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

[Douglas Monce]

Originally Posted by RobertR

With the insane fandom that Star Wars has, even if it was an amazing film you would of had people complaining since it didn't capture the nostalgia that they wanted it too.

No film is universally liked, even the ones on various "best" lists. If it had been a great film, people would have been overjoyed, the few "you can't please everyone" gripers notwithstanding. The existence of such gripers is a huge difference from what we have now, which is widespread dissatisfaction with what we got. People in general wanted very much to like the film.

I didn't think TPM was bad then and I don't think its bad now. Its clearly not the best of the Star Wars films, but its hardly bad.

But you have to acknowledge, Doug, that many, many people do think it's bad, people who liked SW before TPM was released.

[/QUOTE]

I think many obsessed fans think its bad. I think the vast majority of people enjoy them for what they are, and the box office would tend to support that idea. I suppose that by the time TPM came out I was a little past my Star Wars obsession and just enjoyed the film on its own level with out any of my own ideas of what the films should or shouldn't be. Of course there are things that annoy me, but not nearly as many things that annoy me in Jedi.


Doug

 

[RobertR]

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce

But you have to acknowledge, Doug, that many, many people do think it's bad, people who liked SW before TPM was released.

I think many obsessed fans think its bad.

Which is not the same thing as saying that only "obsessed" fans think it's bad, any more than only "obsessed" admirers of George Lucas think it's good.

 

[Douglas Monce]

Originally Posted by RobertR



But you have to acknowledge, Doug, that many, many people do think it's bad, people who liked SW before TPM was released.

I think many obsessed fans think its bad.

[/QUOTE]

Which is not the same thing as saying that only "obsessed" fans think it's bad, any more than only "obsessed" admirers of George Lucas think it's good.



I didn't say that. However its fairly clear that the majority of people don't think its a bad movie, or it wouldn't have made $900 million world wide, nor would the DVD have been one of the best selling of all time.


Doug

 

[Edwin-S]

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce



But you have to acknowledge, Doug, that many, many people do think it's bad, people who liked SW before TPM was released.

I think many obsessed fans think its bad.

[/QUOTE]

Which is not the same thing as saying that only "obsessed" fans think it's bad, any more than only "obsessed" admirers of George Lucas think it's good.



I didn't say that. However its fairly clear that the majority of people don't think its a bad movie, or it wouldn't have made $900 million world wide, nor would the DVD have been one of the best selling of all time.


Doug


I still can't figure what possessed me to buy TPM on DVD. It is the only Star Wars film I own. It couldn't be love of the film, because I think the film, as a whole, stunk. The only reason I can come up with is that the pod race made good demo material for audio.

 

[RobertR]

I contributed to the boxoffice of TPM, but of course, that doesn't mean I thought it was good.

 

[cafink]

I'm ashamed to admit that I paid to see TPM five times in the theater. It's a terrible, terrible movie.

 

[Carlo_M]

Don't feel bad, Carl. I saw TPM 4 times, AoTC 2 times and RoTS 1. Own all 3 on DVDs which I have never watched all the way through. I think I've shown the pod race a couple of times when the DVDs came out as reference material to show off my A/V system.


I have contributed greatly to the B.O. and DVD totals and I have the same opinion as you, except I extend it to AoTC and find RoTS to be passable, though the other day it was on TV and I didn't even feel tempted to stay on the channel and watch it.

 

[AlexCosmo]

Hah, the ol' box office angle. If I liked something in the 90s do I have to like it forever? Do I have to start wearing those damn Reebok pumps again?

 

[Douglas Monce]

Sorry guys but I just don't go to a movie, that I thought sucked, more than once.


And I sure as hell wouldn't buy it.


Doug

 

[robbbb1138]

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce

I didn't say that. However its fairly clear that the majority of people don't think its a bad movie, or it wouldn't have made $900 million world wide, nor would the DVD have been one of the best selling of all time.

I don't think mainstream audiences draw as much of a line between the original and prequel trilogies. It's all Star Wars to them. Plus, I think as many of them are into it for the FX, which may cancel out the other issues for some audiences.

 

[robbbb1138]

I just caught someone's comment about the IMAX cut of AOTC. It's definitely a tighter movie, but I thought they kind of robbed the story of its soul by minimizing the love story. The scenes may be poorly written (and believe me, it's the singular element in all of Star Wars that I despise and makes me think AOTC is easily the worst of the 6 movies), but I still think the scenes are critical to the plot. If you've never seen the IMAX version, I think it was pretty close to the cut of the movie that played on a Fox a couple of times before the TV rights went to Spike.

 

[RobertR]

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce

Sorry guys but I just don't go to a movie, that I thought sucked, more than once.

It goes back to what I said earlier--there was a LOT of "I'm having a hard time accepting that it was bad--It was made by a guy I admired so much!" inertia to overcome.

 

[Worth]

Transformers 2 made almost $900 million worldwide, yet was critically reviled and earned only a 5.9 rating on IMDB.

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by RobertR




It goes back to what I said earlier--there was a LOT of "I'm having a hard time accepting that it was bad--It was made by a guy I admired so much!" inertia to overcome.

I don't know if it's so much that as it is trying to recreate the past. Star Wars differs from pretty much every movie ever made in that it was a major cultural event in many people lives, and part of that event was bragging rights that they saw it X amount of times in a theater since it was pre-VHS.

It was pretty obvious from the constant media hype surrounding the film that resulted in the camping out in line that in an attempt to recapture that 70's cultural event, multiple viewings in the theater would be happening. Plus, it was a fun time in the theater! People dressed up as the characters, reacting when they were supposed to react.

I'd argue the widespread hate for TPM came when it hit DVD, people watched it in the quiet of their living rooms and went "Wait a minute..."

 

[RobertR]

Originally Posted by Russell G /forum/thread/307588/tcfhe-press-release-star-wars-the-complete-saga-blu-ray/270#post_3774796

 

[Carlo_M]

Absolutely agree 100%. And don't forget that Lucas had a brilliantly (and I mean this sincerely and positively) move of re-releasing the OT special editions just 2 years before TPM. People were lined up around the block to see those, why wouldn't they carry that over to at least TPM (which made the most money of the PT despite being widely acknowledged as the worst of the PT, so there goes the money=quality argument) if not the entire PT?


I remember even after realizing how much I disliked TPM, I wanted the PT to get better. And AoTC on first viewing was indeed better (mostly due to no Jake Lloyd and minimal Jar Jar). It was the second viewing that really sealed the deal for me, hence why I only saw RoTS once in the theater.


I bought them on DVD simply because at the time I bought everything I had even a passing interest in. If you saw my DVD collection, you'd know that being included in it is no sure sign of quality! [/url]




It goes back to what I said earlier--there was a LOT of "I'm having a hard time accepting that it was bad--It was made by a guy I admired so much!" inertia to overcome.

[/quote]
I don't know if it's so much that as it is trying to recreate the past. Star Wars differs from pretty much every movie ever made in that it was a major cultural event in many people lives, and part of that event was bragging rights that they saw it X amount of times in a theater since it was pre-VHS.

It was pretty obvious from the constant media hype surrounding the film that resulted in the camping out in line that in an attempt to recapture that 70's cultural event, multiple viewings in the theater would be happening. Plus, it was a fun time in the theater! People dressed up as the characters, reacting when they were supposed to react.

I'd argue the widespread hate for TPM came when it hit DVD, people watched it in the quiet of their living rooms and went "Wait a minute..."

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Two confessions: (1) The first time I saw TPM was as a camjob a friend had downloaded from the internet; and (2) I saw it again later that year at the local discount theatre. Therefore, I was not as subject to the hype that existed when it first came out, though since I was working at a convenience store at the time, the hype was still all around me, make it very difficult not to get caught up in it. By that time I was no longer SW obsessed, just a mere fan. However, that didn't stop me from buying the deluxe VHS edition of TPM when it came out, or when it first came out on DVD. I bought AOTC on its DVD release date, but held off on the OT until it was at a price with which I was comfortable, because I knew it wouldn't contain the original cuts. Now, the dilemma of to buy or not to buy the BDs. Here is what I am faced with:

(1) I would really like to own the original films;

(2) My sons are very much into Star Wars; and

(3) I have a hard time justifying the outlay of cash, unless this edition is exactly what I want.


My ultimate box set of the series would be as follows:

(1) All films as originally presented in theatres, plus GL's "final versions" available through seamless branching, with all versions being 1080p/24 with lossless audio;

(2) Ben Burtt's original mono mix on SW--although one of the first Dolby Stereo mixes, most of the effort went into Burtt's mono mix; think Beatles albums through to Sgt. Pepper;

(3) IMAX cut of AOTC available through seamless branching as a bonus feature;

(4) All original documentaries, including SPFX: The Empire Strikes Back and From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga;

(5) All deleted scenes, including those recently unearthed;

(6) All of Van Ling's original Easter Eggs; and

(7) A letter of apology from GL for not doing this sooner (just kidding).


I know this version will not happen, but at least I can put it out there for people to peruse.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Worth

Transformers 2 made almost $900 million worldwide, yet was critically reviled and earned only a 5.9 rating on IMDB.

I hated both of those Transformers movies but their box office haul certainly indicates that they were hugely popular movies and the same is true for the Star Wars prequels. Money does not equal quality in any way but it indicates popularity with the general public.

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by Stephen_J_H


My ultimate box set of the series would be as follows:

(1) All films as originally presented in theatres, plus GL's "final versions" available through seamless branching, with all versions being 1080p/24 with lossless audio;

(2) Ben Burtt's original mono mix on SW--although one of the first Dolby Stereo mixes, most of the effort went into Burtt's mono mix; think Beatles albums through to Sgt. Pepper;

(3) IMAX cut of AOTC available through seamless branching as a bonus feature;

(4) All original documentaries, including SPFX: The Empire Strikes Back and From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga;

(5) All deleted scenes, including those recently unearthed;

(6) All of Van Ling's original Easter Eggs; and

(7) A letter of apology from GL for not doing this sooner (just kidding).


I know this version will not happen, but at least I can put it out there for people to peruse.

I agree completely. We pretty much got this type of complete set with "Alien Anthology", too bad Lucas would never commit to such a thing.

 

[Douglas Monce]

Originally Posted by RobertR

Sorry guys but I just don't go to a movie, that I thought sucked, more than once.

It goes back to what I said earlier--there was a LOT of "I'm having a hard time accepting that it was bad--It was made by a guy I admired so much!" inertia to overcome.

[/QUOTE]

Its only your opinion that its a bad movie. I don't think its a bad movie at all. It maybe a bad STAR WARS movie, but on the whole its head and shoulders above most of the crap thats been made in the last 10 or 15 years.


Personally I would put TPM just slightly above Jedi as the worst two Star Wars films.


Doug