet you can remember your cinema outing that day Liam. I was a little older and I went to see it twice at a local ABC. I can still remember the thrill and I think I can remember the print being a little grainy but it may be my Super 8 print superimposed over it somehow. The mind and the memory can play tricks.
I have the 1997 Special Edition posters of all three but annoyingly my copy of the Star Wars item is not double sided. Empire and Jedi are both double sided to appear best in a lightbox.
I realized recently that the poster for Last Night In Soho is a bit of a take-off of the original Star Wars quad. Certainly copied the style of it anyway. I expect a lot have done that over the years but I never noticed it before.
John.
Wow! What a review! Loved the ’A New Hope’ and ’The Empire Strikes Back’ radio drama.
Thank you Dunn. John.
a very enjoyable video always admire your passion for movies and your knowledge.
Thank you Len. I did expect that this video would be more popular than it has been but it may get up there over time. John.
Wonderful, thanks John, as usual lots of things I was not aware of. My wife and I saw it when it was first released at the Leicester Square Theatre - it blew our minds and we realised from that moment that cinema had turned a corner and would never be the same again. Not bad for a film that was almost dismissed as a B movie that would most likely not appeal to the public. Absolutely fascinating, thank you.
It seems to have had an effect on many of us Trevor. I probably wouldn't have become a Super 8 addict if it hadn't have been for the early Star Wars releases and therefore wouldn't have ever turned up at the BFCC. Funny how things turn out. John.
sleeper star wars was and then suddenly box office tills was ringing like no other . same with ghost , it was sleeper then suddenly box office tills ringing
Saw all 3 Star War films in Hollywood and Beverly Hills movie theaters. I have the video on beta and vhs plus laser disc. Then dvd and now 4K DVD. Thanks for the review John.
Well, you'll just have to get the Super 8 copies now as well Craig! John.
As always John a fabulous dive into what’s probably almost all of the communities favourite film - I think RUclips was made for Star Wars discourse - my dad picked me up from school in his 1600E as a surprise and I took him as a surprise in 97 for the special edition - the star destroyer looming in overhead is one of those shots, moments and memories that anyone of a certain age has a fondness for - as always thank you for the review and the nod to dog soldiers as well - got my copy from second sight and can’t recommend it enough
That opening with the two ships has to be one of the best - if not, the best - openings to a film ever. To see it in genuine IMAX was even better so I hope prints of that Special Effects IMAX film still exist so that I get another chance to see again one day. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I’d love to see that myself - even when I put it on my digital projector in the house it still looks amazing - I think that the quality of the effects and the believably of the model work coupled with the spectacle and the fact that it just hadn’t been done before to that standard blew everyone away and it’s one of the reasons it has such a special resonance for people of a certain age - in 77/78 nothing could touch it and now it wouldn’t hit people in the same way - you can only get a first once and for sci fi it was Star Wars much like Psycho for suspense and the Exorcist for horror
@@deanrussell2224 And Jaws for Great White Sharks Dean. A darned good summing up of why so many of us still have such an affection for that first story set a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. John.
@@moviecollector5920 definitely Jaws and goodfellas for gangster films too
I wasn't born, but my father saw Star Wars in December 1977 in Seville, Spain, in a local cinema called "Alameda Multicines", the first "multi-cinema" of Spain, with 4 cinemas. Obviously it was a Spanish 35mm print with Spanish titles and Castilian dub. I know that it was screened in Madrid in November 1977 in 70mm.
Unfourtnely, the only way today to watch the original 1977 Spanish titles it's from early video releases.
There are the fan created 4K versions of the original film out there Martin but I won't look for those until it gets the official seal of approval from the copyright owners. That means that the best legitimate way to see the first three Star Wars films is via the Super 8 feature releases. Quite amazing really as they're all about 30 years old or more now.
John.
Such an amazing collection of Star Wars memorabilia John. It's truly amazing you have collected all these and kept them in such good condition
I did shoot a lot more collectibles Darren but didn't get them out of display cabinets and off the shelves so in the end I didn't use those shots as it rather spoiled the flow of the video... which isn't doing very well sadly. Time will tell if it was a complete waste of time though.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I imagine your home theatre collection to be like a history lesson of film. Regardless if the video gets lots of views, I think it worthwhile for the subscribers would enjoy and watch all your videos like me. I certainly enjoyed it and shared it with a Star Wars enthusiast friend
@@KeepYaHeadUpTS Thank you Darren. It might get around eventually but it's looking like the Monty Python parrot right about now. John.
Grest recap/review here Jon!
I didn’t catch star wars special edition in theatres but i did see Empire and ROTJ with my uncle back in… ‘97 I believe it was. For me, as someone who was born the year after ROTJ was released it was nice to catch them. I don’t recall how big the screen was but as a 13 yr old it was big lol
I had every VHS release from 90s on, special edition etc, dvd, blu-ray but not UHD. That’s next!
Well JB, you'll not only have to take a look at the 4K but you'll also have to get that Elmo GS1200 Super 8 projector you've been promising yourself and track down a Super 8 print! Then again, that may prove to be a little expensive these days. John.
I had the pleasure to watch it at the Dominion, amazing.
You're the second to comment that saw it at the UK premiere theatre Andrew. Wish I'd have been there with you. John.
Thank you so much John. 🙏🏻
I hope you like this one. Possibly the biggest RUclips video I've done so far for this channel. John.
@@moviecollector5920 - Thoroughly enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Star Wars was the first movie I ever watched on a cinema screen. The Apollo Theatre in Oxford had a screen installed on stage in order to show Star Wars. I’ve been a fan of watching movies on the big screen ever since.
Thanks again, John, I can’t even imagine the amount of work that went into making this video but the editing side alone was far longer than yesterday’s Berlin Full Marathon! 😱
@@cheekster777 Good to know you liked it Cheekster. A lot of editing but I could have gone on for days longer finalizing it all so in the end decided that that was enough, which is how you have to be if you still want to have a life outside of editing. John.
Thank you for showing us your collection John. As a kid of the 2000's, the prequels will always hold a special place in my heart even if I do accept that they have some pretty rough spots.
I only watched the original trilogy as an adult and while Empire and Return didn't impress me as much, the first movie did blow me away, what a fantastic experience. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for audiences in the 70's to watch this for the first time.
Sadly I think we won't get the original, non-CG versions of the trilogy released for wide consumption until Lucas passes away. For whatever reason he seems to loathe them now.
It's a shame that so many people haven't really ever seen Star Wars as it was because it really is special. I can understand George Lucas being frustrated that he couldn't get the film finished as he wanted in 1977 but he was totally immersed in every aspect of it and couldn't see the film the way we all did. Some of the additions would have improved that first version but very few of them. If the 4K77 work ever does get the green light for a legal release then I'd certainly take a look at what they've done and I'm sure it will prove to be the best home movie version ever released but until then the Super 8 remains in the top spot.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I’ve heard it’s because he would owe Marcia some money but you’d think he could afford it these days
@@deanrussell2224 The contractual arrangements for Star Wars were different so there could be something hiding away that necessitates it's never issued again as it wouldn't be worth the expense and the trouble. I'd have thought that now Disney own 20th Century Fox all of the rights to all of the films would have fallen under their ownership but apparently not. John.
Another great video, thank you John. I had no idea sprockets on 16mm could be either single or double! Fascinating! If you ever need any idea for a future video, a retrospective on Cannon Cinemas would be great. Cheers
Thank you Ben. Sadly I know nothing about Cannon Cinemas other than they had darned good daysets to splice into the adverts, trailers and movie introductions. They seemed to own everything during the late 1980s but have gone now. John.
Brilliant Video John, great to look back to when it was released.
I was lucky over the years I have projected 35mm and 70mm prints of Star Wars, Empire strikes back and Jedi.
Best.
Mike
Well get hold of one of those 70mm Star Wars prints and stick it on at the BFI IMAX Michael. I'll be there, you can count on that. But please get Tenet back on first!!! John.
My home town on of Tijuana, Mexico had a D-150 cinema: the El Cine Roble (The Oak) downtown. Sadly, I never saw any film here. The building is still there, but has long stopped being a theater and has some other function partially occupying the lobby level. Believe it ot not, Tijuana had many movie palaces, each with their own theme. Most have closed with a couple restored for live events.
Cinema seems to be increasingly struggling across the world Rene. Even the West End of London has lost several of its top cinemas in recent years with others being split into multiple screens. Of course, anti-business policies won't have helped but I do fear it's a bigger problem than just making it difficult for people to travel into London. Such a shame you never got to see a D-150 presentation. Perhaps now that cinema is in danger we'll see innovations like it return to entice people back to theatres.
John.
Absolutley stunning. Thanks for bringing us this mass of knowledge. Excelsior sir :-)
Thank you. Far too much work Delboy but hopefully it will find an audience over time. John.
Excellent review John, thanks.
Thank you Graham. I wonder if anyone seeing this will get interested enough to purchase Super 8 equipment. John.
Very interesting and comprehensive. Thank you. I actually saw "Special Effects" in IMAX and the 'Star Wars' opening was jaw-dropping indeed.
If only they'd have shot the whole film in genuine IMAX in the first place! Then again, it wouldn't have turned out the way it did and they certainly wouldn't have got the special effects finished in time.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I've been watching the documentary 'Light and Magic' which shed light (pun) unto the complexity of getting the special effects of 'Star Wars' actually done.
@@jremy7 I haven't seen that one jremy7 but I'd like to. I have seen an awful lot about ILM over the years though. I just wish they'd asked me to make the new documentary!
John.
Great video again, John, and nice to see you back,
I thought I was the biggest Star Wars fan; such fond memories of seeing in 77 coming out n rejoining the queue.
I also have a super 8mm reel, but I never had or had the equipment to view it.
As for my hypothesis on why films will never make classic status, as you said, SW would be 10yrs old before you can own it physically. Unlike today when DVDs can be owned after six months, they collect dust.
I remember seeing the double bill also of SW and ESB, I also still have The Story of SW on vinyl which I now own on MP3 for the car.
Amazing Video John hope you are well
I think this was the biggest I've done so far Carl but there have been a few biggies in the past. This one did take a lot of planning but it seemed to turn out alright in the end so I hope it does really well otherwise I'll be a little miffed. Looks to be okay so far. Probably put five days into this one but certainly four so at least 30 hours. Your Super 8 reel was most likely before low fade stocks were introduced so you really need to get that through a projector soon to see if it's still good. Some were struck on low fade so you might find you're lucky. The later features are all struck on low fade stock so they should be alright for 100 years.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I think the Super 8 is the trailer reel,
thanks for the reply mate, I also have all the various DVDs and Videos inc the first Video VHS copy, but more recently got the big 4k box set which is amazing but its nice to own the different stages of the film , i never collected the laser disc era, I agree re the SE of the film and request a 4k of the OG film in atmos, that would be amazing, take care my friend , CARL .
I saw the IMAX Special Effects film at the Paris Omnimax (like being inside a giant golf ball) amazing!
Omnimax is even more impressive than IMAX Mike. I saw Omnimax 3D with liquid crystal flickering glasses in the early 1990's and that was one of the most memorable things I've even seen in a cinema. The film might have been crap but the 3D was perfect and I thought that was going to be the future. Alas, the usual hard to watch 3D because the norm once again. Well done for getting to see the genuine IMAX Star Wars opening in Omnimax. You're the only one to report on that so far.
John.
Thank you for the video. I saw Star Wars on its original release so I must have been 5 or 6. Changed my childhood :)
You're not alone there David. I think it's the most important film in terms of affecting peoples lives. It certainly had an effect on me and I've never recovered!
John.
I saw SW many times at that Edwards Newport theater, it was great! Folks were so excited pre show, it was a real event like a sporting event or a rock show. The 4K looks great on my 120" scope screen, but as you say it is not large to convey the impact as when it was originally shown. Also it is too clean, grain is reduced, no dirt, scratches, etc. In the film there is a cigarette burn/sound pop reel change after Cushing says "We will crush the rebellion with one swift stroke!" When watching the 4k of course this is not there, just silence till the next scene. It struck me then that a lot of my memories of SW are tied to the film medium and the presentation method in the theater as much as the content of the movie. Anyway still glad for the 4K HDR format, many movies look like 35 mm prints to me, albeit very clean ones.
4K is proving to be excellent Carl and the closest representation to an actual film that video has ever achieved. Film dirt, neg dust and scratches have a different appearance somehow even on 4K and are distracting whereas on film they are not. It must be something to do with the methodology of the projection or the way video is translated onto a telly but something isn't quite as forgiving as real film.
I'm really quite excited to have a comment from someone who actually saw Star Wars on that enormous Edwards Newport screen. Imagine being able to go into a traditional picture palace today that boasted a 75 foot 2.20:1 screen. All we have today that equate to it are giant IMAX screens and some of those aren't really IMAX. But no masking or curtains, that's the big difference. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Curtains! Yes the curtains were closed over the screen and you would sit and listen to Music before the show, I miss that aspect of going to the theater. I was fortunate to live a short drive from the Newport so we saw all of the big films there, SW, Indiana Jones, Bond, etc. Waited in line for 2+ hours to make sure you could get the perfect seat! Sometime during the course of the SW release they upgraded the sound system to get the back channel echo effect when Luke/Leia do the Tarzan swing. So that kept SW going for several more months! Good Times.
@@carlbarlow6942 The showmanship has largely gone from cinemas now. Even most of the projectionists have been replaced by someone who can press a button. John.
Excellent John, fantastic video, keep up the Great Work 👍🏻
Thank you Gary. Got to hope this one manages to find an audience because it's proving to be a bit slow. John.
I've just bought the original trilogy on 4K John. After getting em on VHS, laserdisc, twice on DVD and Blu-ray this is the last time I'm buying em. It was 2 for £24 in HMV so I picked up the 4K of Ambulance.
The Star Wars films aren't the same any longer Steve but much of the original film is intact. It's just that Jabba The Hut scene that makes me throw my popcorn at the screen... and my Coca Cola, crisps, chocolate raisins and anything else I can lay my hands on! Ambulance would have been really good if the cameraman could have held the camera a little more steady. It's fine until there's any action on the screen. The only film I think I've seen that's worse for that is Mission Impossible 3 but if you're prepared then it should still be a lot of fun. Not a movie to project, that's for sure.
John.
Great video John. I was lucky enough to get the steelbook of this with I think the original cover art. I thought the picture quality was great, what struck me was how the creators created that used worn in look to the droids and everything else, you could see the scratches on R2D2 that I hadn’t noticed before on home video.
Oh yes, the droids have always looked beaten up but I think that up until the 4K it's only been the Super 8 features that have been good enough to pick up that sort of detail... and they're not exactly perfect prints in terms of how good Super 8 can be. John.
3:30 wow. too cool😮📽️
Ta velly muchly! I told you you needed Super 8!!! John.
My first Star Wars experience was a 4:3 without pan&scan. Wasn’t until I got the letterbox version I saw the complete movie. Of course I already watched the first version 40 times by then.
I watched the Star Wars Super 8 cut downs so much that I could re-write the scripts from all those reels. I should really get a life! John.
My first experience is a recording off of the USA cable network.
Possibly your best video yet John, impressive.... most impressive 👍
That's a good one Andy. Thank you. I thought it might be the best yet when I finally completed it but sadly it's not yet finding the sort of size audience I was hoping for. That might change of course so we'll have to wait and see. John.
Nice trip down Star Wars memory lane - Look forward to your Empire when it posts
Sadly I don't think I'll be able to do anything on the later films as this one hasn't proved to be popular at all so far. Let's hope that changes because I was hoping to do something similar for Star Trek. John.
@@moviecollector5920 dont let the broken YT algorithm discourage yah!
Me Mum took me to Ipswich to see Star Wars in 1978 and I have been in love with the theatrical original trilogy ever since. I have 4K77 and 4K83 and they are beautiful!!
4K80 must be coming soon as one of the people working on it was on here some time ago so surely it will be ready soon. I have all three on Super 8 and although none are top examples of the Super 8 gauge, there's nothing like having the original versions on the big screen.
John.
10:38 I do have a lot of 35mm frames from the trailers of the prequels and a lot of them are in the flat format. I’m not sure all showings of the full films were in scope. So this frame might actually be from a release print or more likely from a trailer
That frame is from Revenge of the Sith which was released on Super 8 and it's 'Scope. Trailers come out in various formats to fit the aspect ratios of other trailers being shown but features tend to have the one master internegative format. I think the frames in that pack were produced by someone who doesn't know film and so it was done in error. John.
@@moviecollector5920 thanks for the info John! A strange choice indeed not to have it in scope
A very informative and interesting teaching on SW Home Media, thank you so much.
A lot of fun to do it Daniel. Did something similar on Alien two years ago so that set the standard really. John.
Excellent video! My friend and I love those collection and memorabilia of Star Wars especially the Star Wars movie reels
Good morning Pinoy. It's a bit like a trip into your amazing home cinema room isn't it? We're two people on opposite sides of the world with a similar love of the Star Wars films. John.
Very good video to summarize the STAR WARS madness from these years, I was young but remembers.
I still have the madness but I'm getting better now... well, I would say that wouldn't I?!? John.
I also saw that Special Effects show in IMAX when i was a kid and the recreated scene with the Star Destroyer chasing the Tantive IV was amazing. I actually thought that was going to be used for the opening shot in the Special Edition and didn't realise at the time it was specifically done for the doc.
That's two of us that will never forget it quatz. Just a shame that it hasn't seen the light of day since it was released in the IMAX film. John.
Excellent work John, very comprehensive, I thought I was bad and I've only got the laserdiscs, Vhs's, dvds, blu rays and 4ks. It's hard to imagine now what effect Star wars had on me (13 in 1978).
I think I was 13 when I first saw Star Wars too Clive. I don't think there is any doubt that it had a major effect on a lot of young boys who have kept their love for the film for 45 years and counting. There aren't many films that have changed the world but Star Wars is one of them. I can't think of another that ever had quite such an effect either. John.
13:00 , wow. i really hope to check this at an imax. i can’t imagine it would play again anywhere in canada but here’s hoping 🤞🏽
They show Dennis Muren and the ILM team re-creating the whole thing too so it really is quite an historic record. John.
awesome review of my favorite franchise of all time.
Thank you Michelin. John.
Thank You very much for thee review. It's been a while since I've visited your channel. BTW the projector you recommended from Optoma worked amazing. thanks for that. It is really something to enjoy 4k movies at home that way
I'm pleased that you're pleased with your Optoma video projector. There's nothing like projecting to get the best out of a film. I grew up with Super 8 home movie projectors so it was always logical to video project as soon as it didn't look so awful (about 16 years ago video projection finally became viable) but it seems that a lot of movie enthusiasts have stuck with a telly and that's possibly because they've never known projection. I suppose it's all a big unknown whereas the box has always been there. A smaller telly and a budget video projector is the way to go for most of us. John.
those radio dramas are pure magic
I loved them when they were first broadcast. Excited to see they were being released on cassette but then couldn't get hold of them in Britain at the time. Fortunately I had a trip to America coming up and managed to get a copy then.
John.
If this was on the BBC they would call you "The David Attenborough of movies" John, your content is that good. 👍👏
The funny thing is James that I really can't bear David Attenborough. But I do appreciate the compliment. Thank you.
John.
That was suberbly put together, I remember seeing it in 78 at my local Odeon and can still remember how excited the chatter was and the applause of the audience at the end, something you don't get these days... Nice seeing you again, been a few years, looking forward to the BFCC next year... Chris Quinn... ;)
Good to hear from you Chris and it will be even better to see you in April. I'll be paying for the hall in November and sorting everything else out then whereupon that's when this channel starts to be used for what it was started for: Namely, to resurrect the BFCC and make it viable. If we can get some home video enthusiasts along and into film then that will be mission accomplished as far as I'm concerned. Keith isn't very well so I don't know if we'll be able to get him along but I hope so as that was another major reason for doing all this.
John.
I only watch my laserdisc copy of Star Wars. I find that the original trilogy is only watchable on that format due to the numerous changes that hurt the film making for a much more taxing watch.
I also prefer Jedi over empire and even Jedi over Star Wars. I grew up watching them as the phantom menace was releasing as I was a boy.
I would hope that we can get the original cuts released again but having that super 8 of the film movie seems to be the most authentic you can get.
I have the dvd for phantom menace & Star Wars due to them both having the bonus disc of content I wanted.
Hopefully they release the madalorian psychically as that’s a show I actually enjoy that they have made
I think that you'll find a close analysis of the three original films will reveal that the first is the best film but Jedi benefited from having the most amazing special effects ever seen in a film up to that time. I was more taken with it initially but as the years have gone on I've been able to see that it's basically a re-make of the first film without so many great characters and not such an interesting, convoluted version of the same story. I also really like The Phantom Menace but it's the only one of the prequels that I do like. The 35mm reel you see i this video is actually The Phantom Menace and the intro on each of my videos is reel 1 with the pre-film trailers that came on the start of it. But don't tell anyone I told you this!
John.
Another great video and one that brought back memories of my fellow Super 8 collector friend Alan and I rushing from our Blackburn homes to the Film Shop ( as we called it) in Blackpool to purchase the 200ft release of Star Wars. We then tried to rush back home, ignoring everything else Blackpool had to offer, even faster to project it. We had scraped enough together, with a little pleading to our parents, to get the colour sound versions. We were very popular with our friends at that time. The 400ft versions were purchased later and I did get the first 400ft of Empire Strikes back. I sadly sold the lot ages ago and have started collecting again due to your channel and have the first 400ft of Star Wars again - I will not be so stupid as to sell it again.
I gave my Ken Films cut downs of Star Wars and Empire away when I got the features Christopher but fortunately the friend I gave them to still has them so they're in good hands. Super 8 collecting really has been a wonderful thing in my life and I wouldn't have started this channel if I'd never have taken up that film collecting adiction.
John.
You really went all out on production with this one, great video John. I was a huge fan myself. I remember seeing RotJ as a small child in the cinema, but didn't think much of SW till many years later. It was actually Timothy Zahn's novel "Heir to the Empire" that hooked me, circa 1994. A continuation of the story of our heroes after the end of the films intrigued me and that was a great trilogy. Back then, Star Wars was so niche, my local bookshop said I might only find more at Forbidden Planet in London, which became a regular hangout for teenage me :-) The Star Wars products were in a dark, dusty corner in the basement back then!
That got me into the novels, comic books, movies and the rest. There was a once in a lifetime back-to-back showing of the whole trilogy at a venue in Borehamwood, Herts around 95-96 I attended, and met several of the actors who were there. I kept my VHSs of the original versions for many years until I just couldn't justify keeping VHS around anymore. I still have the comic books from Dark Horse, some Dave Prowse autographed photos, my book collection and other paraphernalia. I was sad that Disney made all the Extended Universe non-canon and didn't care for their trilogy very much.
It is still lovely to remember Star Wars before it was the cultural phenomenon it became. I haven't watched the 4Ks, my last viewing was the HD fan 'theatrical' cuts. Still great cinema.
Thanks again for such an exciting and informative video!
I thought it was the most ambitious video I'd ever done for the Movie Collector channel but sadly it's been a bit of a flop so far. I've been massaging things slowly to try and get it out there but it's still not making much of an impact. Up until this morning it was my worst performing video of the past six months and only two previously had done worse so it's probably ruled out something similar I was hoping to do on the Star Trek films. Oh well, we'll see.
The early nineties saw the release of Empire and Jedi on Super 8 so that was actually a really good period for avid Star Wars fanatics. To this day they are still the best fully legitimate way to see the original films. If only the VHS releases hadn't been done to death after that time then perhaps the original films might have got a re-release in 1997 without so much cartooning added to them. It's such a shame that they're now virtually hidden away but at least the 4K looks terrific even if it isn't the version of the film many of us would have preferred.
I still visit Forbidden Planet whenever I return to London although that's increasingly difficult now owing to the anti-car policies.
John.
I’m sure you have it but ‘Elstree 1977’ is a wonderful documentary Blu-ray to add, own and enjoy
No I don't have it Dave. I do have a lot of Star Wars making of documentaries though so I dare say most of what was in that Elstree 1977 production has been re-used elsewhere. I will keep a look out for a copy now though. John.
Nice retrospective, John, and great to see some of your old film versions of SW. Although you are joking when you say catch it in an IMAX near you, right? :) I think there's one genuine IMAX left in the country isn't there, and it's certainly nowhere near most of us! We did used to have one in B'ham and I very much lament its closure.
Paul
There are still genuine IMAX cinemas around the nation but whether or not they ever get the chance to put a genuine IMAX film on is another matter. I suppose we'll find out when Oppenheimer is released and if it's only really the BFI IMAX that still has the capability then I'll see you and everyone else there! I saw 'Special Effects' in Bradford and if they've done away with film when they are the museum for the format then they really have let us all down.
John.
Bravo sir, really interesting stuff. I hope you are going to talk about the other two parts of the original series as well, in terms of the 4k review. I can never get over the fact that you have actual film reels.
Sadly this video isn't proving to do too well so far Timothy so if that remains the case then I doubt I'll ever spend days producing anything quite like it again. I was hoping to have an excuse to do something similar with the Star Trek films but I think my main audience is primarily for 4K disc reviews on their own. We'll see how this one does over time. John.
Always come back to these videos. I love your channel John you have a welcoming nature. I would have loved to have had a friend to hang out and watch movies with like you. Merry Christmas John.
Well, I've just seen the trailer for Oppenheimer which is out the end of next July, and it's been filmed in IMAX and Super Panavision 70 so I'll see you at the BFI IMAX on opening day! John.
Omg I had those THX Laserdiscs. John you’re completely out of control 😂 This was so cool. Thanks for the really amazing detail. Rob ps HT still in shut down. The seamstress is evil.
The home cinema is still closed Rob?!? Well, this is unforgivable and you have got to do something about it... how about an open air cinema until you can get the seamstress fully trained in the ways of the Force?
@@moviecollector5920 sadly yes, with over a ton of wood sitting in the middle "acclimatizing"
Great video John, I love the Star Wars movies as well, it is quite the collection you have
There's a lot more scattered around Paul. I did shoot much more of it too but I didn't use it. John.
Thanks mate. The only descent thing to watch on RUclips. Great work
Thank you Dave. Glad you enjoyed it. John.
Brilliant Star Wars knowledge John....Very impressive upload of an epic series of films
Glad to know you liked it John. Right now I'm planning another Star Trek video as my review for the sixth [and best] film did quite well. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Will look forward to seeing it John....👌
I remember when I first showed the first STAR WARS to my dad on home video so many years ago. After it was over my dad said, and I quote: "I must be getting silly, I actually enjoyed that." LOL. Well dad, what's not to like? There's loads of swashbuckling, a princess is rescued by our heroes and a big battle at the end in which the good guys win. George Lucas put good old fashion elements into the film for audiences of all ages and made one grand entertainment. I have most all the STAR WARS films on 4k including the Jerry Bruckheimer versions including a couple in 3D which has some of the best 3D put to film.
I can't watch the re-worked versions of Star Wars Daniel. I like the 1997 Death Star battle which might be even better than the original but I just can't get that far through it without throwing a tantrum! I had a look at the opening of The Phantom Menace on Blu-ray about three and a half years ago and they've even re-hashed that! So I turned that off too.
John.
Great Video, Ahh Star Wars , it was my best friend growing up in the early 80's , loved the original trilogy and everything about it, I'm not keen on the new disney era at all , as for the 4k versions i have the 4k77 edition and thats amazing , Memorabilia now thats another story, i had a huge collection , a lot of which i sold to buy a house!! My prized possession is probably a mark hamill signed lithograph or a thermal detonator signed by Carrie Fischer .....
This 4K is very good Aidey but it is a version of the Special Edition. It would be interesting to find out how many people would prefer the original version of the film or the re-worked versions but I don't imagine anyone is going to commission a major survey like that to tell us the answer. I suspect younger people will prefer the later versions but all of us over the age of 5 will prefer the originals!!!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Original Versions for me, I close my eyes at some of the revisions .... I have the definitive collection Laserdisc boxset sat in storage also.
You have an amazing Star Wars collection. The fan edits of the original theatrical versions on Blu ray are outstanding.😎
We're playing Star Wars Monopoly right now Shaun! I think I need help... psychiatric help! I love running the Super 8 prints of the original films. I don't think anything else will ever match the excitement of getting those three films complete on Super 8 and that's a big reason why I still love to screen them and never get bored of them. John.
Being a huge fan of Star Wars and a huge fan of yours...I was not disappointed with your presentation. What a gift you are to us video NERDS.
Thank you Bob. Got to hope this one finds an audience though as it's not doing well... yet. John.
Congratulations on 20K Subscribers. I cannot wait to see you hit 100K! I love the channel and love your knowledge & adoration of classic cinema. Keep up the lovely content!
Thank you Matthias. I've been looking at the figures of a couple of us who started similar channels around the same time and how the figures tend to correspond on how many views a video gets dependent on the number of subscribers. From this I've been able to conclude that for any of us to be truly successful on RUclips requires a heck of a lot of subscribers. Hundreds of thousands actually.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 you just need to keep putting out genuine & heartfelt content without compromising the essence of this channel for more 'views'. All of the channels that have 500k subscribers at one time or another only had 100 subscribers then only 5k subscribers......... it's a process. You have touched my heart with your reviews and that isn't common for me , so if you have improved one jaded movie lovers quality of life are you not already a success? You are winning, trust me. No one does what you do with your experience and knowledge : )
@@JDrago-746 It was just that the Star Wars video that got me a bit down Matthias because all that work and there was little interest. I played with the title and then things started to pick up and then changed the thumbnail so people thought it was the usual 4K review and then it took off. I've done a 4K review of Hacksaw Ridge which I'll probably upload for tomorrow evening and I won't be surprised if that does better than the Star Wars video for the first couple of days. Ridiculous really but that's the way it is. Thank you for all the encouragement. I know there is a very good group of film enthusiasts following this channel and that's always been enough... until I sunk far too much time into the Star Wars video. Over the next few months it may turn out to be a good success though so time is going to tell and if it is a success then I may tackle something similar on the Star Trek movies after all.
John.
I still wish for a 4K unadulterated versions release.
Fantastic video, thank you.
If anything is going to happen then we'll know by the end of 2027 because I can't imagine the 50th anniversary of the USA theatrical release not being recognized. Maybe we should start a campaign to pressurize Georgy Boy.
John.
Having watched many of your excellent videos, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one to remove price stickers and place them inside the covers.
I find it's the only way to remember what things actually cost you years down the line. John.
Great video! Your cinematic passion & knowledge shines through in every video you make!
Thank you for saying so. Glad you liked the video - which took far too much time to make. John.
I’m quite the Star Wars fiend, so I’ve been waiting/hoping for this one for over a year now 😆 Thanks for the great review, John! My favorite version is the widescreen THX remaster on VHS (non-special edition). Vhs isn’t the best of course, but I always like getting the tapes out of the little collectors box it came in.
PS: I was a Babu Frik fan, as well (and also Solo).
I think we should start a Babu Frik fan club Timothy! I still think the Super 8 prints are the best {legal) versions available in spite of this 4K being so good but because it's not the original version of the film there's something not quite right to my mind. John.
I have special edition DVD's what came with a originals on 2nd disk. It was a limited edition and I did order from the UK because you couldn't buy those in Finland.
Those discs used the master from the LaserDisc releases Simmy so there are still plenty of them out there. The Super 8 feature copies are the best fully legitimate copies still around though. John.
Great video..loved this one...I remember seeing star wars in the cinema on its first run and it made me fall in love with cinema at the age of 7..I dont like the special editions at all and even though I own the 4k versions on bluray I prefer the 4k project editions that are taken from original unaltered 35mm prints..I cant stand the disney sequels but did enjoy rogue one...my love for the ot is still with me at 51 and my home is full of props..costumes and collectables from the galaxy far far away
The Disney films are actually better than most think Barrie but it's going to take many years for many to forgive them for daring to purchase the rights to Star Wars and then have the audacity to actually make some films. The Force Awakens may be the second best Star Wars film so far so worth trying again. John.
@@moviecollector5920 you'll never convince me of that mate..
@@brewt1mer Maybe it needs to be seen in a genuine IMAX to get that six minutes of genuine IMAX fully ingested. That's a sequence I'm never likely to forget. John.
Fantastic video. Thanks for putting this together.
So glad I saw the original at 5 years old in 77!
I think I was 13. Just too early for me to really take in how it looked in terms of definition and all that sort of thing. It was a couple of years after this I really started comparing Super 8 releases and began to learn all about it. Star Wars is probably the most historic piece of cinema so it really should see the light of day again. If it doesn't get resurrected in 2027 then perhaps it will have to wait until George Lucas is gone which will be rather sad as his masterpiece deserves to be seen while he's here to take all the plaudits. I can see a big cinema re-release where only cinemas with film projection and massive screens get to show it. John.
Super enjoyable John, thanks again! Your insight, knowledge, and commentary is definitely unique and refreshing.
Thank you Pete. Hopefully it will get a few more views than it has so far. John.