New Indy DVD news

[DarthLarry]

just posted:
from The Force.Net

SPY REPORT: Indy DVD - Special Edition
Wed, Apr 09, 03 09:42:18 AM EDT


Many Indiana Jones fans have been elated to hear that the Indy franchise will soon be arriving on DVD. And while not much has been known about the project so far, we've got some sources on the inside that are starting to spill some details.
Industrial Light and Magic are working on the Indy DVD Trilogy right now. Hard to believe, isn't it? Hopefully, it will be worth the wait. Here's what I do know - apparently ILM is having to conduct a major restoration of the original print. There's quite a bit of digital film cleanup they're conducting as well.
No, there's not new scenes added (and the guy with the sword doesn't shoot first, thank goodness), but they are removing certain errors and weak elements from the picture. Expect wiring, equipment and reflections to be removed digitally - anything that distracted or looked weak in the final release may be evaluated again. Basically they've come up with a list of what gets fixed. When you see the DVD, hopefully the only thing you'll see is a beautiful movie with great sound, not lots of little annoyances that Steve and George want out.

[wahlers]

I guess that means they're going to be removing the eject-a-pole from the bottom of the truck in Raiders?

Doesn't bother me though... make them look good, sound good, and pack them with extras.

I wouldn't mind if they used computer to smooth some of the stop-motion face-melting (or at least smooth out the glasses dropping down the face, so it doesn't jump half-way down his face from one frame to the next).

I'll just keep my original laserdiscs for archival reasons (until I get a DVD-R anyways). It's not like it's going to bankrupt me-- I'd only get like $12 for the entire trilogy if I sold them after the DVDs came out anyways...

[BubbleGumUK]

I heard a rumor about these digital tweaks about a year ago and found on eBay the original Japanese LD box set on LD, with much better prints than the US NTSC discs.

I wanted them just to have the full uncut original versions, and it seems a good time to get them if you want to do the same.

Lucas has also stated that the version of Temple Of Doom will be the toned down version, where you don't see the bad guy reach into the other guy's chest and pull out his heart.

Lucas also said that other material in the trilogy may be toned down a little. If you want your original Indy, hold on or get an LD set.

Personally, I'm waiting for Indy IV to come out and then I'll buy that box set on DVD.

[Triple HHH]

They might also fix that reflection of Harrison's face in the plexiglass used to shield him from that snake that was 3 inches from his face. It never bothered me, but that may be some of the little things they will be changing.

[Kris7]

Lucas has also stated that the version of Temple Of Doom will be the toned down version, where you don't see the bad guy reach into the other guy's chest and pull out his heart.

Okay, sorry but where did you hear this? Why would hey do that?

[videoworx]

hey, as long as he doesn't alter the story in Raiders, I'll be happy. I could care less about the other 2....

[Crow331]

Yeah I wanna know the source of this 'pulling out the heart' fix as well ... this is the first I am hearing of it.

Temple of Doom is my favorite of the three and if they "tone" this movie down I am really going to be pissed !!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll be buying back my LDs as well

[SkottDMD]

Is there a toned down version? I have never seen it. It was on TV a while ago and the heart scene was intact. I swear if they do this I will never buy another thing Lucas touched EVER.

[Bowman]

Originally posted by Triple HHH
They might also fix that reflection of Harrison's face in the plexiglass used to shield him from that snake that was 3 inches from his face. It never bothered me, but that may be some of the little things they will be changing.

I thought the reflection was of the cobra....

[Damian]

Hopefully they'll fix the bouncing block from the first movie. The scene where Indy and Marion are escaping the tomb after the snakes, when he pushed the large block out you can see it bounce in the lower part of the picture.
Kinda funny actually.

I just hope they don't make any changes ala Star Wars Special Editions (Greedo shoots first kinda things) Cleaning 'em up is fine, just don't do any major alterations.

[JeffHanawalt]

I really hope this isn't another Star Wars being pulled on
the mass audience. Hey George, Steve, Paramount, etc-
give us the original movies and don't screw with them.
It's OK if you want to spruce up the picture by hiding
some mistakes, but DON'T REMOVE OR ALTER SCENES!!!!

[George McFly]

I'm glad matte lines, wires, bars, and reflections are being removed, In TOD for sure the mine chase looks bad with all the matte lines and I'm glad they'll be gone. And keep the fly in Raiders. Another thing in Temple I hope is fixed is during the fight at the end when Indy is hanging on the cut bridge and an arrow is shot towards him , one of the arrows sticks in the cliff and it looks like it's in Indy's leg without blood or anything, obviously the arrow was meant to look like it is in the cliff only. And yes do NOT add or remove or change ANY scenes!!!!!!!!!!

[Nexus 6]

Digital restoration I have no problem with. Cleaning up matte lines I'm fine with. Remixing sound I don't have a problem with (as long as the original soundtrack is included if possible).

But things like the reflection of the snake and the fly on Belloq's mouth are part of the movie for me. It's fun to point them out, but they also don't distract me from the movie if I don't want to think about them. I just hope they don't get carried away with the whole "touching up" thing here.

Thanks for the news, Larry

[DarthLarry]

thanks Nexus 6. i thought it was an interesting post. i'm dieing for this movies to come out on DVD--can't wait.

i don't think they're going to tone down Temple. at least i hope not.

i guess we'll just wait and see, right?

[Deez108]

I saw TOD on Sci-Fi channel once and they had removed the whole shoving of the hand into the chest to make it ok to show on TV.

I remember thinking that it reallly watered down the whole thing. As a child that part totally wigged me out and really made me fear the bad guy, thus making it that much cooler when he got his in the end. It would be a shame for them to get rid of it.

[martini]

Oh gawd!! If its true that they are going to edit the hand in the chest scene out, I WILL NOT buy the DVD's. That's the best part of the film, it made the villain seem so damn evil. Temple Of Doom is my favorite film of the trilogy. At first I didn't care much for it, but as I got older I realized that the darker tone of it should have been in ALL the Indiana Jones films. I remember loving Last Crusade but, as I got older (again), the I hated it because there was too much comic relief with his dad and that guy from the museum (who seemed so sophisticated in the first film) and even Sallah (who was really cool in the first film), They were all written as OAFS, which pissed me off. As an adult, Temple Of Doom is my favorite and I hope and pray they take this tone with the new Indy IV (I'm sure they won't). Anyway, please, clean it up, but don't edit it.

[greatfoxmusic]

that would be like when they edited blade runner's gory parts out:
- scene with the fingers going into tyrell's eyes
- peg going through batty's hand

which can be seen in the cut that was on cable TV but not in the "directors cut".
those similarly freaked me out when i was a kid, especially the eye one.

i really hope they put those back in the upcoming blade runner release, and i really hope they don't do this kind of crap to the indy trilogy..

[Jerm]

Originally posted by BubbleGumUK
Lucas has also stated that the version of Temple Of Doom will be the toned down version, where you don't see the bad guy reach into the other guy's chest and pull out his heart.

I was just at Indyfan.com and they made no mention of this. You would think an Indy fan site would be all over this kind of rumour. I just hope that it's internet scuttlebutt.

[BubbleGumUK]

This was mentioned a while ago, and was the reason I went and bought the LD set.

All I can say is that I can't validate this, but that I thought it was fairly widely commented on at the time he said this (around a year to a year-and-a-half ago).

We'll just have to all wait and see won't we?

BTW, I do hope I'm wrong!

[Jerm]

Originally posted by BubbleGumUK
BTW, I do hope I'm wrong!

Me too!

[JakeLipson]

Originally posted by Jerm
Me too!

Me three! I loved Temple of Doom's darker feel and it would be a real shame for them to "tone it down."

However, the digital cleanup is a good idea. Removing errors I have no problem with; restorations are a great idea too. Plus, I guess this confirms that we won't be getting that effects-overhaul "special edition" re-release of the trilogy briefly considered after last year's E.T. edit.

[Nexus 6]

originally posted by greatfoxmusic:

that would be like when they edited blade runner's gory parts out:
- scene with the fingers going into tyrell's eyes
- peg going through batty's hand

Just to clarify, these bits were never in the American theatrical version. They were in the European theatrical version, and in American video versions. They're not in the "director's cut" because it's basically just a doctored-up version of the original theatrical version. The true director's cut will be on the new DVD, (if it ever comes out). Don't know if those moments will be in it or not.

Sorry, for the side discussion there. I really hope they don't "tone down" Temple of Doom or anything else. I guess we'll find out soon.

[Charlie & Tex]

It is generally agreed that the we in the UK got the best looking copies of the Indiana Jones movies. They were brought out in a Spielberg-approved exclusive artwork box, using brand new PAL transfers from freshly minted prints, with the making of Raiders thrown in as a bonus.

Just a fucking pity that Temple of Doom has always been cut over here.

Still, anyone remember the AC3 Indy laserdiscs that got pulled at the last minute which were supposed to be out in October '99?

[EricMontreal22]

Awww man, don't take out the little things like the flly on Belloq's mouth, the snake shield or the pole used to flip over the truck. They're really only visible if you know they're there and to look for them and they just add to the charm of the movie for me.

I hope they don't try to fix the greatest goof of all in the movie- When Indy and Sallah get the Headpiece translated, they find out that the staff must be a certain height. But if you follow the math (6 kadams high=72 inches, therefore 1 kadam=12 inches or a foot, then "take back one kadam for the th Honor the Hebrew god whose ark this is") the Staff of Ra should be only 5 feet high, making Indy a midget.:p