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What We'd Like to See on the Episode III DVD
Two or three discs? Multiple commentaries? Documentaries? Our thoughts inside.
May 09, 2005 - A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away Star Wars came onto the scene, and with it, a new form of cinema. One could argue that without George Lucas' magnum opus, the world of movies, toys and entertainment would have evolved much differently. Who knows when blockbusters would have arrived, when technology would have moved forward, or even how movies would look or sound now?
Indeed, it is not too much of a stretch to wonder where we would be in terms of home video formats without this series. No matter how one feels about the Star Wars films, their effect on technology and cutting-edge delivery on all formats has been virtually unparalleled.
With the release of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones and more recently, the Star Wars Trilogy, fans of the DVD format have been treated to some of the most technologically superior discs on the market, and the special features have been some of the most engrossing and well-produced ever included.
Fresh off a screening of Episode III, we decided to put together a wish list of what we'd like to see from the Revenge of the Sith DVD. This is by no means a preview of things that will actually appear on the disc; in fact, it's similar to the sandbox conversations we all had as kids regarding Star Wars… the ones that started with "You know what would be cool?"
Here's what we think would be cool. Feel free to write to IGN DVD with your thoughts on the Episode III DVD. Even without having seen the film, we're willing to bet you have some thoughts on the subject. Share them here!
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Video
Let's get rid of all the obvious stuff right away. Like Episodes I&II before it, Episode III needs a brilliant transfer. Revenge of the Sith dwarves its predecessors in terms of visual effects and pure beauty in each frame, so anything less than a pristine, direct-from-digital transfer would be a sin. But, of course everyone in the galaxy (near or far) knows this, so it would be shocking if the disc delivered anything other than a "10" in terms of visual quality.
The transfer on the Episode II is brilliant, and we expect nothing less from Sith, which is actually the more technically-accomplished film of the two.
Audio
Same is true of the audio. Although the film does not have anything quite as amazing as the Seismic Charges from Episode II, the overall mix and score are wonderful. There are so many explosions, gun battles and lightsaber duels in III that any home system is going to get a workout. Luckily, these are the folks who invented THX sound, so there should be no worries here.
To be more specific, here are the formats we'd like to see supported: Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1. Jedi-wanna-bes can dream, can't they? In addition, if deleted scenes are included, we'd like to see them fully produced in at least one multi-channel format.
While Episode III does not include anything quite as aurally righteous as Jango Fett's seismic charges, it is an amazing film in terms of audio mix, and the disc needs to reflect that.
Extras
Like its predecessors, we are assuming this will be a two-disc set, with a glorious presentation of the film on the first, and extras on the second. But what about a three-disc set that includes the excellent pack-in from the soundtrack? We could add discs until the Banthas come home, but this one is a no-brainer, as it's already produced, and fits well with the end of the series.
Aside from this dream addition, what features should be included on the extras disc(s) for the final film in the Star Wars legacy? First off, we'd like to see the menus mimic what we've already seen on the Episodes I & II discs. On those DVDs, each boot would result in a different location backdrop for the individual menus. For instance, on the Clones disc, we were treated to views of Coruscant, Geonosis and Kamino.
On the Sith discs, Coruscant's inclusion would once again make sense (and the gorgeous cityscapes deserve a righteous amount of play), as would the Wookiee planet Kashyyyk, the Grievous-infested Utapau, and the volcanic Mustafar. In fact, Mustafar is a musta-have if this menu system is employed.
In terms of commentary, in this last installment of the series, it would be nice to see a couple of full commentary tracks from the principals. Series auteur George Lucas, coupled with Producer Rick McCallum would make for an interesting track, especially since this is such a downer movie within the scope of the series. Lucas' interviews on the subject of this film's darkness and lack of hope have been routinely intriguing, and more of his insight deserves to be on the disc. Of course, not only is McCallum an entertaining listen, but he helps bring balance to George's Force.
A separate John Williams track would be brilliant, and would give voice to one of the huge factors in Star Wars' overall success. Hearing him discuss how the themes weave together, and how he tied up all the various musical bits over the course of this final film would be priceless.
A cast commentary track would also be quite welcome. In this case, Hayden Christiansen, Ian McDermid and Ewan McGregor would be the key players we want to hear from, but pop-in appearances from Natalie Portman, Christopher Lee and Samuel L. Jackson would also be welcomed. Since this is the most personal and emotional of the three prequels, hearing from the actors about conjuring that kind of feeling in the face of so much CG would be entertaining. It would also be fun to hear them ruminate about the entire process of making the three films, especially Ewan McGregor, who is never at a loss for words.
Fully realized, fully produced deleted scenes have become a benchmark in the previous DVDs, and that sort of treatment is a must here. Adding fleshed-out sound to these scenes would really push them over the top.
Of course, behind-the-scenes features are always welcome. With a production that is so epic in scope, seeing how it all comes together should be fascinating to anyone who follows film. Any feature that explores the trek from storyboard to completed film is a great start, but beyond that, quirky, fun pieces would help lighten the overall mood of this rather morose installment of the series.
For instance, the video diary of a lesser Jedi (like Kit Fisto) would be interesting. Much like the "Diary of an Intern" on the Life Aquatic DVD, it could track the exploits of one of the actors who is not exactly at the center of the film's action; taking you through his/her day, including makeup, prep work, and filming.
Other features we'd love to see include:
Creatures: from concept to design.
Anatomy of a battle: breaking down the opening scene.
Training a Jedi: An extensive look at the sword training required to make the lightsaber battles zing.
The ships of Episode III.
The weapons of Episode III.
Continuity: wrapping up the threads of the Star Wars universe.
Bringing Yoda to life.
One-liner gallery.
Jump to a battle (similar to horrors DVDs' ability to jump to a death).
Where's Yaddle? (Forgive us, had to be done).
A dream feature would be tour of Skywalker Ranch, give by the man himself, George Lucas. An insider's look into the Ranch is something everyone is eager to see, so why not here… on the final disc? A retrospective on the entire series is another biggie on the wishlist, but its inclusion might stretch the set to three or four discs. We're game; are you?
Additional materials should include all the associated TV spots, trailers and other promotional material. Given the fact that the DVD is still a ways off, it's not too much to hope for that teasers of the Star Wars television series might be included.
Of course, making a wishlist of what could potentially be put onto a Star Wars DVD feels a lot like making a Christmas list of action figures. We want all of the figures, and we want them now!
Please tell us what you'd like to see from the Episode III DVD. Even without having seen the film, we're willing to bet you have some thoughts on the subject. Share them here!
-- Chris Carle