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Star Wars coming to Blu Ray (UPDATE: August 30 2011, No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!) — Page 307

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I am totally buying it.  Granted, you can't publicly present yourself as more of an asshole than George Lucas in present times, but, and my familiarity with Joel Schumacher is limited to his Batman films, Schumacher seems like a stand up guy.  His commentary tracks had quite a bit of stating the obvious in them, but he seemed genuinely excited and happy to be sharing his memories with you.  He never threw anybody under the bus for any of the shortcomings of his films, not even the studio, but took full responsibility for everything.  He just seems like a really nice, amazing guy, someone you could just hang out with and whose company you'd really enjoy.  George Lucas just seems like an egomaniacal control freak who I probably couldn't bear to be alone with for more than five seconds.  So, yeah, I totally get the comparison.  But then again, I generally agree with Confused Matthew.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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The funny thing about Lucas is that when he talks about SW he seems bored. It's just a money making machine to him. He's made a fortune off taking sole credit for the work of many people. He's a greedy egomaniac. The quote in my signature encapsulates his arrogance and disconnect from reality. He sees himself as a tortured artist...

Lucas became interested in revisiting SW in the early 90s. I think a big part of this was the growing popularity with EU stuff, especially the Zahn trilogy. It's my unfounded opinion that Lucas wanted to re-establish himself as the de facto head honcho of Star Wars, but of course by that point he had cut ties with the other creative minds that made the OT so amazing. He set out to write and produce the new films on his own, and we all know how that turned out...

“Grow up. These are my Disney's movies, not yours.”

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evan1975 said:

Confused Matthew, who I usually disagree with, weighs in on the Blu:

http://confusedmatthew.com/Random-Rants.php

I like that he call BS on George's "critics always hated Star Wars" routine.

I'm not quite buying the Joel Schumacher>George Lucas argument, though.

I normally don't like Confused Matthew's Reviews but that letter was okay. I do hope RedLetterMedia makes a video about them. After all there was a little section in one of his reviews where he does trash the Special Editions...

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georgec said:

The funny thing about Lucas is that when he talks about SW he seems bored. It's just a money making machine to him. He's made a fortune off taking sole credit for the work of many people.

It really is just a job to him, it would seem.  I have no idea what gets this man excited anymore.  My jaw dropped when I watched one of the bonus features on one of the Family Guy Star Wars DVDs when George said his favorite shows were Jackass and Family Guy.  This from the guy that once loved Kurosawa and Campbell.  Then again, he is the man that created Jar Jar Binks.

Speaking of GL, I was watching the new Special Features Blu-ray and they had that bizarre bit with GL at a Clone Wars story meeting.  He wasn't looking too good and his voice sounded even more Kermitty than usual.  He just seemed to be rambling and none of his flunkies were even responding to him.  Unlike some here, I hope GL lives a long time because I believe things will get much worse for us if Katie takes over.

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evan1975 said:

Confused Matthew, who I usually disagree with, weighs in on the Blu:

http://confusedmatthew.com/Random-Rants.php

Matthew's thesis is consistent with my claim that Lucas has lost the capacity for self-reflection. I believe there is a clinical term for that, but not being a psychiatrist I don't know what it is.  Anyhow, if you have no capacity for self-reflection, the following types of actions follow:

  • repeating the same mistakes over and over,
  • considering any criticism purely an irritant and not worth considering,
  • believing that every idea you have is a good one,
  • not listening to any opposing opinions, and
  • surrounding yourself exclusively with enablers.

"Close the blast doors!"
Puggo’s website | Rescuing Star Wars

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Lucas 60 MINUTES interview before ROTS release.

 


I: how worried are you that the critics are not going to like this new movie.

GL: Oh I’m not worried at all. They haven’t liked any of them really. And they specially haven’t liked the last 2, so hey it can’t get any worse [chuckles]

I: Ya but come on I mean when they go after your writing your directing it has to hurt?

GL: oh it always hurts

I: it has to hurt

GL: it hurts a great deal but part of making movies is that you get attacked and sometimes in very personal ways

I: did you not say ever to yourself well maybe they had a point with this or with that? ‘Cause you seem to be saying that they are just going after you.

GL: well they are there not there not….you know the, the point is um….it’s like a if you paint your house white and somebody comes along and that should be a green house well fine but I wanted to paint it white I don’t think there is anything wrong with painting it white I don’t think there is anything wrong with me for painting it white. Maybe it should be a green house but I didn’t want it to be a green house I want it to be a white house

Interviewer voice over [images of GL at work]: That is George Lucas he knows exactly what he wants in his movies and critics be damned he gets it.

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Cuchulainn said:

SilverWook said:

A lot of those early DVD's were warmed over Laserdisc masters approved by Kubrick back in the day before widescreen tv sets were common. It would have been different had he not passed away before DVD really took off.

Yeah, he would have loved the format, I think. Particularly with the new TVs that are out these days, and BD of course...

Going wildly off-topic here (and I promise I won't make a habit of this) but has anyone got the BD of Excalibur? The DVD was woefully mis-framed and I was wondering had this been corrected?

I have it on HD-DVD, and the framing looked all right to me. Some people have issues with the grain, but that's simply the way it was made. Not sure if Warner's used the same master for the Blu Ray or not.

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Where were you in '77?

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So, I wonder how many of these BD sets have sold now? I wonder if the sales have dropped significantly since the first week of release.

When I was going through the flyers in this Sunday's newspaper, I didn't see one single ad for the set- not in Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. You'd think they'd still be pushing it since it's only been out a couple of weeks.

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Ugh. Just had my "Boycott the Star Wars Blu-rays" video attacked by someone who, believe it or not, told me that because I don't personally own a Blu-ray player that I basically was not allowed to share my opinion on the Star Wars Blu-rays.  This was not a review, mind you, but a vlog I posted a week before the damn things came out encouraging like minded people to pass on this.  The lengths Lucas apologists will go to.  And of course the quotes I provided from Lucas's speech to Congress were dismissed as not applying to him or his films.  Because, you know... reasons.  I just find it so amusing how threatened apologists are just because we don't share their opinion, and how they feel compelled to try to shut anyone down who doesn't toe the line.  It's just so... creepy.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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By that logic, none of us should have opinions on movies since we don't own a 35mm projector.

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Where were you in '77?

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I heard the rumor, that when the complete Box is sold out, it's gone. No re-release. Just the trilogy-boxsets will be re-released. Can anyone approve this?

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SilverWook said:

Cuchulainn said:

SilverWook said:

A lot of those early DVD's were warmed over Laserdisc masters approved by Kubrick back in the day before widescreen tv sets were common. It would have been different had he not passed away before DVD really took off.

Yeah, he would have loved the format, I think. Particularly with the new TVs that are out these days, and BD of course...

Going wildly off-topic here (and I promise I won't make a habit of this) but has anyone got the BD of Excalibur? The DVD was woefully mis-framed and I was wondering had this been corrected?

I have it on HD-DVD, and the framing looked all right to me. Some people have issues with the grain, but that's simply the way it was made. Not sure if Warner's used the same master for the Blu Ray or not.

I may take a risk on it. I had the widescreen VHS and it looked marvellous, but both the R1 and R2 DVDs were overmatted or something and there were tops of heads chopped off and just shitty framing issues whatever they did with it...It's a movie that deserves better, IMO...

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Gaffer Tape said:

The lengths Lucas apologists will go to...the quotes I provided from Lucas's speech to Congress were dismissed as not applying to him or his films  

Maddening for sure, but easier to take when you realize they're doing it out of insecurity and fear of not being right. A point you nailed perfectly with this comment;

I just find it so amusing how threatened apologists are just because we don't share their opinion, and how they feel compelled to try to shut anyone down...

In our culture of yelling down your opponent e.g. any political radio or TV talk show, the internet provides everyone with the loudest voice. They're safe and correct (and arrogant) behind their keyboard.  If we were all in a room together, the conversations would be very different. 

Also, a great many of those apologists are too young to understand loss.  Every film they love is essentially the same as it was the first time they went to the theater to see it.  A tweak or two by the time it's released on DVD isn't an issue because it's still now - not unlike the title crawl change for my generation.  Thirty years from now, when they still can't get the theatrical versions of Dark Knight or Avatar, they'll understand.

 

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Gaffer Tape said:

  The lengths Lucas apologists will go to.  And of course the quotes I provided from Lucas's speech to Congress were dismissed as not applying to him or his films.  Because, you know... reasons.  I just find it so amusing how threatened apologists are just because we don't share their opinion, and how they feel compelled to try to shut anyone down who doesn't toe the line.  It's just so... creepy.

 The sad thing is that a SW argument is the same as arguing with someone about politics, world affairs, sports, etc.  People don't want to hear other opinions, and it is next to impossible to convice someone of your views.

I used to argue politics years ago, and then realized that I was wasting my time.   The same goes with a SW argument, can anyone find someone on the internet say, "You know what, thats a good point, I may reconsider my stance on this."  No, every argument ends up in vulgar insults, and then some one liner like, "Get over yourself, George Lucas didn't rape your childhood!"

Its not even worth it to waste your time trying to give your side of the argument about the OOT.  If they don't want to listen, they are never going to agree with you.  Just look at the republicans and democrats in Washington, the argument is finished before the first debate even starts!

I saw a quote once and it is kind of mean, but pretty true about arguing on the internet, "Arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics.  Even if you win, you're still a retard."

Mean spirited, but pretty true!

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CO said:

Gaffer Tape said:

  The lengths Lucas apologists will go to.  And of course the quotes I provided from Lucas's speech to Congress were dismissed as not applying to him or his films.  Because, you know... reasons.  I just find it so amusing how threatened apologists are just because we don't share their opinion, and how they feel compelled to try to shut anyone down who doesn't toe the line.  It's just so... creepy.

 The sad thing is that a SW argument is the same as arguing with someone about politics, world affairs, sports, etc.  People don't want to hear other opinions, and it is next to impossible to convice someone of your views.

I used to argue politics years ago, and then realized that I was wasting my time.   The same goes with a SW argument, can anyone find someone on the internet say, "You know what, thats a good point, I may reconsider my stance on this."  No, every argument ends up in vulgar insults, and then some one liner like, "Get over yourself, George Lucas didn't rape your childhood!"

Its not even worth it to waste your time trying to give your side of the argument about the OOT.  If they don't want to listen, they are never going to agree with you.  Just look at the republicans and democrats in Washington, the argument is finished before the first debate even starts!

I saw a quote once and it is kind of mean, but pretty true about arguing on the internet, "Arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics.  Even if you win, you're still a retard."

Mean spirited, but pretty true!

I'm not looking to win.  I just want someone on the other side to acknowledge that my opinion is just as valid as theirs.

Since they're like poetry, what with the rhyming and all, I find that I only need to watch three out of the six films.

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Monolithium said:

I'm not looking to win.  I just want someone on the other side to acknowledge that my opinion is just as valid as theirs.

 I wish it were like that on the internet, but nobody ever does that.  Very rarely, you get someone from the other side you can have a rationale debate with.  99% of the time, it descends into vulgar, personal attacks, or the other side just pronounces they're right and thats the way it is.

Venture over to TFN, and cheack out the arguments there.  It is like clockwork that each side disrespects the other.

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Amazingly enough, there was a thread on the forums of sw.com back in 2004, posted by fans who also wanted the theatrical versions on dvd. Sure, you had a lot of bashing and naysaying in there - and it got very rough at times.

Alas, the thread managed not to get locked back then. And it got more civil over time... when the trolls got tired and retreated under their bridges, there really was some sort of "live and let live" agreement among both sides.

I remember being really fond of that moment, seeing people finally realising we all share the love for the same thing - even if it's for different reasons - we still do. And quite a few of the hardcore Special Edition fans admitted that they would welcome the possibility to have the theatrical cuts on the same disc with the special editions. To see how it all evolved and for nostalgia.

So it is possible to have that kind of unity among the different kinds of SW-fans - once in a millenia - I guess.

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Master Sifo-Dyas said:

So it is possible to have that kind of unity among the different kinds of SW-fans - once in a millenia - I guess.

 The biggest problem in SW discussions these days is that each side has dug in and wont even concede anything to the other side.

The SE/Saga crowd almost enjoys that Lucas wont put out the OOT, because they feel we are bunch of whiners.  Whereas they should want all versions on the Bluray because a SW boxset should be ultimate.  I am like the Donnor Cut of Superman II more then the Lester Cut, but I would still want both versions on every future release simply because thats the way it should be.

But many our side is just as guilty at laughing at them for enjoying the PT and SE.  When they admit to liking the PT or many of the changes, fans climb over them for being idiots.

It is a vicious cycle where each side had dug in, and nobody wants to bend in each.  That is why I have given up arguing with the other side, because essentially even if they agree with you, they won't concede.

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I agree that the situation certainly does suffer from continous aggravation through the piles of insults and disdain for the preferences of the other.

To me the central argument is - as you said - not about preference, it is about completeness. At the end, every fan (even if some may not admit it openly) would love to have a boxed set of the entire saga with all the bells and whistles and every version of the films that has been in existence (Blade Runner comes to mind).

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Master Sifo-Dyas said:

I agree that the situation certainly does suffer from continous aggravation through the piles of insults and disdain for the preferences of the other.

To me the central argument is - as you said - not about preference, it is about completeness. At the end, every fan (even if some may not admit it openly) would love to have a boxed set of the entire saga with all the bells and whistles and every version of the films that has been in existence (Blade Runner comes to mind).

There ya go. Sort it out George you mentalist...

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Gaffer Tape said:

  And of course the quotes I provided from Lucas's speech to Congress were dismissed as not applying to him or his films.  Because, you know... reasons. 

I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say that Lucas was against colorization which was typically done by a studio rather than the director or anyone previously involved in the film. Making that speech is 100% consistent with Lucas' insistence that movie studios are completely awful. It's not as hypocritical as one might think, simply because he doesn't attack anyone who makes changes to their own movies (as far as I'm aware.)

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

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TK-949 said:

I heard the rumor, that when the complete Box is sold out, it's gone. No re-release. Just the trilogy-boxsets will be re-released. Can anyone approve this?

Lucas has made that threat before.

1995 - "final home video release"

1997 - "SE only out in theaters"

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

“Grow up. These are my Disney's movies, not yours.”

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bkev said:


I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say that Lucas was against colorization .....Making that speech is 100% consistent with Lucas' insistence that movie studios are completely awful. It's not as hypocritical as one might think,

 

You might want to research that a little more;

http://savestarwars.com/lucasspeechagainstspecialedition.html

Lucas said:

more advanced technology will be able to replace actors with "fresher faces," or alter dialogue and change the movement of the actor's lips to match. It will soon be possible to create a new "original" negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires......This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten

 

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