Displaying items by tag: George Lucas
Empire @ 40: Remembering the Early 70MM Cut
“On my thirteenth viewing, which was the first time I saw it at a different theater than the one I’d gone to since opening day, I knew there were noticeable changes when the final scene began with different music.” — film music historian Mike Matessino
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present a continuation of our 40th anniversary coverage of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, the middle act of George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy and one of the most celebrated and beloved sequels of all time. Part One of our Empire 40th coverage appeared back in May.
George Lucas’s penchant for making revisions to his work is about as legendary as his movies. The majority of Lucas’s alterations have occurred years after his films’ original releases. With The Empire Strikes Back, however, the first (of several rounds of) revisions were actually made while the movie was in first release, and it is this lesser-known aspect of the otherwise very-well-known production that is the subject of this column. [Read on here...]
- Billy Dee Williams
- Peter Mayhew
- Alec Guinness
- Frank Oz
- Kenny Baker
- Anthony Daniels
- Carrie Fisher
- Harrison Ford
- Mark Hamill
- John Williams
- 40th anniversary
- The Digital Bits
- Michael Coate
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Irvin Kershner
- George Lucas
- Star Wars
- Mike Matessino
- Saul Pincus
Betting the Ranch: Remembering “The Empire Strikes Back” on its 40th Anniversary
“The Empire Strikes Back should be remembered as one of the greatest films of all time!” — Skywalking through Neverland co-host Richard Woloski
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 40th anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, the middle act of George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy and one of the most celebrated and beloved sequels of all time.
The Empire Strikes Back (aka Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back) was directed by Irvin Kershner (The Flim-Flam Man, Eyes of Laura Mars) and starred Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, reprising their popular roles of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia, respectively.
As well, Empire featured returning cast members Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), and an uncredited James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. Newly introduced in Empire were Lando Calrissian (played by Billy Dee Williams) and Yoda (performed by Frank Oz and a team of muppeteers). [Read on here...]
- Star Wars
- George Lucas
- Irvin Kershner
- The Empire Strikes Back
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- Michael Coate
- The Digital Bits
- WR Miller
- Justin Berger
- Richard Woloski
- 40th anniversary
- John Williams
- Mark Hamill
- Harrison Ford
- Carrie Fisher
- Anthony Daniels
- Kenny Baker
- Frank Oz
- Alec Guinness
- Peter Mayhew
- Billy Dee Williams
Universal sets Sam Mendes’ 1917 for release on Blu-ray, DVD & 4K on 3/24 (plus a big Star Wars 4K update)
All right, we have a major new title announcement for you today, plus a significant Star Wars 4K update.
Let’s start with the announcement: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just set Sam Mendes’ 1917 for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 3/24, with the Digital release expected on 3/10.
The film was finished as a native 4K digital intermediate, and the 4K SKU will include HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision high dynamic range, with Dolby Atmos audio.
Extras will include feature commentary with director/co-writer Sam Mendes, a second feature commentary with director of photography Roger Deakins, and 5 featurettes (The Weight of the World: Sam Mendes, Allied Forces: Making 1917, The Music of 1917, In the Trenches, and Recreating History). [Read on here...]
- George Lucas
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 4K
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi 4K
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens 4K
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 4K
- Solo: A Star Wars Story 4K
- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith 4K
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 4K
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones 4K
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 4K
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 4K
- Star Wars: A New Hope 4K
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 4K
- 4K Ultra HD
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- Sam Mendes
- 1917 4K
Disney & Lucasfilm set Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker for BD, DVD & 4K UHD on 3/31—UPDATED
[Editor’s Note: This news post has been updated with final art for ALL of the Star Wars single-film 4K SKUs and Amazon.com pre-order links as available.]
All right, we expected it and now it’s finally here: Disney and Lucasfilm have just officially set JJ Abrams’ conclusion to the Star Wars saga, The Rise of Skywalker, for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 3/31—just as we thought—with the Digital release due via Movies Anywhere on 3/17. Audio will be Dolby Atmos on the 4K and 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio on Blu-ray. There’s no mention of HDR, so assume HDR10 only on the UHD disc.
The extras on the Blu-ray and DVD will include over two-hours worth of bonus content, starting with a feature-length documentary, The Skywalker Legacy.
Also included on all versions of the disc will be the featurettes Pasaana Pursuit: Creating the Speeder Chase, Aliens in the Desert, D-O: Key to the Past, Warwick & Son, and Cast of Creatures. There will also be the usual wide-release Digital exclusive featurette, The Maestro’s Finale, with composer John Williams reflecting back on his work for the saga. [Read on here...]
- George Lucas
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 4K
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi 4K
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens 4K
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 4K
- Solo: A Star Wars Story 4K
- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith 4K
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 4K
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones 4K
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 4K
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 4K
- Star Wars: A New Hope 4K
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 4K
- 4K Ultra HD
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
BREAKING: New Details on the Special Features Coming on Disney’s Star Wars Films in 4K Ultra HD!
All right, what were we just saying about European studio and retail leaks? LOL. Here’s a big one for you…
Disney has yet to officially announce them (though we do expect the official word any day now), but the Swedish retailer CDON.se has just posted cover artwork for all of the catalog Star Wars films in 4K… not just the front cover art but the back details too…
… and they include special features details! So, let’s get right into them all, film by film and disc by disc… [Read on here...]
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- 4K Ultra HD
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 4K
- Star Wars: A New Hope 4K
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 4K
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 4K
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones 4K
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 4K
- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith 4K
- Solo: A Star Wars Story 4K
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 4K
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens 4K
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi 4K
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 4K
- George Lucas
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – A Visual Guide to Changes, Fixes, and Tweaks in the Disney+ 4K Version
Our old friend Drew Stewart—who is a longtime Digital Bits reader—is the webmaster for Star Wars Revisited and also curates the Star Wars Visual Comparisons blog.
He’s been working diligently to create a kind of visual guide to all the changes found in the recent Disney+ 4K version of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
Drew’s created a set of comparison images showing all of these updates and alterations—39 of them in all—and he’s kindly allowed us to compile them here in a 7-page gallery on The Digital Bits for all of you to see.
We definitely think that Star Wars fans will find this gallery both interesting and useful, not just to compare the new Disney+ 4K version to past Blu-ray and DVD releases, but also as a baseline in the event that further changes appear in the future. [Read on here...]
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – A Visual Guide to Changes, Fixes, and Tweaks in the Disney+ 4K Version
Our old friend Drew Stewart—who is a longtime Digital Bits reader—is the webmaster for Star Wars Revisited and also curates the Star Wars Visual Comparisons blog.
He’s been working diligently to create a kind of visual guide to all the changes found in the new Disney+ 4K version of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
Drew’s created a set of comparison images showing all of these updates and alterations—nearly 40 of them in all—and he’s kindly allowed us to compile them here in a 6-page gallery on The Digital Bits for all of you to see.
We definitely think that Star Wars fans will find this gallery both interesting and useful, not just to compare the new Disney+ 4K version to past Blu-ray and DVD releases, but also as a baseline in the event that further changes appear in the future. [Read on here...]
Star Wars: A New Hope – A Visual Guide to Changes, Fixes, and Tweaks in the Disney+ 4K Version
Our old friend Drew Stewart—who is a longtime Digital Bits reader—is the webmaster for Star Wars Revisited and also curates the Star Wars Visual Comparisons blog.
He’s been working diligently to create a kind of visual guide to all the changes found in the new Disney+ 4K version of Star Wars: A New Hope.
Drew’s created a set of comparison images showing all of these updates and alterations—nearly 40 of them in all—and he’s kindly allowed us to compile them here in a 7-page gallery on The Digital Bits for all of you to see.
We definitely think that Star Wars fans will find this gallery both interesting and useful, not just to compare the new Disney+ 4K version to past Blu-ray and DVD releases, but also as a baseline in the event that further changes appear in the future. [Read on here...]
Zombieland 4K, Apollo 11 4K (on iTunes for now), Walking Dead, and oh HELL yeah... The Great Waldo Pepper!
All right, we got some goodies for you today...
First, Tim has turned in a new review of Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead in 4K Ultra HD from Lionsgate and Studio Canal.
Also, this week’s update of the Release Dates & Artwork section is now live with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. Whenever you plan to shop from Amazon for literally anything, please consider starting by clicking through one of our affiliate links (like this one or any of our cover art links) as it really helps us to keep the site going and supports our work. Thank you!
And I should also let you know that I’m going to be taking a week off of regular news posts here at the site to A) visit family in North Dakota and B) finish editing this science fiction novel I’ve been working on. (In truth, I also need a break before all the Comic-Con 2019 hubbub begins.) But Tim will be posting new Blu-ray reviews the whole time, and I’ll be back with a big news update (and reviews of my own) late next week.
Now then... we’ve got some announcements this afternoon. First up, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland on 4K Ultra HD on 10/1 in celebration of the film’s 10th anniversary and also the theatrical release of its forthcoming sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap. All of the existing BD extras will carry over and you’ll get the all-new Raised from the Dead: Zombieland a Decade Later featurette. The 4K will include HDR10 and a new Dolby Atmos audio mix too. [Read on here...]
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Zombieland 4K
- Apollo 11 in 4K on iTunes
- The Walking Dead: The Complete Ninth Season
- The Great Waldo Pepper: Shout Select
- Shout! Factory
- Star Trek Trilogy: The Kelvin Timeline 4K
- The Sun Is Also a Star
- Tim Salmons
- Deadwood: The Movie
- Original Star Wars in 70 mm
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- Lucasfilm
- George Lucas
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- ScoobyDoo Where Are You: The Complete Series BD
- Game of Thrones: The Complete Series BD
- American Experience
- Chasing the Moon documentary
- Release Dates & Artwork update
- The Evil Dead 4K review
Every Retrospective Has a Beginning: Remembering “The Phantom Menace” on its 20th Anniversary
“The Phantom Menace is the film that caused a generation gap in Star Wars fandom.” — W.R. Miller, author of The Star Wars Historical Sourcebook: Volume One 1971 to 1976
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 20th anniversary of the release of Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace, the first entry in the long-awaited prequel trilogy to the original 1977-83 Star Wars trilogy.
Marking series creator George Lucas’s return to directing, The Phantom Menace opened twenty years ago this month, with some fans camping out for days (plural!) to experience a screening on opening day. And while the movie was an undeniable box-office smash, breaking numerous earnings and attendance records, there was a great disturbance in the Force as the film left a lot of moviegoers and critics underwhelmed and disappointed. [Read on here...]
- Mark O’Connell
- Star Wars
- George Lucas
- film retrospective
- The Digital Bits
- Michael Coate
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- science fiction
- 20th Anniversary
- The Phantom Menace
- Episode I
- WR Miller
- Stephen Danley
- Star Wars at the Movies
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- The Star Wars Historical Sourcebook: Volume One 1971 to 1976
- Watching Skies: Star Wars, Spielberg and Us