Haute 100 Update: George Lucas’ Star Wars gets High-Tech Overhaul in Preparation for Complete Saga Blu-ray Release; Behind the Scenes at Lucasfilm

Last week, George Lucas allowed a handful of media outlets behind the scenes at Lucasfilm headquarters at The Presidio in San Francisco for a hands-on sneak peek at the upcoming and highly anticipated Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray. The complete six-film Star Wars series is to be released in DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1 channel surround, and the franchise’s fan base has been eagerly awaiting the release.

Big Picture Big Sound had the chance to listen to the finished product in the studio with Matthew Wood, supervising sound editor a Skywalker Sound and let’s just say that the hype for audiophile Star Wars fans should be warranted.They wrote, “As a result of this audio overhaul, we can experience the legendary opening Star Destroyer flyover in a whole new way, and other ‘6.1 moments.’ Star Wars (a.k.a Episode IV: A New Hope) represented a complete re-editorial project requiring the most work, but all six were elaborately remixed and remastered from scratch, a process begun way back in 2007.”

Lending even more excitement is the fact that Lucas himself, along with Oscar-winning sound designer Ben Burtt, was extensively involved in the project. Lucas reportedly ensured that a proper balance was maintained between the music and effects – and that dialogue remained clear.

Additionally, missing music had been restored, reversed music channels corrected, and “the podrace will surely challenge even the beefiest of subwoofers.” It was also reported that the complete saga release will also feature 60 additional hours of bonus footage, never-before-seen extras, numerous deleted, extended and alternate scenes, new documentaries, and a cross-section of the countless Star Wars spoofs that have appeared over the past three decades.

Star Wars: The Complete Saga will be released on September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America. The nine-disc collection can currently be pre-ordered on Amazon for a discounted rate.

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