Original Star Wars on DVD... Sorta 455
An anonymous reader writes "The Original Star Wars is available on DVD. Sure it's more moola in Lucas's pocketsess (Gollum accent). But he did finally release the original version for a limited time.
But which Original Star Wars, I bet Episode IV is in the opening titles. " Also apparently the original versions are basically non-anamorphic transfers from the laser discs. So basically, they look terrible.
George Lucas' Fear of Failure (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh, an ultimate set? You don't have enough of my money?
Seriously, I wish Lucas would understand that we would rather see completely new material from him than to see him repackage and alter what we have and do love from him. I would rather see him release 9 mediocre or bad movies than to have him edit, 3D-ify and edit again episodes IV, V & VI.
Damnit Lucas, let the studio technicians re-master the movie (they went to school for it, they know what they're doing) and give us more original content! Look at all the famous directors you've studied. Did Akira Kirosawa edit and re-release Shichinin No Samurai or Rashômon over and over and over again? No, he continued to make more movies, some very very good and some mediocre.
Horrible Transfer (Score:3, Insightful)
Is Lucas trying to make a point?
Re:Will we ever get what we really want? (Score:2, Insightful)
Slashdot just can't be pleased (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Slashdot just can't be pleased (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:George Lucas' Fear of Failure (Score:5, Insightful)
George Lucas had a few good movies in him, but in reality he had one great thing and that was to revolutionize the use of special effects. He is more of a technical specialist rather than a story teller - why else would he continue to re-work the same material over and over again by enhancing the effects?
But to expect any great new material in the form of new stories and plots from him is unrealistic. I think that Star Wars volumes I-III proved that.
The Defense of I, II & III (Score:5, Insightful)
I hated Episode One, I liked Episode Two and I loved Episode Three. Overall, they're a good addition to the Star Wars universe. Episode One was fluff and terrible fluff at that. But it'd be a lie to say I don't own them and I know that these are movies that will survive time and last in my movie collection.
The important thing is that I will show them to my kids, much like the IV, V & VI were shown to me. And hopefully, they'll spur imagination and entertainment for everyone that sees them. That is the point of sci-fi movies, by the way, not to satisfy everyone that views them. I think that any eight to fourteen year old kid would enjoy all the Star Wars movies thoroughly and that makes them good. I, II & III contain excellent social commentary even though some of the acting might be terrible and the plot clunky.
We expected platinum for Lucas and he gave us silver. That's not very fair. Still, I'd rather watch Episode One than 90% of the crap I see hit movie theatres these days.
I'll Bite (Score:4, Insightful)
I've got a bad feeling about this... (Score:2, Insightful)
I like the new DVDs (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:George Lucas' Fear of Failure (Score:5, Insightful)
Piles and piles of money?
-Eric
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:5, Insightful)
The movie had its faults. The little boy was awful, the introduction of midi-chlorians was a mistake, and of course, Jar Jar was a disaster.
But for me, Ep 1 did not have the scope that the others had. It was too localised, and perhaps in that respect it was aptly named.
Enough already (Score:3, Insightful)
I applaud Lucas in his devotion to his creation that millions love. It's an icon of our time.
If you don't like the movies or the editing that has been done to them, that's fine. Don't buy them. It's that simple.
Woah, hold on there buddy! (Score:3, Insightful)
Now, I'm no expert but wasn't that the whole point with releasing the originals on DVD?
*ducks and waits for a +flamebait to hit him*
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:2, Insightful)
Not in a single moment was I involved in what was happening on the screen; at best I was impressed by CGI, at worst I was plain bored.
Re:Will we ever get what we really want? (Score:5, Insightful)
This is freaking ILM we're talking about. If they can't undo the changes they made from the Special Edition 'masters' (whether they're in digital form or actually some type of celluloid, I don't know) then I'll eat my non-SE VHS tapes. These people are masters at digital manipulation and restoration. There is simply no way that they are incapable of recreating the originals using the SE versions as a base + laserdisc (for reference).
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:3, Insightful)
Originals destroyed? I don't think so.... (Score:4, Insightful)
Wouldn't the first step in making the "special editions" be to digitize and clean up the original film? And who in their right mind would destroy that data? It can't take up too many drives.
So to me it means one of two things:
1. In his hatred of his original work, Lucas ordered the data deleted, which is pretty stupid (since keeping it around would be cheap).
2. He *has* a very nice cleaned up original version sitting on the Lucas SAN somewhere but refused to allow that to be released.
Either way it blows....
Re:Will we ever get what we really want? (Score:4, Insightful)
You're making an assumption about someone else's competence. A dangerous thing to do.
Re:George Lucas' Fear of Failure (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:5, Insightful)
Why else would he have started with Episode IV? Usually, you start at the beginning.
My guess would be that IV is just as boring (over long stretches) for someone who saw them the first time in the "right" order (i.e. new trilogy first, old one last). Because it, again, explains a lot. A lot that you already know when you've seen I-III.
In total, though, EpOne was a huge disappointment in pretty much every aspect. It has long passages of rather boring background info that doesn't really come to fruit in the movies (it does in the books, but the movies left out a sizable portion of this). Generally, it consists in large parts of Anakin being introduced as a very great Jedi-wannabe and the zany antics of JarJar.
What was the REAL disappointment was the rest of the Trilogy. Ep2 had the ability to become a great SciFi movie. Hey, it had the growth of Palpatine, it had the beginning of Anakin's corruption and let's not forget, it had what made every SciFi movie great: Tons and tons of robots. Lucas decided to make a cheesy love story out of it. A love story. Now, name ONE SciFi movie that is named when it comes to numbering the greatest SciFi movies of all times that consists basically of a love story. Yes, of course, Anakins love was one of the key elements to his ultimate corruption to the dark side, but does it have to be stretched to the lengths that the average SW fan falls asleep?
Finally Ep3. I was waiting to be compensated. I was actually expecting, no, demanding that we'll see a movie that rivals the greatness of IV and... hell the whole old trilogy! Hey, we all knew what was supposed to happen. And we all wanted to know one thing: HOW? Just HOW exactly does Anakin become Vader? What do we get? A laser sword fight over a lava pit that doesn't even come close to the emotional struggle displayed in VI between Vader and Luke. Great CGI, no doubt. But where was the emotion?
And in the end, without further ado, we get a Vader presented shouting a simple NOOOOO. What? No gory details? I, at the very least, would have expected some bargaining between Palpatine and Anakin, something like "I save your life and you join me on the dark side", some epic personal struggle for Anakin, at least SOMETHING that gives me a reason to feel for those characters.
Generally, great CGI, great effects, great eye candy, shallow story. If I wanted that, I could as well play a game.
Comment removed (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:5, Insightful)
First, he didn't start with Episode IV. He started with a movie called "Star Wars". Empire was the first movie to carry an episode number, and the original Star Wars did not get its "Episode IV" subtitle until its re-release. Second, it should be very clear to anyone who watched the series evolve in real-time that George Lucas was making up as he went. He may have had the very vague concept of something larger in his head but I refuse to believe that he:
Lucas cannot win. I have Karma to burn. (Score:5, Insightful)
Demand for the release of the original, unaltered trilogy on DVD has come up in the form of a great and plaintive whine in every single Star Wars-related story on Slashdot since probably around 1999. Now, here they are, and what are the "fans" doing? Complaining.
Sure, Lucas could have remastered the OT's picture and sound, made it anamorphic, and left out all the Special Edition changes. But then you would just have fanboys complaining that that constitutes an alteration. I know, you think that sounds outlandish, but I guarantee you it's not. Star Wars has become less about enjoying the films than complaining about the films, at least around here.
I think the only way the whiny fans will ever be pleased is when the technology finally emerges to Choose Your Own Star Wars Edition, where you pick from a digital menu which alterations you want. "OK, I want the non-Special Edition, with remastered picture and sound, Han shoots first, lightsabers are colored, old sandcrawler but new dewbacks, I want the new space battles... hmm, the Death Star explosion: ring or no ring?"
I'm kidding, of course. That won't actually solve anything, the whiners will just complain that they're once again being "forced" to buy another edition. George Lucas wants me to pay for entertainment. I have no free will and have to pay for every edition whether I like it or not. Boo hoo.
The unaltered OT is out on DVD. You got your wish. Now, for Christ's sake, quit your bitching. Instead of continuing to moan about what you didn't get, count your lucky stars that we live in an economy that can support your having so many choices in your entertainment. And recognize that it is a choice. You great big giant babies.
Ahh, okay, I feel better. Have a great day.
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:3, Insightful)
Still cool, but it kind of pisses me off that he ignores continuity created by 3rd party stuff that he sanctioned and licensed, while stealing ideas from them. Now that loser Darth Maul is forever associated with the aweseom double-bladed saber, while poor Exar Kun--a much, much better character--is practically unknown (outside of geek circles, I suppose).
That series also had writing that was better than probably either trilogy. If they ever make new movies, it should be based on either that or on Zahn's trilogy.
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Will we ever get what we really want? (Score:4, Insightful)
Basically, this is not what people screamed for and whether he "stuck it to us or not" is not debatable.
Re:Slashdot just can't be pleased (Score:3, Insightful)
1) The imfamous gun scene... who shot first?
2) Han steps on Jabba's tail - rather respectless for a man in Han's position.
3) The more graphic blaster shots were usually cut for a few frames.
Now, taking them in reverse order... The blaster shots were poor effects, essentially whiting out the area. Almost all the other pyro work (like ship explosions) was redone as well. It could have been done for rating reasons but I doubt it, I think it was more to save some work. How graphic death by light saber is doesn't matter a bit to the story anyway. or maybe it makes it more of a Jedi weapon, quick and painless not brutal and painful.
The Jabba scene is not intentional, it's because Han walks that way around Jabba. It's over the top but not desperately out of a character for the kind of ragged smuggler Han's supposed to be. Besides, it's another reason for Jabba to hold a grugde against him, which rather fits the rest of the story. They weren't friends, aren't friends and it only adds a little more bad blood between them.
So basicly.... we're left with the gun scene. It is the only one that significantly changes a main character or the relationship between them. Now, if someone could redo the five seconds worth of changed footage in the special edition to match the original scene but with redone graphics, should shut 99% of the people up. Because it's in fact the ONLY significant change I've found that's not a definitive improvement.
Can't you feel the love? sheesh (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:The Defense of I, II & III (Score:2, Insightful)
Exar Kun Fatal Flaw: Pride and the quest to seek out knowledge in all manner of the force. Dark or light, all should be explored.
Anakin Skywalker Fatal Flaw: Gotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save Padme(Damn Obi Wan!)Gotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save PadmeGotta save Padme
More indepth exposure of the sith would have made it darker and more fulfilling.
The one thing facing me in complaining about the prequels. Lucas started from scratch on this and made it into a new thing. How many people on
Look at a blank page and then create a full story arc. Try it.
Now create something that no one else has done. Make an original story. Begin now.
After you pour a great deal of time into it and you think it's finished. Try having someone read it as a finished work.
I'm not saying scriptwriters are these awesome colossal beings, but it is hard to make something even slightly original from your mind. (I know Lucas wasn't original since he used traditional archtypes and he copied from all his fav directors anyway, but you get my drift.)
I wish... (Score:3, Insightful)
1) They fixed the plethora of problems introduced by doing a rushed DVD transfer by Lowry Digital. Examples that stand out include forgetting to take lightsabre colours into account when colour-correcting scenes and flipping music channels. From what I gather Lowry had 30 days per movie.
2) They included the classic trilogy, obtained from film material from the 1997 film restoration of the OT for the DVD transfer. It seems they underwent a major film restoration process to get the best possible source material for the Special Edition. Surely they preserved that before Lucas started scribbling on it with new effects.
So as it stands I won't be buying these. They've done nothing to fix the Special Edition, and the Classic Edition looks no better than on Laserdisc.
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)