07-10-2003, 03:57 PM
OK, for those of you actually interested, (apparently no one), here is the run-down:
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE
Video: 4/5: The picture does suffer from a bit of graininess and too-bright black levels, but this is not a major detriment to the film. I adjusted the brightness and such and the picture became very good for the most part. There is an inherent muddiness in the dark browns and oranges that abound in this film, so some shots look perhaps as clear as a vhs copy might be, but for the most part, the picture is near dvd quality. Although the darker scenes suffer a bit, they still retain a clarity surpassing VHS. The brightly lit scenes are gorgeous and colors are good and full throughout pretty much the entire film. There is also a bit of what looks like video trouble near the beginning, but most people won't notice/care. Also the film is in its original widescreen which speaks volumes for the set.
Audio: 5/5: The audio is really awesome! The clarity and the quality of everything is leaps and bound over what I have ever heard with this movie! There are Dolby 5.1, 2.0, and DTS tracks in English. The sound is good and loud and infinitely wonderful. Now, sound-freaks, keeping in mind that this movie was made in the late 70's, perhaps some of the lines are a tiny bit less than perfect quality (all the others are though), but I'm thinking this was an issue of Lucasfilm's not the disc's, (that is if I wasn'y just imagining it). Also the mix is perhaps a tiny tiny TINY bit weighted towards the upper-midrange frequencies, making sounds a little tiny bit tin-ish, but let me reinforce the idea that only complete audiophiles may notice if they even do at all! The sound is great! end of story!
Didn't check subtitling as the film is in English, but there are apparently English subs as well as, Malaysian, Chinese, and a few other Asiatic ones.
Compatibility: The disc did not work with my computer's dvd drive and I noticed the film did skip a few times in my dvd player once it had switched over to the second layer. Each time however, I went back and checked and the skips were gone. This migt just have been dust, but it could have been the player was having trouble reading through the first layer. Hmmmm... Not, I should think, a serious concern.
Miscellaneous: The transition to the second layer is in a rather inopportune place (the Millenium Falcon's approach to the Death Star) but does not hurt anything too badly.
The Menus are nice enough. Just a rotating starfield background behind a New Hope movie poster image on the left and 'Play All' 'Play Trailer' 'Chapters' and 'Subtitles' on the right. There are 12 chapter divisions which is enough, and the trailer is the theater promo for the 1997 special edition films. Interestingly enough, the Malaysians goofed and spelled out "THE NEW HOPE" on the bottom of the screen (instead of "A NEW HOPE"). Only on the menu, not on the box-covers. Only serves to be funny, (and sort of remind you it's a pirate).
Packaging: Comes without a case but in clear plastic sheaths. They do the job, but you may want to get cases. They annoyingly fold the cover-slip down the middle of the spine's image (the thin one on the side of cases), but eh... whatcha gonna do?
All-in-all, the set is pretty darn good, (better than any other current versions excluding the LD) and well worth the price of about $10 per disc. And, I mean, come on! It's Star Wars for god's sake! Star Wars!!!
If you don't wanna wait another three or so years and then end up having to pay mucho moolah, get this one now. Rest assured I will still end up getting the official DVDs once they are released, but until then, Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah! (For the nay-sayers)
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE
Video: 4/5: The picture does suffer from a bit of graininess and too-bright black levels, but this is not a major detriment to the film. I adjusted the brightness and such and the picture became very good for the most part. There is an inherent muddiness in the dark browns and oranges that abound in this film, so some shots look perhaps as clear as a vhs copy might be, but for the most part, the picture is near dvd quality. Although the darker scenes suffer a bit, they still retain a clarity surpassing VHS. The brightly lit scenes are gorgeous and colors are good and full throughout pretty much the entire film. There is also a bit of what looks like video trouble near the beginning, but most people won't notice/care. Also the film is in its original widescreen which speaks volumes for the set.
Audio: 5/5: The audio is really awesome! The clarity and the quality of everything is leaps and bound over what I have ever heard with this movie! There are Dolby 5.1, 2.0, and DTS tracks in English. The sound is good and loud and infinitely wonderful. Now, sound-freaks, keeping in mind that this movie was made in the late 70's, perhaps some of the lines are a tiny bit less than perfect quality (all the others are though), but I'm thinking this was an issue of Lucasfilm's not the disc's, (that is if I wasn'y just imagining it). Also the mix is perhaps a tiny tiny TINY bit weighted towards the upper-midrange frequencies, making sounds a little tiny bit tin-ish, but let me reinforce the idea that only complete audiophiles may notice if they even do at all! The sound is great! end of story!
Didn't check subtitling as the film is in English, but there are apparently English subs as well as, Malaysian, Chinese, and a few other Asiatic ones.
Compatibility: The disc did not work with my computer's dvd drive and I noticed the film did skip a few times in my dvd player once it had switched over to the second layer. Each time however, I went back and checked and the skips were gone. This migt just have been dust, but it could have been the player was having trouble reading through the first layer. Hmmmm... Not, I should think, a serious concern.
Miscellaneous: The transition to the second layer is in a rather inopportune place (the Millenium Falcon's approach to the Death Star) but does not hurt anything too badly.
The Menus are nice enough. Just a rotating starfield background behind a New Hope movie poster image on the left and 'Play All' 'Play Trailer' 'Chapters' and 'Subtitles' on the right. There are 12 chapter divisions which is enough, and the trailer is the theater promo for the 1997 special edition films. Interestingly enough, the Malaysians goofed and spelled out "THE NEW HOPE" on the bottom of the screen (instead of "A NEW HOPE"). Only on the menu, not on the box-covers. Only serves to be funny, (and sort of remind you it's a pirate).
Packaging: Comes without a case but in clear plastic sheaths. They do the job, but you may want to get cases. They annoyingly fold the cover-slip down the middle of the spine's image (the thin one on the side of cases), but eh... whatcha gonna do?
All-in-all, the set is pretty darn good, (better than any other current versions excluding the LD) and well worth the price of about $10 per disc. And, I mean, come on! It's Star Wars for god's sake! Star Wars!!!
If you don't wanna wait another three or so years and then end up having to pay mucho moolah, get this one now. Rest assured I will still end up getting the official DVDs once they are released, but until then, Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah! (For the nay-sayers)