Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

It was nice to see the original Death Star explosion again...

Yeah, I mean I could care less which is more realisitic to science, this is Star Wars we're talking about. There is a certain beauty when you've got that visual moment teamed up with John Williams score that is lost in the SE.


But hey, really at the end of the day I just want the funky JW bongo music added back in when Obi-Wan, Luke, and the droids enter Mos Eisley.

[Geoff D]

Most of the SE negative is made up of the original material, and I highly doubt that LFL binned the trims when putting together the 1997 version. Even if they did, separation masters were made from the original negative so they could recombine those to reconstitute any shots that have been lost. All this talk of what the LoC/NFR has is simply more waffle to generate hits for that Star Wars site.

Restoring Star Wars to its original state has never been about not having the right elements, it was always about someone ponying up the cash to make it happen and the corporate will of the rights holders. The Godfather was in a horrible state after a botched restoration several years ago, but it took lobbying from Senor Spielbergo (IIRC) to finally convince Paramount to do right by it.

[SirMontyPython]

Originally Posted by djakrse

The biggest travesty is that Lucas has refused the original trilogy film negatives for preservation, even by the National Film Registry, which he helped bring about. I think I've read that the original does exist, that Lucas has tried to replace all copies with the SEs, but not sure if that's true or not. If they are stored safely somewhere, they might still not be properly cared for, plus proper restoration work must be done, before anyone will ever be able to own a high quality copy. Hopefully some day proper restoration and preservation will occur, and everyone who wishes to can own the original trilogy they enjoyed in theaters.

There's lots of information about it, but I certainly do want the unedited, theatrically-released versions of the OT as part of my collection.

http://savestarwars.com/
http://savestarwars.com/lucasspeecha...aledition.html

P.S.: Despite all of his perceived flaws, I still love GL and all he's accomplished and given to me. Star Wars and Indiana Jones alone have given me more enjoyment than probably any other film-maker. Still, I'm happy with his decision to sell his companies as I think that is what he felt was best for it and his fans, to allow them to continue to grow and capture more fans. He deserves much respect.

Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but didn't George say something about how the SE version was THE vision he had on the original trilogy, hence why he hasn't (and likely will not) release the original version of the OT? I don't have any sources to confirm, just simply something I remembered reading somewhere..?

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by SirMontyPython

Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but didn't George say something about how the SE version was THE vision he had on the original trilogy, hence why he hasn't (and likely will not) release the original version of the OT? I don't have any sources to confirm, just simply something I remembered reading somewhere..?

George doesn't own the film anymore...LucasFilm does, and it will be LucasFilm's call. The OT films are being re-released next year as part of the build up to Episode VII, so we'll see what they put together.

[djakrse]

Originally Posted by SirMontyPython

Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but didn't George say something about how the SE version was THE vision he had on the original trilogy, hence why he hasn't (and likely will not) release the original version of the OT? I don't have any sources to confirm, just simply something I remembered reading somewhere..?

Yeap, he's said this numerous times.

George Lucas on the Special Editions

There will only be one [version of the films]. And it won't be what I would call the "rough cut", it'll be the "final cut". The other one will be some sort of interesting artifact that people will look at and say, "There was an earlier draft of this." The same thing happens with plays and earlier drafts of books. In essence, films never get finished, they get abandoned. At some point, you're dragged off the picture kicking and screaming while somebody says, "Okay, it's done." That isn't really the way it should work. Occasionally, [you can] go back and get your cut of the video out there, which I did on both American Graffiti and THX 1138; that's the place where it will live forever. So what ends up being important in my mind is what the DVD version is going to look like, because that's what everybody is going to remember. The other versions will disappear. Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won't last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition], and you'll be able to project it on a 20-foot-by-40-foot screen with perfect quality. I think it's the director's prerogative, not the studio's, to go back and reinvent a movie.

Source

I should point out I own and enjoy the SE versions. I'd just like to have the theatrical versions I saw in the theater as a kid as well. I got VHS from my parents when they came out, but lost those to hurricane Rita. I have fan made restorations, but I want the best possible restoration on blu and whatever else comes out in the future. Not likely to get it, but I can dream.

[manunited1]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

George doesn't own the film anymore...LucasFilm does, and it will be LucasFilm's call. The OT films are being re-released next year as part of the build up to Episode VII, so we'll see what they put together.

I thought the major problem was that the rights to the different films and their respected versions are owned by different companies. Requiring a Halloween box set type situation where fox, Disney, Lucas film ect would all have to work together.

I feel like i read an article with some Disney exec that said it is near impossible now.

[SirMontyPython]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

George doesn't own the film anymore...LucasFilm does, and it will be LucasFilm's call. The OT films are being re-released next year as part of the build up to Episode VII, so we'll see what they put together.

I honestly don't know how I feel about that. I'll be looking at how the originals looked like, then I'll be nit-picking on how the SE's looked like...then it's just one big clusterf**k in my head on what I've seen based on both the OT and the SE's...and quite frankly I just don't care. I don't even own the OT and Prequels on blu-ray (although I'd very much like to purchase them soon!), so I don't even get to enjoy them in any format...

[djakrse]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

George doesn't own the film anymore...LucasFilm does, and it will be LucasFilm's call. The OT films are being re-released next year as part of the build up to Episode VII, so we'll see what they put together.

I certainly hope they do, as this has been one of my dreams, upon hearing of the acquisition by Disney.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by manunited1

I thought the major problem was that the rights to the different films and their respected versions are owned by different companies. Requiring a Halloween box set type situation where fox, Disney, Lucas film ect would all have to work together.

I feel like i read an article with some Disney exec that said it is near impossible now.

All the films are copyright LucasFilm now. They didn't have any problems releasing the unaltered OT films on DVD, if you'll recall. 20th Century Fox has distribution rights, until 2020, but that just means they get to distribute the films when LucasFilm tells them to. That's all that means.

"Lucas owns the entire franchise except for the original film, which Fox financed for about $10 million. Though executives from Fox and Lucas' San Rafael, Calif.-based Lucasfilm Ltd. declined to elaborate on most specifics of the deal, one source hinted that in exchange for a much-lower-than-usual (likely less than 10%) distribution fee on the films plus the rights to debut "Episode I" on its Fox TV network, Fox gave Lucas the rights to the original "Star Wars," making his empire complete."
-- Los Angeles Times, 4/3/98
http://articles.latimes.com/1998/apr...iness/fi-35475

Go check the credits on your Blu-Ray for Episode IV. The copyright for Star Wars now reads "Copyright LucasFilm", it no longer reads "Copyright 20th Century Fox".

[octagon]

Originally Posted by manunited1

I thought the major problem was that the rights to the different films and their respected versions are owned by different companies. Requiring a Halloween box set type situation where fox, Disney, Lucas film ect would all have to work together.

I feel like i read an article with some Disney exec that said it is near impossible now.

The rights are no more complicated now than when the BDs or the DVDs were released. Ownership of Lucasfilm is the only thing that's changed since those releases.

[manunited1]

http://badassdigest.com/2014/08/16/w...ars-ot-on-blu/

So according to this guys thoughts it won't even be a possibility without a miracle until 2020... Not to mention Disney does not have the rights to alter Lucas' vision of the ot.

Maybe we will get a huge set when the new trilogy is done :/

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by octagon

The rights are no more complicated now than when the BDs or the DVDs were released. Ownership of Lucasfilm is the only thing that's changed since those releases.

This.

[Rblu-Dblu]

I still have my vhs set. Not sure what kind of condition the tapes are in after all these years. I'm not even sure if I have a working VHS player in the house. These are things I'll have to check in on.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by manunited1

http://badassdigest.com/2014/08/16/w...ars-ot-on-blu/

So according to this guys thoughts it won't even be a possibility without a miracle until 2020... Not to mention Disney does not have the rights to alter Lucas' vision of the ot.

Maybe we will get a huge set when the new trilogy is done :/

Devin's wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. Again, check the credits. LucasFilm owns Star Wars. I'd go with the LA Times over Badass Digest. Crazy how people don't understand what a distribution agreement means. Fox will distribute what LucasFilm tells them to, Fox can't (and won't) stop LucasFilm from releasing films either theatrically or on home video...they release what LucasFilm tells them to, and they get a fee for the privilege.

"Disney doesn't own Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi. Fox does. They also own the distribution rights to the Prequels."
This is flat-out wrong. Almost embarassingly wrong.

[captveg]

If Disney wants to re-release the PT and OT on DVD/BD they'll simply arrange a % to go to Fox. No need to wait until 2020.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by captveg

If Disney wants to re-release the PT and OT on DVD/BD they'll simply arrange a % to go to Fox. No need to wait until 2020.

Exactly. And Iger has already indicated the films are coming back out next year. He was asked about it on a cable business show, and he grinned from ear to ear like a cheshire cat. "That sounds like a great idea. A really great idea!" (wink!)

[DarthDVDS]

It seems everyone is forgetting about this set

https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Star-War...ogy-DVD/37510/

which includes the unaltered OT it was a Best Buy exclusive, I have it. It comes in a tin case, very nice set and the only time the OT has been released unaltered on DVD.

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by DarthDVDS

It seems everyone is forgetting about this set

https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Star-War...ogy-DVD/37510/

which includes the unaltered OT it was a Best Buy exclusive, I have it. It comes in a tin case, very nice set and the only time the OT has been released unaltered on DVD.

I don't think anyone has forgot it. It's got the OT on discs with non-anamorphic transfers from the laserdisc era. The only reason they were released is because people were making money selling bootlegs of the same thing (burning the laserdisc to dvd).

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by DarthDVDS

It seems everyone is forgetting about this set

https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Star-War...ogy-DVD/37510/

which includes the unaltered OT it was a Best Buy exclusive, I have it. It comes in a tin case, very nice set and the only time the OT has been released unaltered on DVD.

The films were also available at Target and Wal-Mart...I passed on them, because I have the laserdiscs, so it was redundant.

[Falaskan]

I got them, and sold them. Lately I sold the latest blu-rays in anticipation of the all but confirmed release next fall. LOL