Star Wars: The Original Trilogy (1977-1983)

[Vandal Savage]

Originally Posted by ambient_indie

I really don’t understand why the original and special edition cuts can’t coexist in high quality.

Yes, that's the real problem, that the original versions have been tossed down the memory hole and the SEs are the only ones "officially" available.

We have three versions of Close Encounters of the Third Kind on blu-ray, and five versions of Blade Runner available on blu-ray. That Star Wars can't be afforded the same luxury is ridiculous.

[Rodney-2187]

Wow! Another tweet from Pablo Hidalgo this afternoon!

There’s one pretty noteworthy person who doesn’t want them released. Shouldn’t be too hard to research who that is.

[svenge]

So are we waiting for George Lucas to die, or Kathleen Kennedy to get fired?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

George Lucas can pound sand.

The coarser, the better.

[Indy64]

Last weekend while digging around attic for some Christmas stuff, I found my JVC Super VHS machine and took it inside to show my 9 year old the "old school" way dad and mom used to watch movies.

I have the unaltered version boxset of Star Wars 4,5,6) so I hooked the player up (yellow/red/white cables,..shudder) and played the "Widescreen" movies and even though it looked pretty horrible on my newer TV he still got a kick out of it and I had fun seeing what the unaltered version looked like after all these years. I was I think 12 or 13 when I saw IV in the theaters back in '77.

Oh the memories.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by rodneyfaile

Pablo Hidalgo this morning via Twitter:

Well, shit. Looks like all the kooky theories about George still holding sway on not wanting them to be released were right on the money after all. Even if it's not an actual legal clause then Kathy Kennedy is doing it out of respect for her old friend's wishes.

And while I'm sorry to dust off the George Lucas Countdown o' Death™ I genuinely do believe that we won't be allowed to see them until after he's dead. Just as the Kubrick estate couldn't have moved any quicker to get Clockwork Orange back into UK cinemas after Stan's death (Warners having removed it from circulation at Kubrick's behest for almost 30 years), I think Disney will eventually be able to put all of that backing-up of the LFL archive that captveg has mentioned to good use.

Someone said that they thought the ban may continue in perpetuity but, as I replied at the time, if Lucas' wish was that they were never to be seen again - ever - then he might as well just burn the negatives because the copyright will eventually expire and anyone could get their hands on it. That may well be decades and decades and decades away but even so, if Lucas were that crazed about keeping this up you'd think he'd have taken steps to prevent it. I don't think he's that crazed however, he just doesn't want anyone confusing his latest "definitive" vision for Star Wars with these "unfinished" versions while he's still around to answer for them. But once he's worm food I think we'll get the originals given back to the world.

[MechaGodzilla]

Oh, uncle George, you never change. Continuing to prevent the originals from being released after selling the rights, and I won't be surprised if you keep it up from beyond the grave, too.

Guess it's time to look into those fan restorations. I never bothered with them because I figured official releases would have to happen at some point in the near future, but as it turns out...

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

Really? You think they won't after he's gone? There's a good amount of change in it for them...if there are enough of us left to buy it, at that point.

Yup. Warners were quick to re-release A Clockwork Orange in the UK when Stanley Kubrick hit the bucket. Studios want money first and foremost and a director's intentions don't mean shit to them once they're dead.

[MechaGodzilla]

One thing that confuses me just a little bit, remember when John Landis claimed that Lucas told him Disney/Lucasfilm were planning on releasing the unaltered originals? Evidently that must have been a lie, which I guess is not new or out of character for Landis, but still...

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by svenge

So are we waiting for George Lucas to die, or Kathleen Kennedy to get fired?

Kennedy isn't getting fired as Lucasfilm is doing great. TFA did over $2 billion in Box-Office worldwide and Rogue One did over a $billion. TLJ has gotten very positive reviews and Box Office is projecting domestic box-office of over $750 million, but I think it will come closer to matching TFA. And they've got Solo coming in just six months and Episode IX a year after that. Indy V was also originally scheduled for release in June of '19, but that's apparently been pushed to 2020. If anything, at some point in the future, you might see Kennedy promoted to be in charge of all Disney production or possibly a merger of Lucasfilm and Marvel.

And my understanding is that there's plenty of spare parts for George available from the huge collection of Star Wars props. Although he's overweight, he could still live another 20 years.

While the fanboys want the unaltered originals, it's a niche market. Ask someone on the street who is not a fanboy about Star Wars and see if they even know that there are unaltered original versions and special editions and other edits. The vast majority of people don't know and don't give a crap.

That's not to say they shouldn't be released. What I think would be brilliant is that they re-create them and include them as part of a future boxed set that includes VII, VIII, IX, Rogue One and the Han Solo film or as part of a 4K UHD release of all the films. The latter would be the best way to get fans to double-dip. (Or triple- or quadruple- dip as the case may be).

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Frankly, the only things that really, really bother me about changes in the special editions are the moment in A New Hope when the CGI creature walks right across the screen, Greedo shooting first, Han digitally walking over Jabba the Hutt's tail, and the wretched CGI dance scene in Return of the Jedi. Every change made to Empire improved the film IMHO. The original had some pretty bad special effects so I was really happy they did something about that. I just wish these had better transfers because like others I've noticed how bad these transfers really look the more I watch them. Not unwatchable but they need remasters.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Frankly, the only things that really, really bother me about changes in the special editions are the moment in A New Hope when the CGI creature walks right across the screen, Greedo shooting first, Han digitally walking over Jabba the Hutt's tail, and the wretched CGI dance scene in Return of the Jedi. Every change made to Empire improved the film IMHO. The original had some pretty bad special effects so I was really happy they did something about that. I just wish these had better transfers because like others I've noticed how bad these transfers really look the more I watch them. Not unwatchable but they need remasters.

Frankly, the only things that really, really bothers me about changes to the special editions was the moment I found out they were going to suppress and supplant the original versions.

It's so sad, a remastered restored release of the original trilogy would look miles better than the half-arsed special editions. Digitally re-composited special effects from 40 years ago can look amazing, they just have had the opportunity to shine. We only have to look at The Next Generation to see how good optical and model making can look when it's been re-composited. The work on Star Wars was exceptional, just poorly assembled in places.

[Spencie]

I swore as a kid that if you paused while Jabba's Twi'lek slave falls into the Rancor pit you could catch a glimpse of nipple. Disney needs to remaster the theatrical cuts so I can investigate further.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Spencie

I swore as a kid that if you paused at the right moment as Jabba's Twi'lek slave falls into the Rancor pit you could catch a glimpse of nipple. Disney needs to remaster the theatrical cuts so I can investigate further.

Yeah, there's definitely a nip slip.

[B72]

Originally Posted by Vandal Savage

I had had the "No, I am your father," twist spoiled by the Marvel Comics adaption, which I probably read fifty times before I actually saw the movie.

"Count me in."

At the time, I felt the same way James Earl Jones said he did when he first read the ESB script. I thought Vader was lying.

Here's my copy, I can't seem to let it go :

IMG_3078.jpg


Anyone else remember surviving on the soundtrack and story albums during the three years between films ?

Originally Posted by rodneyfaile

Wow! Another tweet from Pablo Hidalgo this afternoon!

Crud.

[Michael24]

I've still got my dad's original copy of Marvel's ESB comic. It's a special oversized edition.



Also still have my dad's original SW and ESB vinyl records. For some reason, we never had ROTJ but I found a copy in good condition over ten years ago to complete the set. Always wondered why it wasn't a two-disc vinyl like the other two.

Originally Posted by Spencie

I swore as a kid that if you paused while Jabba's Twi'lek slave falls into the Rancor pit you could catch a glimpse of nipple. Disney needs to remaster the theatrical cuts so I can investigate further.

Yup, there were actually two moments. One in a wide shot (as she's backing away and pulling on the chain) and one in a close-up just before she falls through the trapdoor. The one in the wide shot was hidden in the 1997 Special Edition by having one of her headtails obscure it but the second remained.

[Indy64]

Originally Posted by B72

"Count me in."

At the time, I felt the same way James Earl Jones said he did when he first read the ESB script. I thought Vader was lying.

Anyone else remember surviving on the soundtrack and story albums during the three years between films ?

Crud.

I still have my Empire vinyl soundtrack and story albums.

[octagon]

I wish I still had the Empire LP. I wore that freaking thing out.

Back then putting on headphones, closing your eyes and cranking a soundtrack album was the closest we could get to home video

(and that was a good one for visualizing too. there were a lot of good sountracks but that one really conjured the movie in ways that other soundtracks just didn't)

[Michael24]

Plus, the ESB LP had all those great pictures in the insert that you could pour over while listening to the music.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Michael24

Plus, the ESB LP had all those great pictures in the insert that you could pour over while listening to the music.

Yeah, it was very cool. But to give today its due, all this talk about the Empire soundtrack prompted me to put it on. Which took all of four mouseclicks.

Forget getting out my chair, I didn't even have to lean over