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Han vs Greedo

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I was thinking about the Han vs Greedo scene in the cantina, how it was changed for the 97 special editions (and further changed for the 2004 DVD), and about George Lucas saying that it has changed the scene to what was initially intended...

Maybe Lucas really wanted in 77 to have this scene like it is now in the altered version of Star Wars. I mean, the new angle shot, where we see Han and Greedo firing at each other, existed in the first place! It's an unused shot from 77, if it was filmed, it was to be used in the movie? Maybe back then they didn't find the time (or money) to finish the scene (it has to go to the special effects animation departement to add the laser bolts), so they left it out. Or maybe it was a wise decision of the film's editor, against Lucas will? Just trying to guess of course...

If you look at the scene in the original version of the movie, you don't actually see Han firing at Greedo. There is a close-up of Han saying "Yes, I bet you have", then cut to a close-up of poor Greedo exploding head! (if you go through the scene frame by frame, the last frame of the close-up on Han shows a huge sparks of white ligth surroundig Han's blaster. This one frame isn't in the special edition).

But, do we really need, in the SE, to see Han and Greedo firing at each other? Imagine, in the special edition, this new shot added to the scene, but with Han still shooting first (and Greedo not shooting back at all). Is this really needed? I think it's pretty bad in terms of editing: we go from a close-up of Han, to a wide angle shot of Han and Greedo in the booth, then again a close-up on Greedo. It ruins the pacing of the scene, the big surprise to the audience that is Han's shooting! In the original version we don't actually see Han firing, we only see the result, but our imagination fill in the blank. We have the tension build up, Han has a blaster pointed at him, he prepares his own blaster, but we don't know when he's gonna use it, and he use it when we don't expect it. We don't expect to see Greedo's head exploding, it's a big shocker to the audience! If we see Han's firing, like in the SE, Greedo's fate is expected and much less of a schocker...

So what we have now, in the special edition (and upcoming DVD), is a one second shot (yes, go check it out, it's not any longer) that totally ruins a scene (and what a scene!) and totally ruins a character (and what a character!)

And, sadly, that's not the only example of poor editing in the special editions...

Han: Hey Lando! You kept your promise, right? Not a scratch?
Lando: Well, what’s left of her isn’t scratched. All the scratched parts got knocked off along the way.
Han (exasperated): Knocked off?!

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Good thread, and another example of GL descending from a good storyteller to a CGI-reliant revisionist.

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I can´t for the life of me understand the "logic" behind those changes. It´s a clear cut case of "kill or be killed" stuff. Greedo is pointing a gun at Solo point blank and there´s not way in hell he would miss that shot, absolutely NO WAY! Han was just defending himself there in this crazy and brutal world of bounty killers and smugglers and he managed to cover his own ass and simply took Greedo out before he green thingy did the opposite! He beat him to it! And we all know that the last thing Greedo says before the shooting, is that he had been waiting for this for a long time, to finally kill Han Solo!, so I guess he just missed out by a mere seconds. How Lucas can not see this is beyond me. HE HAS TOTALLY LOST THE PLOT THIS OLD GEEZER!

peace,

Rebelscum
peace,

Rebelscum
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I often wonder how off put I would have been had they just left Greedo out of the SE all together. Just edit him out. After all Jabba says everything he does.

I wonder.

“You know, when you think about it, the Ewoks probably just crap over the sides of their tree-huts.”

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Originally posted by: Mackey256
I often wonder how off put I would have been had they just left Greedo out of the SE all together. Just edit him out. After all Jabba says everything he does.

I wonder.


Jabba also says "Why did you fry poor Greedo"
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Something I just noticed, studying the Han vs Greedo footage: when Han says the line "Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice?" you don't actually see him talking, the camera is on greedo, and then on Han's blaster.

Now if you watch the "Han confronting Jabba" scene, Han says the exact same line! And I bet it's the same take that is used in the two scenes. Pretty lame, isn't it?

(and by the way, my sig is an extended dialogue from the Return of the Jedi radio drama. Lucas should have added that to the special editions )

Han: Hey Lando! You kept your promise, right? Not a scratch?
Lando: Well, what’s left of her isn’t scratched. All the scratched parts got knocked off along the way.
Han (exasperated): Knocked off?!

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Yeah, they just looped the dialogue, which explains why the camera is on Han's pistol.

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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Originally posted by: bad_karma24
Yeah, they just looped the dialogue, which explains why the camera is on Han's pistol.


Welcome to "Bad Editing 101"
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wow...
was that in the original trilogy too?

im almost positive Han said the same line in my bootlegs and LD's
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Originally posted by: Darth Balls
Theres a video of it on the millenium falcon boards

ANH videos forum


In the Han and Greedo clip, there are no subtitles when Greedo is talking...

EDIT: Same with the Jabba scene. Odd.....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/Obi_Skywalker/lukevader.jpg