Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by JAL4U2C

I saw Jedi 3 times opening day. The scene you refer to did have a ship hitting the shield. There was also the scene of Luke and Leia swinging to the skiff and showing her backside briefly. Of course, none of these made it to the VHS version. And of course Lucasfilm will deny it just like they denied having shown the Biggs Darklighter sequence when Star Wars first aired on CBS.

I was 12 in '83 and saw JEDI on opening day... and then again the very next day. I absolutely DO remember seeing a ship hit the shield... but as someone who works "in the biz", I just can't imagine they'd change a singe VFX shot like that after release. As much as I remember seeing it, I'm 100% convinced it was my 12-year-old imagination mixing up the novelization with my viewing experience. There's no logical reason why they would go to the ENORMOUS effort of removing a single innocuous shot.

[schusler]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

I was 12 in '83 and saw JEDI on opening day... and then again the very next day. I absolutely DO remember seeing a ship hit the shield... but as someone who works "in the biz", I just can't imagine they'd change a singe VFX shot like that after release. As much as I remember seeing it, I'm 100% convinced it was my 12-year-old imagination mixing up the novelization with my viewing experience. There's no logical reason why they would go to the ENORMOUS effort of removing a single innocuous shot.

SB, I had that same logic too.

The problem - I have never read the movie novelization to Jedi even to this day.

I know you work in the biz... but this is Lucas we're talking about here.

[DJR662]

Interesting things on Jedi here.

This happens to be the only movie of the original trilogy I have seen during its original theatrical run. I was very young at the time and never seen or even heard of the previous movies. Therefor this is the one that started my SW craze, you cannot imagine what kind of movie experience this was to me back then...pure magic!

Now the thing is when I watched it on VHS almost a year later, I distinctively remembered a scene missing during the Rancor attack.
I could have sworn back then during the theatrical screening, I saw Luke reaching for the gate and hanging there in the air, only to have some Jawas kicking on his fingers so he would fall down.

Anyone knows if it's possible this was in the theatrical version during opening weekend?

[oldgame]

Between books, comics, trailer's, making of's, etc. Your mind is remembering things differently. It's easy to mash everything together. Actually my best friend at the time of the release of Jedi. Was disappointed that no ships crashed into the shield, because he read the novel before he saw the movie.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by oldgame

Between books, comics, trailer's, making of's, etc. Your mind is remembering things differently. It's easy to mash everything together.

This is so true. The ultimate experience of this, for me, was in 1977. I was six years old when the first STAR WARS hit theaters. My dad got us there ten minutes late, so the first time I saw the movie, I did NOT experience the amazing beginning!!! My hazy memory of that first arrival to STAR WARS in-progress is that we sat down during the famously "cut" Biggs-and-Luke scene on Tatooine. It's absolutely what I remember... and yet not for a moment do I think it's true. Obviously, that scene was never included in any edition of STAR WARS that went out to the public... but that's what I recall.

Anyhoo... this story has a happy ending, 'cuz I saw STAR WARS -- in its entirety -- on the big screen six more times from '77 to '81, thanks to the fact that it kept getting re-released every summer. Ah, those were the days.

[DJR662]

Originally Posted by DJR662

Interesting things on Jedi here.

This happens to be the only movie of the original trilogy I have seen during its original theatrical run. I was very young at the time and never seen or even heard of the previous movies. Therefor this is the one that started my SW craze, you cannot imagine what kind of movie experience this was to me back then...pure magic!

Now the thing is when I watched it on VHS almost a year later, I distinctively remembered a scene missing during the Rancor attack.
I could have sworn back then during the theatrical screening, I saw Luke reaching for the gate and hanging there in the air, only to have some Jawas kicking on his fingers so he would fall down.

Anyone knows if it's possible this was in the theatrical version during opening weekend?

I was digging around and found this on youtube:

Return of the Jedi (1983) Rancor Scene (Rough Cut Footage) - YouTube

Obviously back in 1984 this was not available to the public.

Also found this:

http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.co...e6/rancor.html

Now I got that storybook (still have it btw) before I saw Jedi on VHS again so I might have remembered that picture and just went along with it and imagined the scene further...

[chip75]

I had a look at the comicbook annual and it doesn't feature any ships hitting a still operational Death Star shield.

[Hardback247]

Very poignant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ_cCHchlFE

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

Very poignant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ_cCHchlFE

The guy in that video said he hopes Disney never releases the original versions of the OT on Blu-ray. I don't think I'll ever understand why someone prefers the special editions over the originals. And I didn't know there are actually people (besides Lucas) who don't want the original versions to ever be released. That is mind-boggling to me.

[crissrudd4554]

My argument has been the same for the past few years. I dont mind Lucas wanting to express his vision. Artists will be artists. Its the 'lack of choice' that he has, or rather had, given the fans that I disagree with. Having both versions packaged together is not answering to one camp but those who want the choice. Pointing out the pros and cons of both versions is irrelevent because in the end they both should be available. But I digress. Lucas isnt in charge anymore and this same argument has been pitched by dozens of people before. As far as Lucas 'raping peoples childhood', c'mon. Ok some of the SE changes are bad but seriously get a grip guys.

[Hardback247]

I think most, but not all, of the changes greatly improve the OT.

[dubious]

I watched the community 35mm scans of ANH and ESB this weekend and what an experience, amazing how much stuff my memory had attributed to being original which seeped into memory over the years of channel hopping viewings. Love seeing those theatrical cuts and how organic the color is (even if fade and lack of full color correction is at play) compared with the abominations we only have authorized access to now.

[crissrudd4554]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

I think most, but not all, of the changes greatly improve the OT.

Well in ways that may be true but in the end there's never gonna be a unanimous vote for what's the better version. In the end it's what's gonna be available. On one hand you have the versions where it started that began a global phenomenon and then you have the versions that represent Lucas' vision and in some instances improve upon the original. I mentioned a few pages ago that taking one away is not gonna be the way to cater to the biggest audience i.e. simply giving fans the originals is not the answer.

[DJR662]

I did not really mind the 1997 theatrical Special Edtions besides a few exceptions. I'm probably in the minority here but I love the Jabba scene in Hope (even if the CGI is bad) and all other extra footage that was originally filmed back then and had been put back in. Did not really mind the altered explosion of the Death Star or the extra Stormtroopers in the hall. Did not mind the corrections of special effects either.

What I do mind are the constant changes that have been made over the years with every release, Lucas should have stuck with the Special Editions and kept it at that. And ofcourse there are the really uncalled for changes, Han-Greedo obviously comes to mind and who can forget the extra rocks in front of R2 or Vader's "Noooo".

Maybe one day Lucas can work his magic on TFA and Rogue One and make all those horrible (IMO at least) "comedy" scenes disappear...

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by bobbyh64

The guy in that video said he hopes Disney never releases the original versions of the OT on Blu-ray. I don't think I'll ever understand why someone prefers the special editions over the originals. And I didn't know there are actually people (besides Lucas) who don't want the original versions to ever be released. That is mind-boggling to me.

As ive said a few times before, I guess it depends which versions you grew up with. Ive basically grown up with the SE so that's are the ones I remember & continue to rewatch & enjoy. I might've seen the originals as a small kid on VHS but remember nothing of them. For kids growing up now all they'll know are the SE also.

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

As ive said a few times before, I guess it depends which versions you grew up with. Ive basically grown up with the SE so that's are the ones I remember & continue to rewatch & enjoy. I might've seen the originals as a small kid on VHS but remember nothing of them. For kids growing up now all they'll know are the SE also.

I also think it depends on which changes we're talking about. Adding CGI creatures in a film from the '70s looks very strange in my opinion and there are a lot of shots in the special editions like that. They just take me out of the movie. I feel the same way about the special edition of E.T.

[Vandal Savage]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

Very poignant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ_cCHchlFE

Good lord, I wasted about seven minutes listening to that inane rambling before I shut it off. If he takes seven minutes to tell me he's a fan and not a fanboy over and over again, then I'm not bothering with the other hour and a half.

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by Vandal Savage

Good lord, I wasted about seven minutes listening to that inane rambling before I shut it off. If he takes seven minutes to tell me he's a fan and not a fanboy over and over again, then I'm not bothering with the other hour and a half.

I completely agree. I have no time for people who feel the need to constantly repeat themselves and come across like what they're saying is extremely important. I watched about 10 minutes, then skimmed to a random part where he says he hopes Disney never releases the original versions, and then shut it off.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

Very poignant:

100 minute rant tilting at windmills?

No thanks.

[WestMan]

Originally Posted by crissrudd4554

My argument has been the same for the past few years. I dont mind Lucas wanting to express his vision. Artists will be artists. Its the 'lack of choice' that he has, or rather had, given the fans that I disagree with. Having both versions packaged together is not answering to one camp but those who want the choice. Pointing out the pros and cons of both versions is irrelevent because in the end they both should be available. But I digress. Lucas isnt in charge anymore and this same argument has been pitched by dozens of people before. As far as Lucas 'raping peoples childhood', c'mon. Ok some of the SE changes are bad but seriously get a grip guys.

If you really don't mind an artist expressing his vision, then you shouldn't mind him deciding exactly which stage of his vision he wants people to see.