Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[Josep5349]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

I'm watching Attack of the Clones
There is a line that is different from the Theater/DVD...
Palpatine says So they've finally given you an assignment.
It used to be, So they've finally given you you first assignment

Obviously I can’t recall the theatre version (and be honest neither can you), but it’s “an assignment” on disc. Nothing new.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Originally Posted by bobbyh64

That’s one of the problems with the special editions. How can they be special when there’s so many versions of them? Lucas is screwing with people’s memories.

His “original vision” has changed more times than his shirt.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by Josep5349

Obviously I can’t recall the theatre version (and be honest neither can you), but it’s “an assignment” on disc. Nothing new.

I can recall it. I saw it 5 times in the cinema and once on bootleg dvd befire it hit theaters.
Just like how I remember Yoda saying "Begun, this clone war, has." at the end.

[Neon Rabbit]

Originally Posted by chewbabka

Might explain why they don’t call them that anymore...
Of course the real reason is they want casual and new fans to believe this is how they’ve always been.

Actually, the only time these films have ever been referred to as Special Editions was during the 1997 theatrical re-release and subsequent VHS release of the 1997 versions of the Trilogy. During this time, the new changes and additions were openly spoken of in advertising and promotional material because they needed something to hang a marketing campaign on other than just the fact that it was the 20th Anniversary so that people wouldn't think these were just the same old movies they'd seen dozens of times before. I'm sure if George could have had it his way he would have just pretended the films were always this way.

The 2000 VHS release of the Trilogy which included the first glimpse of Episode II was the first time that the 1997 cuts of the film were released without the Special Edition moniker, and from this point on even as further changes were being made, the films were never again referred to as being any kind of alternate version from what was first released. It was also around this same time in the year 2000 that all copies of the original versions of the film began to disappear from video rental stores that had previously stocked both versions of the Trilogy. George Lucas was dead serious about his intention for their to only be one version of the Trilogy and he started aggressively enforcing it during this time period.

[Josep5349]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

I can recall it. I saw it 5 times in the cinema and once on bootleg dvd befire it hit theaters.

Mandela Effect. Your memory’s playing tricks on you. They haven’t changed it.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by Josep5349

Mandela Effect. Your memory’s playing tricks on you. They haven’t changed it.

No. It was changed.
Even different theater types had different dialogue for at least two parts.
The previously mentioned Yoda line and Obi-Wan's line when he is chained up in the arena

[Josep5349]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

No. It was changed.
Even different theater types had different dialogue for at least two parts.
The previously mentioned Yoda line and Obi-Wan's line when he is chained up in the arena

Only interested in the Palpatine one. I’m happy to be proved wrong though. If you still have that bootleg of the theatrical version, can you post a clip of the allegedly original conversation? I have the discs from when they first came out and it hasn’t changed. So the only question that remains in my mind is the theatrical release. How does the novelisation play out?

[Jay G.]

Originally Posted by Neon Rabbit

Actually, the only time these films have ever been referred to as Special Editions was during the 1997 theatrical re-release and subsequent VHS release of the 1997 versions of the Trilogy. During this time, the new changes and additions were openly spoken of in advertising and promotional material because they needed something to hang a marketing campaign on other than just the fact that it was the 20th Anniversary so that people wouldn't think these were just the same old movies they'd seen dozens of times before.

Not entirely. The SE theatrical releases in 1997 were also heavily promoted as being on "the big screen," back when most TVs were still relatively small, and most people had only seen the P&S versions on home video.

Here's the trailer promoting the SEs, which emphasizes the "big screen" aspect first, although it does also promote the new special effects and scenes.

"Star Wars Trilogy (1997)" Special Edition Trailer - YouTube

[buck135]

Originally Posted by Josep5349

Mandela Effect. Your memory’s playing tricks on you. They haven’t changed it.

There were several changes to the prequel trilogy when they were released on DVD.

[CreasyBear]

Man, that Special Edition trailer still gets me jazzed. I feel like I could watch them right now! I was a few years later for the original runs, but seeing them in a sold out theater opening day in 1997 was truly magical.

[Josep5349]

Originally Posted by buck135

There were several changes to the prequel trilogy when they were released on DVD.

I know, I’m just curious about this one in particular. As I said, happy to be corrected but I haven’t found anything that confirms that line was changed.

.

[Neon Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Jay G.

Not entirely. The SE theatrical releases in 1997 were also heavily promoted as being on "the big screen," back when most TVs were still relatively small, and most people had only seen the P&S versions on home video.

Here's the trailer promoting the SEs, which emphasizes the "big screen" aspect first, although it does also promote the new special effects and scenes.
"Star Wars Trilogy (1997)" Special Edition Trailer - YouTube

Yes, the fact that they were being shown in theaters again was a big part of the marketing campaign for sure, but I guess what I mean was that during this time they made no bones about the fact that there were significant special effects enhancements and additional scenes being added, and that these were not the versions you had seen dozens of times on video and in theaters years before.

There were dozens of promo featurettes and TV specials during the time the SEs were released where the new changes were openly advertised and covered what they were changing and adding and why it was being done, in contrast to 2004 or any time after where they would just sneak in unannounced new changes all nonchalant and people wouldn't know until they watched the discs.

The "Special Edition" moniker was an attempt to openly market these as new versions you hadn't seen before, similar to Spielberg's Close Encounters re-release. Now, you never know what you're going to get when a new Star Wars release comes out because they are not marketed as being anything other than the original films.

[Jay G.]

Originally Posted by Neon Rabbit

The "Special Edition" moniker was an attempt to openly market these as new versions you hadn't seen before, similar to Spielberg's Close Encounters re-release. Now, you never know what you're going to get when a new Star Wars release comes out because they are not marketed as being anything other than the original films.

Yes, the Special Editions were originally marketed specifically as being different with new effects and scenes, although I don't think they ever marketed the changes that actually altered the existing story, like Greedo shooting first.

And you're right that they no longer label the new cuts "Special Edition," although Lucas has since changed them even more, due to there being different cuts for the VHS release, DVD release, Blu-ray release, and now 4K Disney+. The cuts are no longer the 1997 SE, although they incorporate those changes.

Really, at this point, unless it says otherwise, you can safely assume you're getting an altered cut. When the Limited Edition DVDs came out, the cut on the 2nd disc was specifically labeled "original theatrical version."

[Jay G.]

For AOTC, there were differences between the "regular" theatrical release on film, and the more limited digital release, apparently because Lucasfilm had more time to work on the digital release (the film theatrical likely had to be locked earlier to start making prints). The home video releases are based on the digital theatrical release. Of course, the Blu-ray release had some additional changes.

That said, sites that list differences don't mention those two lines.

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=683662
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121765/alternateversions
PT-Theatrical version vs DVD vs BLu Ray Versions

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by Jay G.

For AOTC, there were differences between the "regular" theatrical release on film, and the more limited digital release, apparently because Lucasfilm had more time to work on the digital release (the film theatrical likely had to be locked earlier to start making prints). The home video releases are based on the digital theatrical release. Of course, the Blu-ray release had some additional changes.

That said, sites that list differences don't mention those two lines.

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=683662
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121765/alternateversions
PT-Theatrical version vs DVD vs BLu Ray Versions

They are such small changes, but still noticeable.

Also, I no longer have the old bootleg DVD as I lost my original collection to a fire.
then my second collection when I got divorced. I'm now on my 3rd.

[bobbyh64]

I downloaded the theatrical cut of Attack of the Clones and Palpatine says “So, they’ve finally given you an assignment.”

[Gold Ranger]

What was Master Yoda's line at the end?

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

What was Master Yoda's line at the end?

“Begun, the clone war has.”

This version is weird because it looks like someone filmed it at a movie theater. The screen is shown at an odd angle and the camera is still, so it might’ve been on a tripod. Did the copy you have look like this?

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by bobbyh64

“Begun, the clone war has.”

This version is weird because it looks like someone filmed it at a movie theater. The screen is shown at an odd angle and the camera is still, so it might’ve been on a tripod. Did the copy you have look like this?

No. It was straight on, cropped a little on al sides and it looked dark.
I wonder if the "this" and "first" are from the same cut..

[dcowboy7]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

What was Master Yoda's line at the end?

"Oh ****".