That's my logic as well. I can live with any changes that are technical improvements - matte lines, image quality, action staging, alignment, whatever. It's when those things end up changing story and character elements, like Greedo and Hayden, that it bothers me.

I think the 2004 dvd's sold well because dvd was a big deal to the masses. And the idea of having special features for Star Wars was cool. (I wasn't aware at the time there were plenty of existing extras on laserdisc and video, I didn't even realize what laserdisc was) I don't think Blu-ray is as significant for the average person. The average guy was blown away with dvd. Now the average person is saying "that's nice" or "huh, when was dvd not good enough?" Remember, the masses did not have laserdisc so the leap from vhs to dvd is just so huge.
-scene selection
-no rewinding
-much greater resolution and clarity than vhs
-dvd's can be played on computer drives and portable machines
-dvd's last longer than tapes, more durable too
DVD's appealed to just about everyone over vhs, hence full screen releases.
The casual fans are not going to care about upgrading from dvd to blu-ray. The die hards do. Guess which group also cares about having the original versions? Honestly, the novelty of dvd has worn off for me. I don't buy nearly as many movies on dvd, special features are no longer as important to me. You can find a lot of stuff on youtube now anyways. That site didn't even exist in '04. I've passed on upgrading to many newer dvd versions.
I think a lot of people are like that too. How else do you explain most new dvd releases that seem to be lackluster in extras? I mean a popular family film like Enchanted is just one disc with few extras.
I know about the technical difference between blu-ray HD and regular dvd. And I don't really care. I'm interested in the higher storage capacity of blu-ray, that's about it. Oh and if any movies I really care about get a vastly improved transfer (besides the usual higher resolution) or some really great bonus content (archival content like deleted scenes would probably appeal to me most).
Star Wars could fit that category. Studio Ghibli (because they're awesome) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (less compression on fewer discs?) is another possibility.
I also think more people read internet reviews so if something is wrong with a video release, more will hear about it.

In my opinion, just releasing the latest version of the special editions on blu-ray will NOT sell as well as the 2004 set did.
(Plus think of all the complaints from people who fell in love with the '04 versions when Lucas does something even worse than Hayden. "I miss Han and Greedo shooting each other, that brotherly hug is so lame! And did they really need another musical dance number added when Luke meets the Emperor?")

here's the full frame (from hd) of the cliffs.. i like them..

1280x544 later -1

CGI Cliff! OMGWTF!!!!

Boycott!!! Boycott!!

Boycott is right.  If the "special edition" of Raiders of the Lost ark shown on tv makes it's way to dvd and blu ray, i really hope the fans pull out all the stops. 

Star wars was ruined.  Indiana Jones IV sucked.   At least leave the Indiana Jones original trilogy alone, pretty please george.

What's next the swordmans trying to cut Indiana Jones Head off and a fake cgi dodge before the arab swordman is shot.   Or better yet maybe the arab will atack Indiana Jones with a walkie talkie, LOL

You do know that Randy wasn't being serious, right?

Honestly, I can't say this bothers me all that much. The new shot looks realistic, so it doesn't jump out or distract from the movie as do, say, rontos in ANH and the Fraggle Rock sequence in ROTJ. No one's character is affected, it doesn't seem out of place, and it's not jarring. I certainly agree that it's an unnecessary change, but I don't see how it's a major detractor from the film. Frankly, I don't think I'd have ever noticed it if I was just watching the movie through.

While I concur that it's a bit disturbing to see this classic tampered with, I haven't seen anything too damning thus far. When the Arab swordsman shoots first and a CGI Moses appears next to the Ark, then I'll join in a boycott. At present, such a notion seem unjustified to me. :)

Things could be far worse.  At least the original negative for Raiders of the lost Ark has not been cut up to create a special edition as what was done to the 1977 star wars.

 

We are still not that far away from free hat south park becoming reality.  Indiana Jones IV all but proved this to me as well as Speilberg's comments in entertainment weekly where he said the old glass mattes looked faker than the new cgi in IV.

i'm just glad the 'original' raiders is available on dvd

before they 'redo' it..

 

it was the only one that i liked (ok the 4th was decent, but only ok)..

i don't care if they alter the 2nd or the 3rd..

 

later

-1

At least one print of Raiders still makes the rounds of revival theaters, and what I saw on the big screen two years ago was pure 1981 vintage.

And how freaking cool would it be to own this!

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=52933&item=330248749497

I agree, CO. I think people forget where they are sometimes. If you can't "whine" about Star Ware here, where the hell can you?! :-/

Not at TFN, that's for sure; you practically have to worship Lucas' excrament to be accepted over there...

generalfrevious said:

"Hate to say it, but we're slowly being snuffed out..."

 

This site has been attracting a lot of new blood lately, and that's fine, but a lot of them have been coming here from other sites (like TFN, I'm sure) for Adywan's SW Revisited and then leaving after they get what they want. It does seem like we've lost a lot of the regulars here, though. 

I uploaded the original finale from ROTJ (from the GOUT) to YouTube, and some of the comments I've been getting there are downright scary. It's amazing how many people say things like "you mean THIS is the original ending?", "I've never heard this music before, is this from the original version of the movie?" It just drives home the idea that we've got to keep the OT alive- those of us who remember it. It reminds me of the "book people" from Fahrenheit 451.

Akwat Kbrana said:

"Not at TFN, that's for sure; you practically have to worship Lucas' excrament to be accepted over there..."

 

I figured that out pretty quickly when I was (briefly) a poster there, several years ago. It was an infuriating experience.

 

Akwat Kbrana said:

Not at TFN, that's for sure; you practically have to worship Lucas' excrament to be accepted over there...

 

You mean, kinda like you practically have to dump excrement on Lucas' head to be accepted over here?

Elitism, snobbery, and arrogance are everywhere. Don't delude yourselves into thinking you're immune from it.

The guy above me says it all.

True, this community definitely tends to be more of the "purist" persuation. Nothing wrong with that; birds of a feather and so forth. But the real difference between TFN and OT is that divergent opinions are at least tolerated over here, and even given a chance to be heard even if not agreed with. Sure, you'll find vehemently hostile purists here, but not nearly as many as there are vehemently hostile "gushers" over there. I was at TFN for over a year, and basically any contribution I attempted to make to any SW discussion was immediately shouted down by a multitude of voices. Not discredited or rebutted or argued with; simply shouted down and subsequently ignored. Apparently if you aren't "orthodox," your opinion counts for nothing at all. I finally got fed up and left.

Blindly accepting everything that comes out of Lucas' mouth is as absurd as blindly hating everything the man has ever done post-1980. Criticism isn't about being slanderous; it's about thinking for ones' self and discussing a myriad of views intelligently. I don't think you'll be crucified over here if you happen to enjoy The Phantom Menace. You may get a good deal of arguments and heated discussions as to why it's an inferior movie, but not crucified as seems to be the Modus Operendi on most gusher forums I've visited.