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It depends on how much of a completist you are. There are a few things in the box set that don't appear on the SE albums. "Ewok Celebration" (two versions), the film version of Empire end credits, alternate version of "Leia Breaks the News," the album recording of "Lapti Nek" and a few bits here and there.
The sound quality on the SE Star Wars is superior to that of the box set, but in the case of Empire and Jedi, the box set sounds much better, especially the latter.
I also think that the presentation of Jedi in the box set is the most satisfying audio presentation of that score; it's much more rounded than the original LP and it isn't the muddy-sounding overlong mess that the SE soundtrack is (there's just too damn much music in that movie to begin with).
Empire fares well in either form, although as I said the sound on the box set is slightly better.
Star Wars, though, mimics most of the album edits, and I much prefer the SE presentation of the complete original score in chronological order. It works much better that way as a listening experience, in my opinion.
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Got a question: Were the SE CD's remastered in 5.1 DD?
Don't you mean DVDs?
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No, that was a mistake on Sony's website when they first announced these. It's possible that they were originally planned as SACD hybrids.
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No, that was a mistake on Sony's website when they first announced these. It's possible that they were originally planned as SACD hybrids.
Gotcha. In that case, they still wouldn't be 5.1 DD, since Dolby Digital is a compressed format for DVD-Video, whereas SACD is DSD 1-bit, 2.8224MHz multi-channel audio.
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Not a bad price for the great ESB mix...
Some cues have the left and right channels reversed.
Neil
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Posted: |
Jul 8, 2006 - 12:18 AM
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By: |
Joe E.
(Member)
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I would pick it up, but only if you can find it at a decent price. I've seen it here in Pittsburgh at used shops and Half Price books over the years -- and it's usually around 20 bucks or so. Not a bad price for the great ESB mix, and all the tracks you can't get on the Sony or Special Edition releases. Not only that, but the design for the set is fantastic, using all the original theatrical release titles and logos, instead of the post-prequel titling and bland type treatments. And plus, the booklet with Lukas's liner notes is very nice as well.
I have the Arista set and the SE discs, and I prefer the Arista to almost any other Star Wars set.
I'd agree with this, with two exceptions. The Arista set uses the original theatrical release title for the original movie only; the second and third have always had episode numbers in their titles, just not in their advertising, and all three movies have had the consistent, "Star Wars - episode # - episode title" style since long before any of the prequels were released.
If I had to have just one set of Star Wars music ever, I think I'd have to have the silvery Sony slipcovered set of their reissues of the RCA 2-disc sets, since it has more score than any other single release (if one doesn't consider that combination of three individually-available releases "cheating"), but the Arista set would definitely be my second choice, for the same reason.
I suspect many here (myself included) consider the Arista box and the subsequent releases essential, and furthermore would like still more / better releases down the road (while others no doubt look forward to more / better releases down the road only so they can go on again about how George is milking the fans).
Presumably there'll someday be a comprehensive set for the entire saga, and hopefully it'll address all possible quibbles about completeness, editing, sonics, liner notes, etc. Perhaps we should start writing Lucasfilm and Sony with our lists of demands and expectations for it now...
(there's just too damn much music in that movie to begin with)
Just what kind of heathen are you, anyway?
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Gotcha. In that case, they still wouldn't be 5.1 DD, since Dolby Digital is a compressed format for DVD-Video, whereas SACD is DSD 1-bit, 2.8224MHz multi-channel audio
The announcement on the website originally stated that the scores were being remastered in 5.1. Then that announcement was amended, and all references to multichannel sound disappeared.
I suspect that somebody added the 'double d' to the rumor at some point because many people do associate Dolby Digital with 5.1, regardless of the fact that Dolby is only one such format.
To reiterate; the Arista set still sounds better in the case of Empire and Jedi, and as far as listening purposes, the RCA/Sony sets of the latter two scores are voluminous, and Jedi in particular suffers from overkill. The Arista box set is a more entertaining album presentation of those two scores. And, as has been mentioned, the artwork and liner notes in the Arista box set make it more worth the price to somebody interested in the music of Star Wars.
Just what kind of heathen are you, anyway?
When the Arista set came out, Lukas Kendall wrote an article about how there was a lot of music cut from Empire, and how, even though it was good music, the decision to cut that music was the right one because it kept the film from being overscored, as was Jedi.
The problem with Jedi and its wall to wall music is that everything is scored, and there is no aural dynamic. Scenes throughout the film that would have benefited from not having any music in them instead had the score sort of meandering through them (this is particularly noticable in Jabba's palace and on Endor). It makes the film less effective as a whole, and 2 disc special edition release - which I admit I was happy to get because there were some moments from the score that I liked that weren't on the Arista set - is long and plodding, with occasional bursts of interesting music. The Arista presentation is much, much more engaging.
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Posted: |
Jul 9, 2006 - 2:05 PM
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By: |
Joe E.
(Member)
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When the Arista set came out, Lukas Kendall wrote an article about how there was a lot of music cut from Empire, and how, even though it was good music, the decision to cut that music was the right one because it kept the film from being overscored, as was Jedi.
The problem with Jedi and its wall to wall music is that everything is scored, and there is no aural dynamic. Scenes throughout the film that would have benefited from not having any music in them instead had the score sort of meandering through them (this is particularly noticable in Jabba's palace and on Endor). It makes the film less effective as a whole, and 2 disc special edition release - which I admit I was happy to get because there were some moments from the score that I liked that weren't on the Arista set - is long and plodding, with occasional bursts of interesting music. The Arista presentation is much, much more engaging.
While it's true I don't quite share your assessment, my post wasn't meant as an actual inquiry; I was having a little fun with the apparent tendency of people at this forum to view movies as existing principally as vehicles for their scores. I don't engage in serious debate with questions like "Just what kind of heathen are you, anyway?"
Just what kind of heathen do you think I am, anyway?
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Should I buy the STAR WARS TRILOGY box from Arista
Yes. I think the packaging is the most attractive of all releases thus far.
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