From the earliest screenplay draft to the excitement when the lights go down in the theater, Icons Unearthed: Star Wars digs up the real story of how the legendary films were made. Filmed everywhere from Tunisia to England, Canada to Italy, and all 50 states, this series features a treasure trove of incredible information including Marcia Lucas’s first ever on camera interview. Conversations with cast, crew, and experts give us the deepest of dives into how the most iconic movie franchise in history came to be.
For thoughts on Icons Unearthed: Star Wars, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/ThQZmup1JxI?si=cm1sZs7VEWPzI8Ar&t=2098]
Video Quality
Icons Unearthed: Star Wars arrives on Blu-Ray featuring a pretty decent transfer with a variety of material rendered well enough. Mill Creek Entertainment packs these six episodes onto a single disc with the bonus features housed on the second disc. This does find the episodes pushing against some compression issues that reveal artifacts in some moments. The movie clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and other archival material presented seem to be the best versions that were available when the episodes were produced, which means things range from quite rocky to excellent. Interview segments are very well shot and look clear with natural skin tones and subtle facial features on display. This transfer probably could look a bit stronger with more discs, but things appear pleasant enough in high definition. Fans should be satisfied by the release.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray disc comes with a good DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that showcases this series with a solid presentation. This is primarily an interview show with numerous talking heads so dialogue is the focus right up front in the center channel. Environmental sounds from some of the footage and the score make the soundscape feel a bit more spacious, but overall the show has modest sonic ambitions. This audio track is not pushing any boundaries, but all of the information flows through clearly. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Complete Interviews: A few of the complete interviews with the main subjects are provided as they relay interesting anecdotes that could not fit into the traditional episodes.
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- Marcia Lucas (3:11:37)
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- Anthony Daniels (2:52:57)
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- Billy Dee Williams (37:04)
Final Thoughts
Icons Unearthed: Star Wars is not going to be revealing any earth-shattering revelations for those who have deep knowledge of the franchise already, but it is decently entertaining if you view it as another supplement to what you already know – and take some assertions with a grain of salt. Some of the insights are a bit surface-level, but having Marcia Lucas give her first substantial interview is a win in its own right for those keeping track of the production lore. This is easily digestible content about a subject beloved by many. We have seen much better documentary series, but it works well if you don’t view it as the final authority on Star Wars. Mill Creek Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray set with a fine A/V presentation along with some great additional footage. If you generally like this format of entertainment-focused documentaries, this will probably treat you well. Recommended
Icons Unearthed: Star Wars is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Mill Creek Entertainment has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
