Who is okay with the Changes?

[Brian]

I was just reading through everyone's comments on the changes to the OT, with the new DVDs being released next week.  Do most of you still feel the same way?  Are you "ok" with most of the changes, and just having a few things that bother you?

I agree with the same scenes many have already listed here.  I'd also rather see "Han shoot first", as I think pretty much everyone has agreed on.  I also didn't like the Luke "sissy yell", which has since been fixed.  Part of me likes the original song (Lapti Nek) in Jabba's Palace, as well as the "yub yub" ending song in ROTJ.  I kind of miss those, and wouldn't mind if they would have been left alone.  I would have been ok with leaving Boba's voice alone too.  Other things were improvements, and I definitely appreciate the clarity and some digital enhancements that really make things look nicer.  I know when the original OT box set first came out in 2004 - I couldn't believe how clear they looked compared to my previous VHS versions.  Anyways, how do you feel about the changes at this point?  Do you have a "definitive version" that you watch when you do sit down to watch the OT?

[Darth Broem]

I was rereading this as well.  I don't know.  I go back and forth on some of the changes I guess.  All in all I am glad Lucas did something with the OT.  As it did help update the films and at least get them back out there in the public's eye.  Granted he makes a ton of mula each time but he could just as easily said screw it, I'm rich, I'm not messing with those films anymore. 

For ANH - I still don't really care for them making Han step on Jabba's tale.  That almost bugs me as much as Han not shooting Greedo first.  Like I said earlier I think they made Jabba look better in 2004 at least.  I don't mind the Boba Fett cameo either...I know a ton of people hate that though.  I like how Mos Eisley is opened up I just wish it was not THAT big of a spaceport but for the most part I don't mind it.   The Jawas falling off the Ronto does not get me upset either.   I am impressed with most of the CGI done for the Death Star scenes at the end.  I don't really care for the halos around the Death Star or Alderaan.  I think the original explosions look more realistic....then again I've not seen that for a long time. 

For ESB - I like most of the changes really.  I actually like the Wampa scenes.  Again I like the Emperor with Ian McDiarmid now.  I do like how they opened up Bespin as well.  The added Imperial Shuttle scene is kind of cool.  Although I don't like Vader's voice when he's calling for it.  It just sounds bad.  At least they took away Luke's wussy yell in 2004.  I do like the extened or added scene of Slave I following the Falcon. 

For ROTJ - I like Oola's extended scene falling into the Rancor Pit.  The song with the Jabba Dancer's does not bother me either.  I don't say I love it.  I could take it either way.  I know a lot of people really that  that though.  I don't like Boba Fett hitting on that dancer Rystaal.  I thought that was quite lame.  I guess now that we know he's human it's a tadbit better....no it's not    I actually like the new ending with the Ewoks and the song.  All the globe hopping at the end though is kind of bland though.  As far as young Anakin's ghost goes...I tend to like Sebastian Shaw in there better.  I am not furious over that change though. 

Some other stuff like the stormtrooper's voices now match Morrison's voice...it's okay.  I don't think it was necessary but then a lot of changes were not.  I do like the fact that they tried to cleanup the matte lines especially in ESB.  They have a lot of nice touches along the way. 

All in all though I hope Lucas makes the originals available on all future re-releases on DVD. 

[Ben]

I must the only one who likes the new song at the end of ROTJ. I never much cared for the "Yub Yub" song that was there originally.

[jono]

With Star Wars i find more to roll my eyes about than praise. The whole Han/Greedo thing has been well explored,so just put me in the "Nay"camp reguarding that one.
The only other big dislike would be the digitised show down with Jabba in the docking bay. There are so many things wrong with this scene...repeated Greedo/Han dialouge,The tail step,Fett hanging around with a group of pea green motorcycle leather wearing extras....just wrong.

Having vented all that some changes are geniune improvements. All the subtle tweaks,refinements and new hues to old fim stock look very nice indeed!  R2 about to encounter the Jawas,The lumbering Sandcrawler,Luke looking wistfully at binary sunset -these are all inprovements.

The final kind of change leaves me feeling ambiguous. An example would be the expansion of Mos eisley. On the one hand it's a great testament to Lucas' flair for peripheral detail. On Another this new industrious spaceport takes away from the impact of solitary tribes defending thier turf and eeking out an existence with whatever resources they can. Why buy half broken product from Jawa when you can nip into the old speeder and whizz down to Mos "The Mall" Eisley?.


With "Empire" almost everthing is a worthwhile addition, The only major exception would be Morrison becoming Boba. Quite frankly his "Clone" heart just isn't in it!


Jedi's changes don't bother me as its a film can take or leave.

[Darth_Anton]

For me it depends on the change. In Empire, I think all of the changes work save for Vaders new dialogue when he boards his shuttle, I don't think the voice sounds like Vader.

For ANH, it's half and half, I like the replaced dog fight shots, but hate Greedo shooting first and the Jabba scene. I also read somewhere that they shaved frames off of Imperial Officers getting hit by laser blasts. If this is true, that was just a sad change.

Jedi, I think I'm against most of he changes. The new musical number in Jabbas palace is just embarrassing, even more-so than the original. I like the sprit of the celebration montage, but it just doesn't feel like it's part of the movie and I hated Hayden Christensen replacing Sebastian Shaw.

[Darth Depressis]

i almost became an againsit the changes person when the dvds first came out, but quickly realized it was a good thing when i found myself standing infront of a tv at Best Buy watching return of the jedi for the first time in a little under a year, which all starwars fans should know how strange it would be to go that long without watching any starwars films.

but i'm totally ok with the changes and would like to see certain things changed in the future, but as far as prequel edtions to the OT i've come to except hayden. but i think the line needs to be drawn there.

[Taminar]

Some of the changes I don't mind, like prettying up the shots of the Sandcrawler in Episode 4, just to give one example. Most of the changes, though, I don't think add anything to the film and in some cases, it seems to take away something, it messes with the pacing.  I *hate* that he took Sebastian Shaw out and put in Hayden, and I *hate* that Greedo shoots first.  It's also annoying that FX problems (like the visible pole when the Falcon is brought into the Death Star and the white lightsaber after Vader kills Obi-Wan) were not fixed when they easily could've been.

[Artoo]

What I disliked:
Greedo shoots first, didn't Lucas want Han's character to change like Vader & Luke. The whole joke is gone too. 
Jabba in ANH, he looks to TPM-ish, he should look ROTJ-ish
Boba's new voice, even though he is a clone dosen't mean he has to sound like Jango. Though at times the voices sound the same, "Put Capt. Solo in the cargo hold" sounds sorta like the old guy
"Jedi Rocks" of course "Lepti Nek" is annoying too.
Editing out Wolfman! SW needs werewolves!

What I liked:
Bespin halls/ Bespin new look, looked cooler
Tons of stormies, when han screams
Tie Fighters w/o boxes
ESBs new Palps look, dosen't only tie the PT to the movie but ROTJ!
No "Yub,Yub" song! The new song sounds more victorious.

Stuff that should of been added, hopefully in next update:
Vader's entrance in ANH should be "Imperial March", really "Bum,bum,bum,buuuum!" sounds really cheesy when we have the March, Vader's them.
Deleted scenes like R2 getting attacked by the wampa,etc...

[RevengeoftheJedi]

good changes but the Anakin change at the end of VI with Hayden Christianson was bad, because we have a 28 year old Luke looking at his 23 year old father

[Hemish]

Changing Fetts voice in Empire was stupid.
Accents are regional at best, and Morrison didnt deliver Fetts lines with any menace at all, it just sounded rushed and weak.
Jabba docking bay could have done without, it never looked right, the song in jabbas palace I could have handled if they left the ewok song at the end and putting Hayden in the end was the most stupid thing ever, it didnt make any sense what so ever, he left the light side looking like that , but rejoined the force as an old man , why would his spirit look like he's 23? While he was at it , why didnt he just replace Sir Alec with Ewan

[Clone Commander]

I didnt care for Temeura Morrison rushing his Fett lines, they were weak, I mean Temeura is cool but it sounds like he did it over a telephone with a bad connection.
I loved the celebration part, kind of like the whole empire has collapsed and everybody for once can be happy.

[Artoo]

Changing Fetts voice in Empire was stupid.
Accents are regional at best, and Morrison didnt deliver Fetts lines with any menace at all, it just sounded rushed and weak.
Jabba docking bay could have done without, it never looked right, the song in jabbas palace I could have handled if they left the ewok song at the end and putting Hayden in the end was the most stupid thing ever, it didnt make any sense what so ever, he left the light side looking like that , but rejoined the force as an old man , why would his spirit look like he's 23? While he was at it , why didnt he just replace Sir Alec with Ewan

He seems to respect the old main actors enough to not re-make the OT.

[P-Siddy]

I agree with most of you about the changes. Wish he'd leave the movies alone for the most part.

I am glad that they changed the end music for Jedi because the Ewok Victory song was silly. Never liked it as a kid and that was who the Ewoks were aimed at. Plus the new Victory theme and the montage of different worlds was great because the Empire effected all of those places for the most part and it shows the galaxy wasn't happy with Palpatine's reign. It wasn't the Ewoks that won the war, but humans, Mon Calamari, Sullustans, etc. It was an effort on several humanoid and alien races.

One thing that kind of gets me weird is the extra scene of the Slave I following the MF... I'm so used to the music changing at that point.

[Darth Depressis]

well if were gonna apply the same logic with which flaws are looked upon by staff around here,

"don't think so much, just enjoy the movie...."

[JohnH]

well if were gonna apply the same logic with which flaws are looked upon by staff around here,

"don't think so much, just enjoy the movie...."

Funny...I find it hard to not think about Hayden Christensen standing where Sebastian Shaw should be at the end of ROTJ.    Nice attempt at jabbing the staff here, but your argument isn't even in the same vein.

And regarding the changes to the OT, I say "shame on George Lucas".  I'm not talking about the visual enhancements such as cleaning up the Rancor and Hoth scenes...those were fine and I think anyone with the resources would be all over that opportunity.  What sickens me is adding scenes and making modifications just because he can. The Hayden/Sebastian switcheroo is the most painful and outrageous for me to watch...ROTJ is my favorite of the bunch, and it's gut-wrenching to end the movie - no, the saga - that way.  Others - like the Sandtrooper droids, Jabba in ANH, Jabba in ANH again, new Rebo sequence, etc, etc - were utterly pointless, poorly done, looked incredibly out of place, and were there for no other reason than for GL and LFL to say "Hey, look at our sexy technology."  The only addition I can stomach is the addition of newer angles and shots in the ANH Death Star battle.  Pointless, but it does look pretty good. 

I understand that these are his movies and he has every right to do what he pleases with them, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.  I find it disrespectful to the original actors, the original crew and special effects people, the fans, and the art of movie making in general that he's so quick to dismiss what the originals were and still are, and attempt to shamelessly modernize each film.

John