I'm in the same boat. I liked the re-cuts enough that they didn't ruin the movie for me and I like the prequels, but when I saw that Lucas added the "NOOOOO" into Return Of The Jedi, I decided I didn't want that anymore.
I wish they would fix when Obi-wan calls Darth Vader "Darth" in A New Hope, I mean, he says Vader enough times, can't they just pull it out of context and put it there? It's such an obvious inconsistency, unless Darth was intended to be his first name at the time.
Interesting fact I discovered while working on this article related to the Laser Disc release:
The masters used for the 2006 bonus "Original" edition are hacked up versions of the laser disc sources. I didn't get into that in the article, but that would probably be reason #12 of why I wouldn't buy this (even though they're not included in The Complete Saga).
What's all this hubabalo about some silly Star Wars stuff... Lucas made the movies, he can do whatever he wants with them... Plus its Star Wars, who really cares about Star Wars?
What's all this hubabalo about some silly Star Wars stuff... Lucas made the movies, he can do whatever he wants with them...
While he may be legally entitled to do whatever he wants with them, the fact remains that he created some great things despite himself. A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back either prove that even an incompetent artist can create something great, or they're the products of those working around Lucas who made great something that would have otherwise been lackluster. There's also the possibility that Lucas was once good at things, but then went insane.
There's also the matter of the intentional fallacy. Basically, it doesn't matter what the author says his work is about. It's about what it's about.
Actually it's not a troll. I've not seen any of the prequels and have only seen bits and pieces of the original trilogy in passing... I guess I'm just not a fan of Star Wars... I do believe that Lucas has the right to do whatever he wants with his films, just as anyone has the rights to hate him for it...
First, this is an extremely well written and thought out piece. I enjoyed it, a fantastic read.
That said, I know very few people who care more about Star Wars than I do, trust me, I really love these films. Empire is the finest film ever made, I pop them all in with some regularity. I can have hours of debate on Plagueis and Sidious spawning Anakin. I'm passionate enough about the story to say if I'm miffed about one thing its the stupid midi chlorians count thing they introduced in the prequels. How lame, you have the force, its driven by faith, or at least it is according to Yoda, nope, faith has less to do with it than Biology.... Seriously.... We take a beautiful idea, one that lives in the imagination of the viewer, it has some mystery then we go and reduce it to a blood test?
That said, yelling Nooooooo poorly, or having Greedo get a shot off, it's not really that big of a deal. Do they really do that much to hamper the mythology? Seriously, Han's deep character development was somehow burdened by Greedo getting a shot off? It's just not that big a deal. The Ewok nub nub song, yeah, that is pretty epic and it should be restored to its original glory, but it's okay. Look guys, for years all I heard was how awful Jedi was in comparison to the others because of the Ewok's, Lucas cuts one minute of them from the film it then equals fanboy rage. Lucas can't win. Ewoks in, too cute, a marketing cash grab, OMG they should have been Wookies, take them out, oh, where is my Nub Nub tune? Lucas is screwed either way. Also, Jar Jar, I've said it before, I'll say it again, it's for eight year old boys, they love him. Watch Star Wars Episode I again in a theater full of children, they love Jar Jar, they laugh till they blow soda pop out their nose. Not everything is for us, and its okay. Star Wars at its core is an eight year old boys fantasy, and it's exactly as it should be.
You know what's next? With the power of Blu Ray we will get Star Wars, the viewers cut! Pick whatever additions and subtractions you want prior to watching and have the disk go through the scenes as you see fit and for about $200, and people will pay for it yet again! Lucas, if you market this, I want my cut!
Anyhow, guys, it's Star Wars any way you slice it. Its still the most innovative and beautiful work in the history of fantasy film-making. It still at its core is a fantasy to allow you to drift off to a magic place and let your imagination roam care free. It was never meant to be taken this seriously.
That said, yelling Nooooooo poorly, or having Greedo get a shot off, it's not really that big of a deal. Do they really do that much to hamper the mythology?
Art is as much form as substance. The material in the mythology is important, but so is the presentation--the storytelling. It does cheapen the character.
With all that being said ... this is business. Lucas knows the value of the original unedited and he will release that too, some day, at a premium. He's milking this business like a champ.
Until then, do what I did, and get the unedited original DVD set if you really have to. Honestly, I never watch them. I've seen all the originals a zillion times just like all you other loyal awesome nerds.
Let's save our money and stress for IRAs and such instead.
That's true, it is a business. I wonder, then, if something can qualify as art if is subject to the whims of business. If the product is altered to increase revenue, it clearly isn't conforming to an artistic vision. Maybe the original was so great because he didn't expect commercial success?
That's true, it is a business. I wonder, then, if something can qualify as art if is subject to the whims of business. If the product is altered to increase revenue, it clearly isn't conforming to an artistic vision. Maybe the original was so great because he didn't expect commercial success?
That's why most artists aren't famous until after they die. Art is what you perceive it to be. It coexists with the laws of economics. It's up to you to make it what you want it to be.
Art is as much form as substance. The material in the mythology is important, but so is the presentation--the storytelling. It does cheapen the character.
First off, I know my reputation on here, so let me get this out of the way, honest to god, not stirring it for fun (trollin), I'm being 100% sincere.
I think you may be letting your passion get the best of you (nothing wrong with that by the way).
Here is how I see it. Han is still a scruffy nerf herder, a smuggler, a wise ass, and the kinda guy that digs ladies with really bizarre hair styles. He is still everything he was weather Greedo gets a shot off or not. I get what Lucas was going for, he wanted to make it look more like Han was in danger, he had to defend himself. Who is to say that is not more consistent with the character? Even at that, if its not in your interpretation, how much does it matter? Han still caps Greedo's ass. He still abandon's his friends when he is paid to then have a change of heart, turn around so he could help "blow this thing and go home". Nothing changes. Han is still Han. We all have been making a really big deal out of nothing.
I didn't think you were trolling, I think we just disagree on this matter.
I don't mean to suggest that Han is ruined as a character by the change with Greedo, just lessened. The old scene suggested a cut-throat survivalist, where the new one shows a good-guy who just has fast reflexes. As mentioned already in this thread, there's less development to be had in a good-guy who is already a good-guy. The transformation from rogue to hero is less present because there's less rogue in him. That's my take on it.
im sorry really i am but enough with the starwars bitching ok sounds like ur deep down a trekkie then anything ok so he is changin somethings its the full story that we all grew up that counts if i had the money i would get it cus i always had and will love theses movies
The sound and video restoration issues are particularly frustrating considering the fact that George started ILM and Skywalker Sound strictly to improve the quality of such things in film.
You know, I was going to buy this release. I don't own the films in any capacity (not even VHS) and I had waited for a decent release. I was even going to forgive the needless additions.
The NOOOOOOO added to Jedi was the final nail in the coffin for me. This makes me rage so hard. I don't care what Cherplunka says (she argues that he's Anakin again, therefore OK), Vader's silent betrayal of the Emperor is one of the most emotional impacting points of the three films. As Vader looks back and forth in silence, you have no clue how he's going to react to the situation. Your mind fills in the blanks. It's powerful, and adding the slow NOOOOOO neuters the scene entirely.
What is wrong with George Lucas? Seriously, what has happened to his brain?
AlexDeGruven
Wut?Meechigan Icrontian
Comments
Actually, I welcome the impending memes. They are well deserved.
I wish they would fix when Obi-wan calls Darth Vader "Darth" in A New Hope, I mean, he says Vader enough times, can't they just pull it out of context and put it there? It's such an obvious inconsistency, unless Darth was intended to be his first name at the time.
The masters used for the 2006 bonus "Original" edition are hacked up versions of the laser disc sources. I didn't get into that in the article, but that would probably be reason #12 of why I wouldn't buy this (even though they're not included in The Complete Saga).
While he may be legally entitled to do whatever he wants with them, the fact remains that he created some great things despite himself. A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back either prove that even an incompetent artist can create something great, or they're the products of those working around Lucas who made great something that would have otherwise been lackluster. There's also the possibility that Lucas was once good at things, but then went insane.
There's also the matter of the intentional fallacy. Basically, it doesn't matter what the author says his work is about. It's about what it's about.
That said, I know very few people who care more about Star Wars than I do, trust me, I really love these films. Empire is the finest film ever made, I pop them all in with some regularity. I can have hours of debate on Plagueis and Sidious spawning Anakin. I'm passionate enough about the story to say if I'm miffed about one thing its the stupid midi chlorians count thing they introduced in the prequels. How lame, you have the force, its driven by faith, or at least it is according to Yoda, nope, faith has less to do with it than Biology.... Seriously.... We take a beautiful idea, one that lives in the imagination of the viewer, it has some mystery then we go and reduce it to a blood test?
That said, yelling Nooooooo poorly, or having Greedo get a shot off, it's not really that big of a deal. Do they really do that much to hamper the mythology? Seriously, Han's deep character development was somehow burdened by Greedo getting a shot off? It's just not that big a deal. The Ewok nub nub song, yeah, that is pretty epic and it should be restored to its original glory, but it's okay. Look guys, for years all I heard was how awful Jedi was in comparison to the others because of the Ewok's, Lucas cuts one minute of them from the film it then equals fanboy rage. Lucas can't win. Ewoks in, too cute, a marketing cash grab, OMG they should have been Wookies, take them out, oh, where is my Nub Nub tune? Lucas is screwed either way. Also, Jar Jar, I've said it before, I'll say it again, it's for eight year old boys, they love him. Watch Star Wars Episode I again in a theater full of children, they love Jar Jar, they laugh till they blow soda pop out their nose. Not everything is for us, and its okay. Star Wars at its core is an eight year old boys fantasy, and it's exactly as it should be.
You know what's next? With the power of Blu Ray we will get Star Wars, the viewers cut! Pick whatever additions and subtractions you want prior to watching and have the disk go through the scenes as you see fit and for about $200, and people will pay for it yet again! Lucas, if you market this, I want my cut!
Anyhow, guys, it's Star Wars any way you slice it. Its still the most innovative and beautiful work in the history of fantasy film-making. It still at its core is a fantasy to allow you to drift off to a magic place and let your imagination roam care free. It was never meant to be taken this seriously.
Art is as much form as substance. The material in the mythology is important, but so is the presentation--the storytelling. It does cheapen the character.
Until then, do what I did, and get the unedited original DVD set if you really have to. Honestly, I never watch them. I've seen all the originals a zillion times just like all you other loyal awesome nerds.
Let's save our money and stress for IRAs and such instead.
That's why most artists aren't famous until after they die. Art is what you perceive it to be. It coexists with the laws of economics. It's up to you to make it what you want it to be.
First off, I know my reputation on here, so let me get this out of the way, honest to god, not stirring it for fun (trollin), I'm being 100% sincere.
I think you may be letting your passion get the best of you (nothing wrong with that by the way).
Here is how I see it. Han is still a scruffy nerf herder, a smuggler, a wise ass, and the kinda guy that digs ladies with really bizarre hair styles. He is still everything he was weather Greedo gets a shot off or not. I get what Lucas was going for, he wanted to make it look more like Han was in danger, he had to defend himself. Who is to say that is not more consistent with the character? Even at that, if its not in your interpretation, how much does it matter? Han still caps Greedo's ass. He still abandon's his friends when he is paid to then have a change of heart, turn around so he could help "blow this thing and go home". Nothing changes. Han is still Han. We all have been making a really big deal out of nothing.
I don't mean to suggest that Han is ruined as a character by the change with Greedo, just lessened. The old scene suggested a cut-throat survivalist, where the new one shows a good-guy who just has fast reflexes. As mentioned already in this thread, there's less development to be had in a good-guy who is already a good-guy. The transformation from rogue to hero is less present because there's less rogue in him. That's my take on it.
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I figured they just collect dust like the Matrix trilogy
if you are pissed Lucas changed HIS movies, just don't get them. pull out the VCR and watch the horribad CGI of the originals on your 60" TV
Everyone knows the real issue was making|releasing episodes I-III, and totally ruining Episodes IV-VI for us all
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You know, I was going to buy this release. I don't own the films in any capacity (not even VHS) and I had waited for a decent release. I was even going to forgive the needless additions.
The NOOOOOOO added to Jedi was the final nail in the coffin for me. This makes me rage so hard. I don't care what Cherplunka says (she argues that he's Anakin again, therefore OK), Vader's silent betrayal of the Emperor is one of the most emotional impacting points of the three films. As Vader looks back and forth in silence, you have no clue how he's going to react to the situation. Your mind fills in the blanks. It's powerful, and adding the slow NOOOOOO neuters the scene entirely.
What is wrong with George Lucas? Seriously, what has happened to his brain?