 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The 1993 STAR WARS set is a terrific box and presentation. I am very happy to have it, especially because it is a very different presentation from the RCA 2CD sets, which I also enjoy very much. I remember first encountering the Arista Box set in a store in 1993, and I was so happy... at that time, I only had the original 2CD set of STAR WARS, and only LPs of Empire and Jedi. So the presentation was a dream come true. I was equally happy to finally get the RCA 2CD sets in chronological order of the films.
To this day, I listen to both presentations, so it's not that I ever gave one away or had to "rediscover" either set. Ever since childhood I loved the cue "Mos Eisley Spaceport", even long before I knew there were "soundtrack LPs" with film music. When I finally got the STAR WARS soundtrack (from a friend on audio cassette... I made a copy), I loved the music, alas, that particular piece was not on it. Years later, it was finally included on the Arista set (as bonus) or the RCA set (in proper chronology).
Unlike THE RETURN OF THE JEDI, where the original LP was disappointing, both STAR WARS and EMPIRE STRIKES BACK had very well put together original soundtrack albums on double LPs, with the pieces very well selected and edited. I always love how some of the seemingly unrelated cues (like Obi-Wan sneaking around the Death Star and then the "final battle" were edited fluidly into lengthier cues and made perfect sense musically, and on the Arista set, these edits are preserved for the most part. So for that reason alone I would not part with it, even though I also very much enjoy the presentations on the 2CD sets. Especially RETURN OF THE JEDI.
It would be nice if the complete STAR WARS scores could get a new master from the best sources. When I think of what La-La Land Records accomplished with the Superman recording from the original tapes (they just sound like "Wow!"), it would be a dream come true if they could get their hands on the original session tapes of the STAR WARS Trilogy and do their magic. (Yes, I know it's not going to happen... but it should.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Does anyone know of any sound clips online of the 1993 JEDI release for comparison? I would be interested in tracking that down because the RCA sounds so poor I hardly listen to it anymore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ahhhh, a treasure. It's sitting right over there.
I was always a little confused that they went one way for Star Wars (original LP cue combinations with a couple of additions from the film) and another way for The Empire Strikes Back (LP tracks are split up into separate cues).
OMG is this box really going to be THIRTY YEARS OLD this year?!?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OMG is this box really going to be THIRTY YEARS OLD this year?!?
1993 - yes it is.
Also RETURN OF THE JEDI is in theaters this weekend for its (gulp) 40th anniversary.
For some reason it bothers me less that it was 40 years since I was 14 than it does that it's been 30 years since I was 24. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Apr 27, 2023 - 4:49 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
LordDalek
(Member)
|
I'll just summarize my opinions about the long box from other threads...
A New Hope: It's...ok? The editing mistakes really do hurt this one IMHO. From the use of incorrect takes, to the headscratching decision to try to replicate the album edits of certain tracks. This is the only one where the 1997 release (taken from the film mix) leaves it in the dust.
Empire Strikes Back: Both releases are plain ol weird. While the 1993 of New Hope based itself off the double lp sequence (for better or worse), ESB doesn't bother, offering instead wildly different sequencing, a lot of material that wasn't on the lp, and actually managing to leave something out that was (Mynock Cave). Oh and yeah, the channels are flopped too. 1997 suffers from a remix where the right channel seem to have dropped out for most of the score.
Return of the Jedi: Yup, 1993 sounds better if only because it wasn't CEDAR'd to death. That being said, the general crappiness of the source tapes is still a limiting factor. In fact it makes the expanded material stick out like a sore thumb (in this case, the album masters were used for the previous lp's tracks and those appear to have been sourced from better tapes).
A definitive Star Wars is still out there. Maybe someday it'll turn up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Does anyone know of any sound clips online of the 1993 JEDI release for comparison? I would be interested in tracking that down because the RCA sounds so poor I hardly listen to it anymore.
If you do want the set, it's going for really cheap prices on the eBay.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
