"The fans are using the technology these films created to save these movies." That's not weird. That's poetic.

Watched 4K77 for the first time today. Wow, it’s like I’m a kid watching Star Wars at the theater in 1977 again. What a great day to now have this!

It's a scary shame that the original "Star Wars" is in the Library of Congress, but there is no actual print of it in the Library of Congress, as George Lucas wanted to give them a Special Edition version instead.

I’ve just watched and listened to a guy talking to camera for 25 minutes about the film used for Star Wars and fan attempts to preserve the original prints - I’m not even a hardcore Star Wars fan! You kept my attention. 👍🏼

I think old films in HD look *amazing* especially black and white. The contrasting colors are so sharp and beautiful.

"You're watching the LASERDISC!" Thank you! You will not believe how many people I've had this argument with in the past few years. Trying to explain video lines of resolution, and film resolution and watching people's eyes glaze over... I'll just send them the link to this video from now on!

Harmy Despecialized is the closest thing I’ve yet to see to an “Original Trilogy Theatrical Release,” based on his amount of work on vintage sources, and the level of mastery of his frame by frame corrections. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to see Team -1’s version, but if it’s as intensive a project as what Harmy has accomplished, I’m sure it’s a quality original theatrical experience. (And yes, I was in line on May 25th, 1977 and Star Wars has been a huge part of my life since I was 14 years old.)

thank you for clarifying film resolution. Silent and old films if restored will look amazing on blu-ray, I own many from that era.

Michael always seems to have a bit of an edge in these 'unplugged' episodes. Like he's been waiting in line at the DMV for about six hours prior to getting in front of the camera.

I have to admit I was ignorant of how the different formats worked. This video was an education and I thank you for enlightening me.

I want a 4K version on physical media and not just Disney plus. If Disney doesn’t want to preserve the movies on physical media they should let Shout Factory or Criterion do it.

Thank GOD for Team Negative 1! When I didn't have a job and I saw the original trilogy on discount, I just couldn't miss it, I gave my last money for it. Then I saw the ending of Return of the Jedi and saw Hayden Christensen's face I could not believe it. I gave my money for... this.

I found your channel when you teamed up with WCBS and subbed, but YT never recommended any of your vids. I'm glad I checked out your channel a second time. I like how you're doing videos on what interests you rather than keeping the channel on just one topic. It's inspiring, because I have a lot of random things I would like to say and make videos on, but I don't want to make separate channels for every topic. It's cool to see someone pulling it off.

I have the 4K77 Star Wars film in 4K it’s about 80GB. It is definitely the best it’s ever looked. I work in the home theatre industry an I demo a lot of older films on 4K HDR or Dolby vision Blu-ray because they look amazing. For example the original 1979 superman or blade runner an Close in counters of the third kind I use a lot because there shot on film. Basically any film done before the year 2000 was recorded on film and if it gets a 4k remaster you know it’s gonna look amazing on your 4k tv.

Star Wars was completely restored by Mike Verta. He works in the industry and showed Lucasfilm his work. It is beyond anything Lucasfilm or Lowry had done or attempted to restore the film. It is an unlikely possibility that they may release his restoration. He has documented some of what he did on his vimeo channel.

A while ago I took the originals from the DVD, removed the pillar bars and letterboxing, and put it on a new disc so it would fill a 16:9 TV a little better. Not only were they taken from the laser discs, but they kept the 4:3 image formatting. Lucasfilm put no effort at all into them and it’s a tragedy. I checked out the 1080p versions that OT put out years ago, they were pretty good. I wish Disney would put out a set with all 4 major cuts (unaltered, 1997 SE, 2004 DVD, 2011 BD) so everyone can experience all the versions.

I finally watched 4K77 for the first time today... Before, I'd rely on the Despecialized Editions, but this version feels so much more authentic and genuine even looking like a film from the era it came out in. Needless to say, it will be my go-to now.

Thanks for the educational video Michael! I didn't know how 4K worked. It's an eye opener. I have the Harmy despecialized editions and was already mindblown by those. It's awesome team negative 1 is going all the way for 4K Star Wars. It's sad how Lucasfilm refuses to release the original cuts. Long live the fandom!

Michael, you are the man. On behalf of cinema fanatics everywhere - THANK YOU. The best way I ever heard the negative vs print issue explained is - the negative is the score, the print is the performance. If the print is bad, that does not inherently mean the film was poorly made, just that the people making the print weren't doing their best.

This is quickly becoming my favorite KZfaq channel (period) as a gen X'er myself I applaud your work Michael and thank you.

Love these restorations- Take me right back to the cinema - I also really miss my "Lapti Nek" sleazy space funk! - You know the kind of music a sleazy space slug gangster WOULD actually be jamming in his domain! 🤟

Thank you. Thank you for reminding everyone that film is a higher resolution than Blu-ray. I constantly have this argument (usually with the same people that hated letterbox). Thanks for bringing the 4K77 version to our attention. I have to go searching. I have to say, you and I are identical in collecting films. I'm constantly in search of the best, clearest version of specific films. I think I have the same versions you do, of Star Wars. Great video.

Well, considering that 35mm films were projected on 40-foot wide screens, I would say that old films were DEFINITELY HD quality. Kodak says 35mm is equivalent to 16K, not just 4K.

I think it was a cinemassacre video where I learned this, but apparently there was some really old movie that was filmed on two cameras simultaneously for some reason, and now somebody is looking into making a 3D version of it using the feed from both cameras. It's not exactly relevant here, but it's neat.

I hope a lot of the people that are looking for the 4K77, 4K83, and the future 4K80 will donate to the team. The funds are for hardware to preserve the copies. Look at the data storage requirement alone. Add modern computers to handle working in 4K and the cost become quite staggering for most people.

I have learnt so much from this video, and now I need to get me a copy of 4k77. Great work

I'm really glad you mentioned lens technology. The highest resolution lens I own produces an image that looks soft to the eye because there's no lens coating, which reduces light scattering. Also, it was common for directors of photography to INTENTIONALLY soften the image for artistic purposes, especially for closeup shots. Lucas himself originally wanted SW to be rather soft looking, almost like a 16mm documentary.

That was very informative. Love TN1's releases. They already have reel 1 done of empire. The ANH and ROTJ 4k projects are really special. I really have to get a 4k TV now!

The 6 Channel Audio was also remastered to the sound like the original Dynamic Range and Vinyl like cinematic sound they had in Cinemas Originally. Its apparent on the 4K77 and I’m sure the 4K83 as well. 👏👌

Great video. And it is real refreshing to listen to someone from my generation and not a millenial bombastic twenty-something talking head that sounds like a neurotic bubblegum commercial like 90% of current youtubers. Thanks for this man. Yes, the guys at TeamNegative1 are heroes.

Michael: "So don't bark." My Dog: (proceeds to bark)

Your excellent video is still valid. The OT on Disney plus is dubious 4K and definitely not HDR (check out hdtvtest video) Macklunky indeed.

That last part really got thought provoking. Very well done. Thank you, Michael!

Film is inherently high definition resolution if not effectively infinite. I've never thought something recorded on actual film "wasn't filmed in HD" nor have I heard anyone say that. We don't have the originals in HD because George Lucas didn't want the original versions to be available. He's basically tried to erase them from history in favor of the special editions. I am thankful for the special editions in one way, because I was born a year after Jedi came out, so seeing the special editions in theaters was the only chance I got to see the original trilogy in the theater. And I have to say, that is what they are made for. It was a revelation seeing them like that. The ships fill the giant screen at what feels like almost to real life scale, the engines roar around you. It's amazing. Back then, I even thought the special editions were pretty cool, because I had already watched the movies many times, and the special editions were just more Star Wars. You can watch those movies over and over and see some new background character or detail every time, and these versions added to and refreshed that experience. But I had no idea George Lucas would make it so we wouldn't even have the option to watch the originals. I wish I would have bought those DVDs you showed, but after hearing it was just a laserdisc copy some time ago, I'm not so sad about missing out on them. So it's very upsetting to not be able to watch them. When I got the DVD set and George had changed Boba Fett's voice, that was the last straw for me. It pissed me the hell off and I never watched those DVDs or any version of the special edition ever again. The only way I had before was the remastered VHS tapes, which apparently didn't come in a wide screen? Now I watch the Despecialized Editions. It's good to hear about this work on preserving the original prints to release the films by the fans. Though I don't own a 4K TV or player and won't be able to afford one any time soon, so this probably doesn't help me much. I've also heard that the human eye can't even tell the difference between 4K and HD unless you have a REALLY big screen and are sitting at a certain distance. But don't know if that is true or not. In any case it would be nice to have just 1080 versions so more people could watch the movies, but I understand it's an endeavor by the fans, so they can only do so much, and they are gearing it towards the best resolution possible. My only last hope is that Lucasfilm releases the theatrical versions after episode 9 comes out and they make the inevitable 9 movie box set. Every other milestone has come and gone and still no theatrical releases so that's probably our last best shot at it happening. I thought after Disney bought Lucasfilm and George was no longer in control that they would come out. Then I thought they'd come out for the 40th anniversary of Star Wars and they didn't. Now that I think about it putting them on Disney Plus would have been a good selling point. So now all we have is for after 9 comes out. I REALLY hope it wasn't part of the deal with George that Disney/Lucasfilm can't release the original versions.

Thank you, Michael, now I understand so much.

Thank goodness- the title of this video gave me eye twitch. Glad to find you actually knew what you were talking about. The 4KXX restorations are incredible.

Seriously - thank you for this video. Back when those DVD’s with the laser-disc rips were released I remember some voices screeching how “well, if you wanted the original unaltered trilogy this is what it looks like” and that asking for a good DVD quality version was like crying for a sliver of the special edition without the other alterations. Thanks for doing your part at setting the record straight.

Oh God! This is going over my head! But love how passionate you are! Go, Micheal!

I have seen 4K77 and 4K83! I can’t wait for 4K80 to be released!

Thank you for posting this! So many people just don't get it.

*_“Again, it’s like poetry, so that they rhyme.”_* 😌

I used to love as a kid when any of the OG Star Wars would run on network television. It would blow me away how clear it looked only because I wore my VHS tapes down so much from watching a thousand times lol.

I just checked and saw that Harmy's version of the first movie included a 6-track audio from some 70-mm prints. Perhaps its picture is too degraded or something, but you'd think that a 70-mm print could be scanned to give you an 8K source.

Excellent and highly informative. I love the occasional tech education you guys serve up!

Great video, was fun to watch tonight after work. I love my Harmy's Despecialized Editions.

Very interesting, thanks for clarifying something that I’ve been wondering about for years 👍🏻

You’ve said everything magnificently. I’ve been popping in with these guys from time to time. I love seeing the flaws of older films in HD/4K. I love the flicker, the scratches, the ever so slightly misaligned colors of technicolor movies (with three strips of color film stuck together it’s a miracle they didn’t jam up). The upside to Star Wars prints is that they weren’t on nitrate. Not only could they have been decayed but dangerously flammable.

Thank you for this clarification, I already understood this, but I know many people do not and this was very informative. Another point would be, if older film movies are not HD quality, then why does Criterion Collection's older movies look so good? Better than 4K UHD in some cases. Film is UHD quality and this video explains that point very well , thank you.

As usual, a great , fun interesting and informative video from RB, I learned quite a bit, the most surprising of all is that there are Special Edition fans!

This video isn't what I was expecting, it's even better. Excellent insights

I always like when you do videos like this talking about current problems with movies.

Just found this on a whim. Great video and explanation. I pretty much knew everything you were saying but always love a good SW home video /versions video. I have 4K77 and 4K83. They are indeed doing the lords work on those prints.

4K Empire is complete now!

Excellent, Overview on how these movies have different cuts; not only between the originals vs S.E., But also the different S.E. cuts. I'm glad you mentioned fan preservation and fan-edits of these films.

Hmmm. I learned something new today! Thanks Retroblasting!

I just watched Project 4K77 and 4K83 and they are so damn beautiful!! Mad respect to TeamNegative1 for doing this. Also watched the Grindhouse Empire version and thought that was beautiful as well with all of the imperfections. Look forward to 4K80 in the near future.

It's mind blowing you needed to point any of this out. 35mm film is not HD? These are staggeringly ignorant people.

Just watched the 4K77 edition yesterday and I was blown away. Absolutely amazing.

Very interesting video, thanks Michael.

exactly. This isn't about which version you prefer. This is about the restoration and preservation of ALL versions for future generations to enjoy in the greatest quality possible. Why Disney is not doing this themselves continues to completely baffle me.

I'm one of those people who, very much, want to see that original '77 theatrical release made available to buy, but I also enjoy the Updated versions. I want to original simply for my own personal nostalgia. I'm 49 year old. When I was 6(almost 7), my parents took me to the local movie theater, a 100+ year old theater, converted into a Movie theater after Vaudeville and stage performances had died away, and still remember vividly the initial reaction in the room when they ships came racing in across the top of the screen. I like and appreciate the majority of the "updates" made by Mr Lucas as time went on. He made improvements to get it closer to what he originally envisioned. I can't fault the creator for improving what they created. It would be like someone castigating Ford for changing the 2020 Mustang because it isn't like the 1964 1/2 model year production.

That was a very well made and concise explanation of digital formatting. Personally, my first vhs tape that I bought 30 years ago, with a tracking error right when Chewie growls after Threepio suggests to let the Wookiee win is my favorite to watch. It is much like my parents old records, it is unique to itself which you’ll never find on any other copy.

Another awesome video!

I don't see why anyone wouldn't want the theatrical releases. We already have a phenomenal version of the SE with the new UHD releases. SE fans wouldn't be hurt by a theatrical release.

The best thing about the despecialised editions is that you dont get taken out of the film each time a special edition thing is missing, you just watch it as Star Wars you've always known. The opposite is true for the special editions (for our generation) - the film's going along normally then something really obtrusive takes you out of the film altogether.

Great clarification about film and home video translation, and also another example of "fans doing the best work".

The first Blu-Ray to use seamless branching was from 1977 too “ Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. I hope the house of mouse eventually gives us a definitive version of the original trilogy that allows us to pick out which version we want to watch. Film stock (35mm and 70mm) has a much higher resolution than just 4K. Proper viewing distance recommended BY TV manufacturers is twice to 2.5 times size of the TV, so if you have a 60” TVs proper viewing distance is 120” to 150” away. For resolution at proper viewing distance you need 50” TV or larger to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p. For resolution at proper viewing distance you need 80” TV or larger to tell the difference between 1080p and 4K. While you may be able to identify more colors on a smaller 4K set (remembering that 8% of men are colorblind) you are not able to see the resolution difference at proper viewing distance, no matter how many people on Reddit swear that they can. By the way when the TV manufacturers get done with this 4K revolution, there’s going to be an 8K revolution and then they’ll be 21 x 9 TV sets so that we won’t have black bars when we watch our movies, as a Star Wars fan can you identify what may be the problem with that? Could it maybe be that on the Home video releases that the subtitles are in that space...😱 While dealing with the movie studios you also have to know how your movies and/or your favorite TV shows were archived. For example if you want Star Trek in HD or 4K I hope you like the original series, theatrical movies and Enterprise, because the next generation, deep space nine and voyager while shot on film and then were archived on Betamax. Not so good for HD, 4K or 8K transfers.

Please update this when 4K80 comes out early next year!

Wow, just the other day I asked my brother in law if he knew what the maximum resolution was of a 35mm source material. We both felt it had to exceed 1080p (current standard of HD), but neither of us knew if it hit 2160p (4k). This was very educational and clarified a bunch of things we were discussing. Thanks for another fabulous video.

Thanx pard ....this is very interesting and educational 👍

I was under the impression that 4K77 was mostly from a 1977 Technicolor print. Technicolor should not be faded; it should still look very vibrant. BTW I saw Star Wars 23 times in the theater in 1977, and 4K77 looks even better than I remember!

12 o'clock high mention. You just made it up a notch 👏👏👏

I want to add on to this that apart from resolution that we also have to take into account bit rate also. You can have a 4k video look blocky if it has a low bit rate. A good example can be a water fountain scene in a 1080p formatted movie on tv but on bluray you won't see the water get blocky or on bad/low bit rate movie rips. Bluray is high bit rate but movie rips are lower to save storage. So save in high bit rate to preserve in digital if it's a film.

Michael, great video as always. Glad to hear that you are a fan of the Adventures of Robin Hood. My grandmother was friends with Errol Flynn and was present on set while they were filming the film. Supposedly she is setting at the end of the table during the Sherwood Forest feast scene out of camera range but unfortunately I cannot find any photos to back up her claim. Recently I was given a notebook she kept on set with autographs in it. I have it locked up safely but if you are ever in LA, let me know and I will dig it out to show you.

It's because of Star Wars that I learned about how movies were filmed using special negative cameras that would make them look HD for those big screens in cinemas, and that was a thing even since earlier in movies history, so that made a lot of sense for me about how older movies were released in HD format.

Excellent video from start to finish. I have the 1080p version of 4K77 and it’s fantastic! I saw the original in the theater back in ‘77 so, yes, I’m a theatrical release snob. To those interested enough to seek out and find the Team Negative 1 versions, please donate for their efforts. I thought I’d never see the original again as it was released especially since uncle George refused to admit it even exists but thanks to TN1 I finally have it.

Great video Michael. Very informative

I hope Disney will give us the despecialized original trilogy in 4K

Love your passion, man 👌

This was really insightful.

All the HD and 4k stuff, now I get it thanks to this vid. I ws also fixn to ask about Gregory Peck and then you referanced 12 O' Clock High and answered my question.

I think we were used to seeing films on tv and video. Now they go back to the original prints and remastered movies we see much more detail. I see some older movies now and they look brand new. The Adventures of Robin Hood was on sky movies hd looked fantastic.

I love that this is being brought up. Great video Michael! Does anyone know if anything like this is being done for The Phantom Menace, since that film has been heavily altered?

Ironically, the two Star Wars movies that were shot in HD were shot in 1080p. Those two have to be 'uprezed' to 4k.

Mind.... blown! Good job!

Good info, thanks :)

I have the despecialized trilogy edition, they are 720p if I remember. But I really love them.

People think that the films looked bad back in the day and the Special Ed versions are a benefit, but they don't realize that the companies releasing these films had to downscale the resolution to fit the format available at the time. Since the LD versions are the last original versions commercially available, it looks worse than it would if released properly today. It's almost a mind wipe of history.

Thanks for the knowledge drop. I learned quite a bit in this video...

I watched StarWars on an old VHS tape that was so used that it skipped and was grainy. So I'm not picky.

@RetroBlasting, your videos are like poetry in motion. Very Zen like and tranquil. Very non-judge mental and fair lenient yet massive.

Thanks for an amazing video! I, for one, never saw the originals in the cinemas, as we were too poor, so my first experience was ESB on a CBS Fox All Time Greats VHS...tinny audio, bland colours...the works. For nostalgia, I still define the audio, and turn the bass off whilst watching the 2006 DVD. Still, I want to watch these films as close to the original vision, so thanks for raising Team Negative One to me!

Wasn't Lucas the reason the originals have never been restored? Now that he's out, maybe.....

Great video Thanks for the knowledge

We were so lucky these old formats were so detailed - it's amazing that tvs are only now catching up with what film can do.... there are people who prefer the special editions?

Well Said 4 years later😊

Can’t wait until 4k80 is finished! 4k77 and 83 are simply amazing and the people that are doing the work to bring us them should be applauded.

Emotive subject...how to appreciate STAR WARS the most at home ?... Hello Michael, i'm French, 53 and had the chance to watch STAR WARS in a good and comfortable theatre in Brussel ( Belgium ) in 1978...a life time experience Believe me !....to me, the last Blue Ray version is Ok and my brand new 4K TV is perfect enough to recreate something near to 90 % of my original memory...with new scènes of course...so what ? Lucas's decision and i accept it…( ? )... I'am a STAR WARS's fan and forever will be ! I love your channel !

This is freaking amazing news!!!

Thank you Michael for ONCE AGAIN making a video that explains it all! Shout out to the fans that are REALLY trying to do a TRUE HD version of the original cut! And your opinion is exactly that! YOUR OPINION! Star Wars like all cinematic works is art and art is objective! Everyone has a different way of seeing it in some parts in particular and/or as a whole! Keep up the wonderful work and I’m looking forward to the next video! 🤘🏻