The Star Wars Trilogy SE on DVD September 21st

[Gristle McThornbody]

"There are a few noticeable differences between the version shown on ITV on British television during the 1980s and early, pre-'remastered' video releases:
The sound quality of the voices heard over intercoms and radios during the Battle of Yavin is very different.
On TV, Luke says "Blast it, Wedge, where are you?" On the video he says, "Blast it, Biggs, where are you?""

I guess I should have said that the line, "Blast it Biggs...", was always on US video releases. I do not know if the original theatrcal release or any non-US releases were different. I apologize for making a blanket statement, I just assumed since the US video releases were all "biggs" that that was always the case. I'll do some research....

Also, I think the "54 magnum" sound in the bridge sequence is still in even in the 1997 Special Editions. (If I remember correctly) Again, since I did not see the new DVD version of A New Hope, I do not know if it is there as well. However, there are a lot of things they still didn't clean up in Jedi.

[Gristle McThornbody]

I got it from people at Lucasfilm,

Names, Inspector. We want names. Otherwise it's heresay and the jury will be instructed to disregard your comments.

You're right, it is hearsay your honor. However, the petition is nothing that can't be varified by a simple phone call to the DGA.

[j1d10t]

"There are a few noticeable differences between the version shown on ITV on British television during the 1980s and early, pre-'remastered' video releases:
The sound quality of the voices heard over intercoms and radios during the Battle of Yavin is very different.
On TV, Luke says "Blast it, Wedge, where are you?" On the video he says, "Blast it, Biggs, where are you?""

I guess I should have said that the line, "Blast it Biggs...", was always on US video releases. I do not know if the original theatrcal release or any non-US releases were different. I apologize for making a blanket statement, I just assumed since the US video releases were all "biggs" that that was always the case.

I remember reading that there were several sound tracks released for the theatrical releases of ANH, because of the format - some of the older theaters only had 16mm projectors, some had mono sound, some had stereo, etc., so there were several different audio tracks mixed, depending on the format it was being shown in. Also, every time they had to modify the audio format, or re-released the movie, Lucas had the track remixed, and sometimes used different dialog, or sound effects (typical Lucas - always making changes, never satisfied with a good copy). So maybe not all the original US releases had that line, but it was in some.

I couldn't remember which line was used for the original VHS release, but knew it veried for the original theatrical releases.....

It's just a little known fact that I find funny

[fslove]

If episode 3 suck's FOX might put alot weight on his head to bring them out if ticket sale's are low.

When Lucas has a Star Wars flop it makes over $500,000,000 worldwide (as the last two did) which is FAR from the kind of money Fox could put any kind of pressure on Lucas for not coming through on. I think with EP 3 being the last Star Wars (I do hope he relents and does ep 7-9 someday) will have built-in sucess from all of us Star Wars fans who couldn't miss the final installment!

[Gristle McThornbody]

If episode 3 suck's FOX might put alot weight on his head to bring them out if ticket sale's are low.

When Lucas has a Star Wars flop it makes over $500,000,000 worldwide (as the last two did) which is FAR from the kind of money Fox could put any kind of pressure on Lucas for not coming through on. I think with EP 3 being the last Star Wars (I do hope he relents and does ep 7-9 someday) will have built-in sucess from all of us Star Wars fans who couldn't miss the final installment!

FOX can't really put any pressure on Lucas. Fox does not own the films, George Lucas does. Fox did own the original Star Wars, A New Hope, but "gave" it to George when he was working on the Special Editions with the hopes that he would use them again for distrabution of the new films. (Which he did.) Fox is simply the distributor, not the owner. George can do what ever he wants. Even change the films again, without the public's permission.

[indolikaa]

He should do the New Jedi Order. Those would be some great films. Talk about your garden-variety hellfire and brimstone...

[teegee420]

This thread reminds of a South Park episode called "Free Hat". The kids go see an enhanced version of Empire and as the movie starts, the overhead announcer says:

"And now for your feature presentation, the classic re-re-re-release of Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back. In this version the word 'Wookie' has been changed to 'Hair Challenged Animal' and the entire cast has been digitally replaced by Ewoks".

[Bschuler]

South Park.. yeah I like the episode when they also went back and retouched some scenes.. Instead of the guys just standing around talking, this time they had a huge walker type thing walk by in the backround and huge space ships flying all around. All with sound effects so loud you couldn't hear the dialog. Made me laugh so hard I wanted to pee!! Funny, and true.

Obviously.. South Park's creators are classic fans as well and don't like the retouched idea either.

Personally, I think Lucas will give us the originals.. sometime around his death. I'm willing to wait and just rent the current crap when I need my SW fix.

[Marco33]

I think we need a poll to find out "Who here will buy the SE versions when they come out".

Unless it was started already.


Put me down for a no.

SE versions... that leads to the dark side.

[teegee420]

Then call me Darth Smart-ass because I am SO there. I've never been much of a purist when it comes to Star Wars. I shamefully admit to thinking that the SE's were pretty cool. The only thing I didn't like was the re-done music scene in Jedi inside of Jabba's audience chamber. That was pointless. I preferred the more disco-y number in the original.

[D_Knife]

Well I gotta go with teegee420 here- I like the SE versions as well

In ep 4 I thought the new Mos Eisley "felt" more like it did in the book than the "original" verison - I absolutley LOVED the shot of the Millenium Falcon taking off out of Docking Bay 94, and the shots of the X-Wings taking off from the Moon of Yavin

I liked the extras for the space battle at the end with the new 3D shots

I liked the addition of Jabba - which was in the book

Things I wanted more of
Intro scene where Luke goes into Anchorhead and talks to Cammy and Fixer and meets Biggs - even before that where he is working with the Treadwell out in the desert and sees the battle

If George could update huge sections of the movie with 3D CGI why didn't he update the X-Wing cockpits, they look like something out of a 60's B-grade man in rubber suit horror movie
He could have put in a nice heads up display or something - anything in fact would have been an improvement

Other than those little things I still think the SE version is the best so far
Flame at will

[drewson99]

han shoots first.

[Marco33]

Blaspheme!

Both teegee420 & D_Knife have seduced by the dark Side.

[D_Knife]

I base my liking of SE version because it is currently the closest to the BOOK - which was written first.

[mysticgohan17]

I hate the Jabba in Ep 4. It looks stupid. If they 'updated' that scene, why didn't they do the same for Ep 6? Why didn't they make the Hutts in Ep 1 (pre-podrace) look dumb as **** too? George Lucas would **** up a pre-school style "match the empty space with correct shape" test . **** **** ****. :P

[shaynew]

I just want a re-release of the Wookie Chirstmas Special that aired on TV when I was a kid. Just so I can laugh at it.

Not sure how I'd feel though about special effects being added to it that cost more than the entire original production.

[mysticgohan17]

I just want a re-release of the Wookie Chirstmas Special that aired on TV when I was a kid. Just so I can laugh at it.

Not sure how I'd feel though about special effects being added to it that cost more than the entire original production.

*rolls on the floor and proceeds to laugh his ass off*
He'll probably turn it into the Rodian Christmas Special

[mysticgohan17]

i just found this and it put a big smile on my face

[teegee420]

Chancellor Lieberman? Funny shit, dude.

[mysticgohan17]

*goes to find one that has Lobot and Phil Collins*

hurrah!! I made one myself

[manco]

I base my liking of SE version because it is currently the closest to the BOOK - which was written first.

I think you're mixing this up with another famous trilogy...

(Or being very witty.)

[D_Knife]

Not sure what trilogy your talking about and I wasn't attempting to be "witty"
I'm refering to this
http://www.donmccunelibrary.com/~donmccune/sellhtml/08251700.htm
note the publishing date
I have this book (2 copies actually, 1 damaged) - it's copyrighted 1976 and printed 1977

Also check out "The Art of Star Wars Episode IV" book - it's got the scene's I was talking about...
Although it reads differently to the original novel so it's considered a little suspect - but still interesting

This was back when books were written BEFORE movies - a strange concept nowdays it seems...
or perhaps I'm getting to old

[manco]

I have this book (2 copies actually, 1 damaged) - it's copyrighted 1976 and printed 1977

This was back when books were written BEFORE movies - a strange concept nowdays it seems...

Star Wars was a film developed over a number of years and various screenplay drafts. As part of the marketing, Lucas hired Alan Dean Foster to ghost write a novelization of the film based on his early screenplay drafts while the film was still in production. As you know, before they are released, many films often have a lengthy post-production period after they are shot. Star Wars principal photography was completed in July 1976.

In the case of Star Wars, the novelization of the film is very different from an original book being adapted into a film, as is the case with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Star Wars "BOOK" written by Alan Dean Foster is secondary and ancillary to the film.

The argument that the book was based on Lucas' screenplays and is therefore the "real" version of the story doesn't really hold up, because in that case we might as well argue the any of the earlier "Luke Starkiller" and "Aquillian ranger" drafts are the "real" Star Wars.

Almost every film has scenes in screenplay drafts which never make it to the screen. They also have scenes which are shot, but left out of the finished film (deleted scenes on a DVD), it's a part of the filmmaking process. Star Wars in it's original theatrical form is the film that captured the imagination of the country and the world and broke box office records. It became a part of our cultural history and it's effect was felt in many different areas, for example many political cartoonists at the time started using Star Wars metaphors to comment on news and political events.

Whichever version of the the film you prefer, you shouldn't think of the novelization of the film (the "BOOK") as an original literary work preceding the film.

Star Wars Book FAQ

Q: Was A New Hope a book before it was a film?
A: None of the films are based on books. Here's basically what happened: George Lucas came up with ascript for Star Wars. Unfortunately, it was too long, so he broke it up into multiple films. Lucas decided to make the middle episode, A New Hope,the first (and possibly only) film. As they were making the film, they wanted to generate early buzz for it, so the novelization was released 1 year before the film came out. It was ghost written by Alan Dean Foster, author of Splinter of the Mind's Eye. The movie then came out later, so everyone thought the film was based on the book. The novelizations to ESB and ROTJ came later with those films. Since Lucas plotted all of the films out at once, many people mistakenly believe the books of the other novels are already out. They aren't. Many people also mistakely believe that the films that might come AFTER Return of the Jedi are the ones written by Timothy Zahn or the other authors. This is also not true. Lucas has publicly said he doesn't want to make any sequel films that would follow ROTJ. And if he did, it would not be based on any of the novels.

Alan Dean Foster Interview

Q) You helped to "ghost write" the original Star Wars novelization. Did you work very closely with George Lucas on this book? Do you remain in contact with him ?

A) I didn't "help" with the ghost-writing...I did it all. George had this little movie he was busy with at the time. That's why a ghost-writer was hired in the first place. Nobody writes and directs a movie and novel simultaneously. I've had no contact with George since then...but if we bumped into each other in the street (or Wendy's, or wherever), I think we could pick up conversation where it was left. That's how it is with people you get along with.

[manco]

double post

[D_Knife]

hmm very interesting
I stand corrected

[jsh139]

Personally, I have made a decision to not purchase any edition of SW where Greedo shoots first. I know it sounds stupid, but changing that scene really irked me. All of the other little additions and changes added up together do not anger me as much as that one. I think I would buy these new SE DVDs if they just reinstated that scene.

[energy80s]

It could still be possible for Lucas to issue a double disc with the original and SE versions of A New Hope. After all, Spielberg did it with ET, even though he said he wouldn't.



Revealed in September it will be.

[manco]

Well, even if he doesn't include the original versions, maybe there could be a menu option to "Play Movie without Greedo scene" or "Play Movie without Jabba scene".

[marvel2020]

Who cares what version is released, people are still gonna buy it anyway. Besides the Star Wars saga is dead, theres a new King and it's called.....


LORD OF THE RINGS


Enough said

[jsh139]

Well, even if he doesn't include the original versions, maybe there could be a menu option to "Play Movie without Greedo scene" or "Play Movie without Jabba scene".

That I might go for.