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team negative1 : Reel Reviews - Film Print Analysis

Last Update : 2021.04.04

Article - Tantive Shakes (Lost Special Effects Work)

Reel Review 0001 - Shot 0018 : Frame Edge Analysis
Figure 1. - Tantive Shakes - Reel Review gifa

Watch the frame edge bounce, as this shot begins, before settling into a normal rhythm.

Explanation : In the 1977 variation of 'Star Wars' the special effects crew enhanced the storytelling through their contribution to the first live action shot. Reel Review 0001 Shot 0018, the first shot of C-3po and R2-D2 on the Tantive. The previous shot had the Tantive hit by a laser blast from a Star Destroyer. To convey that outside action to the interior shot, the on set filming did camera shakes. But a deliberate creative decision was made during post production that the on set shaking was not enough and during the development of the films conformed negative additional shaking would be created by shifting certain frames. That frame shifting (bouncing frame edge) can be see in the image above. But it's not just shifting frames it also contained movement of certain frames during development to produce an enhanced blurred image. This is apparent in the first frame of the shot:

1977 - 4K77 35mm
Live Action Camera Shake
and Post SFX Shake
Figure 2. - 3po head - 4k77
 1997 - 1997 SE LD
Live Action Camera Shake
No Post SFX Shake
Figure 3. - 3po head - 1997SE
 2004 - 2004 SE DVD
Live Action Camera Shake
No Post SFX Shake
Figure 4. - 3po head - 2004SE
 2019 - 2019 SE BR
Live Action Camera Shake
No Post SFX Shake
Figure 5. - 3po head - 2019SE

Below are the first 15 frames of Shot 0018 from multiple variations of 'Star Wars'. What is observed is that the frame shifting done in post-production in 1977 (RR-0001 blow up of right frame edge) was not interpreted the same way when the film was rescanned using newer technology for the Special Editions. In GOUT (produced in 1993 by ?) and 4K77 (produced in 2018 by team negative1) the image is blurry even at this small resolution, while the 1997 (produced in 1995 by Pacific Titles, Lucasfilm/ILM and YCM Labs), 2004 (produced in 2003 by Lowry Digital) and 2019 (produced in 2012 by Reliance MediaWorks [formerly Lowry Digital]) rescans did not add this blur to the shot.

Tantive Shakes - Variations Overview (Click for larger resolution - zoom in then pan left-right to compare at full size)
Figure 6. - Tantive Shakes - Variations Overview - Not Annotated

Below is a marked up version with annotations of some of the differences.

  • The first two frames contain post-production additional shaking shift/blur effects which was eliminated in the Special Editions.
  • The blurring of the 1977 variations for the 1993 GOUT was adversely affected when the DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) process was applied. Gout Row 3, 9 and 10. Look at the size of the black wall panels
  • 1977 Row 6 is a clear image while the Special Edition has a new shift blur added.
  • In the 2004/2011 master, three consecutive frames were shifted left, the same amount, without extension of the right edge.
  • The vertical red lines help identify the right-left shifts. Compare these lines to the black edge of the doorway. In the Special Edition, the camera pans so the black edge migrates closer to the red guide line
Tantive Shakes - Variations Overview - Marked Up Changes (Click for larger resolution)
Figure 7. - Tantive Shakes - Variations Overview - Annotated

When they rescanned from camera negative, this post production contribution was not recreated. Although they may have known of the shifted frame concept as in the 2004 and 2011 source where there is a group of three frames which are shifted left, but this shift is odd as they didn't extend the shot they just let the black become part of the final visible frame. So in my eyes, this was done less for the creative part of the final product and possibly a way to track sources. (a unique feature which doesn't detract from the overall presentation but which can be referenced to identify source origin.)

Tantive Orange Items : The next bunch of frames, after what is shown above, of Shot 0018 have been identified as the 'Tantive Orange Iems', for lack of a better name.
Please visit http://fd.noneinc.com/Glitch/starwars-tantiveorangeerrors/starwars-tantiveorangeerrors.html for additional information and examples.

The Tantive Orange Items are a blemish on a majority of film variations of Star Wars from the original projection run and some home versions. They appear to be an emulsion issue with the film created during the duplication process, maybe the CRI stage, which might explain their orange appearance as they are the negative developed in an inverse stage to the final positive film print, which is known to produce orange blemishes.

Tantive Shakes and Orange Items : Team Negative1 has gained access to a Low-Contrast print (4k78) of Star Wars which does not have the Orange Items but does contain the Tantive Shakes which match the 4k77 print. In earlier discussions the Orange Items (the appearance or lack of appearance) was a sign of a branching off of the Star Wars film family tree. The recordings of Star Wars without the Orange Items had thus far been 80s home video releases. The 4k78 print shows that this offshoot happened possibly in the year 1978. The community is currently speculating on the origin history of the print while we see if the previous owner will help us understand, if they even know. One assumption could be that with the popularity of the film, the number of duplicates needed were greater than one duplicate would normally handle, so a branch in the film's family tree was created and one print lead to one group of home video releases and a second, had slightly different effect work in it and that handled other reproductive needs. A logic for that split is not understood at this time.

Note: Shot 1593 and 1594 have a similar artificial shake. (Han and Luke preparing to battle Tie Fighters as they escape the Death Star) Both 0018 and 1593/1594 share a clear beyond sprocket edge showing that special effects work was done to the shot. (confirm if done during CRI stage?) The 1593/1594 shot's shake lacks edge offsetting and any additional blurring and reads a little artificial.

Figure 8. - Tantive Orange Item 'A' [click for full size]
Figure 9. - Tantive Orange Item 'A' [click for full size]