Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[DoubleDownAgain]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

The biggest difference between Blade Runner and Star Wars is that the changes to Blade Runner don't suck and ruin the film.

Wrong, the biggest difference is you have your choice which cut you want to watch on blu-ray.

[al cos.]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

The original editions of the OT were destroyed when they created the Special Editions.

It doesn't work like that at all, but don't let reality get in the way.

[benricci]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

The original editions of the OT were destroyed when they created the Special Editions.

That's not even remotely true, but thanks for continuing to spread misinformation.

[kemcha]

Actually, it didn't take him four tries. I've purchased every incarnation of the Star Wars films on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray and I can verify this as well from my personal experiences:

First: Lucasfilm releases the original trilogy via VHS

Second: Lucasfilm releases the original trilogy via the letterbox format (I'm sure many of us here remember that, black bars on the top and bottom, released via VHS)

Third: Lucasfilm decides to update the audio in the original trilogy and we witness the release of the trilogy through the THX audio format, (bear in mind that everything up to now did not add any new footage or special effects, this third release only saw the audio u pgraded with superior sound quality)

Fourth: Lucasfilm begins work on the "special edition" versions of the original trilogy, which would included upgraded special effects, updated audio and new footage added to each of the films (this was the first time that new footage would be added to the three films because the film masters for each film were deteriorating and it would become known that "A New Hope" suffered the most damage and that extensive work had to be done to preserve the film)

As an end note, I do recall Lucas giving an interview about the original unedited trilogy and how the films didn't mesh with his vision for "Star Wars". I believe he commented about how inferior the sound quality was, the inferior special effects and so forth. I don't know if someone has a link to that interview, but I do recall how he wasn't interested in releasing the original versions because of how bad the picture quality and audio was for those films. At the time, fans wanted the original unedited films released with the updated audio and special effects and he took offense at that idea because he considered them inferior versions of his films.

I do know that he has gone on record as saying that the 'special editions' films are the only version of Star Wars to exist. In order to remaster those versions to Blu-ray would require extensive remastering and a huge budget because of all of the work that would have to go into making them.

For those looking for those versions, I do recall that he released them via 2-disk DVD releases for the prequel trilogy on DVD. At least, until 2020, the definitive editions of the Star Wars saga are currently available on Blu-ray and I still enjoy them to this day.

But, would I support the releases if Lucas ever did release them to Blu-ray? Undoubtedly. But, I'm not going to hold my breath because whether you're a purist or whether you're a fan of the updated films, it's all still Star Wars. By the way, I do sympathize with everyone who makes a big issue out of the Star Wars films. While I don't share in the extremism of the attitude toward the special edition films, I do feel the same way towards studios who decide to produce "colorized" versions of classic black and white films and television shows. Case in point? Bewitched Season 1-2 and I Dream of Jeannie Season 1. Watch it in color? ACK ... what a horrible thought. lols

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I always laugh when I read or hear about Lucas' true vision of the OT. It only took him four tries to get it right. Pretty inept if you ask me.

[stvn1974]

Original theatrical cuts
Special Editons with changes
DVD release with changes
Blu-ray releases with changes

That is four times.

[RyanPom]

Originally Posted by benricci

That's not even remotely true, but thanks for continuing to spread misinformation.

The original negatives for the OTs were so far gone when they went to make the SE's, they had to be changed.

Also, there were many different versions of ANH and ESB in the theaters between the 70 mm cuts and the 35 mm cuts.

[al cos.]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

The original negatives for the OTs were so far gone when they went to make the SE's, they had to be changed.

I know that sounds really smart inside your head but it's gibberish.

[RyanPom]

Originally Posted by al cos.

I know that sounds really smart inside your head but it's gibberish.

WTH is your problem? If it's so gibberish, why comment on it? Go to a Star Trek thread or something?

[benricci]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

WTH is your problem? If it's so gibberish, why comment on it? Go to a Star Trek thread or something?

I think his problem (and mine) is that you keep stating things as "fact" that simply are not true. Can you please stop?

[RyanPom]

Originally Posted by benricci

I think his problem (and mine) is that you keep stating things as "fact" that simply are not true. Can you please stop?

God, sorry, I didn't know this was wikipedia.

[benricci]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

God, sorry, I didn't know this was wikipedia.

Well, now you know.

[Glamdring7920]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

WTH is your problem? If it's so gibberish, why comment on it? Go to a Star Trek thread or something?

Originally Posted by benricci

I think his problem (and mine) is that you keep stating things as "fact" that simply are not true. Can you please stop?

Sounds about right benricci. Please stop spouting studio PR filth RyanPom. Or are you just going to tell me to read a Dune or Hobbit thread?

[BouCoupDinkyDau]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Then explain all those Blade Runner releases!

Studio interference for the most part.

The final cut was the result of professionals that had their own personal passion for the film, and wanted to see that last coat of polish it never received. In the case of Blade Runner, only cosmetic changes were made to finally give the movie a feeling of being complete. The team did not add in extra replicants, banthas, mimes, or CGI in brand new scenes that completely changed characters or the overall tone of the film.

Big difference. On many levels.

[The Fallen Deity]

As far as I'm concerned, George Lucas is extremely arrogant for not preserving the Theatrical Cuts properly. Those versions of the films are a huge part of popular culture. I can guarente that if you ask most Star Wars fans which versions of the Original Trilogy they prfer, there's a huge chance that they'll say that they prfer the Theatrical Cuts. What makes Lucas so special compared to other filmmakers?

Steven Spielberg hates the Theatrical Cut of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind but he still had the decency to include it in the Blu-Ray set along with the other two cuts of the film.

The same thing applies to Ridley Scott and Blade Runner.

[RyanPom]

Don't really care. I like the changes.

[The Fallen Deity]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Don't really care. I like the changes.

Good for you but most fans hate them.

[RyanPom]

Originally Posted by The Fallen Deity

Good for you but most fans hate them.

Wait until the new movies come out, that will make the OT changes look like cake walk.

[The Fallen Deity]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Wait until the new movies come out, that will make the OT changes look like cake walk.

What the hell do to the OT changes have to do with the upcoming Sequel Trilogy?

The OT was a fully finished, filmmaker approved set of films when they were released. It was only around 15 years later that Lucas decided to mess around with them so he could update them. Fair enough if he wanted to do it once but doing it two more times is taking the piss imo. None of the changes really improve the films either. If anything it makes them worse.

Films are a product of their time and should be left alone if they were finished properly first time around.

It was never a Blade Runner scenario with the OT where the studio execs hacked the films to pieces and against the wishes of the filmmakers.

[BouCoupDinkyDau]

Originally Posted by The Fallen Deity

As far as I'm concerned, George Lucas is extremely arrogant for not preserving the Theatrical Cuts properly. Those versions of the films are a huge part of popular culture. I can guarente that if you ask most Star Wars fans which versions of the Original Trilogy they prfer, there's a huge chance that they'll say that they prfer the Theatrical Cuts. What makes Lucas so special compared to other filmmakers?

It's not just that they are part of popular culture, but they are part of cinema history and a representation of the era that they came out of.

No artist is ever satisfied with the end result of their labors. That's why the old saying that "art is never finished, only abandoned," applies. But once you release your work for others to take in, they absorb that work into themselves and the social consciousness and give it their own internal meanings. So to change it without making the original release available is like telling everyone: "Go f*** yourselves. I don't care about your emotions or how you view art. I'm selling a product, and you are all my little consuming b***hes."

Lucas went from being one of the most renowned artists of his generation to nothing more than a toy peddler. He went from respected artist to corporate villain.

He should have never returned to the SW universe, something that even he himself has admitted.

[RyanPom]

Man, you people are harsh. This is worse than the Trek threads, lol.