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Author
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Topic: STAR WARS (400ft. SCOPE release) edited/extended
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted May 10, 2006 11:59 AM
This film has always had a soft spot in my heart, and after showing the Ken films 400ft. cutdown in scope to some friends, I felt compelled to write a nice little review of it.
There were, of course, many other scope releases on super 8 back then, but none held the magic that this film had for me. I even bought this when I didn't have a scope lense yet. I was happy to see that the color hasn't faded a bit after a long hiatus in the freezer unit.
This cut down begins with the scene in which Luke Skywalker finds the message for Obiwan Kenobi, "Your my only hope". Upon finding this, Luke goes in search of R2D2, who has went in search of Obiwan. He finds R2, but also runs into the Sandpeople, (Tuskan Raiders).
He is rescued by Obiwan Kenobi. We then immediately go to Mos Eisley spaceport, (quick and lively little cut down, isn't it?), where we see the cantina and many of the creatures therein. We also meet Han Solo. We quickly move to the Mellenium Falcon, ( I know I spelled that wrong) which escapes Tatoonine. We then move to Princess Leia being grilled by Grand Moff Tarkin for the location of the hidden rebel base. Tarkin proceeds to destroy Leia's home world of Alderann.
We then move to the capture of Han Solo's ship. Now we see the intrepid heros exiting the Death Star sucessfully, with Tarkin acknowledging his risk in letting them go.
Leia sucessfully makes it to the rebel base. They then launch they're desperate attack on the death star and blow it up. The reel ends with the triumphant hero's recieving thier medals, roll credits!!
As stated before, this is an action packed 400ft. of fun, and this is a film that must be seen in the scope format, (even on DVD, the widescreen image is slightly matted, as we notice when we watch it in scope on the big screen) and the color is fine. However, the print is slightly grainy. Which brings up a point about this film print.
I have often wondered why they never released a scope version of "part one" on super 8, and I think it's because they didn't have a scope version of number one. I have heard that the German release of Star Wars on super 8, digest version, has better color than the american release of it.
Best of all is that it has a good edited version of the last battle sequence, which must take up about four or five minutes of this 17 minute reel. It still sends shivers up my spine and I rather enjoy this cutdown as, if you have impatient guests, is much better to watch than the feature, as you get most of the best scenes from it.
The sound quality is a good mono soundtrack. There are no drop outs in the sound and best of all, it doesn't have that VERY IRRITATING narration as it does at the beginning of STAR WARS part 1, (Thank God it didn't extend further into it!) It would take some work, but this would be awesome in stereo.
I like how this begins, with the scope FOX logo, which I've always felt, was the best of the logo's, with the MGM logo coming in a very close second. On an off note, I think I enjoy these logo's the most as they, (especially MGM'S) signify a lost
time of true granduer in motion pictures. We may still see the logo's today, but they just don't seem to have the lustre of yesteryear!
Oh, one last note, the sharpness is okay, but not the absolutely best for super 8. This print is quite grainy, more grain certianly, than Part 1, which leads me to believe that
part 1 and part two, were taken from different negative masters. This could be easily said of the 200ft version as well, as I have noted that the colour on the 200ft. is better, warmer (in a good way), than the 400ft. part 1. I must confess, however, that it has been so many years since seeing part 1
with virgin colour, that the colour may have been far better on it than I remember. The Derann release of this feature is a great example of excellent color and sharpness and is definitely superior in both categories.
If anyone has some more info about this release, I'd love to hear about it. From what I've seen, this super 8 release from super 8's classic years STILL goes for top dollar, while others don't get near what they used to. LONG LIVE STAR WARS!
[ June 10, 2007, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: Osi Osgood ]
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted May 12, 2006 11:14 AM
That's ther reason for holding onto it for me as well. I'm going to try to find that website that lists the different super 8 film stocks, as there are different grades of Eastman, (beyond the obvious regular BAD Eastman and Eastman LPP), as it has a great explantion, as well as many a picture illustrating the points.
Actually, when projecting the Star Wars SCOPE 400ft. It really depends on how I have the lense set on the clarity of it. While it isn't the shaprness of the Derann print, it's still pretty darn good! I would be curious to see the cinevision print of this same title though. The problem I have seen with the cinevision prints, (Rooster Cogburn is a good example of this, (is that so much of the image is given, that you actually get, on the screen the edit "flashes" (that's all I can call them, for lack of a better term) as the film runs, which can be very distracting, especially in dark scenes.
But I won't slam those cinevision prints much, as, if not for them, many a great Tom and Jerry, magoo or Droopy cartoons would've never been seen in thier original scope otherwise, (especially the Magoo's, as they STILL haven't been released in any other format that I know of.)
STAR WARS RULES!!!!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted May 12, 2006 11:14 AM
That's ther reason for holding onto it for me as well. I'm going to try to find that website that lists the different super 8 film stocks, as there are different grades of Eastman, (beyond the obvious regular BAD Eastman and Eastman LPP), as it has a great explantion, as well as many a picture illustrating the points.
Actually, when projecting the Star Wars SCOPE 400ft. It really depends on how I have the lense set on the clarity of it. While it isn't the shaprness of the Derann print, it's still pretty darn good! I would be curious to see the cinevision print of this same title though. The problem I have seen with the cinevision prints, (Rooster Cogburn is a good example of this, (is that so much of the image is given, that you actually get, on the screen the edit "flashes" (that's all I can call them, for lack of a better term) as the film runs, which can be very distracting, especially in dark scenes.
But I won't slam those cinevision prints much, as, if not for them, many a great Tom and Jerry, magoo or Droopy cartoons would've never been seen in thier original scope otherwise, (especially the Magoo's, as they STILL haven't been released in any other format that I know of.)
STAR WARS RULES!!!!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted May 13, 2006 04:19 PM
Hey, hate to inform you of this, but while the frame blow-up do have exceptional color, they are from "The Empire Strikes Back", not Star Wars. I have noted with "The Empire Strikes Back", that part one was largely released on Eastman stock, while part two was Kodak SP, which results in part 2 holding up much better than part one.
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted October 10, 2007 11:10 AM
Great way to advertise Super 8mm!
You know, the funny thing is, most people will assume that this is from a video 8mm projection, and have little idea that it is actually a film image!
The colours have held up quite well on mone as well and, as you said, I also hold onto this, though I have the feature. This was the digest format at it's best!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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