TCFHE Press Release: Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Douglas Monce]

Originally Posted by Will_B

http://secrethistoryofstarwars.com/marcialucas.html


as Robert provided is indeed the article. I share his belief that there is no conspiracy theory, but rather, as he said above, just a psychological explanation for why George Lucas cannot bear to see the film as it existed when he was at his peak and happily (at least in his mind, if not hers) married. It's the same motivation for why people redecorate after a spouse moves out -- they want to put a new coat of paint on things to diminish the association with the past. And boy, claiming years later that the film "was never the way he envisioned it" sounds like he may be talking about his relationship more than about the film.


It's the first good explanation I've read to explain why he doesn't share the world's love of the original Star Wars film.

Lucas was talking as early as the release of Return of the Jedi about how unhappy he was with the first film. He states in the Star Wars to Jedi documentary about how they were able to get visual effects up and running the way he wanted "just barely" and that most of it was done with editorial tricks. He also talked about how little money he had and how much better the film could be. This was back in 82-83. Its not as though this idea that he was never happy with the first film is something that came about in the mid 90's.


Also remember that Lucas was hospitalized during the production of Star Wars with a nervous break down. (he actually thought he was having a heart attack) Whatever the state of his married life, I'm not sure the production of Star Wars was particularly a happy time for him. Most of his friends were telling him that the film was terrible and "better luck next time". In fact Spielberg was the only one who seemed to get Star Wars.



Doug

 

[Ron-P]

One thing is for certain, Lucas is a genius. The guy has turned one set of films into a never ending saga of anger, hatred, debate, happiness and profiting. I think he's done it like no other director...ever.

Star Wars threads multiply faster then a Mogwai in a swimming pool.

 

[Douglas Monce]

Originally Posted by Ron-P

One thing is for certain, Lucas is a genius. The guy has turned one set of films into a never ending saga of anger, hatred, debate, happiness and profiting. I think he's done it like no other director...ever.

Star Wars threads multiply faster then a Mogwai in a swimming pool.

Exactly!

 

[Justin Lane]

I feel like it is 2004 again and the same people are complaining about the same issues with the SE versions. Seriously guys it is time to move on. No wonder so many people have cut back on frequenting these boards.

 

[AlexS2]

I honestly have no problems with the SE


except that I simply cannot abide by that dance number in ROTJ


But I will suck it up and buy the complete saga set

 

[Ronald Epstein]

The people at Fox sent over this great picture of Vader
choking Fox Home Entertainment President, Mike Dunn.


Thought I would share it with all of you. Also included a

link to video taken at the CES event.

 

[SilverWook]

Originally Posted by Justin Lane

I feel like it is 2004 again and the same people are complaining about the same issues with the SE versions. Seriously guys it is time to move on. No wonder so many people have cut back on frequenting these boards.

I'd happily move on if Lucas would follow Spielberg's and Ridely Scott's lead in giving people the originals in acceptable quality. Sadly, he does not practice the film preservation he has preached before Congress in the past.


Why would people leave because of discussions that can be easily avoided by not clicking on them?

 

[johnSM]

Originally Posted by SilverWook

I feel like it is 2004 again and the same people are complaining about the same issues with the SE versions. Seriously guys it is time to move on. No wonder so many people have cut back on frequenting these boards.

I'd happily move on if Lucas would follow Spielberg's and Ridely Scott's lead in giving people the originals in acceptable quality. Sadly, he does not practice the film preservation he has preached before Congress in the past.

[/QUOTE]

I fully agree! Some people here don't seem concerned with preserving one of the most successful and well-loved films of all time - the way it was originally shown. I find that quite depressing.


I should add I'm coming at this from the angle of someone who has a particular love of 70s cinema, rather than some rabid Star Wars fan. I want to see - in high quality - the film I fell in love with in 1977. The same way people love King Kong or Jason and the Argonauts (and likewise would not take kindly to those being altered either...). I'm all for the Special Editions too - makes sense to have the entire saga fit in visually, even if it hasn't - in practice - worked out 100% sucessfully. I just want some love shown to the originals too ala the Blade Runner sets, or Close Encounters etc.

 

[AlexCosmo]

Star Wars is hardly the only movie that people want the theatrical version of. (Last of the Mohicans, the Apocalypse Now aspect ratio thing) this forum especially seems like a weird place to be all delicate about it.

 

[RobertR]

Originally Posted by AlexCosmo

Star Wars is hardly the only movie that people want the theatrical version of. (Last of the Mohicans, the Apocalypse Now aspect ratio thing) this forum especially seems like a weird place to be all delicate about it.

Weird yes, unexpected, no. Some people are as fervent about "complaining about complaints about Star Wars" as others are about the actual substance of the complaints.

 

[Kenny Kraly Jr]

I am in agreement with everyone here that the original cuts of the ot need to be preserve on the blu-ray for historical perspective's. I will buy the box set no matter which cuts are on the blu-rays I like both versions of the ot.

 

[Chad R]

Wow, we're already at the part of the thread where we discuss the discussion and how there's "complainers" and "apologists". We're making pretty good time. Usually gets to about page 10 before that starts.


This is how I see it. A lot of people love Star Wars. And no matter what shape the discussion takes, whether it's to complain about the quality of the prequels or the changes in the Special Edition, it's a way to keep that love alive in its fans. Everytime a person who hates "Han shooting second" gets to bring that up, a part of him or her gets to revisit in a small way that love of the movies. So why spoil that for anyone?


For the record, I have no issues with the prequels or special editions. I just love the universe and the characters. I think all of the films have problems, but they succeed despite their failures. And explaining that either by picking them apart or by building them up is a gret deal of fun. But I also don't think those who want original cuts should be made to feel like their less of fans or anything. Or the people who prefer the new cuts or prequels should be made to feel inferior in anyway. The great thing about fandom is that it takes all shapes, sizes and opinions to create it.

 

[Kenny Kraly Jr]

Originally Posted by Chad R



Wow, we're already at the part of the thread where we discuss the discussion and how there's "complainers" and "apologists". We're making pretty good time. Usually gets to about page 10 before that starts.


This is how I see it. A lot of people love Star Wars. And no matter what shape the discussion takes, whether it's to complain about the quality of the prequels or the changes in the Special Edition, it's a way to keep that love alive in its fans. Everytime a person who hates "Han shooting second" gets to bring that up, a part of him or her gets to revisit in a small way that love of the movies. So why spoil that for anyone?


For the record, I have no issues with the prequels or special editions. I just love the universe and the characters. I think all of the films have problems, but they succeed despite their failures. And explaining that either by picking them apart or by building them up is a gret deal of fun. But I also don't think those who want original cuts should be made to feel like their less of fans or anything. The great thing about fandom is that it takes all shapes, sizes and opinions to create it.

agree with that 100% percent.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Originally Posted by Chad R



Wow, we're already at the part of the thread where we discuss the discussion and how there's "complainers" and "apologists". We're making pretty good time. Usually gets to about page 10 before that starts.


This is how I see it. A lot of people love Star Wars. And no matter what shape the discussion takes, whether it's to complain about the quality of the prequels or the changes in the Special Edition, it's a way to keep that love alive in its fans. Everytime a person who hates "Han shooting second" gets to bring that up, a part of him or her gets to revisit in a small way that love of the movies. So why spoil that for anyone?


For the record, I have no issues with the prequels or special editions. I just love the universe and the characters. I think all of the films have problems, but they succeed despite their failures. And explaining that either by picking them apart or by building them up is a gret deal of fun. But I also don't think those who want original cuts should be made to feel like their less of fans or anything. Or the people who prefer the new cuts or prequels should be made to feel inferior in anyway. The great thing about fandom is that it takes all shapes, sizes and opinions to create it.

If you were a real fan, you wouldn't put my beloved scout troopers on wiener dogs.


My unique opinion: George could make everyone happy by releasing both versions! I've come up with the solution! Seriously, though, if I could have the unaltered versions, I'd be interested to see what George could come up with if he continued to go hog wild on the specials. Maybe a souped up Hoth battle as crazy as the Sith ground battles. I could enjoy that every now and again and go back to the unaltered versions for most of my viewing.

 

[Chad R]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H


If you were a real fan, you wouldn't put my beloved scout troopers on wiener dogs.

I didn't put them there. They just prefer them to their shoddy speeder bikes with the crooked blaster barrels provided by the Empire.

 

[johnSM]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H

George could make everyone happy by releasing both versions!

Exactamundo - and unless he has an extremely thick skin he undoubtedly knows this too! But he chooses not to release both, which kind of says it all really...


All this net-wide arguing, heated banter & bad feeling about Lucasfilm could largely be remedied by just releasing both versions. We know it's not the money this would take - Lucasfilm aren't exactly short of financial resources, and I believe Mr Robert Harris even offered to restore the original film at one point (?) - so it must therefore come down to sheer stubbornness on Lucas' part.


I don't hate the man by any stretch, or think my childhood has been 'raped', or any of that nonsense one unfortunately hears, and I adore his work on THX1138 and American Graffeti, but would it really hurt him to include both versions (or 3 now - some of the sounds have been changed again for the new Bluray - Google the new krayte dragon call in Star Wars.... it's.... interesting! I bet they'll be further visual changes too) and make rather a LOT of people the world over very happy indeed?! He seems intent on only dishing out the versions HE prefers, blithly ignoring the fact that from 1977 - 1997 he gladly accepted people's money from theatrical screenings, 8mm reels, video tapes and laserdiscs, novelisations etc of the ORIGINAL films, thereby providing the finances for the Special Editions and the prequals in the end, not to mention all the associated merchandise etc etc. The whole thing just seems extremely one-sided. I know at the end of the day he owes the fans nothing - technically! - but would it really hurt to just give us a multi-version release?


One thing's for sure these new blurays (along with the deleted scenes extras) will undoubtedly spawn many HD fan reconstructions of the original versions, and bootlegs will soar. Again, this could all be prevented by just releasing what many people WANT to see, and pay for!


Ah - I'm done with it all frankly. They are just films, and there are far more important causes to get behind in this world of ours. It would have been nice to see, but hey-ho! Such is life.


Enjoy the SE blurays folks - I really wish I could enjoy these releases come September (I mean that too - I'm not being snarky).


Peace!


- John

 

[Edwin-S]

The man doesn't want the original cuts out there because he knows that there would be constant comparisons of the original cuts to his "new vision" cuts. He doesn't want to be constantly reminded that the "inferior" original cuts, with their dated SFX, are actually better than his meddled with S.Es.

 

[Craig Beam]

The man is a narcissist. Worse, he's surrounded by "yes men" who perpetually feed his ego. His decision to withhold the original versions of the films is beyond ridiculous. Yes, they're his films to do as he pleases, but DAMN. If I dwell on it, I'm still quite capable of getting genuinely pissed about it, all these years later.


However....


I freakin' love Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back in particular, and there's no way in hell I'm passing on the blu-rays. Even if the prequels suck (which, in my opinion, they do), they'll still be gorgeous eye candy in HD.

 

[Ricardo C]

The "reconstruction" projects all seem to have fallen by the wayside. These days, the hardcore OT purists are more interested in creating their own fan edits than actually preserving the originals, paradoxically enough.


Short of a wealthy film collector purchasing a high-end film scanner and hooking up with like-minded collectors, I doubt we'll see anything like a true high-quality release of the OOT, ever. For all the accusations of greed regularly levied against him, GL seems quite happy to leave money on the table and stick to his guns. I don't understand his stubbornness on the issue, but then, all I hope for is a proper conversion to BluRay for the films, SEs or not.

 

[Kenny Kraly Jr]

I will buy the blu-rays of the star wars flims no matter if it's both or just the se verions in the set.