It' hard to believe - but it was 30 years this week when the 1st Widescreen version of "Star Wars" was released by CBS/Fox in Japan on a Standard Play CAV Laserdisc.
It was known simply as the
"Special Collection".
Almost three more years would come to pass before this film would finally get a widescreen release on Laserdisc in the U.S.
Using the same print master as the previous editions, as all the exact same print flaws are present, the 2.35:1 image is shifted up on the screen to make room for the subtitles below.
The film was spread over five sides on three discs.
It was known simply as the
"Special Collection".
Almost three more years would come to pass before this film would finally get a widescreen release on Laserdisc in the U.S.
Using the same print master as the previous editions, as all the exact same print flaws are present, the 2.35:1 image is shifted up on the screen to make room for the subtitles below.
The film was spread over five sides on three discs.
 |
| Front Cover Art / Design . |
 |
| Widescreen CAV version from Japan VS The Pan & Scan US release. The same print was used, however The Special Collection featured PCM Digital sound. |
It is identical to the previous Pan & Scan CAV Standard Play US release issued a year earlier by CBS/ Fox in 1985 - in that the scene breaks on each disc occur at exactly the same points in the film.
 |
| Different end bumpers where utilized on these releases. |
NOW-
Many fans of George's Original Unaltered Trilogy -to this day consider this the best available consumer home video version of the film. This disc was bought in an attempt to verify if (?) this myth is indeed true. Please keep in mind that there are many factors to consider.
1. Resolution:
Keep in mind w/ the black bars in place
this release is limited to 240 lines resolution.
2. Color saturation:
Both color level's and tones are truer to the original film release
than the other widescreen release.
3. Contrast:
This is the BRIGHTEST overall widescreen release available.
However - contrast is the lowest.
This works best for older - darker tube TV's.
( also works well for small Plasma sets.)
Keep in mind- modern releases of film on DVD & Blu-ray's
are designed to be displayed on modern LED monitors-
which are much bright & lack the black level's of older tube sets.
More on this later.
4. Sharpness & "noise" level:
Since this release lacks the DNR used in The Definitive Collection / Faces Edition and the film was never transferred to Digital Video before being transferred to LVD, so, therefore, it lacks both the video noise ( from the digital tape) & smear introduced by the DNR that was utilized in those releases. That's not to say that this release lacks noise.
5. Overall image results:
TRUTH be told - STRICTLY in terms of Image Quality -
TRUTH be told - STRICTLY in terms of Image Quality -
this may not be a fair comparison to other releases.
That's because my very used copy of this release
was NOT still in the best of shape.
Sides 1-4 showed signs of degradation and rot.
Only side 5 seemed NOT to have any issues.
Therefore going to reserve final judgment till the opportunity to view and unopened / perfectly stored pressing.
WARNING: Don't hold your breath.
Then again - it's me- so you never know.
Then again - it's me- so you never know.
Side
|
Chapters
|
Frames
|
Running Time
|
|---|---|---|---|
1
|
3
|
39,141
|
27min 10sec
|
2
|
3
|
31,847
|
22min 06sec
|
3
|
5
|
32,205
|
22min 21sec
|
4
|
4
|
36,478
|
25min 19sec
|
5
|
3
|
35,757
|
24min 49sec
|
| Total |
18
|
175,428
|
121min 49sec
|
Anyhow - here's the story the chart doesn't tell.
DISCLAIMER:
All Images sourced from Laserdisc & DVD's
are copyright © 1977, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2006
Lucasfilm Ltd. Fair Use Law applies for review purposes
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
Copyright Act 1976
No copyright infringement intended.
Disc One:
As mentioned:
The film image on this pressing has been shifted up
in order to make room for the subtitles.
 |
| I wonder what could possibly come next? |
This copy of this release has many issues besides the many flaws that are present in the film itself - like dirt & scratches.
The one major flaw that really stands out
is all the glue lines in the negative between scenes.
There are many of them. Here is an example.
There is
also much
"noise" & additional
"artifacts" on disc
one.
Here is the same frame from The Definitive Collection Disc.
for comparison:
Side 1:
is all the glue lines in the negative between scenes.
There are many of them. Here is an example.
There is
also much
"noise" & additional
"artifacts" on disc
one.
Here is the same frame from The Definitive Collection Disc.
for comparison:
 |
Based upon this image - TDC looks better right? |
Side 1:
Found NOT to be true in all cases. Witness this frame.
The "noise" level was worse here on "The Definitive Collection" Disc !
As a matter of fact -
notice how bad the upper left hand corner of the image looks.
Now- as everyone knows -
the scenes where the droids exit the excape pod &
part ways is in really bad shape ( the film - that is.)
Not even going to review it here -
cause that scene could be an article by itself.
Therefore moving to the end of the side 1.
 |
| Noticed green colored "noise" |
 |
| From The Definitive Collection |
The "noise" level was worse here on "The Definitive Collection" Disc !
As a matter of fact -
notice how bad the upper left hand corner of the image looks.
Now- as everyone knows -
the scenes where the droids exit the excape pod &
part ways is in really bad shape ( the film - that is.)
Not even going to review it here -
cause that scene could be an article by itself.
Disc 1. Side 1 ends here:
just after the famous Binary Sunset scene -
after R2 has run - I mean - has rolled away -
as the image fades to black.
If ( ?) you own this release - and your disc doesn't suffer from
rot and video noise - please contact me.
I therefore decided to compare the image to the Pan & Scan version -
Guess what?
The image was darker -
The image was darker -
and the noise level ( and disc rot)
were just as bad, or even worse as
disc one ended.
Here is the 2006 Definitive Collection Edition Bonus DVD.
Better.
From this
From this
You can see how the
Special Collection
Image above
is brighter.
is brighter.
For shit's and giggles -
The 2004 DVD SE release made from the "restored" negative / new print -
Even darker still.
Was this done in order
to hide
to hide
the low image
quality?
quality?
For reference :
Here is a scan of a printed shot of that scene -
taken further away @ a slightly different angle.
Looks like they utilized plenty of light.....
when they filmed it.
So- even with its low resolution -
poor film quality and poor disc condition -
this scene that ends disc one of
The Special Collection may (?) yet still be truer to the way
it was filmed than any other release.
it was filmed than any other release.
DISC 1 / Side 1 Chapter titles:
1. Opening: Star Destroyer & Blockade Runner
2. The Planet Tatooine; C3PO & R2
3. Luke Skywalker
|
Side 2:
Fade up from black to this image:
Fade up from black to this image:
 |
| Like the closing image of side 1 - there is much noise. |
There seems to be a band of "green noise" right through the middle of the image. Like previously stated - maybe this is just this used copy? -
The image may be beginning to break down due to the disc's age?
Who knows how / or under what type of storage conditions
the previous owner kept the disc? Then again -
maybe all of the copy's look this bad?
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
However....
The scene where R2 gets shot by the Jawas on The Special Collection
Contains the bright day I remember.
The scene where R2 gets shot by the Jawas on The Special Collection
Contains the bright day I remember.
 |
| Unlike the changes in "The Special Edition" - this scene "occurs" when both Suns are still high in the sky - as it is daytime, and not sun - er, suns set. |
Side 2 ends here:
 |
Han : "Those guys must really be desperate.
This could really save my neck.
Getback to the ship and get her ready".
|
Still
contains
some
green
colored
noise.
DISC 1 Side 2 Chapter Titles:
1. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight
2. Death Star: Grand Moff Tarkin &
Lord Darth Vader
3. The Bar of Cantina ; Han Solo
|
Disc 2
Side 3 begins here:
 |
| Ben: "You'll have to sell your speeder." |
More
green
colored
video
noise
in the
sky.
Compare the above image to The Definitive Collection Version.
 |
| The 2006 TDC Bonus DVD |
Side 3
ENDS here:
 |
| The frames leading up to the end of disc looked better than those images at the end Makes you wonder? |
| DISC 2 Side 3 Chapter Titles 1. The Bar of Cantina ; The Bounty Hunter 2. Millennium Falcan ; Jump to Hyperspace 3. Destroy of the Planet Alderaan 4. Monster Chess and Light Saber 5. Toward Death Star |
Side 4
begins here:
 |
| Han: "This is not going to work." |
Surprise
Surprise.
More
light
Green
noise
and ends here:
 |
| This frame NOT taken from the Special Collection LD. Scene was more meaning after viewing "Rogue One" |
| DISC 2 Side 4: Chapter Titles 1. Rescue of Princess Leia 2. Obi-Wan Vs. Darth Vader 3. Escape: Battle against TIE Fighter 4. The Planet Yavin |
Bet you the thought -
" then the Laserdisc Player being used must just suck"
has already crossed your mind by now - right?
Why else would these results look so poor?
Well, IF this was a CLV disc - ( One hour - extended play )
you may well have a point. However -
a modified Industrial Pioneer LD-V8000 is being used here-
and while it's CLV performance w/ motion smear IS indeed lacking -
it's picture quality w/ CAV Laserdisc is normally rock solid.
It certainly may not be THE Best LD player ever manufactured -
( heck - it's not even in the top five )
but if you bought this thing back in the early 90's -
you could have done a lot worse -
as there were only a handful of players at that time that could top it.
For now -
DISC 3.
DISC #3 - Side 5 Starts here:
almost w/ a "Flash" of light, as for some unknown reason
the Death Star "glows" a little bit brighter on the 1st couple of frames
before it somewhat "settles" down a bit -
( again - THIS is the Brightest Release of all the Widescreen disc.)
The Image is somewhat darker on TDC disc.
Here is where things get interesting w/ DISC 3:
Starting @ about this point -
 |
| Still not perfect - but looking better. |
The image just slowly continues to improve.
Then IT happens !
Before you know it - there it is:
The Star Wars That I Used to Know.
It doesn't even look like this image is from the same pressing.
One could only image what it must have felt like to have this back in 1986.
Further on into the disc - and all the green noise just about disappears
Click on IMAGE to ENLARGE.
(Chapter Marker / Frame Index Display turned on for reference)
This image pushed the blue color to look over bright -
but you can still see the actor's eye through the lens in the mask.
Here is a frame from TDC.
Again - it's a little darker w/ slightly different color tint.
Than a funny thing happens towards the. THIS:
 |
| GREEN ! |
So again - for reference - I check the TDC.
 |
| Some Green - but mostly blue. |
Then take a look at the regular SE "remastered " 2004 DVD
 |
| Even more blue tint. Notice the matte painted soldiers of the far left & right have been replaced. |
So - upon referencing the 1985 Pan & Scan Laserdisc -
( other than being cropped - this image should be absolutely identical )
 |
| The 1985 Pan & Scan Standard Play (CAV) US release. |
which is the reason why the Widescreen version just stood out.
So it must be this disc itself - as the video itself it sourced from both
the same print and same master tape.
DISC 3 Side 5 Chapter Titles
1. Briefing about attack Death Star
2. Dog Fight
3. Ending
|
So-
does the world's 1st Widescreen release of Star Wars on Home Video
really manage to still be the BEST version of Lucas's Original
Unaltered Masterpiece after 30 years ?
Hard to judge. The 1st 4 sides of the copy used in this review have
already starting to show signs of degrading and contained light rot -
either due to age or more likely than not- improper storage conditions.
So they get dismissed.
Disc 5 / Side three however makes a strong case.
Like the 1985 Pan & Scan release before it -
it's extremely bright - and contains many flaws in the print
(the way you remember it - before it was cleaned up and restored. )
IF (?) you still happen to be using either a CRT Projection TV and /or
a standard or HD conventional tube set just to playback these old Laserdisc -
( like an old school Sony Trinitron Flat tube) then
THIS may very well be THE disc for you.
 |
| Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher Star Wars Image sourced from 1985 Pan & Scan CAV Laserdisc |
The brighter releases really work well with those darker monitors -
( as they were designed to do back in their day )
and they may (?) even do well when displayed on a small 42" Plasma.
On a modern flat screen LED HD digital panel however -
believe it or not - it was the somewhat hated
2004 Bonus DVD copy of the D-1 Mastertape
that was previously used to produced both the "Faces" Laserdisc
and "The Definitive Collection" Box set before that -
which really yielded the best overall picture performance.
The difference in sound quality, on the other hand -
is an altogether entirely different story.
About how these images were captured
(without getting technical.)
Unlike most DVD players today -
a Laserdisc player itself can adversely effect image quality.
While the best way to transfer the Laserdisc to video -
is just to import the signal directly to a computer -
currently we lack both the capture card &
the software needed in order to do so.
Besides, that's a lot of space on the hard drive to use.
Therefore a Pioneer Elite DVD Recorder
was utilized in order to capture the
frames displayed on this page.
 | ||
|
plugged into an
OneAC
Conditioner One
Power Supply
and Tripp Lite
Isobar.
A Special Thank You to Kevin Kobos
@ The Good Squid in Japan for
The Star Wars "Special Collection" Laserdisc reviewed here.
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