Could the original, unaltered STAR WARS be on its way to Blu-ray? (1 Viewer)

[moviebuff75]

I'd love to have the original version of "Star Wars" without the Episode IV subtitle

 

[ijthompson]

That subtitle was the one change in the whole trilogy that I had the least problem with, actually. I guess I just like the openings of the films to match.

 

[kenkraly20212]

If the original un altered versions of the SW Original Trilogy where released one day on blu-ray I would buy them and add them to my Blu-Ray collection.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

So I guess I'm one of two people who prefers the new versions huh?

 

[Stephen Brooks]

So I guess I'm one of two people who prefers the new versions huh?

I love the idea of updating the OT but the execution so far has left a lot to be desired. They need to put the same care into it that Blade Runner: The Final Cut got, for example. That said, I'm reasonably happy with my Blu-rays. Most of the general public seems to be as well. How many people who already own the current Blu-rays will shell out again for a "despecialized" edition? I suspect not nearly as many as the hardcore fans would imagine. Particularly anyone 25 and under would be likely to give such a release a big "meh". Sent from my SCH-S738C using HTF mobile app

 

[EddieLarkin]

Particularly anyone 25 and under would be likely to give such a release a big "meh".

I'm under 25, as are a lot of the people I know who have been clamouring most for the original editions. Just because we're young and didn't see the films in theaters, doesn't mean we don't realise how absolutely idiotic say, the Anakin's ghost change was. I mean, it's right there on the screen. A young, modern day actor appearing as himself in a film from 1983 (when he was actually 2 years old). That's going to set alarm bells off for anyone of any age.

 

[TravisR]

So I guess I'm one of two people who prefers the new versions huh?

I prefer some of the changes (the new effects shots in the space battle in Star Wars are great, the fixes to a number of effects in Return Of The Jedi are much better than the original shots) but some are lousy (the oft-cited Greedo shooting first in Star Wars, Vader saying "Nooooo" in Return Of The Jedi). I'm all for George Lucas getting his ever changing vision onscreen but I'd love to see all the versions of the movie available.

Just because we're young and didn't see the films in theaters, doesn't mean we don't realise how absolutely idiotic say, the Anakin's ghost change was.

That change makes more sense than what was in the original movie. Anakin never looked like Sebastian Shaw (with a full head of hair, etc.) but he did look like Hayden Christensen at some point in his life.

 

[Persianimmortal]

So I guess I'm one of two people who prefers the new versions huh?

I too am happy enough with the newer versions. They're not perfect, but the original unaltered trilogy also has many weak points, like the human Jabba in Star Wars, the flickering faint white boxes around the green-screen-based space effects, etc. Frankly, I'm also not that bothered about whether Greedo shoots first or not; it is not the sole defining moment of the Han Solo character for me. In fact there's something to be said about Solo reacting in defense rather than coldly initiating deadly violence.

I saw these movies in the theater when I was young, and as magical as they were at the time, I think nostalgia is blinding a lot of people as to the faults of the originals. For me, the original trilogy as it current stands is perfectly fine, and the changes also help to better blend it with the prequels. I have all six movies and I won't be rebuying any of them until they come out in a better format than Blu-ray.

That said, I'm obviously not against the original trilogy being made available for those who want it in its unaltered form, and of course for the sake of history, the original versions should also be archived in the best possible form.

 

[Sam Favate]

I know kids who are 16 or 17 and huge fans of the series. When discussing the changes that were made to the films in '97 and beyond, they said "What changes?" There's a generation - or at least a segment of it - that has no idea of the changes. Indeed, in 20 years, they'll probably want the films they grew up with.

That said, I will welcome the original versions in HD. While some of the more subtle changes I can live with (windows in Cloud City, for example), most of them are irritatingly bad.

 

[Cinescott]

i'm fairly happy with the quality of the existing Blu-rays. They're certainly better than any other home video version I have ever had with regard to clarity. I was disappointed with the prequels, but I've found that to be largely a generational thing.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I think the real question is can Disney release the originals? If they can, I'm 100% sure they will. When the Disney sale first happened, I figured that George Lucas would have made sure that the deal specified that the SEs would be the only thing that Disney could release but I've softened in that view a little bit.

It's remarkable what effect a few billion dollars can have on someone's flexibility.

 

[TravisR]

Frankly, I'm also not that bothered about whether Greedo shoots first or not; it is not the sole defining moment of the Han Solo character for me.

Yeah, before it was changed, it was just a cool move that Han made and nothing more. Once it was changed, it suddenly became a character defining moment. I dislike that change because I think it looks goofy.

It's remarkable what effect a few billion dollars can have on someone's flexibility.

Sure but Lucas is the one with the product that Disney wanted so he could have also made that stipulation if he wanted to.

 

[Popcorn1]

I completely lost interest in anything Star Wars shortly after the 'new ' versions came out. All the added CGI stuff does nothing for me.
The only thing I want is the unaltered original trilogy in 1080p.
Can't bear to get rid of my VHS copies of the originals, but they look terrible on the projector, so why bother watching...

I found Episode 1 so-so, Episode 2 was a chore to watch, and I stayed away from 3, so I will never spend a penny on those.
I just want what I saw in theatres in the 70s and 80s. Why is that too much to ask?

 

[JColl]

I can't believe how bad the changes look on bluray. Some of that stuff is like a neon sign that says "THIS WAS CHANGED IN THE 90s! NOW THIS IS TIMELESS. WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?"

 

[Dave H]

I too am happy enough with the newer versions. They're not perfect, but the original unaltered trilogy also has many weak points, like the human Jabba in Star Wars, the flickering faint white boxes around the green-screen-based space effects, etc. Frankly, I'm also not that bothered about whether Greedo shoots first or not; it is not the sole defining moment of the Han Solo character for me. In fact there's something to be said about Solo reacting in defense rather than coldly initiating deadly violence.

I saw these movies in the theater when I was young, and as magical as they were at the time, I think nostalgia is blinding a lot of people as to the faults of the originals. For me, the original trilogy as it current stands is perfectly fine, and the changes also help to better blend it with the prequels. I have all six movies and I won't be rebuying any of them until they come out in a better format than Blu-ray.

That said, I'm obviously not against the original trilogy being made available for those who want it in its unaltered form, and of course for the sake of history, the original versions should also be archived in the best possible form.

Jabba was actually not in the original Star Wars - that was a deleted scene which was inserted into the newer versions.

 

[Chris Will]

I would buy the unaltered originals just for nostalgia but, my kids could care less and would probably find it weird. All they've seen is the current Blu-Rays so, to have some stuff removed, from there point of view, would probably confuse them.

One thing I find funny is many people have defended the prequels saying things like they were made for kids. When my kids ask to watch Star Wars, they ask for the one with Vader in it more then anything. So far they have shown more interest in the original trilogy then the prequels. Honestly, I think this is because, even at there young age, my kids find the original trilogy more fun to watch. The prequels are just downright boring at times.

We just got our first 3D HDTV last week and my oldest daughter (5) has already asked to watch Star Wars in 3D. She was disappointed to find out that Star Wars is not in 3D.

 

[David_B_K]

I'd definitely pre-order the OOT. I did not buy altered version. My last purchase of Star Wars was the non-anamorphic SD DVD version. Before that, I bought the original P & S laserdiscs, the original widescreen laserdiscs, and the "Faces" laserdiscs.

For me, the prequels do not exist. I saw Ep. I and Ep. II twice each, and Ep. III once. I do not not plan to see them again; so any reference to Hayden Christiansen in ROTJ is unnecessary for me.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

See and I never watched SW until I was older and around the time the prequels came out, so I actually enjoy the political intrigue aspects of the prequels more than some stuff in the later films, plus the changes to 4-6 to make them fit in with 1-3 better are improvements in my mind. If you're watching 1-6 as a series, of course it should be Hayden's ghost at the end!

 

[EddieLarkin]

I am not concerned with what makes more sense story wise, especially since I don't even acknowledge the prequels. Anakin used to look like Hayden Christensen? Not in my SW Universe.

What really bothers me is the posterity aspect. The new and updated Return of the Jedi claims to be a film from 1983, but it no longer is. A film from 1983 cannot star an adult man who was only born in 1981. Return of the Jedi is a 2004 film (or a 2011 film, if we're keeping track). I want it to be a 1983 film again, a privilege everyone else expects from any other film released on home video.

 

[Kevin EK]

I'm a fan of these movies going back to when I saw Star Wars in movie theaters repeatedly in 1977 (and when it would be re-issued into theaters for years afterward).

I also remember fan excitement about the Special Editions in 1997, as people wanted to see that Jabba scene and there was a lot of anticipation about how good the new CGI dogfights would look at the end of the movie. I remember people in 1997 being happy to see an alternative to the "Lub Nub" song at the end of Jedi. It was only in retrospect that fan opinion about the SE's really soured. Looking at them now, certain changes are obvious and glaring, such as Han "stepping over" Jabba's tail.

I believe a lot of the bad blood from fans came from the fact that Lucas didn't simply include restored copies of the original versions of the trilogy. I've shown people the laserdisc-sourced copies of the OT that were included on the DVDs in 2006, just to make the graphic point that what Lucas did there was tell the fans that if they wanted the original versions, the only way they could see them was in a little box in the middle of their screen. You can blow that box up and artificially play with the sound, but it's not the same thing - the picture and sound quality notably drops.

Frankly, I do think that Disney will be able to put the original versions out on Blu-ray but I don't think anyone is going to be spending a lot of money on restoration of them. I think what you'll see is that Disney will do HD transfers of 35mm interpositives and then have Fox issue movie singles of all 6 of the movies so far. The OT movies will have a second disc, just as the 2006 singles did - only this time the 2nd disc will be a Blu-ray with the original version of the movie, presented in high definition picture and sound. I wouldn't expect any extras on that. I would expect Disney to put a premium price on each of those OT singles, since that's how they'll pay for the cost of the transfers, and since the sales from this will not be at the level of the huge numbers Fox and Lucasfilm pulled in for the 2011 releases.

I agree that the single releases will be in connection with the new movies. The question is really when Episode 7 is released to theaters. If it comes out in 2016, you could see these releases out that summer, which would be close enough for the 40th anniversary. I don't think they'd hold the releases back just to put the number on the package. I do think Disney would re-release the discs a year later without changes and CALL that the 40th Anniversary edition, however...