I'm not a huge Sci-Fi geek but I grew up on the original Star Wars Trilogy. George Lucas has tweeked the originals again in a few spots, no he still has Greedo shooting first. The list of 5 items is on CNN.com's main page. I guess he is using the guy who plays Boba Fett in the new movies voice for Boba in the old movies. Jabba the Hut has better CG then in the VHS version. The one that will bother some the most, the force ghost of Obi-wan and Yoda are now joined by young Anakin played by Hayden Christiensen. Love to hear some thoughts on this.

 

I don't mind that he's messing with it, as it's his vision, and I suppose he must have compelling reasons in his own mind to do it. What bothers me is a lack of availablity of the "Original" cut, and the possibility of future "box sets"... i.e. in a year do you get all six in a box and have duplicates, or does he release the originals in a couple years to get us to fork over more dough?... Given the technology it would seem easy for him to give the viewer the choice of viewing the "update" or "original" in one set... Sorry for the ramble...

Anyway, I'll be buying a copy anyway...

 

I'm certainly down to buy the set, but that was always my thing. I am an engineer myself, and had goals set in school to be a CG guy as a profession (until I found out what they made). But one of my favorites about Lucas' arts were the puppetiering (sp?) and the animatronics.

I still remember when they did a special on how it took 6 people to operate Jabba the Hut...now he is just going to be replaced with CG? Im not to thrilled about that.

And yes, its a vicious cycle of taking our money as long as we will fork it over.

 

im dont really like star wars, but that last change is outrages imo.
thats one of the few moments i remember from the first 3 movies, and he adds a little kid my brother, who loves star wars, isnt liking the idea either

 

This is from Yahoo a few days ago ....

Q: Why not release both the originals and special editions on DVD?

LUCAS: The special edition, that's the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it's on VHS, if anybody wants it. ...

I'm not going to spend the, we're talking millions of dollars here, the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it doesn't really exist anymore. It's like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I'm sorry you saw half a completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be.

I'm the one who has to take responsibility for it. I'm the one who has to have everybody throw rocks at me all the time, so at least if they're going to throw rocks at me, they're going to throw rocks at me for something I love rather than something I think is not very good, or at least something I think is not finished.

Q: Do you pay much attention to fan reactions to your choices?

LUCAS: Not really. The movies are what the movies are. ... The thing about science-fiction fans and "Star Wars" fans is they're very independent-thinking people. They all think outside the box, but they all have very strong ideas about what should happen, and they think it should be their way. Which is fine, except I'm making the movies, so I should have it my way.

 

They have already stated that they have held back hours upon hours of footage from this dvd set to be used on a mega set of 1-6 , probably in HD-dvd, in a few years. This is why they kept deleted scenes of the dvds being released tommorow. Consider this qoute from Lucas ...

Q: Why did you change your mind and decide to put the original three movies out on DVD now?

GEORGE LUCAS: "Just because the market has shifted so dramatically. A lot of people are getting very worried about piracy. That has really eaten dramatically into the sales. It really just came down to, there may not be a market when I wanted to bring it out, which was like, three years from now. So rather than just sit by and watch the whole thing fall apart, better to bring it out early and get it over with."


IMO, Lucas is releasing them now while dvd is at it's highest point. Lucas is the biggest name that is all for digital technology and I'm sure he is saving the super set for HD-dvd. Why not double dip and release these dvds now and make twice as much?

 

I don't think they changed Jabba in ROTJ. He is still a giant "puppet". They did however completely redo the digital Jabba that was placed in ANH in the 97 SE.

 

You mean Episode VI and Episode IV? lol...

It kinda irks me that you can't chose which version to watch, but that's Lucas for ya...

THX 1138 has CG added to it also...

 

On the one hand, I can see everyone's point of view that "You shouldn't go messing with the original!!!"

And on that note, I agree. Original B cups are very nice to look at and such.

But then, the woman goes all "Well, I always wanted bigger ones" and goes and gets C or D cups.

And on that note, I agree. If you're not happy, go get what you want.

Just be sure to use a good surgeon. I've heard they can do it so you can't tell it was done...

Oh, wait, we were talking about Lucas and Star Wars. My bad.

 

My opinion is that it wouldn't be as big an issue, no one would care, what Lucas did to the OT as long as he makes the original version available as well. I don't understand why he is ashamed that the OT's effects look dated.

 

The sad thing is, I much prefer the special effects in OT to the new ones. Because they were mostly models, etc. it looks more "realistic" to me. The Falcon was mostly built for close-ups, etc. in the original. Now it'd be all CG except the ramp.

That, and I think the production design in the original triligoy was much better. It had a lived, real world look. Everything in the new ones looks clean, new and spiffy -- even the factory in ATOC.

Heck, I don't even mind the ewoks.

 

This site has reviews and screenshots of the changes:

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/review...rschanges.html

I just bought my copy at lunch.

 

By the way, I bought them at lunch -- and have been "watching them" while working. (mostly listening and occassionaly glancing over).

They look GREAT. Regardless of what you think of the changes (and most are farely minor) you really should have these DVD's.

 

Getting them after work...
Can't wait.

I don't mind him changing some stuff.

At least he didn't change the Storm Troopers guns into walkytalky's

 

Yeah, but at least the we got the original on DVD along with the altered version.

But seriously, I don't mind the changes as much after seeing them. And the Han/Greedo encounter isn't as bad, really. The shots are almost at the same time.

By the way, make sure you get the "Silver" box -- it's the widescreen version.

 

I bought the 'Silver box' and Mr. Show season 4 at lunch.

I watched the originals as a young kid, but now that I'm older, there is one thing that I wish he would have taken out of the 'touched up' versions (I say touched up because some call it a re-hashing, some say the changes are ok, some want to kill Lucas, get the point?). I say he should have taken out the Ewoks!!!

Remember how hard the first one (episode IV) was? C'mon, Luke's aunt and uncle's burnt up skeletons? When I was a kid, that was one of the most horrific things I had ever seen! Then, two movies later, Ewoks?? WTF?

Oh well, like it was said earlier, it's HIS vision, so be it.

 

Yeah, Lucas sure did get all soft and cuddly as time went on after Ep.4:

Like in Ep.5, a dream Vader gets his head chopped off, Han is tortured, then later frozen ALIVE, Chewie is tourtured with light and sound attacks (to which we all know Wookies are sensitive to, yeah?) and finally Luke gets his hand cut off. By dad. Yep, that's some cuddly stuff there. Makes me wanna snuggle.

In Ep.6, Luke gets his revenge, of sorts, by choppin' off dad's hand, and then the emperor, in a snit, decides to torture Luke with Force Lightning for a while to teach him a lesson. Which is good, actually, because ol' dad steps in and gets electrocuted. And dies in his son's arms. Precious stuff. I think I'll paint my room pink.

Then, on the forest moon, Wicket (I think) and another Ewok get all thrown about. The other doesn't wake up, and Wicket (I think) mourns the passing. I got all goose pimply over it, it was soooo cute... Man I want to see stuff like that every day. Better'n puppies and kittens...


/ Ewoks are tough.
// Lucas is deceptive.
/// Greedo never fired a shot. That should be fixed.
//// Han was a badHINEY. Leia wussified him by Ep.6.
///// Leia is teh hotness. I'd wussify too.

 

It wasn't wicket who's mother died ....

"geek mode off"

 

That is some funny stuff Houtex!

I guess I should have just said the way the whole original triology was too soft. Although when some of the Ewoks got 'perished' I cheered on the inside. I'm kind of sick like that, which is why I probably never realized Chewie was tortured with the lights and sounds, and thinking to myself, "hands grow back, right?"

I still think Empire is the best of the series. That's the way life goes. You hide out on an ice world, train with a muppet, only to get your hand cut off by dad, then watch the smoothest brother in the universe go after your friend that's been frozen in carbonite. Almost happened to me, except the part that my hand got cut off. My uncle did it, not dad.

 

He makes the movies as HE wants them, not anyone else. I am a huge star wars fan, however, as a bigger fan of people who stand up and do whatever they want, I applaud him.

That said, HAN SHOOTS FIRST. I think I should edit my DVD just so that happens.