Preview the Star Wars Blu-ray’s HD

The official Youtube account now has scenes from each movie in HD. I’m not embedding them because you have to go directly to Youtube to select the HD version (Example in the screenshout above.) Check them out: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

There’s a new extra posted as well: A feature on the Acklay creature from Attack of the Clones. That’s available in HD as well, but there’s an embed under the cut. Continue reading “Preview the Star Wars Blu-ray’s HD”

Catching up: Her Universe, Blu-rays and more

Audrey M. Brown interviews Ashley Eckstein about Her Universe and female fans. Meanwhile, the new two shirts and kids sizes that debuted at Star Wars Weekends are now available through the Her Universe website. (Be sure to check out what’s on sale – several shirts are going for half off!)

  • Lucasfilm and Fox hosted a private media event in New York last week, which means a handful of new Blu-ray details have made their way to us, via Big Picture, Big Sound. Looks like the Precious Moments-esque complete saga set comes in the form of a booklet.
  • Some fans are so put out by Sony shutting down Star Wars Galaxies that they’re actually considering suing? There’s also a petition: Apparently at least 2,500 are still playing the thing, which I would have sworn was put out of its misery ages ago. Go figure.
  • Greenpeace is using Star Wars to strike back at Volkswagen for opposing environmental legislation in Europe.
  • Star Wars is #5 and Empire #2 on Total Film’s list of the 50 greatest sci-fi movies. Who beat them out? Well, I can tell you one thing: It ain’t The Godfather.

The fandom minute: The Star Wars food truck and how Empire ruined everything

Since it’s a holiday weekend – at least here in the U.S! – and we all have other things going on, here’s a quick sweep through the week’s best fannish links.

ESB added to National Film Registry

Episode V is #3It was announced this morning that The Empire Strikes Back is one of 25 films that the Library of Congress is making part of the National Film Registry this year.

But that’s not the only Lucas production making it in this year – Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB, not the feature film, but George’s student short – has also been added. (Random…) Star Wars and American Graffiti are already a part of the registry.

Saturday Night Fever, The Exorcist, All the President’s Men, The Pink Panther and Airplane! also made the cut for 2010.

Irvin Kershner, director of ESB, has died

Irvin Kershner, director of The Empire Strikes Back, has died at the age of 87.

ESB is considered by many to be the finest entry in the Star Wars franchise.  And he’s probably most appreciated for arguing it out with Harrison Ford to put together the famous “I love you” “I know” exchange.

Those of us lucky enough to have heard him speak at Celebration know what an interesting and multi-faceted man he was.  He will be missed.

UPDATE: George remembers Kersh.