Subject:
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Re: All 6 movies on DVD
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.starwars
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Date:
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Thu, 14 Oct 2004 02:57:36 GMT
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Viewed:
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1971 times
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In lugnet.starwars, David Laswell wrote:
> In lugnet.starwars, Allan Bedford wrote:
> > Well, chances are if that's what you're hoping for, then Lucas will go out of
> > his way to make sure it doesn't happen. Here's a recent quote(1) by my old
> > friend George that highlights this point:
> >
> > Q: Do you pay much attention to fan reactions to your choices?
> >
> > LUCAS: Not really.
>
> Hey, to give him credit, that's not entirely true. He did also comment on how
> if he'd known ahead of time how popular Boba Fett would become, he would have
> given him a much less loser-y way to die, and it was that very popularity that
> led to his origin story being such a major part of Ep2. Yeah, as far as the
> core story goes, he's not going to cheap out and tailor fit his story to fan
> expectations just so he can make everyone happy.
Let me state for the record.....
He can do whatever he wants with the movies. He can edit it so that Princess
Leah is really R2-D2's sister... I really don't care.
What I am referring to is not what he does with the movies, but rather how he
doesn't listen to the fans. There is a difference. Not offering to release the
original versions is not listening to the fans.
Many of us crusty old fans who saw "Star Wars" in the theaters in 1977 have a
memory locked in. We have many memories. We paid to see the films over and
again. We helped George build his empire by offering him our allowances and
paper route earnings. Remember... George never let us see those movies for
free, we always had to pay. So do they really belong to him? Or do the
collective memories of the original films belong to us?
Here is an amazing quote:
"I am very concerned about our national heritage, and I am very concerned that
the films that I watched when I was young and the films that I watched
throughout my life are preserved, so that my children can see them." (1)
Based on my rant above you might think those are my words, talking about Star
Wars. But no, those are George's words, talking about colorized Three Stooges
movies.
All I (as a fan) have asked of George is that he put out some simple
presentation of the original films without all of his post 1983 tinkering.
Beyond that, as I said, he can do whatever he wants. It is that request, that
he bluntly ignores, that gets my goat.
Too expensive to remaster the entire movies in their original form? Yup,
probably. So how about a compromise? Just give me the newly remastered
versions but with the simple option to watch them without things like the silly
Jabba meets Han scene in EP IV. It's unnecessary, poorly acted and throws the
rhythm of that entire sequence. Lucas is a very good editor, he should know
better than to have put that scene back in. There was a reason it was on the
cutting room floor for so many years.
But his relentless obsession with 'finishing' these movies has distorted
whatever they ever were. Now there is no way for me to watch EP IV without that
goofy scene in there. There are many DVD's that offer the original theatrical
versions, along with Director's cuts. Many DVD's, just not Star Wars.
So let me say again... he can edit the entire trilogy down to a three minute
cartoon where Ben shoots Greedo first while Luke roasts Ewoks over Darth's
funeral pyre. I really really don't care. But preserving the original films
for history should be at least 1/2 as important to George as preserving 3
Stooges flicks.
Oh, and it's interesting to note that the 3 Stooges DVD's do have the original
B&W versions as well as the tinkered-with versions. Everyone can be happy, it's
not impossible.
> > 2007 is the 30th anniversary of Episode IV coming out, so there's not likely
> > to be another major release on DVD until then (with the obvious exception of
> > Episode III).
>
> I wouldn't expect to see anything even then.
Me neither. George is wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. He won't bother to
release such a package because he really doesn't need to. It won't satisfy his
bloated ego in any way, so why bother?
> > Amazingly enough, I really don't think all the reissues, rereleases,
> > retinkering, etc. is about money.
>
> Oh, it can't be. I mean, look at the various choices he's made.
> Just about anyone else in that
> situation would have probably just put them out on DVDs that were so
> stripped-down that they'd have to list "interactive menus" as a bonus feature,
> and then double-dip the market at a later date
Either you misunderstood my comment, or I'm misunderstanding yours. I indicated
the tinkering _wasn't_ about money. Entirely about ego. You're right. Anyone
else, interested in the buck, would have done this release differently. George,
only being interested in himself, did it the way George wanted to. Not the way
the fans wanted it. Not the way that would make the most money, but the way
that would make him feel best about himself. Bravo George. Job well done.
Allan B.
(1) Taken from:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1092186524995_87595724/?hub=TopStories
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: All 6 movies on DVD
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| (...) Now, my big question here is whether he was arguing against colorizing _any_ B&W films, or just the ones where the director wasn't doing it of his own volition? I can't remember who it was, but one director had his own B&W film colorized. If (...) (20 years ago, 14-Oct-04, to lugnet.starwars)
| | | Re: All 6 movies on DVD
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| (...) I understand Lucas' position, though I'm not sure I entirely agree with it. Yes, it is his story to tell, yes, he can change it, but what's wrong with giving us the choice of seeing the original theatrical version (I mean, without retaining my (...) (20 years ago, 15-Oct-04, to lugnet.starwars)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: All 6 movies on DVD
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| (...) Hey, to give him credit, that's not entirely true. He did also comment on how if he'd known ahead of time how popular Boba Fett would become, he would have given him a much less loser-y way to die, and it was that very popularity that led to (...) (20 years ago, 14-Oct-04, to lugnet.starwars)
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