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Invelos Forums->General: General Discussion |
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Lucas does it again... |
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| Registered: June 21, 2007 | Reputation:  |  Posts: 2,621 |
| | Posted: | | | | Appartently it's far cheaper to go add new scenes, new digital effects, new soundtrack, new everything than to just give the orginals a nice HD transfer. Transfers cost money, yinkering must be free! Like I said on another site, this has gone from annoying to fascinating to me. I gave up so I don't care and will never support George again unles OG versions get a decent release. Now I'm kicking back watching the train wrecks and the aftermath. It's a whole new level of entertainment really.  Hey George! You know what other directors do? They move on and make new movies! Most don't ever watch their old ones again, esp. not holed up by themselves watching and looking for stuff to tweak. Put the old movies down, pick up the new camera.  (we really need a middle finger icon here. I understand swearing isn't cool, but we need something for George alone!) |
| | Registered: May 19, 2007 | Reputation:  | | Posts: 5,917 |
| | Posted: | | | | When I used to draw, I had a hard time with quit adding onto it even though I knew it was done. I eventually realized that adding too much lessens it.
GL seems to have the same issue. |
| | Registered: March 13, 2007 | Reputation:  | | Posts: 5,635 |
| | Posted: | | | | I wrote a few pieces of film criticism around the time when the first Star Wars film was released. One of my pieces on Rocky was printed in a national magazine and was quoted on the Today Show. Looking back at the films of that era, I was right about Rocky. It is a fine film, similar to older boxing films... the kind of film that if you were up at 2 am and it was on TV, you would not turn it off. With the exception of the outer space fantasy and science fiction elements, Star Wars has much in common with Rocky. Both draw on familiar themes, have reluctant heroes, older guides for the hero, etc. Rocky led to many sequels, mostly inferior. Star Wars led to two interesting sequels and three ill-written special effects driven films and a merchandizing industry. Avildsen, Winkler, Chatoff and Stallone went on to other projects, some involing the characters and situations, but none have needed to revise the original film. Lucas keeps polishing his rough gem of a cool film, removing the flaws he sees, adding worse dialog and stupider plot twists for the sake of enhanced effects. He keeps removing the heart from this film and pastes on another layer of makeup on the old broad.
Face it. If Star Wars was not a science fiction fantasy film, we would think it no better than Rocky. because it is no better... and it has been rubbled slick and shallow and formless and dull. I prefer the rough edges. | | | If it wasn't for bad taste, I wouldn't have no taste at all.
Cliff | | | | Last edited: by VibroCount |
|  | Blair | | Resistance is Futile! |
| Registered: October 30, 2008 | | Posts: 1,249 |
| | Posted: | | | | I can understand making a "Director's Cut." I can understand making the very first Special Edition with the huge change in effects. What I can't agree with is his trying to behave as if the original film shouldn't matter anymore. He's moving on and he is forcing everyine else to move on as newer formats come out.
The problem I have with this is that Star Wars: A New Hope was created at the right place and the right time. If not for that film being such a success, he'd probably still be a failed short film writer with ideas few people cared about. You would think he would cherish the film for that reason, particularly when fans are still asking for that version.
However, Lucas said in an interview for the first SE that the film is always evolving and he made the SE because technology was now available that wasn't back then to create his "original vision" for the film. Therein lies a key part of the problem if you assume that it is not all about money: he's stuck in a childhood rut still trying to perfect his decades-old vision.
How many other artists (of all branches) in history have taken their most famous works and said, "You know... I can do better. I'm going to create a new, obviously different but mostly the same version of my art, re-release it, and hope that galleries will all take the old versions down." Not many. Lucas is an exception. | | | If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.
He who MUST get the last word in on a pointless, endless argument doesn't win. It makes him the bigger jerk. | | | | Last edited: by Blair |
| | Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 5,635 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting Blair: Quote:
... that Star Wars: A New Hope was created at the right place and the right time... No, it wasn't. The "A New Hope" was added on a rerelease of the film. It was not created; it was reformed and reduced. | | | If it wasn't for bad taste, I wouldn't have no taste at all.
Cliff |
| | Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 13,201 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting VibroCount: Quote:
Quoting Blair:
Quote:
... that Star Wars: A New Hope was created at the right place and the right time...
No, it wasn't. The "A New Hope" was added on a rerelease of the film. It was not created; it was reformed and reduced. Indeed. 'A New Hope' wasn't added until 'Star Wars' showed signs of being a huge box office hit and he decided to cash in by making more films. | | | No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever.
There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom.
Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand.
The Centauri learned this lesson once.
We will teach it to them again.
Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
- Citizen G'Kar |
| | Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 5,635 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting TheMadMartian: Quote:
Quoting VibroCount:
Quote:
Quoting Blair:
Quote:
... that Star Wars: A New Hope was created at the right place and the right time...
No, it wasn't. The "A New Hope" was added on a rerelease of the film. It was not created; it was reformed and reduced.
Indeed. 'A New Hope' wasn't added until 'Star Wars' showed signs of being a huge box office hit and he decided to cash in by making more films. Close, but no. To quote Wikipedia: "The film was originally released as Star Wars, without Episode IV or the subtitle A New Hope. The 1980 sequel, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, featured an episode number and subtitle in the opening crawl. When the original film was re-released in 1981, Episode IV: A New Hope was added above the original opening crawl." So the tag Episode IV: A New Hope was added a year after The Empire Strikes Back was released. | | | If it wasn't for bad taste, I wouldn't have no taste at all.
Cliff |
| | Blair | | Resistance is Futile! |
| Registered: October 30, 2008 | | Posts: 1,249 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting VibroCount: Quote:
Quoting Blair:
Quote:
... that Star Wars: A New Hope was created at the right place and the right time...
No, it wasn't. The "A New Hope" was added on a rerelease of the film. It was not created; it was reformed and reduced. Out of my whole post, this was the only thing you felt the need to comment on?  I used the title because I consider "Star Wars" as the franchise, and I was speaking about only the first film. I suppose I could have said, "The 1977 Star Wars film..." but I didn't think someone would nitpick the title I chose to use. | | | If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.
He who MUST get the last word in on a pointless, endless argument doesn't win. It makes him the bigger jerk. |
| | Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 13,201 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting VibroCount: Quote:
Close, but no. To quote Wikipedia: "The film was originally released as Star Wars, without Episode IV or the subtitle A New Hope. The 1980 sequel, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, featured an episode number and subtitle in the opening crawl. When the original film was re-released in 1981, Episode IV: A New Hope was added above the original opening crawl." So the tag Episode IV: A New Hope was added a year after The Empire Strikes Back was released. How does any of this make what I said wrong? The reason it was released without Episode IV or the subtitle is because there was no such animal. It wasn't until the film was a huge hit, that Lucas decided to make the sequals. The fact that it was added to the crawl, for the 1981 release, doesn't change that fact. | | | No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever.
There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom.
Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand.
The Centauri learned this lesson once.
We will teach it to them again.
Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
- Citizen G'Kar |
| | Registered: March 16, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 943 |
| | Posted: | | | | This show is so much fun to watch...  | | | Just in from somewhere left of the middle of nowhere
The Holy See
Hell |
| | Registered: March 29, 2007 | | Reputation: |  Posts: 4,479 |
| | Posted: | | | | I saw "Star Wars" in theater, and had original releases in VHS. When I bought new versions on DVD, I really found them much better, and I'm happy to see them coming on blu-ray. I must say that the "Greedo" scene, or what Dark Vador said or not in front of the Emperor are tiny changes that I probably would not have noticed without the internet buzz they provoked... But the much richer scenes on Tatooine (Episode 4) or Bespin (Episode 5) are really worth to be seen. Note that those movies are not the only ones that I bought in VHS, then DVD, then blu-ray, and they are also not the only ones to have a director's cut different of the theater versions.
I can understand that some people prefer the original version (as I prefer original "Blade Runner" to the director's cut), but I hardly understand why Lucas gets all those reproaches, that are not made to other directors that modified their original movies. | | | | Images from movies |
| | Registered: May 19, 2007 | Reputation:  |  Posts: 6,730 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting Taro: Quote:
I understand that fans feel adamant about all this but in the end, Star Wars is Lucas' creation and he's free to do with it as he pleases.
I think if I were to write a book that has become popular, and years later I revisit the material and want to change a few things for the reprint, I also wouldn't care what fans have to say. Because in the end, it's my story, it's my creation and I'm free to change it how I see fit, even if it's to the detriment of sales.
Not saying I think it's a great idea of him to make all those changes, just saying that in the end, a creator is free to change his creation as he sees fit. To stay in your example: There's nothing to say against a change as long as you don't burn the books with the original story. The original Star Wars trilogy is not and will never be available anymore. I wouldn't say anything against Lucas' attempts to "improve" the franchise as long as he would have kept the originals available too, and if only as "Bonus-Material" on the Blu-Ray. | | | It all seems so stupid, it makes me want to give up!
But why should I give up, when it all seems so stupid?
Registrant since 05/22/2003 |
| | Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 4,596 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting surfeur51: Quote:
I can understand that some people prefer the original version (as I prefer original "Blade Runner" to the director's cut), but I hardly understand why Lucas gets all those reproaches, that are not made to other directors that modified their original movies. I'll tell you why. Because after making his "artistic" changes to the original cuts, he refuses to remaster and release the originals on Blu-ray. Other films released to Blu-ray at least have both the original remastered theatrical release and the "Director's" cut but Lucas refuses to allow us "Star Wars Purists" that privilege so now we’re now stuck with his “new” vision on Blu-ray. | | | | My WebGenDVD online Collection |
| | Registered: March 29, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 4,479 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting 8ballMax: Quote:
Other films released to Blu-ray at least have both the original remastered theatrical release and the "Director's" cut but Lucas refuses to allow us "Star Wars Purists" that privilege so now we’re now stuck with his “new” vision on Blu-ray. This is not true. Theatrical release of Blade Runner has never been remastered, and Ridley Scott " refuses to allow us "Blade Runner Purists" that privilege so now we’re now stuck with his “new” vision on Blu-ray". People will say that Scott's original view of his movie was altered by studios. It was a problem of money. Lucas's original view was altered by technical restraints, just a problem of money. Both did the same : promote the version they prefer. | | | | Images from movies |
| | Registered: March 29, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 4,479 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting Silence_of_Lambs: Quote:
The original Star Wars trilogy is not and will never be available anymore. Wrong. It is available on DVD. Non-anamorphic transfer, but correct (far better than VHS). Just as many great movies, as "Abyss", for example. | | | | Images from movies | | | | Last edited: by surfeur51 |
| | Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 4,596 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting surfeur51: Quote:
This is not true. Theatrical release of Blade Runner has never been remastered, and Ridley Scott " refuses to allow us "Blade Runner Purists" that privilege so now we’re now stuck with his “new” vision on Blu-ray".
Perhaps you should do some research before making idiotic comments  . All of the versions of the film contained in the Blu-ray 5-Disc Complete Collector's Edition of "Blade Runner" were remastered in 1080p HD...including the original U.S. Theatrical Release. At least Ridley Scott gave us the privilege of having the Original Release on Blu-ray even though it is not his preferred version of the film...unlike George "Screw the Fans" Lucas who will only allow us to own his preferred "vision" and no other on Blu-ray. | | | | My WebGenDVD online Collection |
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Invelos Forums->General: General Discussion |
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