My main reason for not wanting the changes (or at least getting the original versions) is because I absolutely hate the new movies. So for there to be issues of continuity for me, I don't really care, becasue I would much rather watch the original trilogy and just pretend the new ones don't even exist. I will never watch all 6 in a row, most likely.

So, in a sense, Lucas is catering more to the fans of the new series by changing the old, but since I don't want to watch the new trilogy, I don't want to see pieces of it inserted into the original trilogy that I know and love either. It's kind of selfish I suppose, but that's my reason. I'll stick with my homemade bootlegs.

Lucas is not catering to any one fan. He's trying to create a 6 film saga about Anakin Skywalker, and make it as consistent and seamless as is possible.

Lucas can suck it... as far as I'm concerned he can keep his "new improved" dvds. I'm not going to buy them.

I could care less about this release anyhow, I have the Original Edition DVDs already

http://home.comcast.net/~soze/sw1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~soze/sw3.jpg

... and they're anamorphic to boot! :D

-k
###

I have the above as well, but keep in mind they are simply a transfer of the laserdisc, so while they are the originals, you aren't getting nearly as good of picture as the new version will be. (I have the SE DVD's too, along with all the lasers of the above)

Those are the DVDr verisons right? (>4.7 gigs)

As long as the original director did/approved the changes I'd be fine with it.

This is what I don't get. I don't like every change that was made, but I cannot think of one change that changes the tone or the plot. To love one and hate the other just doesn't make sense to me.

Looks like someone turned to the dark side. ;)

I wonder if your post will be deleted due to it containing illegal DVDs?

I think by new movies he meant the prequels, and that he doesn't like the changes as they are bringing in elements (young anakin ghost, jar jar voice in celebration etc.) from the prequels which he hates.

I guess I'm a little irked. I'm not even a -hardcore- SW fan, and I wouldn't even have a problem with it if Lucas offered the original, unedited cuts. Then he could have a playback option with the new, digitally enhanced stuff. The best of both worlds, but I guess that's asking a little much.

That God it's out now, but Luke's Bespin fall scream surely changed the tone.

The scene is supposed to be a brave suicide aka "I'd rather die than join you"

With the scream, it's more like "Oops! I slipped!"

the problem is the first two(three) films of the OT, and by a wide concensus, the two best SW films made, were not about Anakin- they were about Luke.

they were never meant to be about Anakin.

to try to wrest the series focal point from one character -the way it was originally intended as written and produced to another , 25 years later- with line alterations and additional new scenes, is one of the greatest storytelling boondoggles ever.

if you have been fortunate to build up an audience who loves and appreciates and has supported your work- it's a great slap in the face to suddenly take that work, alter the tone and intent - and then substitute that for the original

The tone?

Do you you really want to get into whether Han pulling the plug on Greedo first doesn't change the tone of his character? May not affect the plot, but certainly the tone.

Or what about Mos Eisley - instead of being a serious introduction to the town...we are greeted with digital crapfests playing practical jokes with each other?

Quote:

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Originally posted by Terrell
Lucas is not catering to any one fan. He's trying to create a 6 film saga about Anakin Skywalker, and make it as consistent and seamless as is possible.

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Yeah, I was getting kinda tired of that whole "farmboy becomes a man" storyline that ran through the first three flicks.

Really, these changes do bug me, but i'll let other do the bitching for me. It's a shame that consumers aren't given the choice to decide which "versions" they'd like to own. I have no problems with "cleaning up" old special effects, but when you start altering content, no matter how BRIEF, that's when I have a problem...

Doesn't matter, though. He's still getting $30 from me...

edit: Glad to see ckolchak's train of thought arrived at the station before mine did...;) [i'm a slow typer]

You know you ask questions like you are trying to trap people? But your trap sucks. You can take "film purist" to the extreme and demand the 1977 true original theaterical cuts, and thats just lame.

Most people want the originals - the ones that were in theaters in 77 (with minor, non important alterations done in 79) with cleaned up SFX. The matte lines? Who cares? I would rather have a cleaned up original with the mattte lines intact than the still birth abortion that were the 1997 cuts.

By going back and cutting the 97 SE's again, if Lucas admits they were nothing but a stopgap measure - a test - not the definitive versions that would stand the test of time as he said before.

Han/Greedo
Han/Jabba
Vader/Emperor

additionally
there are instances where new cgi in the frame distracts from the primary focus of the original shot as concieved and filmed(most notably in several Mos Eisley sequences- where either noise or motion from a newly inserted background character distracts from subtle, but important, dialouge being exchanged)

What's funny is he labeled the final THX remasters of the original trilogy "The Definitive Collection". I guess he really meant that.

I still think at some point he will release the original versions.

I never even noticed the scream when it was added until I saw people complaining on the net.

Even then I didn't take it that way, I just thought that a scream was a natural reaction to falling, even if you jumped intentionally.

Yeah I think so in 2007.
First he said No Ep. 1 on DVD. Then he released one
The he said no OT on DVD until movies are all done. Then he releases one.

I wouldn't say its lying, but it sure seems like he changes his mind often.

i actually don't think he will.
for several reasons he just doesn't like those films (especially the first two).
and this is a man who, for 1/2 his life now, is used to the studios deffering to and placacting him.
he's been able to get his way in regards to these films and there is no reason to think he would be forced to do something he doesn't want to do , by outside pressure.

i'm sure we'll see at least one other incarnation of the '04 versions of the films, before the migration to HD DVD- but i'm convinced we will NOT see the original versions again.

i think the fact that he even refuses to make those original prints available to film festivals which are strictly devoted to 70s era films, says volumes.
the only print he would offer was the SE which was turned down.

yeah- the fact that Luke exhibited an unnaturally calm reaction was what gave the scene so much power originally.

a new viewer would have never missed it- but they also would never have been privy to how much power the scene originally contained-

just like how Han/Greedo may not be a jarring as it once was- it will never have the power of the scene as it was originally cut- with close-ups/inserts/ and then back to the establishing long shot.

Exactly. I have the first novel & it was called Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker (written by George Lucas by the way).

The original trilogy was never meant to be based around Darth Vader.

I have the mentioned bootleg anamorphic trilogy coming as well.

It just bugs me that Star Wars fans have to resort to buying illegal bootlegs (and still have to deal with an inferior product as compared to a legit remastered copy). I would rather support the creator and studio (even though he keeps pissing me off).

As far as the Lucas apologists, I have to feel this may be an age thing. It just seems to me that if you were born after...say 1980, you just don't have the enormous personal nostalgia that someone of my age has. It is just a hypothesis.

I was watching my boot of the Star Wars Holiday Special the other day. It came with 50 or so old Kenner Star Wars toy commercials that really struck me. It really brought back memories of playing with my friends, collecting proofs-of-purchases for unreleased figures, etc.

Star Wars was something my friends and I lived and breathed during our formative childhood years. We bought all the toys as they came out (and actually took them out of the box & played with them). We had discussions regarding what would happen in Empire before it was released in theaters for the first time. We bought all the baseball cards and traded them. Everything was constantly Star Wars. I can remember my Dad driving me to K-Mart (long before Wal-Marts were everywhere) or Service Merchandise to pick out a couple of action figures b/c I had made all "A"s.

I guess it could be akin to The Beatles arriving in the 60's. I can't truly appreciate it b/c I wasn't there at the time and can't truly know the hype. Same with Star Wars. If you weren't a young teenager or kid at the time the originals were coming out, you just don't realize how much they affected kids. Crap...I am 31 and sitting here typing about freaking Star Wars (I know...kinda sad). It just goes to show you the impression that it left with me and many my age.

So...some of the above are reasons why not being able to have a quality copy of the original trilogy bother me.

I seriously do not care how much Lucas wants to butcher his movies. Just give the original fans a quality copy of what they helped make one of the most successful series of all time.

Good thing you said hypothesis because I was born 76 and I'm not at all irked by the changes and look forward to this DVD set. :D I don't think it's an age thing at all.

And if I'm not mistaken, the original Star Wars novel was ghosted by Alan Dean Foster.

I sad they changed all the storm trouper voices :(

Nope. It was ghostwritten by Brian Daly

Also, I was there from day one. I saw Star Wars in a theater.

Most of us aren't saying that we don't want/prefer the original cuts. My opinion is that we can't have them now so life is to short not to enjoy what IS available.

I think it has been a huge mistake not to release the original cuts.

being 1 yrs old when SW first impacted this culture, seems to me to not be disproving the point that this comes down to an 'age thing'.

you were only 6 yrs old when SW first hit pan and scan home video- it's safe to say the majority of your formative viewings of that film (and probably the others) were on VHS (or Beta) not at the theater.

i can understand that.
but just meekly accepting poor service is not going to change the situation.
home video is a service by the film studios.
if you are unhappy with the way they are serving you (Columbia and MGM continuing to issue pan and scan transfers, not enhancing 1.66 AR films, not adding SE content to discs, etc)
not speaking up about it is not going to help the issue.

if GL gets the reputation for being criticized in every venue that his name every comes up because of this, eventually the severity of the ill will he is fostering will get back to him and he will have to acknowledge it.

i understand that 'fans' just want to enjoy the modified stuff in peace- but the precedent that is being set by these modified films is so severe, and the repercussions to other films could be so damaging, that this will poison any debate about these until the filmmakers ceases his subversion of the original material.

we will disagree about this no doubt, but i don't see it as the fans poisoning the atmosphere over this- they are reacting to the studios actions (which is effectively Lucas himself) which are not appreciated by a sizable % of the consumers- even if they, like you and me, will still be buying this set- as unsatisfying as it will be (for some of us)