Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[Bluyoda]

Originally Posted by BillieCassin

WOW.

Check out this article - specifically the quote by Lucas in the first section.

I think he's a talented man, and I'm far from a Lucas-hater, but geesh, the words "sell out" and "hypocrite" seem like the only words that apply.

Boy, that is exciting news!

[Show spoiler]

[Uxi]

ROFL. That was a great laugh, thanks guys.

[dantexaiver]

I can not help but feel as if George will release the original un altered versions on blu after the special edition blues come out I mean he did it back with the dvd release. he said the un altered versions would never be released and guess what? they came out.

George must be getting rather senial at his old age to even think fans will only want the touched up special editions. The fans are screaming bloody murder and he is turning his head the other way and pretending he doesn't hear a thing.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by dantexaiver

I can not help but feel as if George will release the original un altered versions on blu after the special edition blues come out I mean he did it back with the dvd release. he said the un altered versions would never be released and guess what? they came out.

George must be getting rather senial at his old age to even think fans will only want the touched up special editions. The fans are screaming bloody murder and he is turning his head the other way and pretending he doesn't hear a thing.

It's the only version I really want. Those old unfinished cuts arn't even worth my time.

And just because some fans are having a tantrum, doesn't mean they should be rewarded.

They just can't be corrected like a wailing child in the store who demands a toy.

[Kryptonic]

Here's my take: they're his films. If he feels the need to alter them to his desire, so be it. If he feels like he only wants to release his preferred version of his film, that is more than fine. I see no reason why any artist should release a product to the public that they are not satisfied with. You, the fans, do not own the film, Lucas owes you nothing but his desire to release a product he is artistically satisfied with, and no one is making you purchase this new set with Lucas' preferred version. So basically, give it a rest. The topic is old and tired beyond belief. Chances are you'll still buy the set despite all of your complaining.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

Here's my take: they're his films. If he feels the need to alter them to his desire, so be it. If he feels like he only wants to release his preferred version of his film, that is more than fine. I see no reason why any artist should release a product to the public that they are not satisfied with. You, the fans, do not own the film, Lucas owes you nothing but his desire to release a product he is artistically satisfied with, and no one is making you purchase this new set with Lucas' preferred version. So basically, give it a rest. The topic is old and tired beyond belief. Chances are you'll still buy the set despite all of your complaining.

Especially regarding that last comment. We know that's how it's gonna play out.

[aiman04]

IF

"Like the new blu-ray"=TRUE

THEN

buy=TRUE

ELSE

buy=FALSE

ENDIF

[Show spoiler]Syntax error?

[Denoku]

This feels weird buying all 6 movies over again.

I'm not sure which one to buy though, unaltered or altered.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by Dark Moses

This feels weird buying all 6 movies over again.

I'm not sure which one to buy though, unaltered or altered.

Well, since you're only being given the option of the improved versions... you don't have to decide.

[al cos.]

Dear diary,

Originally Posted by Beast

It's the only version I really want. Those old unfinished cuts arn't even worth my time.

[Denoku]

Originally Posted by Beast

Well, since you're only being given the option of the improved versions... you don't have to decide.

Cool

I just read that article so I see why.

[superryder1746]

Never had the chance of collecting all of it, but this is a good chance to have the star wars collection in one set! very nice hahaha - can't wait to get my hands on one of those

[Weirded Wonder]

I'm not really sure why my comments are being deleted, because I feel that all versions of releases should be made available? I had no idea that a different opinion resorts to that. That's just sad.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

I understand why some comments were deleted since the debate is getting out of hand, but there are several more comments on this vary page (not to mention previous pages) that are equally deserving for being deleted. Even those saying that they prefer the Special Editions and don't mind that the originals aren't being released are still technically referring to the debate, so those comments should be deleted as well.

[Weirded Wonder]

No worries, we'll all go on with our lives!

[Denoku]

So who thinks the original version will come out a couple years later anyways?

I'm going to just assume most people own these movies on DVD already and are going to buy them all again on blu.

[monkeyjb1988]

Originally Posted by Beast

Well, since you're only being given the option of the improved versions... you don't have to decide.

There is the choice of waiting. That's what I did for LOTR and Avatar, and that will be rewarded for the latter. However, in your defense, I was holding off on releases that didn't really have that much in way of extras. It may not be that easy to do for Star Wars (and personally, I don't mind the special editions and prequels). I'm just saying, there is a third option.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

You, the fans, do not own the film, Lucas owes you nothing but his desire to release a product he is artistically satisfied with, and no one is making you purchase this new set with Lucas' preferred version. So basically, give it a rest. The topic is old and tired beyond belief.

I tend to agree. Lucas' comments regarding what would become the Artists' Rights Foundation were prompted largely by the actions of Ted Turner, who purchased rights to such films as Gone With the Wind and Citizen Kane, and planned on releasing a colorized version of Kane. Colorization rankled many, and to have it applied to such a landmark was comparable to a religious blasphemy.

In any respect, Lucas was arguing that purchasing, say, a painting does not give one the right to paint over it. He was arguing that new owners of prior films don't have the right to alter them. He never meant to infer that artists cannot stop working on their art after they've had a public showing. That's like saying a stage actor can't alter his performance after opening night, or Springsteen can't change the way he plays "Born to Run" because it differs from how people first heard it, or a chef can't change his recipie after people have tasted his dish. I don't understand the mentality of those who believe all art should be hermetically sealed and vapor-locked in some sort of cosmic zip-lock bag.

To my mind, Lucas' only mis-step has been locking away the prior version and not having both side by side, allowing the audience to decide what they want to watch. Steven Spielberg, with his latest releases of E.T. and Close Encounters, includes all of his versions of both films (save one line about all the kids going out dressed as terrorists). Everyone applauds him for it. Lucas should have followed suit. It's sensible, and it makes everyone happy....unless your true agenda is to keep alternate versions like a chip in your back pocket that you can pull it out later to get people to buy the same title all over again. See the recent LOTR brouhaha.

[al cos.]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Steven Spielberg, with his latest releases of E.T. and Close Encounters, includes all of his versions of both films (save one line about all the kids going out dressed as terrorists). Everyone applauds him for it. .

The terrorist line is in there.
Yeah this whole thing is really not that dramatic, if the box doesn't have the original versions, it's not an affront to history or anything, it's just another half-assed, crappy product when compared to our current standards of quality (Alien, Blade Runner, T2, Close Encounters etc.).

[whbinder]

Originally Posted by Dark Moses

So who thinks the original version will come out a couple years later anyways.

I do not. The last time Lucas put out the unaltered cut with any care was in 1993. I am aware that the DVDs came out years later, but merely as dumps of the LD transfers, as an anamorphic transfer would be "too expensive". I find it unlikely that Lucas will ever put 10 cents into creating a quality master and equally unlikely that a Laserdisc transfer dumped onto a Blu-ray will be made available.

That is not an absolute certainty, simply my prediction.