Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[Ernest Rister]

I really don't know what it is with the 40+ set and the attitude about Spielberg...do you really expect any film to gobsmack you across the head like Jaws, Lucas' Star Wars, Close Encounters, Raiders, Lucas' Empire Strikes Back and E.T.? When you were 5-10 years old? When you became young adults, and you matured and processed the world, and films came along that really touched you, did you expect those experiences twenty years later? Revelations of a world you've already plunged into?

Steven Spielberg has been at the top of his game for decades -- he bit the bullet on Crystal Skull and even laughs about it, even though despite the wonky story he staged it well -- and The Terminal was a misfired attempt at a Tati emulation experiment in style -- but you aren't 5-10 years old anymore. Guess what? Spielberg isn't in his late 20's-early 40's anymore. Maybe when you catch up to him later in your life, and see what he was doing late in HIS life, you *might* *maybe* *somewhat* come around to who he was and what he was doing...even without sharks, aliens, dinosaurs.

Steven Spielberg is a gift to the world. Throttle back. Stop taking glory for granted.

[Riddler95]

Originally Posted by Class316

The 2006 double packs have the original theatrical as extra discs.

However from what I understand if you download de specialized editions they are better quality as the editions released in 2006 are basically the same as the 1993 definitive collection laserdiscs.

For Phantom Manace everything newer than laserdisc has the CGI Yoda. But no one misses the original in that scenario.

No. It was confirmed that the 2006 Letterboxed DVDs of the Original Versions did indeed look better than the 1993 Definitive Collection and the 1995 THX Faces LaserDisc Editions.

I remember seeing comparisons online but I can no longer find the link.

[rexcrk]

The Despecialized versions are absolutely worth looking into. They did an absolutely incredible job with that.

I don't utterly despise the work Lucas did to the movies (though he really should have offered the originals as well) but it's nice to watch the originals every now and then. In a high quality format.

[Class316]

Originally Posted by Riddler95

No. It was confirmed that the 2006 Letterboxed DVDs of the Original Versions did indeed look better than the 1993 Definitive Collection and the 1995 THX Faces Editions.

I remember seeing comparisons online but I can no longer find the link.

That's why I said "basically" the same. I would hope it's better than either one since one is DVD and one is laserdisc. But they are based from the same masters.

As for Yoda puppet on phantom manace, my mistake. However I believe there is no DVD that is the theatrical edition as other changes were made. So to correct myself nothing newer than laserdisc has the exact theatrical edition.

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by Alan_Grant

To be fair, Spielberg's last great movie was Schindler's List....in 1994, and his last great action/adventure flick was 93'.

Munich and Bridge of Spies disagree. (I'm a sucker for Tintin but I realize that movie is an acquired taste.)

And Schindler's List was 1993, same year as Jurassic Park.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

A true fan would learn to accept a movie's existence and not incessantly whine about it for years.

I hate the phrase "true fan", and I also hate the mentality that a "true fan" should just shut up and accept everything.

[MechaGodzilla]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I really don't know what it is with the 40+ set and the attitude about Spielberg...do you really expect any film to gobsmack you across the head like Jaws, Lucas' Star Wars, Close Encounters, Raiders, Lucas' Empire Strikes Back and E.T.? When you were 5-10 years old? When you became young adults, and you matured and processed the world, and films came along that really touched you, did you expect those experiences twenty years later? Revelations of a world you've already plunged into?

Steven Spielberg has been at the top of his game for decades -- he bit the bullet on Crystal Skull and even laughs about it, even though despite the wonky story he staged it well -- and The Terminal was a misfired attempt at a Tati emulation experiment in style -- but you aren't 5-10 years old anymore. Guess what? Spielberg isn't in his late 20's-early 40's anymore. Maybe when you catch up to him later in your life, and see what he was doing late in HIS life, you *might* *maybe* *somewhat* come around to who he was and what he was doing...even without presidents, sharks, aliens, dinosaurs.

Steven Spielberg is a gift to the world. Throttle back. Stop taking glory for granted.

Admittedly most of my favorite Spielberg films are from the '70s-'90s, but I wouldn't say his talent diminished or anything. Like you say, the shift in (or perhaps rather evolution of) style and (with a few exceptions) stories he likes to tell makes sense for a man who, like all of us, ages and goes through different stages of life in which his perspective, interests and priorities change.

Like any good artist he reinvents himself, which is something I feel should always be encouraged. There are filmmakers, authors, musicians, etc. who end up doing the same thing ad infinitum, sticking to what made them famous because it's what their audience demands or they don't want to move outside their comfort zone, afraid to challenge themselves, and one thing most of them have in common is it gets boring. Their heart isn't in it anymore, at 40-50+ they aren't the person they were in their youth and what made sense at that age isn't necessarily what makes sense later in life.

Not to mention, it's very unstimulating creatively to be stuck in a loop, doing the same thing over and over again. It's new and exciting at first, but at some point you have to try something new. Spielberg hasn't completely abandoned the lighthearted action/adventure film, he still directs them occasionally, he produces a whole lot of them and he loves to watch them when other people make them, but it's not what he wants to focus on in his directing career, and that's fair enough. I think after his contributions to that genre in decades past, he's more than earned the right to move away from it and to say he owes us more after Jaws, Close Encounters, Raiders, E.T., Jurassic Park, etc. is just selfish and greedy on our part.

[StingingVelvet]

I'm known as a "prequel hater" but man, I watched Chronicles of Riddick last night for the first time and I'll tell ya... I would take Attack of Clones over that P.O.S. all day long.

[Arawn]

All the great heroes of the 70s/80s eventually lost it. Some of it has to do with not being young and hungry anymore. But it's not the same world. The culture is degraded. The ethos of 1970s filmmaking just doesn't exist anymore.

[balthazar_bee]

That didn't stop Spielberg from making Munich, arguably the best post-70s, 70s thriller ever made (aside from Zodiac, of course).

[Alan_Grant]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

To be fair, Saving Private Ryan, A.I., Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, Munich, War Horse, Lincoln, and The BFG are oustanding, and Adventures of TinTin is a great adventure film -- beautifully staged and directed and a lot of fun.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3mVpZTGCikM

Saving Private Ryan and Lincoln are war drama / drama
A.I. / Minority Report are SCI-FI movies
Tintin was meh, didn't care for it
Don't care to see BFG, even then that's Fantasy.

None of those movies are action / adventure, and while none are bad persay, nothing really struck a chord within me.

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Munich and Bridge of Spies disagree. (I'm a sucker for Tintin but I realize that movie is an acquired taste.)

And Schindler's List was 1993, same year as Jurassic Park.

I'd still say Munich / BoS are dramas / thrillers and not action / adventure, but oops on the year mistake lol

[Hellraiserfan]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I really don't know what it is with the 40+ set and the attitude about Spielberg...do you really expect any film to gobsmack you across the head like Jaws, Lucas' Star Wars, Close Encounters, Raiders, Lucas' Empire Strikes Back and E.T.? When you were 5-10 years old? When you became young adults, and you matured and processed the world, and films came along that really touched you, did you expect those experiences twenty years later? Revelations of a world you've already plunged into?

Steven Spielberg has been at the top of his game for decades -- he bit the bullet on Crystal Skull and even laughs about it, even though despite the wonky story he staged it well -- and The Terminal was a misfired attempt at a Tati emulation experiment in style -- but you aren't 5-10 years old anymore. Guess what? Spielberg isn't in his late 20's-early 40's anymore. Maybe when you catch up to him later in your life, and see what he was doing late in HIS life, you *might* *maybe* *somewhat* come around to who he was and what he was doing...even without presidents, sharks, aliens, dinosaurs.

Steven Spielberg is a gift to the world. Throttle back. Stop taking glory for granted.

I'm not one of those fans who thinks you should like every film from your favorite directors but I will say your post is spot on.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Hellraiserfan

I'm not one of those fans who thinks you should like every film from your favorite directors but I will say your post is spot on.

I think he's been on a smoking hot streak -- War Horse, Tintin, Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, The BFG -- just amazing, all of them, and an example of an interested, excited mind. Indy 5 is the LAST thing I would want him to do, but he's doing it, maybe he's adamant on not closing the series out on Crystal Skull.

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by Alan_Grant

I'd still say Munich / BoS are dramas / thrillers and not action / adventure, but oops on the year mistake lol

Well you said his last great movie was Schindler's List, so I was mainly responding to that. Would also add SPR and Minority Report to the ones I mentioned earlier. Spielberg's resume is an embarrassment of riches.

[The Fallen Deity]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

I'm known as a "prequel hater" but man, I watched Chronicles of Riddick last night for the first time and I'll tell ya... I would take Attack of Clones over that P.O.S. all day long.

Have you seen the extended edition? I think it's much better than the theatrical cut.

[Geoff D]

I love the Chronicles of Riddick.

[The Fallen Deity]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I love the Chronicles of Riddick.

I think it's very underrated.

[WestMan]

Spielberg has a style you either love or hate.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by WestMan

Spielberg has a style you either love or hate.

Spielberg is a neo-classicist...he takes the best of the past (Victor Fleming, Michael Curtiz, David Lean, Ford, Hitchcock, Disney) and blends it with a forward-thinking vision, all of those directors intended to delight and entertain audiences. He's insanely film-literate, it's how his brain is wired, he soaks up shot after shot after shot. I've heard when he showed up on set to do a day on Amistad, no one was allowed to talk to him, and he prowled around the set for about half an hour, and at the end of that thirty minutes, he had figured out the entire day's shooting strategy in his head. He's Mozart.

No, I'm not putting up with the nonsense, I already went through it in the post-E.T. late 80's when Empire of the Sun was sandbagged out of jealousy and confusion. Steven Spielberg is a freaking national treasure. Doesn't mean you have to like his movies, but don't kid yourself about his ability and bravery...he's one for the ages. "Hasn't made a great movie since Schindler's List" -- yeah, sorry. That paper airplane doesn't fly in my neighborhood.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by The Fallen Deity

Have you seen the extended edition? I think it's much better than the theatrical cut.

Originally Posted by The Fallen Deity

I think it's very underrated.

I watched the extended, yes. Maybe that was a mistake I dunno. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it? I just thought it was godawful. The CGI looked Mummy Returns level, the story seemed so meandering. I'm a big fan of Pitch Black and Riddick, just always avoided this one because of its rep. Maybe I am missing something but man I hated every second of it except for a few quips. Like I would give it a 1 out of 5.

I'll try the theatrical cut someday, since I own the damn thing.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I love the Chronicles of Riddick.

If my weakness is gritty, grungy schlock then yours is big budget spectacle schlock.