Author Topic: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!  (Read 13389 times)

Offline DSJ™

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Offline jokabofe

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2004, 02:11 PM »
Quote

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.


What a dick...

Offline Scott

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2004, 02:19 PM »
Eh, I'm resigned to the fact that this is what he wants...and I think I was talking with Brad about this at one point.  The reason we will never see them rereleased is the amount of money needed to restore them.  Its way too much and he won't shell it out (well maybe when people start sending him death threats)

Offline Darth Broem

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2004, 10:07 PM »
As if millions of dollars is something Lucas can't part with though.  Hell he could have made that up with just a portion of the DVD sales.   I don't know what his problem is putting out the original version along with this set like Spielberg did with E.T. 

I don't even get upset about it.  It's just so dumb that it makes me laugh at him.  Lucas is an odd man if you ask me.  A very rich and successful odd man, but odd nonetheless.   Kind of snotty in areas he need not be. 

Offline Ben

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2004, 06:31 PM »
So, what's he gonna do with the millions ROTS makes? What about the millions TPM and AOTC made? And it's not like he wouldn't recoup his investment. Hell, I'd buy another boxed set if it had the unspoiled trilogy in it.

And VHS doesn't last forever, Lucas.
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Offline CorranHorn

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2004, 02:43 AM »
From the interview on Apple.com mentioned on the front page....


Tweaks and Shrieks
As with many restorations made with the cooperation of living directors, the “Star Wars Trilogy” introduced content changes, mandated by Lucas, to conform narrative and look and feel in the original trilogy with characters and visuals introduced in the later films. Some were controversial with fans.

Jim Ward deflates the issue by scaling the controversy: “At the end of the day an artist has a right to do what he wants to do to his work. For many years, George has worked to achieve the original vision he couldn’t achieve in 1977 or in 1997 (Special Edition).

So it makes maybe a good headline, but it’s hardly a controversy. We sold over $100 million in one day of this DVD around the world, so I don’t think anybody’s too upset about it. And any changes that George made, they might be controversial to about 5 people.”


As one of those "5 people", might I say to Jim Ward and George Lucas.... **** YOU!
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2004, 04:00 AM »
Can anyone say "Out of touch"?

Seriously, I don't mind the changes overall...  I'm happy with lots from the original SE, and the DVD's didn't bug me or I felt actually were improvements.

That said, to not admit reality (that people...  LOTS of people.  Hate your "revisions") is assinine at best, completely, utterly, 100% incredibly naieve and stupid to say at worst....

I'd say he hit the "worst" mark moreso.

Lucas even acknowledges dislike of the changes.  I mean, for god's sake wake up dude.  Accept that what you're doing ISN'T appreciated like you think it is.  Sales in "Star Wars" mean nothing.  People buy this crap because they like Star Wars...

E1 had HUGE sales and is considered by most to be a terrible film.  Wake up to reality bub...  Just because it has Star Wars stamped on it doesn't make it "great".  That goes for the DVD's and everything else.  Lucas is more accepting of that mind-set than this schmuck is even...  That is incredible.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2004, 03:45 PM »

As one of those "5 people", might I say to Jim Ward and George Lucas.... **** YOU!

Well, we're two of five.  Whoulda thunk we'd actually be in the same place.  Two out of six plus billion people on the same board, what a coincidence. 
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Offline Jedidz23

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2005, 05:26 PM »
Ah, another thread that needs to be revisited.  I don't mind some of the changes to the DVD after seeing ROTS, but I still had Fett's voice change (and complete lack of enthusiaism by Morrison in the voice dialogue), the new Jabba music sequence, and, of course, Greedo! 

Surprisingly enough, seeing Hayden in the end of Jedi didn't bother me as much as I expected.  You get more of an emotional sense of closure, having seen Hayden turn to the Dark Side.  He still has kind of a creepy grin on his face, but the idea works.  As with most of Lucas's films, the audience has to do most of the work, but ultimately, we have a hell of a lot of fun doing it!

Offline Nathan

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2005, 12:00 AM »
I don't mind 85% of the changes on the SEs and the DVDs, but I really wish the originals were available simply for historical, archival reasons.

Oh well ... I bet after he's dead his kids will release them on Blu-ray or hologram or direct neural download or whatever.
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Offline Jedidz23

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #10 on: May 30, 2005, 04:11 PM »
I don't mind 85% of the changes on the SEs and the DVDs, but I really wish the originals were available simply for historical, archival reasons.

Absolutely!  This is the never ending debate, but for pure history and nostalgia, I want the originals as well!!

Wouldn't it be cool if Lucas had a website where you pick which portions of the movies you like (SE verses Classics), and this would be edited into your own personal "definitie edition"?

Offline Darth Broem

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #11 on: June 1, 2005, 10:50 AM »
I think what gets people is the attitude Lucas seems to have with the originals.  He acts like those are utter crap and his new SE's are gold.  Yes, I agree that 85% of the changes are nice.  It's some of this other stuff already mentioned a billion times that are not. 

I just don't understand why he does not make them available on DVD as a bonus?   Here is a guy that is supposed to be against piracy but yet he basically leaves you know option but to get a bootleg DVD copy of the OT. 

He is such a contradiction with things.  For the longest time he would not put the OT on DVD but yet gets snotty if his films are not shown in the best theatrical presentation possible.  But it's ok for everyone to view his precious flicks on VHS tapes.  Weird.

Offline Herbert_Ackermans

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #12 on: June 1, 2005, 04:06 PM »
It's about his vision.

For him, he still has not fullfilled his vision.

You can bet that the next re-release of the OT in a 6-DVD set will contain further changes and improvements.

I think people will see the total lack of the Emperor in ANH as strange, given he's very prominent in Ep 1 to 3. I suspect that there will be some kind of Vader-Emperor scene in ANH edited in, also to explain why Bad-ass Vader suddenly plays second fiddle to Tarkin.

Admit, in ANH, Tarkin is the main Bad Guy, and Vader is his evil ruthless henchman.

That does not gell with Ep 1 to 3, and 5 + 6.

Offline Jedidz23

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #13 on: June 1, 2005, 04:37 PM »
I think people will see the total lack of the Emperor in ANH as strange, given he's very prominent in Ep 1 to 3. I suspect that there will be some kind of Vader-Emperor scene in ANH edited in, also to explain why Bad-ass Vader suddenly plays second fiddle to Tarkin.

I hope there are no more changes.  There don't need to be anymore, unless he makes Han shoot first.   ;)

I don't think it's strange that the Emperor isn't in ANH; I think it adds depth.  Even though he does not appear, his presence is still felt.  Vader is still there, the Empire is strong, and Tarkin is running the show,  This isn't a weakness at all.  It would be weaker if the audience had to be reminded about the character.  This lets the audeince use their imagination, and piece together information that isn't present.  Yoda is not in ANH either, because it would not make sense from a narrative perspective to just insert him.  In the first LOTR's film, we don't see any Ents, yet that does not lessen their impact once they appear in the second film. 

... also to explain why Bad-ass Vader suddenly plays second fiddle to Tarkin.

Admit, in ANH, Tarkin is the main Bad Guy, and Vader is his evil ruthless henchman.
That does not gell with Ep 1 to 3, and 5 + 6.

I think it gels very well, hence the tragedy of Vader is more palpable; in spite of all his power, and attempt to gain more, he is still under the Emperor's thumb (just as he thought he was with the Jedi council), and under Tarkin's "leash" (to quote a certain Princess).
« Last Edit: June 1, 2005, 04:43 PM by Jedidz23 »

Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: Why Lucas tinkered with Star Wars!
« Reply #14 on: June 1, 2005, 08:26 PM »


I hope there are no more changes. 


Amen.
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