|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:01 am
Well, today fans will finally be able to pick up (non-bootleg) copies of the original Star Wars Trilogy on DVD....sort of.
Proving that he has no concept of history, respect for his original and core fans, or for the people who worked with him in those movies, Lucas has not only released the "Special Edition" versions of the films, but has insterted even MORE CGI and editing into them.
The most noticeable changes are the insertion of "Episode II &III" actor Hayden Christonsen into the final scene of "Return of the Jedi" in place of Sebastian Cabbot as the ghost of Anakin Skywalker, a 'revamped' version of CGI Jabba the Hutt in "A New Hope", and the removal of Luke Skywalker's heart-piercing scream as he leaps away from his father at the end of "Empire Strikes Back."
Lucas said, to criticizm of his 'fixing' his films, "I'm sorry fans fell in love with an incomplete product. But I want what I want."
It's no shock, I don't think, that Lucas isn't bothered by the anger of his once-vehement fans as he falls asleep each night on a gigantic pile of their money. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is currently being worked on, and if the past movie is any indication, it's going to blow bantha chunks.
I'm just severely dissapointed that film and history buffs have no opportunity to appreciate the advances in filmmaking that Lucas and his crew created back in 1977-1985, because they've been essentially wiped away by pedestrian use of overly-hyped 90's CGI. Imagine taking Citizen Kane, and creating a 'special edition' where Charles Foster Kane confesses to his girlfriend in the middle of the movie that the one thing he truly misses is Rosebud, his sled. Or taking "Gone with the Wind" and 'special editioning' the backgrounds of the mansions. Or animating 10 minutes of new footage for "Snow White." The history of filmmaking is a part of our culture that is not only not being preserved in the case of Lucas, it's being blatantly spit on as he continues to screw with the films that inspired an entire generation of people.
Will I be buying this set? Sadly, yes-because I have not been given the option of which version I would like to see. Unlike the Indiana Jones trilogy, which wisely eschewed any 'updating' or the Back to the Future trilogy, which considered itself a time capsule for future generations regarding it's creation and significance in the '80's, Star Wars is now a genre that doesn't represent anything but one man's insane ego and obsession with filmmaking technology.
End rant!
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:04 am
Wally_West Well, today fans will finally be able to pick up (non-bootleg) copies of the original Star Wars Trilogy on DVD....sort of. Proving that he has no concept of history, respect for his original and core fans, or for the people who worked with him in those movies, Lucas has not only released the "Special Edition" versions of the films, but has insterted even MORE CGI and editing into them. The most noticeable changes are the insertion of "Episode II &III" actor Hayden Christonsen into the final scene of "Return of the Jedi" in place of Sebastian Cabbot as the ghost of Anakin Skywalker, a 'revamped' version of CGI Jabba the Hutt in "A New Hope", and the removal of Luke Skywalker's heart-piercing scream as he leaps away from his father at the end of "Empire Strikes Back." Lucas said, to criticizm of his 'fixing' his films, "I'm sorry fans fell in love with an incomplete product. But I want what I want." It's no shock, I don't think, that Lucas isn't bothered by the anger of his once-vehement fans as he falls asleep each night on a gigantic pile of their money. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is currently being worked on, and if the past movie is any indication, it's going to blow bantha chunks. I'm just severely dissapointed that film and history buffs have no opportunity to appreciate the advances in filmmaking that Lucas and his crew created back in 1977-1985, because they've been essentially wiped away by pedestrian use of overly-hyped 90's CGI. Imagine taking Citizen Kane, and creating a 'special edition' where Charles Foster Kane confesses to his girlfriend in the middle of the movie that the one thing he truly misses is Rosebud, his sled. Or taking "Gone with the Wind" and 'special editioning' the backgrounds of the mansions. Or animating 10 minutes of new footage for "Snow White." The history of filmmaking is a part of our culture that is not only not being preserved in the case of Lucas, it's being blatantly spit on as he continues to screw with the films that inspired an entire generation of people. Will I be buying this set? Sadly, yes-because I have not been given the option of which version I would like to see. Unlike the Indiana Jones trilogy, which wisely eschewed any 'updating' or the Back to the Future trilogy, which considered itself a time capsule for future generations regarding it's creation and significance in the '80's, Star Wars is now a genre that doesn't represent anything but one man's insane ego and obsession with filmmaking technology. End rant! That right there will insure that my money does not go towards this. crying
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:07 am
The Emperor gets the same treatment, tho it's not as obvious.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:16 am
Wally_West The Emperor gets the same treatment, tho it's not as obvious. it's like painting a big grin on the mona Lisa..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:32 am
>< I'm so glad I have the original versions on VHS somewhere...
x_X Lucas is so evil-- just in the way he does things. I fear how Episode III is going to be, simply because the man refuses to let someone else direct it. The end product is always too long, and a shadow of what it could be.
Anyways, I'll probably end up buying the DVDs too. =_= I can't believe he edited stuff from Episode V.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:43 am
I was never a fan of fantasy to begin with and only saw the SW trilogy because I was kinda forced into it by friends. It's not surprising what Lucas is doing, not one bit. All hail the mighty dollar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:07 pm
Well see I would be fine with it if you had the option to watch both, because there are such things as two sided DVD, I have several of them (The Usual Suspects, NGE: Death and Rebirth, etc). However this isn't about money, it's about egomania. Lucas knows he can put whatever s**t he wants into it and it will still sell, so he's turned it into a massive vanity project.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:18 pm
stare So, should we act surprised when he starts ranting about him being God, or not? I mean that's where an ego like that would head to next.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:21 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:22 pm
Jack_Hart Well see I would be fine with it if you had the option to watch both, because there are such things as two sided DVD, I have several of them (The Usual Suspects, NGE: Death and Rebirth, etc). However this isn't about money, it's about egomania. Lucas knows he can put whatever s**t he wants into it and it will still sell, so he's turned it into a massive vanity project. Do you honestly think Lucas would be shoving this crap down our throats if he didn't stand a chance to score? Do you think his investors would tolerate it? I grant that the guy is an ego maniac, but his ego is being driven by his and his investor's greed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:26 pm
True, but I wouldnt have any problem with it if it was just the special editions from '97 because those are the versions that I saw in the the theatre as a kid. I saw The Empire Strikes Back for the first time in the theatre, so that version is pretty special for me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 2:16 pm
Lucas will not get my money for this. I might (major emphasis on might) get the box set of all 6 movies when that comes out... but beyond that, Lucas will not get any money from me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 2:25 pm
I buy what I want and leave it at that. For me there's no use in denying myself to make a point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 2:57 pm
george lucas stinks.
methinks the dvd's should have the option of watching either of the three different edits of the trilogy: original, 20th anniversary release (aka test-runs for the prequels), & the "complete" one
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:22 pm
Wally_West The most noticeable changes are the insertion of "Episode II &III" actor Hayden Christonsen into the final scene of "Return of the Jedi" in place of Sebastian Cabbot as the ghost of Anakin Skywalker Replacing any of the work of an actor after a film's initial release for legal public consumption is just wrong. Wally_West Or animating 10 minutes of new footage for "Snow White." Actually, that might be okay. Just so long as the new footage didn't replace any old footage or contradict any old footage, but rather just added to the original. Hunter Zolomon methinks the dvd's should have the option of watching either of the three different edits of the trilogy: original, 20th anniversary release (aka test-runs for the prequels), & the "complete" one Exactly. And with all the room on DVDs and all the DVDs that do have different viewing options(different languages, subtitles, director's cuts), there's really no excuse not to. As for ego vs. greed, George could "change his mind" and release another set with the originals in a few years. And there's alot of hardcore fans that don't care that they're getting screwed, and will happily buy both.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
