Star Wars Saga DVDs (1 Viewer)

[Mike Wadkins]

I would pay Laserdisc money for the set

 

[JediFonger]

original theatrical in hi-def? maybe 400+ yrs later or whenever lucas's copyright expires and his heirs are desperate for cash. but not in our lifetime.

all extras might be possible, but that's the only line item that i see could possibly be.

i think even the SD DVD edition might not even make it! there'll be a whole new cut. imagine CG Yoda replacing puppet yoda for 4-6 . don't laugh, could be possible.

i'm prepared for anything these days. even a whole new cut where ep1-6 becomes a 6part musical space opera.

 

[TravisR]

I think the Star Wars trilogy came out in late September but other LFL DVDs came out in October and November.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I think I remember reading something with the effects guys at ILM where they said they'd never, ever do that. However, I would not at all be surprised to see a CG Yoda in Phantom Menace. Apparently to demonstrate that they could convincingly do a digital Yoda to Lucas, they went through TPM and put a digital Yoda in place of the puppet. Just to maintain the continuity between those films (and because the puppet didn't look great in TPM), that's a change I wouldn't mind.

 

[Jo_C]

Frankly I would not mind having the original versions on blu-ray at all, just as long as they are done right and restored at least to a level of hi-def. Sure, Lucas thinks the current SEs are the definitive and to-canon editions, but let's not pick on George and all the folks that worked hard to bring us "Star Wars" on DVD in the first place. Of course, a blu-ray release is something I would not mind seeing for the same reasons the original versions should be on blu-ray too, but if it does take longer, we have the DVDs to tie us down, probably until the cows come home, which won't be in my life time.

But don't wait too long, George. Eventually, there will be a hi-def "Star Wars", and eventually the Force will be with all of us fans.

 

[Brian Borst]

Originally Posted by Josh Steinberg

I think I remember reading something with the effects guys at ILM where they said they'd never, ever do that. However, I would not at all be surprised to see a CG Yoda in Phantom Menace. Apparently to demonstrate that they could convincingly do a digital Yoda to Lucas, they went through TPM and put a digital Yoda in place of the puppet. Just to maintain the continuity between those films (and because the puppet didn't look great in TPM), that's a change I wouldn't mind.
Yeah, they already changed the puppet in Ep. I. I believe there was a bit of footage on the supplements disc of Ep. III with the CG Yoda, but I don't remember where exactly.
I really believe that if Lucas removed the Jabba scene and put the original Greedo scene in it, people wouldn't complain so much about the SEs. It would do the trick for me.

 

[JediFonger]

on teh DVD release of ep1, when yoda walked on canes, i believe that's CG yoda. it was done when AOTC was being made w/CG Yoda.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by JediFonger

on teh DVD release of ep1, when yoda walked on canes, i believe that's CG yoda. it was done when AOTC was being made w/CG Yoda.

The shot of Yoda walking while talking to Obi-Wan at the end of the movie is a CG shot but it's the same as it was in the theatrical release.

 

[JediFonger]

but the face to face is still puppet =P

 

[rkwatson]

What about the "scene", that was shot, which was a extended version of Luke's training with Yoda in V that they could not do to fact of Yoda being a puppet? And I use quotes around scene cause I not sure if it was a rumor or really shot.
But as far as the changes go to the OT... I'm on board with any that he wants to do, as long as it does not take away from the character development like "shooting first" did to Han. It set him up as the man. But adding or cleaning up backgrounds are necessary to blend all the films together, because "Star Wars" looks dated, even compared to Empire, it just looks dated. That is what he was trying to fix.

But even for the purist out there for an unaltered trilogy in Hi-def... if it is in hi-def isn't it altered

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by rkwatson

But even for the purist out there for an unaltered trilogy in Hi-def... if it is in hi-def isn't it altered

HD would just increase the resolution, it doesn't alter the movie.

 

[Brian Borst]

Originally Posted by rkwatson

What about the "scene", that was shot, which was a extended version of Luke's training with Yoda in V that they could not do to fact of Yoda being a puppet? And I use quotes around scene cause I not sure if it was a rumor or really shot.
But as far as the changes go to the OT... I'm on board with any that he wants to do, as long as it does not take away from the character development like "shooting first" did to Han. It set him up as the man. But adding or cleaning up backgrounds are necessary to blend all the films together, because "Star Wars" looks dated, even compared to Empire, it just looks dated. That is what he was trying to fix.

But even for the purist out there for an unaltered trilogy in Hi-def... if it is in hi-def isn't it altered

That's just the problem with movies in general, especially science fiction movies and movies with special effects in them. They tend to date quickly. If they can alter certain things, what's to stop them altering other things? Lucas could alter every background in every scene to update it, but it wouldn't be Star Wars anymore. The Terminator looks dated compared to Terminator 2 as well, but James Cameron is smart enough to leave it all alone.

And what do you mean by that last sentence? Film has a greater quality than Blu-ray has, so how would scanning the film and cleaning it up be altering a film?

 

[JediFonger]

digitizing film doesn't alter it, but george lucas will inevitably alter the content of star wars, lol. when finally get to direct downloads of 4k, 8k res. on our IMAX@home using 3-D minus glasses, we wouldn't recognize the star wars then! it might turn into the long fabled ewok musical completely reworked, remastered, "director's cut" in 24.8 surround sound 128-bit/5jillion hertz. the moment u begin playback of the film, the universe will end.

 

[rkwatson]

I guess it does not "alter it", I guess my point is that there is a difference, It will not be the original. You are wanting it updated, clearer and crisper but that is not the movie, then you hear "it needs to 5.1" (not this forum, but others), so where do you draw the line, he will not satisfy everyone. I would like continuity through all six films, but as I said before, as long as the established character development does not change.

There is a difference with what Lucas is doing that is different than just changing a film. If this film was made today it would be completely differ. If Spielberg would to make a sequel to Schindlers List and went back and colorized the original, that would be wrong. Cause he had the choice to make it in color at that time and chose B/W. SW needs to fall along with the same quality as its prequel or the experience will be tarnished for kids growing up today, that is what he was trying to accomplish.

This just coming from my graphics background that I would always like to improve everything I do, past and present. If he can improve his work and make it better then Im all for it. But Lucas painted him self in a corner with PT and this is his way out. But more importantly he is in it for creative control and money, fans demanded OT on DVD unaltered and like said before, no money in for him.

And as far a Terminator, that is his choice, but it wouldn't hurt my feelings if he polished it up a little.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by rkwatson

I guess it does not "alter it", I guess my point is that there is a difference, It will not be the original. You are wanting it updated, clearer and crisper but that is not the movie...

I think you're under the false impression that old movies don't look good on Blu-ray. Star Wars was shot on film so a Blu-ray release would most likely be inferior to how good it originally looked in the theaters in 1977. A SW Blu-ray would look better than it did on VHS or laserdisc or DVD but none of those are accurate representations of what a print of the movie looked like. In other words, a Blu-ray with a "clearer and crisper" picture is closer to the original than any other home video version of the movie.
Edited by TravisR - 7/10/2009 at 09:59 pm GMT

 

[rkwatson]

That probably is correct and if so then it is understandable. But then they will never be equal from trilogy to trilogy? What I mean is... Take away effects, just purely film to film quality, will they ever become close. And really SW IV is the only one that stands out as completely differ as far as quality goes, the others are "close".
But I still believe that work needs to be done in all departments to match the movies. One big thing is the boxes around ships. They fixed them SE VHS but for DVD quality you can see them. So Converted to HD they would be beyond obvious and annoying. If you clean them up, then why not just replace with CGI? That is the type of changes I like... improvements.

It just seems that a lot of people want to hang on to feeling that makes them feel like they did the first time they saw it. They keep chacing that feeling, when in reality, it will never be there.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by rkwatson

That is the type of changes I like... improvements.

George Lucas would be the first to agree with you. It's just you both probably have different ideas of what is and is not an improvement to the movie.

On a semi-related note, I've always felt that when someone says that they want the original versions of the movie, they should want the original version with the matte boxes, weaker effects shots and rubber monster masks in the cantina. If someone wants the SE's corrected effects just without Greedo shooting first, they don't want the originals- they want to pick and choose the new elements that they like. I'm not saying that anyone is wrong for wanting just the new effects but that isn't the original movie.

 

[Brian Borst]

Originally Posted by TravisR


George Lucas would be the first to agree with you. It's just you both probably have different ideas of what is and is not an improvement to the movie.

On a semi-related note, I've always felt that when someone says that they want the original versions of the movie, they should want the original version with the matte boxes, weaker effects shots and rubber monster masks in the cantina. If someone wants the SE's corrected effects just without Greedo shooting first, they don't want the originals- they want to pick and choose the new elements that they like. I'm not saying that anyone is wrong for wanting just the new effects but that isn't the original movie.

That's exactly what I would like. I'm all for director's intent and all that, but the audience has it's rights too, once the film has been released. But a restored version (with matte boxes and all) of what was in the theaters then is fine by me. And I never understood the complaints of a film being in stereo when it was released that way. Cutting a film to fit it into a screen is wrong, but remixing the original soundtrack to fill all speakers should be almost mandatory? Doesn't make any sense. It's even worse when the original mono or stereo track gets left off of discs because of additional dubbings, but that's another complaint.

 

[JediFonger]

i don't believe in the audience rights. artists should do whatever they want, even if it means destroying their own works like friedman (sp?) for French Connection. after all, it's their baby, not urs =).

as for SW, i don't mind any of this greedo stuff. all i want is audiovisual quality to blow me up in the HT [/url]




That's exactly what I would like. I'm all for director's intent and all that, but the audience has it's rights too, once the film has been released. But a restored version (with matte boxes and all) of what was in the theaters then is fine by me. And I never understood the complaints of a film being in stereo when it was released that way. Cutting a film to fit it into a screen is wrong, but remixing the original soundtrack to fill all speakers should be almost mandatory? Doesn't make any sense. It's even worse when the original mono or stereo track gets left off of discs because of additional dubbings, but that's another complaint.

 

[Van Ling]

What I think most people are really wanting is to replicate the experience they had when they first saw the film, and to see it through those eyes again. It's about trying to recapture the moment and reliving the magic. Part of that is about the story and scenes being the same as you remember it, and for some, their memory of specific scenes is what has had an impact on them; hence, when they see it in a different way than in their memory, there's a discontinuity that either is one of those "wow, I guess I remembered it wrong" moments...or the scene was actually changed. Facing the former is chastening, but also at least acceptable, whereas to a lot of people, the latter is seen as wrong because "someone is messing with our cherished memories". The other and more inevitable part is where you realize that the things you accepted without question (quality issues, technical stuff, plot holes) when you were younger just may not be as acceptable to you now that you're older... this is the nostalgia part. And this is why we don't mind certain fixes (like white lightsaber blades being correctly colored) but balk at Greedo shooting first. It still comes down to the initial experience, how compelling the storytelling is, howmuch of an effect it had on us and how it made us feel, that determines how much we'll accept revisions to it. It's different for everyone.

For George, I reckon he sees the film's flaws and remembers the production battles he had, the reactions he got, and the compromises he had to make, so his responses can be seen in that light. This is typical for any artist in reviewing their own work. Some call it evolving the work, others call it cheating. Personally, I find it to be a fascinating way to gauge what a person's priorities are and where their head is at when they are making these changes. It's also a great way to understand more about the elastic nature of storytelling... but that's also predicated on being able to compare the original versions to the revised ones, which is why I would like to see the originals still available in some form.

And when I say original, I mean for example the pre-1979 version of Star Wars that did NOT read "Episode IV" at the head of the crawl... THAT was the version that had the most meaning and impact and thus nostalgia for me.

V