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I think he just doesn’t really care. And, honestly, I really don’t think he even realizes he contradicts himself so much.
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Apologies for the bump - though in my humble opinion it is very much worth it…
Holy crap, I did Greedo Shot First.
https://twitter.com/StarWarsVisComp/status/1168554173136166913
Frame by frame comparisons, GIF’s, the whole nine yards. I conclude that the “new” shot is based on a wide shot of Han shooting Greedo. They took the clarifying shot Lucas claims didn’t exist in the 70’s and changed it so Greedo shoots (at different times with different effects). It’s a fun read, hopefully.
^ from his superb Complete Comparison of Special Edition Visual Changes thread in the Theatrical Cuts vs. Subsequent Releases section.
💥 doubleofive knocks it out of the park - yet again! 💥
The George Lucas: Star Wars Creator, Unreliable Narrator & Time Travelling Revisionist… thread (Category Numbers 30 • ‘Han Shot First…’ and 31 • ‘George Lucas claims in 2012 that Han NEVER Shot First…’) may also be of some interest on the issue too…
as well as this insightful 2012 article, by Emmet Asher-Perrin, at Tor (from before Disney bought Lucasfilm)…
• Lucas Shot First: The Surprisingly Powerful Sense of Betrayal George Lucas Creates
^ an archived backup: https://archive.is/w5g3O
As an aside… George Lucas claiming the 6 Star Wars films “form the biography of Vader”… (aka GL’s oft-claimed post-PT ‘Star Wars has always been the tragedy of Darth Vader’) - but that he wasn’t aware of this “until 1998”…
A screenshot of a 2005 Vanity Fair article (February issue) promoting Revenge Of The Sith:-
and yet…
In 2019 George claimed the reason why he made the Prequel Trilogy films was because the fans didn’t understand in the 10 years after Return Of The Jedi… that the backstory to the Original Trilogy was really “about the tragedy of Darth Vader”… something he himself stated he himself hadn’t realised “until 1998”… after he had already wrote and filmed TPM!
Sure George, sure…
A screenshot of the 2024 George Lucas made Star Wars prequels because fans “didn’t get” story - article at The Digital Bits:-
^ The 2019 SW•com article referenced above: www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-oral-history
and more disingenuous comments from George Lucas re the criticism The Phantom Menace faced upon release…
(dubious claims on what he “originally intended” for character ages, fan expectations being too high - not his marketing or promotion, that he couldn’t say these Prequels were for a different audience prior to the film release - young children; ROTS apart, obviously)
A screenshot of a 1999 Empire magazine article, shortly after the criticism began of The Phantom Menace:-
A brief ‘info post’ covering just a few of George’s gaslighting and divisive comments made to / about fans over the years…
“No-one hates Star Wars more than Star Wars fans” - I’d say few have divided Star Wars fans more than George Lucas has…
Whether that is the creating and splitting of groups of fans, ie ‘OT theatrical cuts vs Special Editions fans’, ‘OT vs PT’, ‘OT & EU vs PT’, and would have likely set ‘ST vs PT’… if he made his planned Sequel Trilogy with Leia being retconned as ‘The Chosen One’.
Or some of the disingenuous or gaslighting-type comments made about fans and the media in trying to deflect valid and reasoned criticism away from himself. Or defending the latest project that conflicts or contradicts what came before. Or the previous disingenuous statements and distortion / re-writing of history… Or George’s claims being easily debunked by evidence from the time - such as years later George attempting to claim that Greedo always shot first.
George Lucas in a 2012 article on promoting his Red Tails feature film…
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/george-lucas-star-wars-red-tails-282905
“Why would I make any more, when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?” and “On the Internet, all those same guys that are complaining I made a change are completely changing the movie,” complained Lucas, referring to online video recuts of his films. “I’m saying: ‘Fine. But my movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it.'”
^ George conflating the facts there…
It is not a case of “everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?” - they are simply highlighting some of George’s disingenuous and debunked claims, along with George’s reasoning for suppressing film history, makes little sense.
People are still indeed voicing their concerns that there are yet again more alterations to what was meant to be ‘The Final Cut’, according to George himself, in 1997. Then with yet more alterations in 2004 (for the DVD), yet again with even more alterations in 2011 (for the blu-ray), and finally with more alterations yet again in 2019 (for 4K/UHD).
Yet many are also wondering why George hasn’t addressed numerous other issues in the OT films in the various Special Edition cuts, or even fixed the issues with alterations George has introduced to the SE cuts in since 1997.
If George has a problem in fans re-editing Star Wars films to be a better or more complete Special Edition cuts than he himself has released, despite all the sources and resources available to George, and that fans are making more ‘fixes’ and alterations than George, then maybe it is time for him George to raise his game… and also his quality assurance / quality control?
Just a few examples…
^ 1980 original cut vs 1997 Special Edition; colouring issues.
^ 1993 original cut vs 2004SE; not just the colouring issues but also the loss of image detail in the background.
^ 1993 original cut vs 2004SE; not just the colouring issues but also the loss of detail around the dark colours (notably Vader’s belt).
^ 2006 GOUT DVD (and no… the original cuts did not - and do not - look like that :sigh:)
^ 2011SE blu ray; a fan preservation using 3rd/4th generation theatrical screen print should not be bettering the official release - yet here we are…
^ 2019SE image on the left, 2011SE blu ray image on the right; note the scrubbing away of detail on the left image, with much of the weathering on the droid is lost.
adywan’s Revisited Edition of the Original Trilogy: Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, & Return of the Jedi… looks to remedy those numerous issues and be a more complete Special Edition release, among many other similar projects that can be found in the Star Wars Fan Edits forum.
A couple more examples of George’s divisive and gaslighting comments…
George Lucas in 2006, on the theatrical Original Trilogy films finally being made available on DVD - as ‘bonus discs’ on a repackaged 2004 Special Edition DVD boxset - along with trailers for the “Lego Star Wars” game on the theatrical version discs:-
“It’s just the original versions, as they were. We didn’t do anything to it at all. But we’re not sure how many people want that… Now we’ll find out whether they really wanted the original or whether they wanted the improved versions. It’ll all come out in the end.”
Lucasfilm Vice-President Jim Ward was more forthcoming on the quality of this 2006 unaltered Original Trilogy DVD release:-“It is state of the art, as of 1993, and that’s not as good as state of the art 2006.”
^ re the source for the 2006 unaltered Original Trilogy DVD release originally being used for a 1993 laserdisc release. To say nothing of the DNR and many other quality issues on the 2006 release.
So… the people did indeed speak - and did indeed want “the original” - and still do.
Though both George and Lucasfilm knew that anyway - and are on record as admitting this.
George’s comments above also highlight he didn’t seemingly consider that fans may have actually wanted both versions in the highest quality possible, using the best sources, with the love and respect they deserve.
The OOT has been officially unavailable for almost a decade now - a 2021 thread by Lucas The Barbarian.
^ The thread notes that despite the 2006 GOUT DVDs being originally promoted and sold as a ‘Limited Edition’ release - only being available for a 4-month period from September 12th 2006 to December 31st 2006 - it wasn’t until April 2011 that the 2006 GOUT DVDs actually ceased production, and they were still being sold on store shelves up until September 2011, just before the 2011 SE / Saga blu-rays were released.
^ from How the Grinch Stole Star Wars - an article on the ‘Save Star Wars’ website.
George Lucas: “…What ends up being important in my mind is what the DVD version is going to look like, because that’s what everybody is going to remember. The other versions will disappear. Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won’t last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movies that anyone will remember will be the DVD [of the Special Edition].”
We find that above statement from George to be very disconcerting - it is, in effect, an effort to wilfully suppress and eradicate landmark film history - as well as inadvertently denigrating audience’s memories and experiences from the unaltered version that existed for some twenty years. To say nothing of these being the original version of the three films upon which the entire Star Wars universe was built on.
And yet, in stark contrast to the above statement from George…
The Film Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1990 by director Martin Scorcese dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history - of which George Lucas is a board member.
The quotes below are taken from a video of George Lucas talking about the Film-Foundation - and the importance of preserving movies. Click on the Film-Foundation link above and then on the George Lucas image icon to watch the actual video…
"The idea of film history, the idea of preserving films, which are so important to our heritage and culture, and which are part of what I think are a very significant art form, especially going into the future, I think is paramount. The reality that we face which is half the films before 1950 have been lost and we’ll never see them again… is a tragedy. And it saddens me every time I think about the fact that I’ve seen stills, I’ve heard stories about certain movies and I’ll never, ever be able to see them. Because they’re gone now. And I think preserving films - in terms of the legacy for the future - is probably the most important thing we can do.
Other fans are simply asking to have the option to buy and experience the original cuts… the version of the films they grew up with… that stood for some 20 years… in the best possible quality on the latest quality home digital format.
Over the years that has also grown into many fans on here also calling for a release of the 1997 Special Edition - which has never had a HD release or even a release on a digital format (outside of a poor quality VCD) - despite there being a ready-to-go superb quality negative of the 1997 SE for release. And also the 2004 SE cuts; which have never officially been released in HD. The 2011 SE and 2019 SE are cuts are readily available in HD and in the case of the 2019 SE, in 4K/UHD too (despite image and colour issues - with loss of detail etc, and more alterations)
Many here also back the call to release all the theatrical cuts of the 6 main Star Wars films a backup to the Wired article (both the PT and OT).
A topic that might upset the entire forum - “Nobody hated the Prequels, until the internet told them too.” - agenda-led & revisionist youtube videos doing a 180° on SW history + then taken as fact by viewers, and even some younger OT members on here.
^ a brief look into highlighting the revisionism of history from some PT/George fans - and also the perils of taking youtube videos from certain channels at their word.
The ‘Archival / Historical Discussions’ (History & Events : George Lucas & numerous talents Behind The Scenes in the OT / Lucasfilm era) - the George Lucas ‘interviews and comments’ section in ‘An Index for Original Trilogy Discussion’ is a useful resource for some of George’s divisive and gaslighting comments and claims over the years.
Many of us were there in the 1970s & 1980s; we saw the films, and we fell in love with them. We bought the articles, we watched the interviews, we read the scripts and books, and we bought the merch… anything and everything Star Wars that we could lay our hands on. We also remember what George said about the stories at the time… we lived it… which is unfortunate for Lucas’ latterly constructed ‘grand masterplan’ claims… for his much-retconned & much-altered ‘official’ history of Star Wars, writing people out of history or downplaying their contributions or roles, the 180° turnaround on film preservation and George’s previous statements objecting to the alteration of films, as well as highlighting his other varied and ongoing disingenuous & nonsensical comments and claims over the years.
That George wants to also make ongoing alterations to other directors’ work in Star Wars - notable Irvin Kershner’s Empire Strikes Back and Richard Marquand’s Return Of The Jedi… and not make both their originally released cuts of the two Original Trilogy films, that George did not direct, available for others to view and experience…
An abridged screenshot from JW Rinzler’s ‘The Making Of Episode III’ book; a quoted conversation between Frank Oz and George Lucas…
^ George Lucas: “Seriously, that’s why I’m a member of the Film Foundation (filmmakers for film preservation). A director should be able to change his films - but nobody else.”
At the time of above conversation George Lucas had already made changes to directors Irvin Kershner’s ‘Empire Strikes Back’, and Richard Marquand’s ‘Return Of The Jedi’ - and would also make go on to make further additional changes to both films.
Neither the Empire Strikes Back or Return Of The Jedi are available as their respective directors intended, or indeed made, on a modern and quality digital format.
Also, all of the following quotes are from George Lucas, taken from his speech to the US Congress in 1988, on the subject of altering films…
“American works of art belong to the American public; they are part of our cultural history.”
…
“The public’s interest is ultimately dominant over all other interests.”
…
“It will soon be possible to create a new ‘original’ negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires.”
…
“In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be “replaced” by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.”
…
“People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians.”
…
“Attention should be paid to the interest of those who are yet unborn, who should be able to see this generation as it saw itself, and the past generation as it saw itself.”
An article with the full speech by George Lucas, at Force Material: ‘George Lucas explains why you shouldn’t digitally alter films’
And even in 2024, George himself brought up the following subjects doing the media rounds at Cannes; further attempts at gaslighting sections of Star Wars fans with some bizarre claims and disingenuous statements…
- New Lucas interview - the originals “look terrible” (George claiming the OT on laserdisc is best they are going to look; “That is what it looked like.”)
- New GL interview 2: ‘Insists Unaltered Versions Of The OT Will Never Be Released’
- George Lucas Rejects ‘Star Wars’ Critics Who Think the First Six Films Are ‘All White Men’: ‘Most of the People Are Aliens! (George trying negate criticism that early OT films had little-to-no people of colour, that many of the cast were white males for no valid reason)
- Lucas on the Prequels criticism - “It is a kids’ movie. It’s always been a kids’ movie.” (in trying to deflect or negate criticism from adults about the PT films)
Some suggested additional reading (for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of Star Wars)…
• An OriginalTrilogy.com Timeline | a history of the site | the why & how it came to be…
• A brief overview of the OriginalTrilogy•com down the years…
• Some useful OT.com threads re the suppression of the theatrical Original Trilogy films
• #ReleaseTheOriginalTrilogy | OriginalTrilogy.com’s enduring goal | How you can help
• The 'Naysayer Guide’ by people who DON’T want an unaltered theatrical release of the Original Trilogy…
• George Lucas: Star Wars Creator, Unreliable Narrator & Time Travelling Revisionist…• From Interpositives to Separation Masters: How Film Preservation Works - at the Saving Star Wars website.
• Saving Star Wars: The Special Edition Restoration Process and its Changing Physicality - at The Secret History of Star Wars website
• How the Grinch Stole Star Wars - at the Saving Star Wars website.
• Can’t Even Get the Special Edition Right & Frequently Asked Questions - at the Saving Star Wars website.
• Original Trilogy vs The Prequels: inconsistencies, retcons, plot holes and discrepancies…
• Pre-PT era lore | an OT & EU scrapbook resource | additional info & sources welcome• Phil Tippett on the Special Editions: “They’re shit”. And the £2b deal for George to direct the Prequel Trilogy etc… - PepsiCo’s 1996 deal with George, the hype and the merchandising machine for the Prequel Trilogy, the mixed and negative reviews for the Prequel Trilogy at time of release, and articles on the issue of racial stereotypes in The Phantom Menace.
• Archival / Historical Discussions (History & Events : George Lucas & numerous talents Behind The Scenes in the OT / Lucasfilm era) - the George Lucas ‘interviews and comments’ section in ‘An Index for Original Trilogy Discussion’.
• Other websites / communities supposed issues with the OT•com, the Original Trilogy, or the unaltered theatrical cuts - section of the ‘Fandom’ category, in ‘An Index for Original Trilogy Discussion’.
• A topic that might upset the entire forum - “Nobody hated the Prequels, until the internet told them too.” - agenda-led & revisionist youtube videos doing a 180° on SW history + then taken as fact by viewers.
• I’ll never understand the attitude of people who oppose the release of the unaltered Original Trilogy - a little more the history of this site; the abuse & threats issued by some Prequel / Lucas zealots.
• A brief overview of the OriginalTrilogy•com down the years…• Complete Comparison of Special Edition Visual Changes (SWVC ‘OT Changes Index thread’ - by 005)
• Disney+ Should Offer the Star Wars Original Cuts—All of Them - doubleofive’s article for Wired. a backup to the Wired article
• #ReleaseTheOriginalTrilogy - What We Want And How To Make It - a sequel piece by doubleofive to the above Wired article.
• List of Academy Awards for The Original Trilogy
• The Lost Art of Star Wars
• Modern Special Edition Revisionism
I hope someone creates a whole separate thread dedicated to George’s many gaslighting and divisive comments to fans over the years (or a youtube video, podcast, or ‘fact-checker’ type article; especially from some of the blossoming talents on here of late).
A collection of relevant discussions and ‘info threads’ can be found in…
‘3️⃣ • Ⓑ : Archival / Historical Discussion threads: George Lucas’ section of An Index for Original Trilogy Discussion
‘6️⃣ • George Lucas / Lucasfilm’ section of An Index for Theatrical Cuts vs. Subsequent Releases
‘🔴 • Lucasfilm & Disney’ section of An Index for General Star Wars Discussion.
Anyway, I’ve rambled on for far, far too long (once again!) - let’s get back on topic…
I’m really looking forward to doubleofive’s a definitive history of the Greedo scene on video 👍
A little patience goes a long way on this old-school Rebel base. If you are having issues finding what you are looking for, these will be of some help…
Welcome to the OriginalTrilogy.com | Introduce yourself in here | Useful info within : About : Help : Site Rules : Fan Project Rules : Announcements
‘How do I do this?’ on the OriginalTrilogy.com - includes info on how to ask for a fan project and how to search for projects and threads on OT•com.
A Project Index for Star Wars Preservations (Harmy’s Despecialized & 4K77/80/83 etc) : A Project Index for Star Wars Fan Edits (adywan & Hal 9000 etc)
Take your time to look around this site before posting… Do NOT just lazily make yet another ‘link request’ post - or a new thread asking for projects.
