Hal9000's Custom Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi Special Edition
If the following strikes you as esoteric, I invite you to peruse the forums of Originaltrilogy.com.
First and foremost, credit is due to CapableMetal, Jetrell1969, and SilverWook for their combined efforts at making the theatrical DTS audio from the 1997 Special Edition available; Team Negative 1 for producing 4K83; and ChainsawAsh for encoding a DTS mix.
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.
The primary video source is the 2020 disc release, or “19SE,” first seen on Disney+. The primary audio source is the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio. Exceptions are described in the list of changes.
This project is presented in 1080p BluRay-compliant video, with DTS and AC3 audio tracks, and English, French, and Spanish subtitles.
***Available as a 1080p BR-compliant mkv, 720p mp4, and a DVD5.***
Here follows a list of changes made to the primary video and audio sources for this project.
***Video Changes, beginning from 19SE transfer:
- Brightened the image and boosted saturation to move it somewhat closer to the other two films’ overall look, which were sourced from the 2011 BluRay release
- Used Adywan’s color corrected 2011 BluRay transfer of ANH for opening logos, for consistency with the other two films
- Used 2004 footage to restore the original, sensibly sized door to Jabba’s palace
- Used 4K83 to restore Lapti Nek, though the SE extension of Oola falling into the Rancor pit remains (two shots of Boba Fett alongside SE singers also remain)
- Used 2004 footage to show the original effects for Han’s carbonite slab thawing
- Used 4K83 to remove the CGI dug that was added wandering around Jabba’s palace
- Used 4K83 to remove the SE Sarlacc, with two shots being “despecialized” by RogueLeader
- Used 2004 footage to remove the added gizmos to R2 as he blows his stack after being shot by a trooper on Endor
- Used 4K83 to remove the SE shockwave to the Death Star explosion
- Used 4K83 to reinstate Sebastian Shaw portraying Anakin Skywalker’s ghost
- New subtitles for Huttese have been added, borrowing from Catbus’ Project Threepio in order to match the look and feel of the originals as closely as possible (these are noticeably fuzzier than the crisp subtitles seen on the 2020 disc)
***Audio Changes, beginning from the 1997 Special Edition theatrical DTS audio mix:
- Other than changes needed to reflect the visual changes described above, removed the line “Wesa free” from Naboo during the ending galactic celebration montage
