About the recent THX1138 and StarWars releases
 

Let's cut to the chase: what's with this nonsensical exclusionist movie release trend from Mr. George Lucas ?

Are other directors and publishers to follow suit ? Will DVD, a medium which has created among other things to bring cinephiles the advantage of having more options (mind the name, Digital Versatile Disc), be used from this point on as a means of destruction to erase the original version of more movies from the annals of cinema history under a commercial chaos of re-editing, re-scoring, censoring and generally corrupting films as the art form they are ?

Thousands have spent the last years filling in petitions and posting in online places to vocalize their interest regarding the release of the original, unedited versions of StarWars. Many people have started web sites to address what they regard as wrong practices in a number of DVD releases of many different movies, such as editing and censorship. In some cases, their voices have been heard by the industry and institutions which they support with their money as consumers and tax paying citizens. In others, it seems as if a brick wall is somehow preventing communication.

Now, as far as I'm concerned, no such thing as so-called "special editions", when that term means they are based in the deturpation of the original elements of any movie, are needed or required in any way or form, digital home video being in my own humble and personal perspective simply a way to preserve the movies I like (which I like exactly for what they are and as they are, no less, no more) in a format which doesn't degenerate or is lost as easily as the former tape, and which in addition brings such advantages as improved audio and video quality, and more storage space to include often interesting documentaries and other extra features.

However, I understand the commercial perspective of those who would "milk the cow" in as many ways they can. I would also understand the wish from some directors to revisit their former works and implement things that either couldn't be implemented due to commercial and technical barriers at the time of original release, or which constitute a second reading from the director of his materials as a means to renew or adapt them. Even from a cinephile point of view, I can't but feel curiosity regarding different and alternative versions of movies.

But what I don't understand is why would someone expressly exclude the option - the option - for all the generations who've been dreaming, crying, laughing, and pleasuring themselves with cinema for nearly one century, including newer and older ones, to have the original, unedited versions of those movies in a format which makes the inclusion of multiple versions and materials so easy as none other ever did. In fact, mostly every other director, studio and distributor have been doing so, such releases as the recent Alien box set or the collector's edition of E.T. being prime - and quite commendable - examples.

Many would say how much they prefer the original version of a movie. Some might actually say how much they appreciate the changes in a re-edited version. But I believe that's besides the point at this time. The point is that there's no commercial or technical reason not to have both as options. Actually, there are only advantages, both for buyers and publishers.

It could be seamless branching. It could be a DVD-18. It could be simply two discs, each with one of the versions. It could be simply a separate edition with the original version for those so inclined. Such methods have been used for DVD publishers in the past years and have become the generally accepted norm to bring all kinds of classics and newer movies to the public in their existing different versions. Such terms as "Special Edition", "Director's Cut", "Collector's Edition" or "Limited Edition" have become a part of our daily jargon. Used in a completionist fashion, they're a benefit both for the cinephile avid to watch the different versions and keep them, and to the studio and distributor who end up making more revenue. A scenario in which everyone should have reasons to be happy.

Mr. Lucas, however, have sustained what can only be regarded as an abnegate position regarding his movies. He has been ignoring and dismissing the voice of all the people who virtually begged him to give cinephiles the -option- of watching and preserving the original unedited versions of StarWars in DVD. And now he suddenly comes out of nowhere and again does the same exact thing with another movie classic - this time, THX1138.

Mr. Lucas isn't contented by having the privilege to be able to revise his movies as much as he wants and produce as many new re-edited versions of them as he wishes (how many directors can say the same ?). No, some kind of inner voice in his mind tells him that he must also do all in his power to make sure that the original versions of these movies must be systematically destroyed. Wiped. Obliterated. Erased from the face of the Earth. He must make sure that in a few years from now, as the last existing tapes and copies vanish, it will be impossible to once again watch any of these movies as they were created and watched for decades of existence spawning several generations of viewers. Unfortunately, Mr. Lucas doesn't show more care or respect for the well demonstrated wishes of his public than he does for such considerations as the historical preservation of film as a form of art and entertainment.

A then seemingly wise and movie-loving person once said:

"I am very concerned about our national heritage, and I am very concerned that the films that I watched when I was young and the films that I watched throughout my life are preserved, so that my children can see them."

Ironically, that person was Mr.George Lucas, and ironically he was talking against the colorization of black and white films.

At the light of recent events, I'll leave to each individual reader his own conclusions about the matter and about Mr. Lucas statements.

I don't know how many more movies does Mr. Lucas intend to destroy and how many more people he wishes to disappoint and frustrate in the next few years by releasing exclusionist "new re-edited version only" DVDs and deliberately making sure that not even a separate edition with the original versions will be released, but I certainly hope that not many more movies will come under the copyright of Mr. Lucas for home video distribution if they must suffer this fate.

Comment and discuss, please.

Beating a dead horse I say....

These DVDs aren't the original cuts?

where is the dead horse pic?

Ho-boy!

Let's just say that I agree with you. Lots of others do too. And I've been VERY happy to see that many of the major publications that are reviewing this set have gone out of their way to point out that these films are NOT the original trilogy.

I suspect that Lucas is going to go back and release the original trilogy at some point. His excuse in an interview that it would cost "millions" to go back and remaster doesn't hold water -- he'd make 10x that in the first day of release. He'll let the fan demand grow, and then he'll put them out in 2007. Or 2010. Or whatever.


Either that, or he'll die in a couple of decades and his heirs will do it. One way or the other, I can't imagine a film trilogy this important staying unreleased for much longer.

How about letting Criterion take care of archiving and restoring that pesky original Original Trilogy for you George, huh?

Interesting first post. What did you do, copy and paste a rough draft of your Film History 101 term paper?

Welcome to the forum.

We already have many Luca$ raped my childhood and/or Luca$ is 'evil' threads.

It's an intelligent and well-thought out post, if ridiculously long-winded.

The problem isn't Star Wars, or Star Wars fans... it's one major director trying to prevent his original works--however influencial, popular and culture-forming--from being properly archived or seen by future generations.

Wrong, they are properly archived. Just not for the public. It is known that the originals have been restored to tip top shape. GL however has said that he will not release them to the public.

That would be awesome if Criterion released the original prints. They would be able to use all the profit to release more discs. I'm all for that ridiculous dream!

Do you have a link for this quote? That sucks if he did state that. Why would he do that?

Cliff notes plz


Usually that means you would get to your point quickly. Not write a book about it. :p

THX 1138 was not a good movie to begin with. Adding loads of CGI won't magically make it a great film. You can't polish a turd, you know. So I don't actually care what version of THX 1138 is out there.

In its defense, the new edits and effects really does help THX stand out and become more believable. I thought it worked better with the add ons then without.

Known by whom? The people who did the High Def restoration for DVD claim that they didn't use the original version. Lucas himself claimed in an interview last week that it would cost "millions" to restore the originals to the point that the current edition is at.

You guys seem to forget that Lucas has shitloads of money and could give a crap about what the fans want. It's about WHAT GEORGE LUCAS WANTS. He's always been regretful about not having the technology in the 70's and early 80's to do the kinds of effects he wanted. Now, he can do these special effects.

Someday he will probably release the originals, but you pretty much have to wait until Lucas decides he wants to. His excuse of costing millions to do the original re-mastering is just that--an excuse. He just doesn't want to do it--and he certainly won't let anyone else do it either because these movies are his babies.

I second this notion. Just be real patient and hopefully he'll change his mind and release the originals. Probably when / if his next movies tank and he needs to up his cash flow.

yeah, he'll eventually bow to the masses. this is probably his strategy to starve the market so that he can resell the saga again in a few years.

Says you.

bboisvert, do we really need that morbid mess in every thread.

By the way, Lucas children will inherit his fortune and his films, and they won't release it either, especially if Lucas let them know he doesn't want it released. So I wouldn't count on that either. This is not the same situation as what happened with the Tolkien family.

Star Wars fans are a big problem. They're a bunch of whiny, selfish, obssessed ingrates who have a sense of entitlement simply because they watched a movie two decades ago. Unfortunately, I have to include myself in that group.

Morbid mess? "In every thread"? I'm not sure what you're even talking about.

I'm not wishing death on the guy... but he's in his early 60s. It's just a fact of life that he's only got about two (3, if he's lucky) decades left. Hell, he mentions this himself in just about every interview when asked about Episodes VII, VIII, and IX.

And that opens up the possibility that whoever gets control of the trilogy may be more flexible about what gets released.

George Lucas gave EVERYONE warning. The 1995 homevideo rerelease was advertised everywhere as the last chance ever to own the original trilogy.

He warned you. You should've listened.

<i>Mod note: Discussion of bootlegs and where to aquire them is not allowed here.

thanks
nemein
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