Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[seannyd]

Originally Posted by kamphausd1

And how sad is it that 3 amazing, iconic and infinitely re-watchable movies had to fall victim many years later to the original creator's complete loss of perspective.

But I do still wonder at times if he'll ever try to make more pointless changes to the films from here on out. Or if the people running the show now will even let him.

Given that I just recently finished the Making of Star Wars book, it's actually rather surprising how disappointed he was in the first movie. He said it wasn't the movie that he set out to make, and these are interviews from 1977. I don't think he ever really had perfect perspective and in fact it was the limitations of budget and time that created the masterpiece that everyone fell in love with.

(He also mentions midi-chlorians in a late '77 interview as well.)

In that respect, I don't begrudge him for trying to make these movies as true to his original vision as possible. But I will begrudge him for trying to pretend the movies that everyone originally saw never existed.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

I would be surprised too, but it isn't impossible to imagine a 4K restoration that restores something closer to the 1997 Special Editions, since all subsequent changes have been done at HD resolution.

They could still re-do those changes in 4K or at worst upscale them. lol

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by seannyd

Given that I just recently finished the Making of Star Wars book, it's actually rather surprising how disappointed he was in the first movie. He said it wasn't the movie that he set out to make, and these are interviews from 1977. I don't think he ever really had perfect perspective and in fact it was the limitations of budget and time that created the masterpiece that everyone fell in love with.

(He also mentions midi-chlorians in a late '77 interview as well.)

In that respect, I don't begrudge him for trying to make these movies as true to his original vision as possible. But I will begrudge him for trying to pretend the movies that everyone originally saw never existed.

Yep, Lucas has always had an extremely low opinion of the original film, and as far back as 1983 he mentioned how uncomfortable he was with the violence in the movie, hence the censorship of blaster hits and the neutering of Han Solo when it came time to realising his "true vision" in 1997.

In a perverse kinda way I think it really rankled with Lucas that this movie became such a beloved classic and was such a monstrous box office success, because it didn't represent anything like what he wanted. The longer time went on, our love for it only grew while his distaste for it increased, fuelled further by the advances in VFX that his own ILM were coming up with. It's damned near a tragedy that the creator/writer/director of one of the most successful films of all time has had such a resentful relationship with his work.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yep, Lucas has always had an extremely low opinion of the original film, and as far back as 1983 he mentioned how uncomfortable he was with the violence in the movie, hence the censorship of blaster hits and the neutering of Han Solo when it came time to realising his "true vision" in 1997.

In a perverse kinda way I think it really rankled with Lucas that this movie became such a beloved classic and was such a monstrous box office success, because it didn't represent anything like what he wanted. The longer time went on, our love for it only grew while his distaste for it increased, fuelled further by the advances in VFX that his own ILM were coming up with. It's damned near a tragedy that the creator/writer/director of one of the most successful films of all time has had such a resentful relationship with his work.

If Deems Taylor in FANTASIA can be believed, Tchaikowsky hated his own Nutcracker Suite.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by seannyd

In that respect, I don't begrudge him for trying to make these movies as true to his original vision as possible. But I will begrudge him for trying to pretend the movies that everyone originally saw never existed.

Yes, no one would ever complain if the original cuts were also on the discs. It's his refusal to let audiences have both versions restored that drives people nuts and makes him look like an a-hole.

[Thomas Guycott]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Yes, no one would ever complain if the original cuts were also on the discs. It's his refusal to let audiences have both versions restored that drives people nuts and makes him look like an a-hole.

People would still have their complaints regarding the Special Editions, which is within their right, but it would be nowhere near the heated issue it is if the original cuts were available. It would probably be more comparable to the divide in opinion between versions for James Cameron films.

[Tronald Dump]

After 3 years of this set sitting on the Dump Tower shelf, Mrs Dump and I watched a bunch of the 'Making of" documentaries on the bonus disc that came with this set. So glad they included it. I love that stuff.

[LuckyDragon]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

People would still have their complaints regarding the Special Editions, which is within their right, but it would be nowhere near the heated issue it is if the original cuts were available. It would probably be more comparable to the divide in opinion between versions for James Cameron films.

Pretty much everyone agrees that the director's cuts of Aliens and The Abyss are definitive, and even though I don't really care for it, I know a lot of people prefer the director's cut of T2. On the other hand, would anyone in the world argue that any of the Star Wars special editions are better than the original cuts? Part of the reason Lucas has been so unwilling to put the original cuts out there is he knows that nobody would want his versions.

Of course, Disney can now probably do it if they want, which gives some hope for the future.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by LuckyDragon

Pretty much everyone agrees that the director's cuts of Aliens and The Abyss are definitive, and even though I don't really care for it, I know a lot of people prefer the director's cut of T2. On the other hand, would anyone in the world argue that any of the Star Wars special editions are better than the original cuts? Part of the reason Lucas has been so unwilling to put the original cuts out there is he knows that nobody would want his versions.

Empire, yes - absolutely.


Star Wars - arguable. R2's rocks don't bother me and Jabba was in every adaption I grew up with (novel, comics).

[deto]

it would be nice to have the original versions on blu-ray, but i'm more than content to have any version of the films in 1080p.

[STD]

Originally Posted by deto

it would be nice to have the original versions on blu-ray, but i'm more than content to have any version of the films in 1080p.

I will be content to get them in 4k.

[deto]

Originally Posted by STD

I will be content to get them in 4k.

me too, once i upgrade.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by deto

it would be nice to have the original versions on blu-ray, but i'm more than content to have any version of the films in 1080p.

Too bad then that these are barely in 720p!

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

People would still have their complaints regarding the Special Editions, which is within their right, but it would be nowhere near the heated issue it is if the original cuts were available. It would probably be more comparable to the divide in opinion between versions for James Cameron films.

It'd be nice to think so. We might've actually gotten (mostly) sane and reasoned discourse about the pros and cons of the various changes for the last 20 years if both had been made available, with the Greedo change dismissed as a bit of a joke instead of it becoming a rallying cry for a million fanboys (bile which no doubt carried over into the hysterial fanboy reaction to Phantom Menace).

[fat_rancor_keeper]

I've seen even the most hardcore SE haters admit they wouldn't care as much if only the OT were available as well.

I guess its sorta like the ET SE. If I recall both were originally made available? (correct me if I'm wrong) So the SE's were sorta mocked a bit but fans were still happy they got the original too. In any case Spileberg eventually leaned toward the original anyway.

[seannyd]

Originally Posted by fat_rancor_keeper

I've seen even the most hardcore SE haters admit they wouldn't care as much if only the OT were available as well.

I guess its sorta like the ET SE. If I recall both were originally made available? (correct me if I'm wrong) So the SE's were sorta mocked a bit but fans were still happy they got the original too. In any case Spileberg eventually leaned toward the original anyway.

If I remember correctly, that was a last minute decision to include the original version after an outcry. Initially, it was just going to be the updated version. Of course, this was 13 years ago so my memory could be failing me a bit.

At any rate, Star Wars continues to be fascinating above and beyond the stories presented on screen.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by seannyd

If I remember correctly, that was a last minute decision to include the original version after an outcry. Initially, it was just going to be the updated version. Of course, this was 13 years ago so my memory could be failing me a bit.

At any rate, Star Wars continues to be fascinating above and beyond the stories presented on screen.

I think you're right about the DVD of ET. But it's crazy how they went from 'oh, you wanted the original too and not just this super spruced up edition? here you go' to 'what special edition?' (on the Blu-ray) in about 10 years. I genuinely would've liked to have had the SE version on the Blu-ray for completeness' sake, but naturally I'm extremely happy that the original is what we got, and looking/sounding mighty fine too.

[Bluyoda]

Originally Posted by LuckyDragon

Pretty much everyone agrees that the director's cuts of Aliens and The Abyss are definitive, and even though I don't really care for it, I know a lot of people prefer the director's cut of T2. On the other hand, would anyone in the world argue that any of the Star Wars special editions are better than the original cuts? Part of the reason Lucas has been so unwilling to put the original cuts out there is he knows that nobody would want his versions.

Of course, Disney can now probably do it if they want, which gives some hope for the future.

Ok, so you basically asked for it.

That's a resounding YES for me.

It'd be nice to have the UOT to compare, but I wouldn't watch them more than once.

While the SE OT still isn't perfect, it's far better than the UOT IMHO.

That's just me though.

[LuckyDragon]

You guys can certainly keep this:

Jedi Rocks

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by LuckyDragon

You guys can certainly keep this:

YouTube video: "JEDI ROCKS"

Of all the things that are difficult to stomach in the prequels and special editions, including Jar Jar and midichlorians, younglings and blinking Ewoks… even in a world where Han doesn't shoot first and Vader yells "Noooo" more often than he should… "Jedi Rocks" is without a doubt the most terrible cringe-inducing, head-scratchingly-bad abomination ever thrust upon STAR WARS fans. I'm slowly adjusting to everything else, but I literally cannot watch "Jedi Rocks".

Luckily, it's perfectly poised at the end of a chapter and can be skipped easily. After the droids get their new assignments, the film cuts to the Max Rebo band finishing a harmless-enough jazz number; then Jabba demands something like "play that one again". At that moment, hit the "next chapter" button on your remote and suddenly the party is interrupted by the sounds of a ruckus being caused by bounty hunter "Boushh" and Chewbacca. Continue the movie without ever having been subjected to the "Jedi Rocks" nonsense. You're welcome. :-)