Star Wars blu ray in September

[Jeyl]

No one deserves anything they didn't work for or earn.

True, but Lucas could be generous. I like to look back at the day when the Blade Runner 5-disc set was announced and every fan of either the movie or science fiction jumped for joy. Five versions of the film presented in high-definition, three audio commentaries, a three hour long making of documentary featuring a new interview with Harrison (IT WAS A BI#!&) Ford, never before seen deleted scenes, and a spinner! It was glorious.

I mean, every cut of the film released to date, including the theatrical in high definition. Warner Bros. didn't have to do that. They could have settled with the bare bones "Director's Cut" that's been laying around, but they didn't. This set is what I call generous.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

If he releases them now, then he's lost all the old-timers.

Uhh, no. Once again I refer to my original post and restate that the the feelings or desires of one, some, or many hard core Star Wars fans does not speak for all.

 

[Jeyl]

The ONLY two issues I have with his tinkerings of the OT are Han not shooting Greedo in the nuggets before Greedo can think to pull the trigger and Christensen replacing Shaw as Anakin in RotJ. The rest I consume happily.

I'll throw my two in as well (even though I don't like 80% of the changes). I don't like the new Jabba sequence in ANH. It makes Jabba look like an inept fool rather than a deadly crime lord who is feared throughout the galaxy. Seriously, he let Han step on his tail and actually agree with Han's demand on bringing down Jabba's cut. Also, the scene doesn't do anything.

Second is... well....

George Lucas: My vision of STAR WARS cannot be realized unless we put in a big, fake looking cgi piece of crap into the film and have it walk right in front of the camera covering the whole screen and obscuring the action that's taking place. STAR WARS just doesn't work without it.

 

[The Rock-a-who]

As to the decision being stupid or not, I am reminded of the quote "Always leave them wanting more". It's worked for him in the past.

Yea, but in this case we want LESS

 

[JD]

Where's William Shatner's get a life speech when you need it?

I'm a fanboy, just like everyone else here - and I would appreciate the original release in pristine condition just like a lot of folk (not saying the revised are terrible) - but, some of us come off like crybabies - like we're owed something. Yes, we've supported the films and the empire Lucas made from it...

But, ya know what? They're his films... they're his art. You don't like what he's done? That's fine, don't support it - there are plenty of folks out there (like me) who will!! Some of us will even like it.

He doesn't owe us anything and we don't deserve anything from him, he did his part. He's done his share.

 

[Jeyl]

He's done his share.

Tell him that.

 

[jlee562]

Meh, I just ordered it on Amazon. And I will enjoy my blu-ray marathon all the same.

 

[cayman shen]

I am allowed to take an argument to the extreme once in a while. Please, I KNOW comparing a one of a kind Picasso to Star Wars is silly. So is saying you "deserve" a film a certain way.

I think we could get into a pretty heavy philosophical debate about the role an audience plays in art. Some think art for the artist. Some think for the audience. Some see it as a symbiotic relationship.

But let's talk about heritage here: Lucas is erasing an important piece of history (we're not talking a Green Lantern director's cut here, but a 30 year old cinematic treasure). I really can't wrap my head around how anyone can NOT see that, having released his art to the world, and having it so lovingly embraced, he has a duty to the wider culture to preserve the originals. Even if they're his artworks they have become everyone's the minute he shared them and we all embraced them. It's not a matter of whose PROPERTY it is, it's a matter of whose HISTORY and HERITAGE it is. All of ours, is the answer, and if people can't see that I guess I have nothing to add. We simply aren't going to see eye to eye. We have a right to our artistic, cinematic heritage. Again, what if Casablanca was colorized and you couldn't ever get the black and white again? It would be an outrage, and the person responsible would be hounded like a damn war criminal. Rightly.

 

[micdavis]

I am very engouraged by the DB article.

They got me now.

I'm all behind Digital Yoda. Since they have already sullied the waters of the OT, they should get rid of the "muppet walking" in ESB, I hate those scenes.

And re-dub Yodas first words, he sounds too much like Fozzie.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Again, what if Casablanca was colorized and you couldn't ever get the black and white again? It would be an outrage, and the person responsible would be hounded like a damn war criminal. Rightly.

The Casablance argument is just as ludicrous as the Picasso thing from me. Who is to say that had WB not had access to colorizing technology they would not have changed it? Who is to say that if the film industry had not made the gigantic strides in production that we have witnessed in the last 30 years, they would not have tweaked this or that? You simply cannot say.If the creator of a piece wants to make changes, who are you or I to say "You can't do that! You are destroying it!"? Oh, that's right...we don't really matter to them.

I am almost certain he still has the originals, but you know what? It is HIS grand opus. We're just along for the ride. We are only "entitled" to what he is dishing out. You want the original versions? There are still avenues to get them. They are not "perfect", but again, it is not our place to say when an artist is finished with his or her work. We can either enjoy it, or not. We "deserve" nothing.

The ENTIRE Star Wars saga still fuels my imagination to this day. Nothing Lucas can add or take away will diminish the feeling I get when I see those SIX title crawls and hear that roaring theme rip through my speakers.

 

[Mola Rob]

I just find it funny that Lucas is so insecure with his earlier work that he feels the need to keep changing it. A couple of other directors have made changes to their movies but I believe Lucas is the only one who won't make the original versions available in fully restored form. Hell Ridley Scott gave us five versions of Blade Runner to watch.

 

[JD]

I think we could get into a pretty heavy philosophical debate about the role an audience plays in art. Some think art for the artist. Some think for the audience. Some see it as a symbiotic relationship.

But let's talk about heritage here: Lucas is erasing an important piece of history (we're not talking a Green Lantern director's cut here, but a 30 year old cinematic treasure). I really can't wrap my head around how anyone can NOT see that, having released his art to the world, and having it so lovingly embraced, he has a duty to the wider culture to preserve the originals. Even if they're his artworks they have become everyone's the minute he shared them and we all embraced them. It's not a matter of whose PROPERTY it is, it's a matter of whose HISTORY and HERITAGE it is. All of ours, is the answer, and if people can't see that I guess I have nothing to add. We simply aren't going to see eye to eye. We have a right to our artistic, cinematic heritage. Again, what if Casablanca was colorized and you couldn't ever get the black and white again? It would be an outrage, and the person responsible would be hounded like a damn war criminal. Rightly.

So do you deserve the release or does history?

I'll agree that history may have some claim to it... and doesn't the Film Institute (or whatever it's called) have a copy?

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Hell Ridley Scott gave us five versions of Blade Runner to watch.

I can barely watch ONE! HIYO!

 

[micdavis]

Those that tear Lucas down all the time deserve nothing.

I know for sure a couple hundred people who do. Because they have earned it.

(and I got news for you Lucasfilm is aware of it.)

Mara Jades Father is near the top of that list.

...and none of the negative nanny naysayers can change that.

 

[JD]

Hell Ridley Scott gave us five versions of Blade Runner to watch.

Did Scott give us five versions of Blade Runner - or did the company that controls the film give us five versions to shell out more money on?

If I were a betting man, I'd wager that it's more about cashing in than artistic integrity.

 

[cayman shen]

So do you deserve the release or does history?

I'll agree that history may have some claim to it... and doesn't the Film Institute (or whatever it's called) have a copy?

History. Humanity. And despite what some members may think, that includes me too :lol

So no, I personally don't deserve them if that's your main objection. We all do, posterity does. That's hardly an "entitled" point of view.

 

[micdavis]

Did Scott give us five versions of Blade Runner - or did the company that controls the film give us five versions to shell out more money on?

If I were a betting man, I'd wager that it's more about cashing in than artistic integrity.

Please people. That's ALL that was.

You're Ridley Scott, you haven't made a decent movie in ten years and they come to you and say here's a bunch of money, shoot 30 seconds of new footage.

You jump out of your chair. "At last I can make my artistic vision complete."

Yeah that's what happened.

 

[Mola Rob]

I can barely watch ONE! HIYO!

I can watch all five versions but feel nauseated watching the three prequels. To each his own.

I don't hate Lucas nor do I think he deserves to be worshiped as some kind of freaking movie god. I simply vote with my wallet and I will not buy the Blu-Rays. I don't care what special features he adds all I would like is the original versions remastered to the greatest extent possible with the original footage, nothing added, nothing removed. If I never get that fine but I am not giving Lucasfilm anymore money for Star Wars in any altered form. I know he doesn't need my money anyway.

 

[micdavis]

Boy that sounds like fun.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Really? "Nothing removed"? Hell, I think fixing some of the mat lines in ESB was a great fix, as were the cockpit fixes in the speeders. Like I said...two things that I did not like in all of his fixes. Artists are constantly making tweaks and Lucas is no different.

(We do keep going in circles here, don't we?)

Long and short of it is I will be enjoying my BR discs. It will be a GREAT birthday present to myself. I am sorry some of you cats cannot put aside that seething dislike and "he ruined my childhood" mentality to sit back and enjoy what is still a excellent piece of storytelling...in my book anyway.

Those of us who will enjoy it will surely pick up your slack.