Hal9000's Custom Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Special Edition
(This is Version 5 of this project. The 19SE remains the primary video source, but it has been color corrected using OriginalTrilogy.com's DrDre's Color Matching Tool to resemble Adywan's 1997 SE Reconstruction project. I am very satisfied with the results. DrDre's tool also allowed me to use Aydwan's Revisited footage to fix a continuity error introduced in the SE with Cloud City's window during the 'Vader dinner' scene. I also included a 2.0 stereo track which maintains ProLogic II compatibility throughout.)
If the following strikes you as esoteric, I invite you to peruse the forums of Originaltrilogy.com.
First and foremost, credit is due to OohTeeDee for presenting the 1080 and 2019 versions of the film; DrDre for his color matching tool; DrDre and Sir Ridley for providing color correction LUTs for the prior version; Adywan for producing his ‘Revisited’ and '1997 SE Reconstruction' projects; CapableMetal, Jetrell1969, and SilverWook for their combined efforts at making the theatrical DTS audio from the 1997 Special Edition available; ChainsawAsh for encoding a DTS mix; and MalàStrana for assisting with subtitles.
Having satiated my restlessness with the Star Wars prequels, I wanted to put together a custom 'Special Edition' of the original trilogy to place on my shelf alongside the original, theatrical versions (currently represented by Harmy's Despecialized Editions). I thought about calling them the "So You've Decided To Watch The Special Edition" version, because they wouldn't be intended as one's sole version of the films. Rather, a companion piece to the original versions, as a Special Edition should be.
I do not consider this a full-blown fan edit, as I am primarily hybridizing existing official versions of the film, keeping changes I can appreciate and excluding those I feel hinder the film. Of course, this is highly subjective, and everyone's perfect blend would be slightly different.
I utilized three video sources for this project: The '19SE' transfer as presented by OohTeeDee, OhTeeDee's partial OOT restoration (D+80), and Adywan’s ESB: Revisited. The primary audio source is the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio, though audio from Revisited was used for a few scenes, and 2011 BluRay audio for one scene.
This project is presented in 1080p BluRay-compliant video, with DTS and AC3 audio tracks, and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
***Available as a 1080p BR-compliant mkv, smaller 1080p mp4, and a DVD5.***
Here follows a list of changes made to the 19SE starting point for this project.
***Video Changes
- Overall color correcton from OohTeeDee
- Used wampa escape scene from D+80, save for one shot
- Used the conversation between Vader and the Emperor from Adywan’s Revisited, as he essentially honored the content of the original version of the scene while realizing the potential the 2004 DVD version presents.
- Removed added CGI sparks to the Cloud City boiler room which I find off-putting
- Used Adywan's Revisited to avoid a continuity error posed by the Special Edition as an expanded cityscape out a Cloud City window disappears a few shots later.
- Used D+80 for the shot of our heroes reuniting with R2 in Cloud City to avoid sketchy work in the SE to introduce a skyline and balcony.
- Recreated the original pacing of the escape from Cloud City, removing Vader departing for and arriving on his star destroyer, though leaving two brief shots of the shuttle ascending.
***Audio Changes, beginning from the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio mix:
- Reinstated Luke’s line to R2 of, “You’re lucky you don’t taste very good.”
- Used 2011 BluRay audio to include updated sound design for Slave I during its first appearance to match Episode II.
- Removed Luke’s scream from the 1997 mix as he falls down the Cloud City shaft after his confrontation with Vader.
(I have included an alternative audio track that omits the following audio changes.)
- Used the 2011 BluRay audio track to use Temeura Morrison's voice for Boba Fett's four lines (for v4.1, replaced some of his dialogue using close paraphrases from two video game sources in order to get superior line deliveries).
- Altered Ben Kenobi’s description of Yoda from “The Jedi Master who instructed me” to “A Jedi Master who instructed me” for better continuity with the prequels.
