Critics notice weakness in the Force, but fans don’t seem to care
Part of the reason Lucas insisted on shooting “Episode II” on a high-definition format rather than 35mm film was to provide a crisper image on the 5-inch disc version of “Clones.” Since the transfer involves processing a digital image to another digital source, there’s theoretically no loss in detail.The visual highpoint in “Clones” occurs during a tribute to “Gladiator,” when a small army of Jedi knights – including Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) – arrives at an arena just as Anakin, Amidala and Obi-Wan face an assortment of deadly opponents for the entertainment of blood-thirsty beings watching the carnage. There’s also the unforgettable light-saber battle between Yoda and Christopher Lee’s evil Count Dooku, a rogue Jedi. ‘Fingers’ finally available
A ‘Beauty’ bonus
This recently released edition includes a lavish musical number, “Human Again,” which was added last year when the 1991 animated epic was completely remastered for screenings in large-format IMAX theaters. (The song was originally conceived but never used in the original motion picture and then was added to the music of the hit Broadway adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast.”
A pen-and-ink version of the tune was created by the original animators and then integrated into the film.)
The studio went above and beyond to present the best presentation possible for this G-rated tale, which received six Oscar nominations (including best picture) and won two Academy Awards for best song (“Beauty and the Beast”) and score.
“Beauty and the Beast” was pressed under the strict guidelines of George Lucas’ THX quality-control system (which guarantees the best sound and image possible).