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Ten reasons why I will not buy the Star Wars Complete Saga

Ten reasons why I will not buy the Star Wars Complete Saga

On September 12, 2011, 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm will be releasing one of the most anticipated Blu-ray boxed sets ever—all 6 Star Wars movies in one complete package. By all accounts, this will be the definitive version of the films—all in 1080p HD, and with nearly innumerable extras throughout. It’s hard for me to even imagine the amount of extra content that will be available.

And I won’t be buying it.

No, George Lucas, No.

 

Lucas has gone too far

People who know just how much of a Star Wars fan I am (I grew up with it, and it’s simply a part of who I am) have already been instructed that it is completely off any and all wishlists for birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, whatever. I just plain do not want it. George Lucas has simply gone too far. The changes he made in 1997, the goofy things they did with the DVD release in 2004, the downright insulting release of the “original” prints in 2006, and the ridiculous changes in this current release are just too much for a life-long fan to bear.

But rather than regurgitate rhetoric, I’m going to give a run-down of the primary reasons why I just can’t stomach it:

Greedo shoots first—A New Hope

This abomination showed itself in the 1997 remastered “Special Edition” theatrical release. I gladly went and saw all three of them, excited for every moment I was about to witness again on the big screen. When Greedo’s shot fired, I was completely and utterly stunned. “That’s not how it happened!” my brain screamed at me, but I had already moved on to the next scene.

Why I hate this change so much:

A New Hope is almost as much about Han’s journey as it is about Luke’s. When we meet him in the Mos Eisley cantina, Han Solo is NOT a good guy. He’s a smuggler, a killer, a ruthless money-grubbing scruffy nerf herder, if you will. He’s only in it for the cash, and constantly trying to figure out a way to make each step he takes more profitable than the next. His journey is a natural evolution from true rogue to hero, and only comes about through his travels with Luke, Obi Wan, Leia, and our two droids. By making Greedo shoot first, George Lucas completely watered down the character of Han Solo and totally negated the significance of his journey. Rather than finding a better person within himself, Han simply uncovers what was there all the time.

Han’s conversation with Jabba in the launch bay—A New Hope

In a scene cut from the original release, Jabba confronts Han Solo in the launch bay at Mos Eisley, demanding payment for a failed smuggling run of Kessel “Spice” (sounds very Dune-like). In the 1997 Special Edition, this scene is added back in, with a ridiculously poorly-rendered CGI Jabba replacing the actor that was filmed originally.

Why I hate this change so much:

Seeing Jabba so early in the series completely eliminates the impact of his reveal in Jedi. When we first saw him on screen in 1983, it was fantastic. Here was this gigantic hulking slug monster who wanted to take away our new favorite character. He took up the whole screen. He was disgustingly glorious. By putting him into A New Hope, all of that impact was completely taken away, particularly when accounting for the slapdash way he was wedged into the movie. Possibly (and this is a HUGE possibly), had they taken the time to render the scene well, and give Jabba at least some of the on-screen impact that he had in Jedi, the scene might have worked. But as he appears in the Special Editions, it’s just not there. The entire scene is just completely unnecessary.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: My original memory of this scene is flawed. I had somehow concocted a scene in my head where, in the original release, Jabba had sent a henchman to warn Han Solo of the consequences of not paying back his debt. Thinking about it further, I think it would have been a great way to do the scene, rather than the ridiculous thing they put in there in 1997. Check out the “Behind the Scenes” section of this article on StarWars.com for details about the scene.

Jabba’s palace band & new song—Return of the Jedi

In the 1997 Special Editions, Lucas completely redid the opening scene in Jabba’s palace. The original song, ‘Lapti Nek’ was replaced with a new composition titled ‘Jedi Rocks’ and updates to the cast of the Max Rebo Band. On the surface, the song isn’t really bad, and is rather entertaining, but it still doesn’t fit with the original feel of the movie. Call it “too clever by half” if you will.

Why I hate this change so much:

Jabba’s palace is not supposed to be a cool place to hang out. The original low-fi song and lackluster performances by the singers and dancers give the idea that this is a place where bad people chill (as evidenced by the presence of Jabba and Boba Fett). One YouTube comment describes the old palace as a “creepy opium den in space” which is exactly how I would place it. The new version makes it seem like some hoppin’ club on the outer rim. On top of that, after watching clips of it again for this writing, the CGI and re-filmed characters just look out of place and (particularly in the case of Joh Yowza) cartoonish. Yet more watering down by Lucas.

Extra tentacles and the Sarlacc’s beak—Return of the Jedi

Again, in the 1997 Special Editions, Lucas added extra tentacles and a snapping beak to the Sarlacc, that mysterious sand pit monster where you are “slowly digested over a thousand years”. Apparently, the original Sarlacc didn’t come across as dangerous enough—or maybe Lucas felt that it looked too much like a toothed sand anus with pinworms (why that’s not frightening enough on its own, I’ll never understand). Either way, the changes to the Sarlacc are incredibly obvious and don’t lend any additional weight to the monster.

Why I hate this change so much:

The thing that made the Sarlacc scary was the fact that, once you were down in the hole, that was it—but you didn’t know exactly what “it” was. The danger of the Sarlacc is in its unknown. Adding the tentacles and the ridiculous beak completely takes away from the whole thing. The fear goes from “What’s going to happen when I get swallowed up by the giant toothy sand anus with pinworms?!” to “That beak looks like it will hurt.”

Extra celebrations after the Death Star’s destruction—Return of the Jedi

One of the greatest moments in my cinematic memories is the final destruction of the Death Star at the end of Return of the Jedi. The celebration on Endor, the X-Wing’s dropping fireworks, all of it. In the 1997 Special Editions, Lucas added footage of celebrations occurring on other planets, notably Naboo and Coruscant. What looks like early footage from the prequels (then only two years out) showing crowds cheering and a group of Gungans (one of whom we all know is Jar Jar, even though it’s never credited or confirmed) screeching “Weesa Free!” is interspersed with the original celebration to convey the feeling of a galaxy-wide victory.

Why I hate this change so much:

I don’t really hate this change that much. I thought it was pretty cool at the time to see some of the other planets that would be included in the next set of movies, and potential new characters. Looking back, however, I find that it was just too much, and took away from the intimate victory brought forth by so much sacrifice on Endor itself. If the mission on Endor had failed, the Empire would have suceeded, and the Death Star would have survived. I feel that in the original cut, the rest of the galaxy would have heard about the victory second- and third-hand, becoming the fuel of legends that would eventually be the scripts we were seeing played out already on-screen. And on top of that: Jar Jar. Really, George? You had to take the single worst character from the prequels and shoehorn him into the Holy Trilogy?

Actor replacement of Anakin Skywalker—Return of the Jedi

In the 2004 DVD release of the Special Editions, the actor who originally played Anakin Skywalker (Sebastian Shaw) is replaced with Hayden Christensen, whom we all know played the late teen to adult Anakin in the prequels. Fortunately, so as not to get downright comical with the changes, they left Sebastian Shaw in the suit during the death scene rather than trying to shoehorn Christensen into that spot.

Why I hate this change so much:

He’s not the guy that’s sitting there on the fence in my memory. And trust me, it’s deeply embedded in my memory. The original trilogy are the most watched movies in my history. I have seen each of them a minimum of 30 times, and since Jedi came out right at the perfect age for me, it’s probably up in the 50+ range. I know what the guy sitting on the fence looks like, and it’s not Hayden Christensen. I understand the change from a continuity standpoint, but I still really don’t like it.

The awful sound and video restoration issues—All three of the original trilogy

The 2004 DVD release of the Special Editions is fraught with problems both in audio and video (and from what I’ve been reading, most of the issues have not been repaired for The Complete Saga). Certain parts of the score got stereo flipped during the upmix into 5.1 (the rear channels’ right and left), the score is almost completely drowned out in parts, and a bunch of goofy ambient clicks and beeps were added to certain scenes. Much of the matting is still visible when ships fly across the star field (a hallmark of the original prints that for some reason never got corrected), some scenes were darkened to enhance the lowlights but manage to completely erase a good portion of the detail, and the color correction on the lightsabers in some scenes is completely nonexistent or just plain wrong: an early scene in A New Hope shows Luke’s lightsaber as green, rather than the blue it is in the entire rest of the movie; also, Vader’s lightsaber is pink for a good portion of his battle with Luke on the star destroyer in Return of the Jedi.

Why I hate this so much:

In 2004, there is absolutely no excuse for such poor quality control on such a particularly iconic set of film restorations. You can darken blacks without destroying detail. Color correction can be done properly by just about anyone with ten minutes of experience in Photoshop. Someone could have actually listened to the entire 5.1 audio track to see that the score channels were flipped and some of the music was completely crushed out before going to master. All simple things that could have made it a much better experience, but only served to make the whole edition feel rushed. On top of that, it appears that most of these issues are still present in next week’s release.

R2D2 hiding in the rocks—A New Hope

On the Blu-ray release, in the scene on Tatooine where R2D2 is hiding from the Sand People, Lucas felt it was necessary to add CGI rocks in front of his hiding place, making him more well hidden. The effect isn’t horrible, until analysis shows that he couldn’t get into that spot with the rocks where they are, and the effect is applied inconsistently in the scene. Certain cuts of this scene don’t have the rocks added in.

Why I hate this change so much:

My problem with this addition is more about poor implementation. Forget the fact that he wouldn’t be able to get into that spot with the rocks there—the fact that the rocks aren’t there in every cut of the scene is just ridiculous. This should not be an easy thing to overlook. If you’re adding in the rocks, make sure they’re in place for the entire scene. Easy, right? I guess not, since it slipped past the designers, the CGI artists, the editors, and the QA team.

No! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!—Return of the Jedi

That’s right. I said Return of the Jedi. “But,” you may say “I thought that line was in Revenge of the Sith!” You would be correct. You would probably also be shocked to learn that Lucas decided it was good to add into the Blu-ray release of Return of the Jedi. Yes, that’s right—the single worst audio clip of all six movies is now the worst pair of audio clips of all six movies. During the climactic scene in Return of the Jedi, while the Emperor is zapping Luke with his Force Lightning, Vader has an audible change of heart before throwing the Emperor down the shaft.

Why I hate this change so much:

This change was actually the last straw for me. By the time I had researched some of the other things noted in this article, I had already made the decision that I would never own a copy of this set. George Lucas seems completely uncomfortable with people coming to the realization of who they are on their own, and on their own terms. As with Greedo shooting first, it waters down the journey that the characters have made to become their final person. In the original scene, Vader watches in silent agony as the man he’s come to know as his son is dying in front of him. His silence when he makes the decision to intervene is where the power of his change, and the scene itself, comes through.

Insistence that these are the Really Real Final Versions—The Complete Saga

George Lucas has gone on record that the changes starting in the 1997 Special Edition release are the final versions of the six films. He has also stated that he would like to see the films in their original state go away, never to be seen again. At times, he cites an extreme cost to do new transfers, which is funny for three reasons:

  1. The cost to make a new HD transfer from the original negatives is quite literally pocket change from a movie standpoint (likely less than $100,000 by some estimations, not including marketing and pressing of discs, etc.)
  2. He’s a BILLIONAIRE
  3. Any cost incurred in doing an HD transfer of the originals would probably be made up in the first 30 seconds of preorders

Unfortunately, for the many fans of the original trilogy, it seems unlikely that we’ll ever see an official HD transfer of the actual movies we’ve grown to love. George Lucas owns the copyrights, and through shady dealings between rights-holders and copyright law, Lucasfilm will own them until well after anyone who cares about the original films is dead and gone. Maybe, just maybe, in the far-flung future, copyright law will be repaired, and anyone who desires can obtain a set of the original prints housed in the Library of Congress to create their own Special Edition. Maybe.

So, fans of the original trilogy (and even the prequels, which are still entertaining, if not canon-worthy), what can you do?

Do like me. Choose to not purchase “The Complete Saga” when it launches next week. Choose to return any gifts of “The Complete Saga” unopened. Choose to inform anyone who cares about the abominations visited upon these cultural icons and encourage them to follow your lead. Share this article with your friends. Join one of the many causes and petitions that have formed around the changes in the Blu-ray release, and try to get the message through to Lucasfilm that we just don’t want this.

You may also want to check out Save Star Wars—a site dedicated to bringing us the original movies, not the hacked up tripe we’re being served next week. Great reading for any fan of the original releases.

Comments

  1. Kwitko
    Kwitko The NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! is reason enough for me.
  2. Bandrik
    Bandrik Good opinion piece. I can only imagine what the trolls will whip up for the double-take of the infamous "NOOOOOOOOO!"

    Actually, I welcome the impending memes. They are well deserved.
  3. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven Total roflcopter at Nicole's sketch. Fantastic work.
  4. Gate28
    Gate28 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.
  5. Thrax
  6. trooster89
    trooster89 Well put. Its a shame Lucas has alienated the original films and fans which made the series what it is today.
  7. Rob-Merritt
    Rob-Merritt They will pry my THX laser disc editions of the original trilogy from my cold dead hands. (and promptly sell them for 25 cents at the estate sale)
  8. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven 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).
  9. primesuspect
    primesuspect I had the laser disc of Empire Strikes Back. Loved that thing. Flip the disc mid-movie.
  10. BobbyDigi
    BobbyDigi I just picked up the original trilogy on VHS a few weeks ago at the swap meet. It's the 1992 trilogy release. I can't wait to get a VCR hooked up.

    -Digi
  11. CrazyJoe
    CrazyJoe 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?
  12. Starman
    Starman I'll never understand why Lucas wants to destroy any artistic merit Star Wars has. Every decision further cheapens the series.
  13. Starman
    Starman
    Crazy Joe wrote:
    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.
  14. Thrax
    Thrax Don't succumb to the troll. Obvious troll is obvious.
  15. CrazyJoe
    CrazyJoe 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...
  16. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster 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.
  17. Starman
    Starman
    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.
  18. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja 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.
  19. Starman
    Starman 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?
  20. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja
    Starman wrote:
    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. :)
  21. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster
    Starman wrote:
    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.
  22. Starman
    Starman 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.
  23. pseudonym
    pseudonym You were right... Just replace Luke with your name.

    <iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gfF8UgfXHrk&quot; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  24. fatcat
    fatcat people still watch these?

    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
  25. Basil
    Basil Relevant.
    <iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EOAa0w5Wfu0?rel=0&quot; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  26. N/A 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
  27. AlexDeGruven
  28. BobbyDigi
  29. UPSLynx
    UPSLynx 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?
  30. PirateNinja
  31. UPSLynx
    UPSLynx
    pseudonym wrote:

    <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gfF8UgfXHrk&quot; allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" width="420"></iframe>


    Man. The goosebumps I get from watching this scene.
  32. Romad317
    Romad317 PirateNinja has it pretty much nailed, but I'd like to add to the general discussion (purely as a personal observation): Han is called "Scruffy looking" by Leia,not scruffy.....;)
    Geez, Louise, I love it when Fan Boys argue......
  33. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven
    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.

    My real issue with JarJar is that he doesn't fit with any other Gungan you see throughout the rest of the prequels. If he was (and I risk sounding profoundly insensitive and not politically correct here, but...) quite frankly less retarded and didn't sound like a neutered Michael Jackson with an IQ of 14, I wouldn't have had nearly as much issue with him. I thoroughly enjoyed all the rest of the Gungans in Phantom Menace, particularly Boss Nass.
  34. Thrax
    Thrax I would contend that if both adults <i>and</i> children like the original trilogy, then a character like Jarjar is not only unnecessary, but thematically inconsistent.
  35. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster Loving this discussion.

    Can we add a poll here? I'm really curious how many plan on buying vs. who does not for the reasons listed in the article. For science!
  36. ardichoke
    ardichoke This whole conversation has inspired me to buy Star Wars.... the individual 2-disc DVD versions that included the original, unedited movie on the 2nd disc. Then I'm going to shred the discs with the "new and improved" movies on them. (Or probably not)
  37. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven Don't do that. The original cuts that are included are mastered from 1993 telecine tapes that were also used for the US LaserDisc release. Not even DVD quality.
  38. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja
    ardichoke wrote:
    This whole conversation has inspired me to buy Star Wars.... the individual 2-disc DVD versions that included the original, unedited movie on the 2nd disc. Then I'm going to shred the discs with the "new and improved" movies on them. (Or probably not)

    Ya that's the same set I have that I mentioned earlier in the thread. It get's the job done, quality is way better than the recorded from TNT extended length VHS copies we all grew up on. It gets the job done, and apparently now it sells used for $80. Too funny.
    http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Harrison-Ford/dp/B001EN71DG
  39. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven Part of the problem with the whole situation is that copyright law has been so twisted and bastardized. The original release, assuming the copyright date follows the release date, of A New Hope runs out of copyright protection very soon under the old laws. The new laws pretty much allow Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd to retain the rights in perpetuity.

    Under the old law, an individual could obtain a copy of the original prints and do whatever they wanted, including releasing their own version of the film.
  40. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja
    Part of the problem with the whole situation is that copyright law has been so twisted and bastardized. The original release, assuming the copyright date follows the release date, of A New Hope runs out of copyright protection very soon under the old laws. The new laws pretty much allow Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd to retain the rights in perpetuity.

    Under the old law, an individual could obtain a copy of the original prints and do whatever they wanted, including releasing their own version of the film.

    Wut? Copyrights in the US provide 70 years of "economic" rights after the death of the owner at which point they become public domain.

    Edit: I was wrong, it's 70 years not 50.
    Edit2:
    "In the case of an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire, the copyright endures for a term of 95 years from the year of its first publication, or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first. "
    http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/302.html
  41. Thrax
    Thrax Might want to research how it became 70 years, or 120 years anonymously.
  42. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja
    Thrax wrote:
    Might want to research how it became 70 years, or 120 years anonymously.

    Didn't mean to throw this thread in a weird direction, but are we talking about the 1976 vs 1998 copyright acts?
    Neither of them seem new to me, and I also don't understand which would make any of those films public domain any time soon.
  43. Koreish
    Koreish For the quarter of a person that hasn't seen these.
  44. beeman07 Reason #11 to not buy the Blue-ray release? It won't have this:

    <object width="630" height="502"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S8zIYY_zUx0?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S8zIYY_zUx0?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0&quot; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="630" height="502" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
    (You're welcome.)
  45. Rob-Merritt
    Rob-Merritt
    Koreish wrote:
    For the quarter of a person that hasn't seen these.

    They haven't done a Plinkett review in months. :\
  46. Canti
    Canti I won't buy it because it's not this

    Star-Trek--The-Next-Generation---Complete-Series-%281987%29.jpg
  47. Bandrik
    Bandrik
    Canti wrote:
    I won't buy it because it's not this

    What, you mean this?

    B80Oa.jpg

    Disclaimer: while trolling, I did enjoy the new Star Trek reboot movie. Deal with it.
  48. Canti
    Canti The original Star Trek is awful. As such I haven't seen the movie, but I hear it's good.
  49. Starman
    Starman You haven't seen the 2009 movie because the 60s series was bad? FLAWLESS VICTORY.
  50. Jack Jacobs I too don't like any of the changes he made, the NOOOO, the ewok eyes, everything was unnecessary. But I probably will still buy the blu-ray 9-cd edition, because of the extra stuff they've added, the never before seen, deleted/alternate scenes, commentaries, parodies, the making of star wars, behind the scenes, etc, all the good stuff. I'll but it so that at least I will have an HD widescreen crystal-clear quality blu-ray copy of the saga, even though with the edits they made, and who knows they'll only sell them for a certain time. Or maybe because I've never had a hard copy of the movies, I have the 1997 and 2004 reissues along with the original unaltered theatrical trilogy on my hard disk, downloaded from torrent. I know all of the true fans don't like the stuff they put in the original trilogy, I know that I don't. But c'mon this should be every fan's dream! To have the complete saga on blu-ray, hd, crystal-clear quality, the last of the star wars hard copies there will ever be! Well what if they will never really make HD copies of the original unaltered trilogy? At least you have the blu-ray, and even if you don't like it, as a fan, you should still buy it, at least for the record! It's like a collector's item, know what I'm sayin'? I'd totally but it, not because I like the shit they added to the movies, but because of the extra stuff, and for the record that I have the saga on blu-ray, the last ever version there will ever be, it's not that I like the empire, I hate it, but there's nothing I can do about it right now. And who knows that it's really not that bad, and that there are a lot more surprises to it, you'll never know, unless you buy it, which I'm gonna do, and I know that I will not regret it, I actually can't wait for the release.
  51. Romad317
    Romad317 Jack:
    Will it have the now infamous "Christmas Special"?
    'Cause no REAL Star Wars colection is complete without Bea Arthur
  52. Koreish
    Koreish
    They haven't done a Plinkett review in months. :\

    That might be because it takes a really long time to produce them most especially editing. Plus they do a bunch of other stuff as well. The Half in the Bag series is good enough to tide me over until another Plinkett review comes out.
  53. trooster89
    trooster89 <iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/USwTolALBM0&quot; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  54. ardichoke
    ardichoke
    Ya that's the same set I have that I mentioned earlier in the thread. It get's the job done, quality is way better than the recorded from TNT extended length VHS copies we all grew up on. It gets the job done, and apparently now it sells used for $80. Too funny.
    http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Harrison-Ford/dp/B001EN71DG

    That won't even have the original cut of the movies. The original cut was only included in the individual DVDs. The box set didn't have them. I actually already have the 2-disc DVD Empire with the original cut on the 2nd disc. Just watched it the other night (after posting here). Yeah, it doesn't look great, but at least it's not the Lucasized edition of the movie.
  55. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster
    ardichoke wrote:
    That won't even have the original cut of the movies. The original cut was only included in the individual DVDs. The box set didn't have them. I actually already have the 2-disc DVD Empire with the original cut on the 2nd disc. Just watched it the other night (after posting here). Yeah, it doesn't look great, but at least it's not the Lucasized edition of the movie.

    Are they not all Lucasized editions? :confused2
  56. ardichoke
    ardichoke Yeah, I couldn't come up with anything better. Sue me.
  57. shwaip
  58. Koreish
    Koreish Alderaan shot first.
  59. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven
    trooster89 wrote:
    <iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/USwTolALBM0&quot; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    This is brilliant.
  60. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja
    ardichoke wrote:
    That won't even have the original cut of the movies. The original cut was only included in the individual DVDs. The box set didn't have them. I actually already have the 2-disc DVD Empire with the original cut on the 2nd disc. Just watched it the other night (after posting here). Yeah, it doesn't look great, but at least it's not the Lucasized edition of the movie.

    It does have the unedited originals on the bonus discs.
  61. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster So, I'm thinking about this issue. For most here, would we say the issue is with the choice of edits, or the idea that classic films should not be tinkered with?

    For example, some of the FX shots were cleaned up without altering the shot, are we okay with that? Is there an example of something we all liked? How about Luke running into Biggs? The extra droids added to the shot heading into Mos Eisley? How about some of the visual improvements in the Bespin backdrop?

    Is the argument against edits altogether, or is it with specific edits?

    If Peter Jackson adds a Tom Bombadil scene to Lord of the Rings are we going to boycott that release as well?
  62. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven My personal problem is with the content of the edits.

    Example: While I think the original Mos Eisley cantina is charming in its lack of polish, some of the creatures in there were just plain comically bad. The updates in the 1997 edits to things like that are ok by me. I think some of the extra creatures roaming around the exterior are a bit much, but not terribad.
    If Peter Jackson adds a Tom Bombadil scene to Lord of the Rings are we going to boycott that release as well?

    If it's well done and fits the flow of the main cut (that scene wasn't filmed primarily because it disrupts the flow of the main adventure), then I have no problem with it. If it's wedged in and poorly produced (like the new song & band members in Jabba's Palace), then I'll have just as big a problem with it.

    If it was all good edits, I wouldn't have ever had a problem with it. It's just that the adding in of "Noo!" is just so colossally horrible that it almost fails to register on my conscious brain. There are so many things that could have been done to any of the 3 originals to clean them up or add emotional weight to otherwise relatively wooden performances. But to take the one almost perfectly produced dramatic scene in the entire series and ham-handedly slap on the single worst sound byte in all 6 movies just completely boggles the mind.
  63. primesuspect
    primesuspect Cliff, it's an overall dumbing-down of the content that bothers me.
  64. UPSLynx
    UPSLynx Yeah, it's mostly about changing the fundamental expression of the storytelling. Many of the changes that have pissed people off are adjustments that tweak the emotional impact of a scene or character. In doing such, he's changed the flow and pacing of the characters, their development, and the overall storytelling. This is what's pissed people off.

    Some of the cleanup can be forgiven. The added effects to the Death Star explosion look sweet. More Tie Fighters in the space battles? These changes don't make me rage or want to boycott this release, but I'd still rather he didn't mess with them.

    Films are a part of cultural heritage, and they should be protected as such. Heck, even George Lucas from 1988 knew this, as he crusaded against the tampering and adjusting of old films. The irony of it all is too thick.

    We don't always need to clean up films, though. Old films are just that - old. There's no reason to clean them up just because of that fact. Filmmakers should be proud of what they accomplished with limited technology back in the day. Heck, if they were good enough, they don't even have a need to clean up in modern age (see Aliens). Imagine if someone cleaned up Nosferatu to make it look better. The idea is ridiculous.
  65. ardichoke
    ardichoke
    It does have the unedited originals on the bonus discs.

    Hrmm... they must have changed it. I looked into it back when the DVDs first came out. Everyone was very specific in saying the box set didn't include the original cuts, the only way to get them was to get the individual 2-disc DVDs.
  66. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven There's a 2004 release and a 2006 release. Possibly they put the 2006 releases in a box set as well.
  67. BobbyDigi
  68. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster Relevant reading. When Spielberg releases the E.T. Blu Ray, he is only going to release the 1982 cut of the film. It almost feels like he is taking an indirect jab at Lucas.
  69. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven Nice... After the credits roll on the BluRay, it should feature a copy of Lucas' speech in front of congress about preserving our film heritage.
  70. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster At the risk of adding a little spam I did enter a contest to win these things and some Blu-Ray swag. Help a brotha out and cast a vote if you please.

    http://ebay.promotionexpert.com/starwarscontest/view/1984
  71. TheLostSwede
    TheLostSwede Complaining about the Saga box seems to be the new Tamaguchi. Can't find a discussion forum that doesn't have a thread like this.
    Dust off the old vhs and laserdiscs all you want, but the fact is, the saga box contains one of the best reference materials of sound ever released.
  72. MAGIC
    MAGIC
    Complaining about the Saga box seems to be the new Tamaguchi. Can't find a discussion forum that doesn't have a thread like this.
    Dust off the old vhs and laserdiscs all you want, but the fact is, the saga box contains one of the best reference materials of sound ever released.

    True that, I'm not a real die hard fan. I'll buy them for the pretty pictures/sound.
  73. Thrax
    Thrax
    Complaining about the Saga box seems to be the new Tamaguchi. Can't find a discussion forum that doesn't have a thread like this.
    Dust off the old vhs and laserdiscs all you want, but the fact is, the saga box contains one of the best reference materials of sound ever released.

    I don't watch Star Wars for the sound.
  74. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven
    Thrax wrote:
    I don't watch Star Wars for the sound.

    Ok, well, I kind of do. But, as noted in the article, the sound was one of the major complaints about the 2004 SE DVDs.


    Anyone listened to see if it's any better in the BluRay release?
  75. TheLostSwede
    TheLostSwede
    Thrax wrote:
    I don't watch Star Wars for the sound.

    I don't wank when i see a robot you fool.
  76. TheLostSwede
    TheLostSwede
    Ok, well, I kind of do. But, as noted in the article, the sound was one of the major complaints about the 2004 SE DVDs.


    Anyone listened to see if it's any better in the BluRay release?

    1,2,4,5,6 is as much reference as they come with 1 and 2 as incredible. 3 for some reason, is not as good as far as sound goes, but 3 has the best picture.

    Tron held the previous throne for reference material, especially sub 40hz.
  77. Jaime I just want to say that no one has ever expressed just how I feel about the Special Editions and the prequels as perfectly as you have here. Bravo!

    The Prequels were the reason I stopped subscribing to Star Wars Insider magazine (that, and Anthony Daniels column was the best thing ever and that pretty much got scrapped).
  78. primesuspect
    primesuspect

    I too don't like any of the changes he made, the NOOOO, the ewok eyes, everything was unnecessary. But I probably will still buy the blu-ray 9-cd edition, because of the extra stuff they've added, the never before seen, deleted/alternate scenes, commentaries, parodies, the making of star wars, behind the scenes, etc, all the good stuff. I'll but it so that at least I will have an HD widescreen crystal-clear quality blu-ray copy of the saga, even though with the edits they made, and who knows they'll only sell them for a certain time. Or maybe because I've never had a hard copy of the movies, I have the 1997 and 2004 reissues along with the original unaltered theatrical trilogy on my hard disk, downloaded from torrent. I know all of the true fans don't like the stuff they put in the original trilogy, I know that I don't. But c'mon this should be every fan's dream! To have the complete saga on blu-ray, hd, crystal-clear quality, the last of the star wars hard copies there will ever be! Well what if they will never really make HD copies of the original unaltered trilogy? At least you have the blu-ray, and even if you don't like it, as a fan, you should still buy it, at least for the record! It's like a collector's item, know what I'm sayin'? I'd totally but it, not because I like the shit they added to the movies, but because of the extra stuff, and for the record that I have the saga on blu-ray, the last ever version there will ever be, it's not that I like the empire, I hate it, but there's nothing I can do about it right now. And who knows that it's really not that bad, and that there are a lot more surprises to it, you'll never know, unless you buy it, which I'm gonna do, and I know that I will not regret it, I actually can't wait for the release.
    So, to sum up:
    • You'll buy it
    • You're not going to regret it
    • You want to have a hard copy of the movies
    • You don't like the changes
    Got it.
  79. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster Years later and I still can't justify $100 for films I already own on DVD. I have yet to replace a film I own on DVD with a Blu Ray release. I have purchased a few Blu Ray's of new releases or things to add to my collection but I can't justify throwing out perfectly good cash for more resolution. Go ahead, take my nerd card.
  80. shwaip
    shwaip I heard they were releasing it in white, though.
  81. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven I still won't be getting it. Even though I do quite often 'upgrade' my DVDs to BluRay when they become available.
  82. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja 4k en route=> abandon bluray, await disney proprietary streaming service "powered by google" because f*ck mpegLA, acquire new television, purchase subscription, realize it's time to retire, question life choices
  83. AlexDeGruven
    AlexDeGruven Yeah, I'll stick with 1080p for a while.
  84. Thrax
    Thrax I'll go to 4K when HEVC/H.265 downloads are a thing.
  85. PirateNinja
    PirateNinja I'm really hoping vp9 beats out h265.
  86. Cliff_Forster
    Cliff_Forster
    I heard they were releasing it in white, though.
    I'm actually hiding my Darth Vader mug that I hold my pens in. I'm going to buy a stormtrooper and replace it. I'm going to even buy a new computer desk, I'm loosing my mind slightly. Some guys have cars, I have a sweet PC with matching peripherals....

    What's wrong with me?


  87. ardichoke
    ardichoke
    I heard they were releasing it in white, though.
    I'm actually hiding my Darth Vader mug that I hold my pens in. I'm going to buy a stormtrooper and replace it. I'm going to even buy a new computer desk, I'm loosing my mind slightly. Some guys have cars, I have a sweet PC with matching peripherals....

    What's wrong with me?
    More things than can be listed here without overflowing the database comment field.

    /troll

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