Lucas Says: No Star Wars for you!....Well kind of

[Mikey2Dope]

From DVD.IGN

http://dvd.ign.com/articles/385/385361p1.html

Lucas Says: No Star Wars for you!
The original movies will never see the light of day on DVD, but the SE's will.

February 07, 2003 - Today the best Star Wars site on the 'net, The Force.Net, posted a report from the recent ILM tribute in LA that George Lucas attended.

As part of the tribute, Lucas participated in some Q&A sessions, and naturally the question of the Original Trilogy DVDs came up. We've heard this before, but once again Lucas confirmed that the DVDs will not include the Original versions of the movies; only the Special Editions. He says that the SE's are how he always wanted the films to be, but was limited by technology, time, and money.

There is still no set date for the Classic Star Wars Trilogy on DVD, but the movies are expected sometime after 2005 once Episode III is completed. For the full report, head over to The Force.Net

[Ren Hoek]

Greedo shot first? New, lousy Ewok songs? The worst CGI ever (Jabba)? yeah, I've read that article two days ago and I'm still too furious to make any serious comments on it. But what else did you expect? Just look what he did to my once beloved STAR WARS franchise with Episodes I and II! George Lucas is the antichrist! :mad:

P.S.: get the original trilogy on VHS as long as it is still available... and then sell it for a horrendous sum at eBay in 2005 ;)

[movies35]

This is old news. But anyways it is a good thing I got the originals with the old coverart and everything. I wonder how much they are worth?

[bob]

Well, I don't really like the SW movies that much, so this doesn't personally offend me, but boy, is lucas an asshole. He knows that, with the exception of him, EVERYONE likes the originals more. So why not release them on DVD so everyone can enjoy them. Pretty scummy.

If he pulls this with the IJ Trilogy, I'll commit hari-kari.

[Corporal_Hicks]

I am upset, I expected a dvd release to contain both original theatrical and SE versions. I would like to see the original preserved for future generations to see how the film was like when it was originally seen.
I dindn't like some of the new stuff added, (the cgi in Return of the Jedi involving the entertainers at Jabba's lair is the worst edit done to the trilogy). The puppet work from the original trilogy was better,
Well, maybe the extras will make up for this.

[bskutle]

Originally posted by bob
If he pulls this with the IJ Trilogy, I'll commit hari-kari.

If he tried, Spielberg wouldn't let him. See "E.T."

[Ren Hoek]

Originally posted by bskutle
If he tried, Spielberg wouldn't let him. See "E.T."

But Lucas is the one who owns the rights for the Indiana Jones trilogy!

Concerning E.T.: remember that it was only the fans' massive protest which convinced Spielberg to release E.T. in the 1982 theatrical cut on DVD? His original plan was to exclusively release the new version from 2002! I wouldn't trust Spielberg too much :mad:

[Spielberg-Fan]

No it wasn't. From before the re-release Spielberg said that both versions would be released in the same package. It's Universal who went and screwed everything up.

[Ren Hoek]

Just looked it up... you're right, Spielberg-fan!

so there's still hope... even though Lucasfilm owns the distribution rights for the trilogy? Would George ever deceive his old pal Steven? Who knows...

[The Shootin Surgeon]

Originally posted by RenHoek
so there's still hope... even though Lucasfilm owns the distribution rights for the trilogy? Would George ever deceive his old pal Steven? Who knows...

Lucas looks like the kind of guy who would sell his own mother if he could make an action figure out of it and sell it to McDonald's... I doubt he gives a hoot if he decives anyone.

[HM Murdock]

I wasn't ever expecting the original Star Wars movies to appear on DVD. Lucas loves the special editions and he considers those as the real Star Wars movies. I have the originals on VHS but I haven't watched them in years in fear that they'd break. I hope that the DVDs will feature clips of the originals as an extra feature. That way we can carefully recreate the original edit.

[KcMsterpce]

Originally posted by HM Murdock
I wasn't ever expecting the original Star Wars movies to appear on DVD. Lucas loves the special editions and he considers those as the real Star Wars movies. I have the originals on VHS but I haven't watched them in years in fear that they'd break. I hope that the DVDs will feature clips of the originals as an extra feature. That way we can carefully recreate the original edit.

I have them on VHS as well, and am afraid of ruining them. So, I recorded them onto my computer and placed them onto some VCDs... works out real well :D

[Jim H]

This makes me very glad I bought the original on LD a while ago - as a bonus it was only $10 (be sure to avoid the single disc edition - they did this trick to get a two hour+ movie on a two hour disc and it looks strange). Guess I might have to pick up the other two, though the changes are not as bad in the sequels.. With the possible exception of the sarlac pit. The whole cone thing was ludicrous. The dance sequence was... OK, I guess, but I don't think it really improved it much.

Regardless though, Lucas is an asshole. He makes this giant fucking deal about how great digital is and then only released TPM on VHS for what? A year and a half? Not to mention refusing to release the original trilogy.

[Jim H]

Oh yeah, I also highly reccomend purchasing the pirate Hong Kong DVDs, which are mastered from the original laser discs. Very cheap, you can get the trilogy for $20-$30 if you're careful. The quality is excellent as they were THX laserdiscs. The only downside is, I'm not positive but I believe they might have permenant subtitles (not on the picture, in the black bars of widescreen).

[Terrell]

The quality is excellent as they were THX laserdiscs.

Actually, the quality is sh*t compared to a real DVD.

Anytime Lucas can piss of the people who constantly bash him, brings a big smile to my face.:) Even if I want the originals too.

[Jim H]

Actually, the quality is sh*t compared to a real DVD.

Huh? What pirate release have you seen? I don't own them, but have seen one and it was excellent for a pirate, they lost barely any quality converting it from the LD.

[Shockwave]

Its this type of thing that will encourage piracy.

Lucas is screwing himself outta so much money by refusing to release these movies unbutcherd.
If he goes back and fixes the fake ass jaba and removes the han shoot first thing tho ill forgive him!:cool:

[Strider]

Damn! You know, I'm getting really tired of Lucas' attitude towards the original trilogy on DVD. Hell, does't he know how many people want these films of DVD? I'm starting to think he doesn't give a damn.

Strider

[Buck Turgidson]

He doesn't.

[Mikey2Dope]

Here's an Online Petition to get the original trilogy released on DVD. It's at about 8500 signatures at the moment:

http://www.petitiononline.com/OTondvd/petition.html

[Jim H]

Never mind

[Ren Hoek]

Originally posted by Jim H
Why? They're all coming out on DVD when the third prequel comes out.. Or do you mean the non-special edition?
yup! :rolleyes:

[Jim H]

Damn. I didn't edit that quick enough. :D

Oh yeah, just about the only thing Lucas has done recently that I thought was good... When the Fandom Edit came out (recut of Phantom Menace, with a lot of Jar Jar Binks and Jake Lloyd cut out) he actually WATCHED IT before asking that they stop distributing it. That was good I though.

[Michael_myers]

Fuck, i own the originals, and I like 'em much better than the fuck up special editions. Don't people like that asshole know that this isn't about HIM it's about the people. He's screwing himself out of alot of easy shit.

[Jim H]

Considering he's worth over a billion dollars, I don't think getting more money is really one of his goals.

[Memento88]

But this is seriously just a stupid idea. At least give us like a limited edition or something!! Star Wars geeks get pretty nasty when someone makes em mad...

[the p&j experiance]

What was different about the E.T. special edition.

The other night I saw a re-run of South Park talking about directors fucking up the movies we love. I don't really care for South Park anymore, but that episode had me rolling in the aisle.

[Raymond Babbit]

I know people will be mad at me for saying this, but I like the Special Editions better. There seems to be better continuity. Especially in some scenes with Jabba The Hutt.

[Shockwave]

To bad jabba looks nothing like jabba in a New Hope.

[Mega-Prime]

Originally posted by Shockwave
To bad jabba looks nothing like jabba in a New Hope.

I know, I almost cried when I first saw that scene in theatres. :(

Hopefully they will go back & fix him up for the DVD release... Make him look more like the CG Episode 1 version.

[Grim H.]

Lucas needs to live with the fact that you can't always have the best with the times. In the 70's, he had to resort to what he had, why couldn't he be happy with that? So there's new technology. Big deal. The movies were still great. If they went back and "improved" every movie every 20 years, that would suck ass. There was nothing wrong with the original Star Wars. So it didn't have the special effects of today, you can't have your cake and eat it to...nuff said.

[Paterfamilias]

This seems very un Lucas-like. He seems to like to milk the Star Wars Fans for as much moolah as he can get. Case in point releasing PM on VHS before DVD (while saying that he wasn't releasing it on DVD for like 6 years) so hardcore fans would buy both.

I wouldn't be surprised if he released the special edition trilogy and then like 6-8 months later "changing his mind" and releasing the original (in full screen) to get everyone to buy both of them ...prick.

Then a year after that, releasing the widescreeen original trilogy.

Then a year later, releasing a huge jam packed collector set with all the movies but more extras so we buy them again.

[The Shootin Surgeon]

Originally posted by Grim H.
Lucas needs to live with the fact that you can't always have the best with the times. In the 70's, he had to resort to what he had, why couldn't he be happy with that? So there's new technology. Big deal. The movies were still great. If they went back and "improved" every movie every 20 years, that would suck ass. There was nothing wrong with the original Star Wars. So it didn't have the special effects of today, you can't have your cake and eat it to...nuff said.

I agree with you.

Does all this mean that five years from now, when effects are even more specialized, he'll keep adding to the same movies and the claim that was his "real vision" all along? what an ass...

I don't know why there wasn't a bigger outcry when he did this. Remember how the world almost exploded when they started colorixing B&W films? I know some will say that Lucas messed with his own movies and not someone else's but as corny as it sounds, when a movie reaches the levels of Star Wars, it belongs to the fans and not to some chinless billionaire who makes the Bill Gates look as charitable as Mother Teresa...

Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out what his "real vision" added to the movies... I didn't really need to see a phony Jabba slithering around....

TSS

[Jim H]

who makes the Bill Gates look as charitable as Mother Teresa...

Well, Gates HAS given BILLIONS to charity. :p

[The Shootin Surgeon]

Originally posted by Jim H
Well, Gates HAS given BILLIONS to charity. :p


hmm....very true.... I guess I have to find another greedy billionnaire... aahhh!! got it! George Steinbrenner... this guy could give his last penny away to the best of causes and STIOLL maage to be an asshole while doing it.

ps. apologies to the charming Mr. Gates.;)

[BakeTheMooCow]

Originally posted by The Shootin' Surgeon
I guess I have to find another greedy billionnaire... http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL113/975994/1811166/22309835.jpg

[FeverDog420]

Originally posted by The Shootin' Surgeon
hmm....very true.... I guess I have to find another greedy billionnaire... aahhh!! got it! George Steinbrenner... this guy could give his last penny away to the best of causes and STILL manage to be an asshole while doing it.

ps. apologies to the charming Mr. Gates.;)

Hey!!! Lay off the boss, will ya? He's not a "greedy billionnaire" - he's a "savvy businessman."

Just because your city can't hold on to its team is no reason to slag on Mr. Steinbrenner...

[Jim H]

Lucas is worth over a billion, bash him more. :D

[Indiana Sev]

Originally posted by FeverDog420
Hey!!! Lay off the boss, will ya? He's not a "greedy billionnaire" - he's a "savvy businessman."

Just because your city can't hold on to its team is no reason to slag on Mr. Steinbrenner...

Savvy businessman? If the Expos had an owner who shat money like George they wouldn't need to trade their best players every day. I believe the Expos had the best record in baseball the year of the lock-out. That lock-out killed the Expos, not the Montreal fans.

Staying on topic, Lucas is a selfish jackass who doesn't give a shite about what the real fans want. Hey, George do you think your film American Graffiti needs Jabba the Hut in it to? Why don't you add Fett in that movie also?

If it ain't broke don't fix it you jerk!

Shame on you!

[ChesterRockwell]

He's already trashed the Star Wars franchise and is about to ruin the Indiana Jones franchise. I say we stop him while we still can. oh yeah and Episode 1 and 2 sucked horribly. They are not even in the same league as the originals.

[vtadave]

Hate to tell you this, but George is worth nowhere near a billion. He's in the 9 figures.

Originally posted by The Shootin' Surgeon
hmm....very true.... I guess I have to find another greedy billionnaire... aahhh!! got it! George Steinbrenner... this guy could give his last penny away to the best of causes and STIOLL maage to be an asshole while doing it.

ps. apologies to the charming Mr. Gates.;)

[The Shootin Surgeon]

Originally posted by vtadave
Hate to tell you this, but George is worth nowhere near a billion. He's in the 9 figures.

Really? I had heard he was a billionaire.... damn... this topic has take a turn for the worse as far as I'm concerned... I guess we'll never find someone evil enough to compare to Lucas except maybe for Darth Vader but even he turned good at in the end...

[robk]

I've heard that, after Episode III, our George plans to, once again, redo the original trilogy by putting Jar Jar in it:rolleyes: .
I'm just glad I have to non-f*cked up trilogy letterboxed on VHS, although, who knows, perhaps in a few years, I'll get those pirated DVD's of it on ebay or something.

[Jim H]

Really? I had heard he was a billionaire

He's probably lost really a lot with the downturn in the economy. A lot of people did.

I'm just glad I have to non-f*cked up trilogy letterboxed on VHS

Only problem is VHS tapes don't last very long... How old are your copies? Pre-recorded VHS seems to last with fairly regular playings (once or twice a year) for less then 10 years (seriously degraded at that point). The thing I dislike most about it.

[robk]

Originally posted by Jim H
Only problem is VHS tapes don't last very long... How old are your copies? Pre-recorded VHS seems to last with fairly regular playings (once or twice a year) for less then 10 years (seriously degraded at that point). The thing I dislike most about it.

My copies are around 9 or 10 years old now, which is probably why I make it a point to watch them occasionally. Although I did watch one of them just last week, & the quality was still good enough for me.

[Memento88]

I've had the OT on VHS for as long as I can remember (I'm 14) and got the SE's when they came out. I used to watch the originals ALL THE FRICKIN TIME when I was a kid and still do frequently but hopefully nothing will happen to em:(

[Jim H]

I was thinking of home made VHS tapes. Pre-recorded, if they're just on a shelf and not played at all, will be watchable for about 20-25 years. If they're played fairly regularly, it cuts it to like 15-20.

[Jon Lyrik]

I never saw the original versions, but yeah, Lucas is a colossal asshole.

Does anyone know where I can find bootleg widescreen DVDs of the original versions?

[Jim H]

eBay is your best bet. You can get the whole set for like $20-$30.

Oh yeah, and the main things that are crappier in the special edition (if you didn't know):

A New Hope

They make Greedo shoot first, the stupidest change by far in the whole trilogy. Originally Han just shot him, it was much better.

The Jabba the Hut scene is a decent scene, but the CGI Jabba is vastly inferior to the one in Return of the Jedi. So it just feels very out of place.

There are also a few deleted scenes of violence involving laser wounds to storm troopers - the newer editions of the laser discs also have this change for some reason.

Most of the added CGI shots just feel out of place and don't really add a whole lot, though the larger view of Mos Eisley was pretty cool.

Empire Strikes Back

Nothing really significantly worse, IMO. Can anyone name anything? The added wampa scenes don't add too much, but don't really hurt either. Ditto here with the CGI.

Return of the Jedi

The old Sarlac was much better. The cone thing is just ludicrous. The extended musical sequence is OK... I don't think it really added or detracted. The little bit extra glimpse we see of the dancer eaten by the rancor was cool though - it's especially interesting that they got the same actress to play that part 15 years later, and she still looks fantastic. I guess that's what you get for having a career that keeps you in top physical form.

[Memento88]

Originally posted by Jim H

The extended musical sequence is OK... I don't think it really added or detracted.

I liked how they showed all the different planets in that but the new song annoys the crap outta me:rolleyes:

[Jim H]

AH yes, I forgot about that.. That was merely blah as well. I was refering to the alien (the one with the long lips) dancer in Jabba's palace.

[Jon Lyrik]

you know, the producer of Indiana Jones wants to fuck with Indy.

[robk]

Originally posted by Jim H

Empire Strikes Back

Nothing really significantly worse, IMO. Can anyone name anything? The added wampa scenes don't add too much, but don't really hurt either. Ditto here with the CGI.



The Empire Special Edition also added Luke screaming when he ends his duel with Vader by throwing himself down the bottomless shaft. If he'd been pushed, that would have been understandable, but that obviously dubbed in screaming undermined what was once a powerful resolution(then again, our George seems to be doing a lot of that in recent years, hasn't he?).

[Jim H]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Pretty lame.