Some useful and informative OT•com threads on the suppression of the unaltered theatrical cuts of the Original Trilogy films…
An introductory thread highlighting countless fans’ love and appreciation for the three Original Trilogy films in their unaltered theatrical release form - and the importance of preserving them for future generations the world over to experience and enjoy. To also spotlight the tremendous collective effort and talent that went into making these three iconic and ground-breaking movies - some of which have been removed and replaced; unseen for many years (unless viewed on obsolete media formats)…
Emphasising Lucasfilm’s reluctance to even discuss or address the issue of preserving and releasing the unaltered theatrical classic cuts of the OT since their substandard DVD ‘bonus disc’ release in 2006 - which was riddled with various quality issues, even when taking into consideration the source used… was an already 13-year old 1993 master meant for a laserdisc release.
Calling attention to the continuing changes made to the three films over the years, as well as the conflicting reasons given for the making continuing alterations to the Original Trilogy. And also chronicling the blurring of the Original Trilogy’s actual history in film… with later revisions, retcons, and some obfuscation…
…all as part of the dedicated and ongoing efforts here by fans all over the world to simply give people a choice; the option to buy and experience an official release of the unaltered award-winning classic Star Wars films - the very movies which underpin the entire Galaxy Far Far Away - on a modern, high quality, digital format - with the love, attention and respect they so deserve.
Below is a small selection of the many informative, insightful and quality threads on here which cover many various topics supporting the site’s enduring goal for an official dedicated release of the unaltered theatrical version of the Original Trilogy:-
• Disney+ Should Offer the Star Wars Original Cuts—All of Them - doubleofive’s article for Wired. a backup to the Wired article
^ A quality and comprehensive article on why the films are important to the people who grew up with them, why they wish to have the option to experience them as they originally were released - as well as preserving important and cultural film history for everyone to view and enjoy. A reminder that the various ‘Special Edition’ versions are NOT the award-winning, iconic, landmark & ground-breaking original version of the films. And highlights just why we are here - some of us for many years, and some just taking our first steps…
#ReleaseTheOriginalTrilogy • What We Want And How To Make It - a sequel piece by doubleofive to the above Wired article.
• “Disney+ Should Offer the Star Wars Original Cuts” 2020 article - on Wired (OT•com thread on the Wired article by doubleofive)
❗ #ReleaseTheOriginalTrilogy | OriginalTrilogy•com’s enduring goal | How YOU can help… ❗
^ The OT•com supporting the #ReleaseTheOriginalTrilogy campaign - the call for an official release of the unaltered theatrical version of the three classic Star Wars films - and what YOU can do to help restore them to the galaxy. MTFBWY… Always.
Our love of the Original Trilogy - seeing them for the first time - and wanting others to be able to experience them…
• That Star Wars Feeling… | What Star Wars has meant to you | How has Star Wars aged with you? | What feels most Star Wars
• The first time in 1977 | Star Wars mania in 1977 | Random memories from 1977-83 | When you were introduced to Star Wars
• Opinion: on the Original releases | Thoughts From Your First Viewing Of The OT? | How did you first see the Star Wars films?
• A Long Time Ago… - Share Your Star Wars Story - the first time you saw the Original Trilogy films…
• How many times have you bought the movies?
• What is your main way of watching the Original Trilogy?
• When/Why did you become an Original Trilogy purist?
• “I am wondering… why are you here?”
• I want my kids to see the unaltered Original Trilogy in a real theater | The New Generation of Star Wars Fans
• Adventures in Raising the Next Generation of Original Star Wars Fans | An inclusive universe and a new generation of fans
• The 3 OT film ‘Behind The Scenes / Making Of image threads’ for… Star Wars : Empire Strikes Back : Return Of The Jedi
• Original Trilogy Film Crew & People Behind The Scenes: Profiles, Info & Links - some of the amazing people & talent on the OT.
The current status / ability to have a release of the unaltered theatrical cuts…
• 4K restoration on Star Wars - the restoration work undertaken by Lowry Digital / Reliance Media Works. & the 2019 SE 4K release.
• What’s the status of the Originals? (the theatrical cuts of the Original Trilogy) | Evidence of the OOT at Lucasfilm?
^ As confirmed by various sources at Lucasfilm, Fox & Disney over the years - including George Lucas himself; all the material and elements required for a modern high quality release for the unaltered theatrical version of the Original Trilogy are indeed available. ^
About our wishes to have an official high quality release of the theatrical cuts - with the love and care it deserves…
• An OriginalTrilogy.com Timeline | a history of the site | the why & how it came to be…
• How George Lucas created the O-OT fanbase
• George Lucas: Star Wars Creator, Unreliable Narrator & Time Travelling Revisionist…
• There should be a proper release of the 1977 Star Wars at this point - 1995 saw the last dedicated release of the unaltered OT.
• Is it Lucas, or Fox, who has prevented the restored OOT release? - from before Disney acquired Fox in 2019.
• We have X in HD, but we still don’t have Star Wars - the HD format wars ended in 2008; yet still no official OOT available in HD.
• Our open letter to Disney and Lucasfilm & Dear Disney - in 2017; for the 40th Anniversary - Disney & Lucasfilm did not respond.
• Articles & info that highlight / call for a classic version release of the Original Trilogy : 100+ articles / sources for such a release.
^ the thread has been updated to now include a list of Star Wars cast, crew, editors, craftsmen and executives who have spoken up…
A little more on the alterations made to the OT films / misnomers and confusion about the original theatrical cuts…
• Complete Comparison of Special Edition Visual Changes - with an Index for Sources of Info on the changes made to the OT films.
• The Lost Art of Star Wars - article by doubleofive. A gallery of shots where the original work for the theatrical version of the OT… is just gone. Some of it award-winning, some if it using technology they were sometimes inventing to complete, and all of it… film history.
• List of Academy Awards for The Original Trilogy - article by doubleofive. Includes content replaced in the various Special Editions.
• An Index of OT•com threads on all things the Audio of the Original Trilogy - including the many audio changes and many mixes.
• Reasoning Behind Changes from Release to Release
• You’d think they’d clean this up - the unfixed issues of the 2004 OT SE DVD release…
• What HASN’T changed on the 2011 OT SE Blu-ray release – the uncorrected mistakes…
• Uncorrected mistakes or unfixed issues of the 2019 OT SE 4K/UHD release? (Maclunkey!)
• Modern Special Edition Revisionism - retcons, re-writing & clouding of the history for the three iconic films… in official sources.
• Why are people like this? - people who mistakenly argue it is impossible restore the unaltered theatrical cuts of the Original Trilogy.
How you can help… (on some damn-fool idealistic crusade - or something)…
The above collection of threads require continuing contributions and efforts from you - the members of this resourceful and resolute community - to keep these relevant and discerning sources of information maintained and updated… in a bid to help inform, educate, chronicle, and be a reference point for those who wish to know more about the unedited original versions. To contribute and improve upon these discussion threads - to share your stories of what the Original Trilogy means to you…
The same original version of the three films which have not had an official dedicated release to purchase and be experienced by the public for over a quarter of a century - and counting. That a new generation of fans know little of - or have been misinformed by the retcons, revisionism and obfuscation of these pioneering and landmark films’ history.
The unaltered theatrical version of the Original Trilogy which stood for some 20 years, which underpins the entire Galaxy Far Far Away, remaining much-loved and often requested… and yet according to George Lucas… “no longer exists”.
To put it simply, it is your posts in striving to improve the above indexed threads, keeping them updated and maintained - that will determine how much of a benefit they can be to the wider community here - not just here in the present, but for the future too - also as a chronicle of quality, authentic and trusted information along the way.
So if you come across an insightful, informative, quality article, or piece of information - or have some thoughts, stories or ideas yourself that you’d like to talk about or share in the above threads - then please post them up…
We need your help, we can’t do this alone - some of us are ‘getting too old for this sort of thing’… 😉
For more info on the OT•com site and original mid-2000’s petition… see the Sites and Publications Supporting the Petition forum, as well as many threads in the Original Trilogy Discussion and Theatrical Cuts vs. Subsequent Releases sections…
…the ‘Fandom’ section of An Index & Help Thread for Original Trilogy Discussion may also be of interest / for further reading.
From a certain point of view… every member who signed the petition, joined and registered here, or simply made a post or thread on here… is part of the collective fan effort to highlight the enduring wish for an official release of the unaltered theatrical version of the Original Trilogy films. To experience these iconic, pioneering and much-loved movies on a modern digital format - with the love, care & respect they so longingly deserve.
TL;DR?
The threads indexed above discuss topics surrounding the call for an official release of the much loved unaltered theatrical version of the Original Trilogy - and benefit from your input and contributions. So we ask you, the resolute members of this rebel base site to please help us to do just that - if you see any articles or information of quality, insight or interest, have any thoughts yourself you’d like to discuss, or stories you’d like to share… please add them to above threads. MTFBWY… always.
If you have any suggestions for quality & informative threads to be added to the above directory, please post them below - thank you.
Last Updated: Thursday 19th October, 2023.
The quality ‘Be A Rebel’ poster above is by the very talented Vitor Camacho - more of his work can be found here at his Behance page.