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Make your voices heard! (again) - re the 2006 GOUT DVD being in letterbox format — Page 3

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Yay! Finally some feedback! Thanks, Hal!

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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Check this out. Over at the Home Theater Forum, it's REALLY going down. Basically, The Digital Bits, Video Business and another huge Home Theater industry mag are going to write about this, and Robert A. Harris, the guy who restored Vertigo and Lawrence of Arabia, is volunteering to do the restoration if it's possible, do it cheaply (relatively) and still get it out in the winter 06 timeframe.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/showthread.php?t=234933

Read through that thread. Lucasfilm is not only paying direct attention to the thread, but apparently a fair amount of the media is seeing it as well.

Keep sending emails to publicity@lucasfilm.com, that seems to be the one that people are actually paying attention to over there, people are getting responses and such.
The Best Show You've Never Heard
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It's good to know that we're not the only people fighting for this.

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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I'm thinking of adding a P.S to my letter - Remember limited edition 'Executor' boxset (which I own, BTW) you released in 1995? That was a quality release that treated the movies with the respect they deserve. I know Lucasfilm is capable.

What I'd really like to say is - Please go out and buy a copy of the extended editions of LOTR and see how it should be done.

War does not make one great.

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Here's my email to publicity@lucasfilm.com

ATTN: Lucasfilm, LTD.
RE: Original Unaltered Trilogy Release

It has come to my attention and many others, including the media, that the original, unaltered, Star Wars Trilogy which is being released in September is going to be a substandard, low quality, laserdisc transfer. Please reconsider this decision. There has been an offer made from Mr. Robert Harris to restore this film at a minimal price on www.hometheaterforum.com . He was the person responsible for the Vertigo and Lawrence of Arabia restorations. Isn't Star Wars worthy of such treatment? Please push the release back, have him restore the film, and win fans back and make millions of dollars. Otherwise, this release will be welcomed with as much apathy as it's preperation was.

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I've sent my letter to George Lucas, Jim Ward and the Publicity department. I sure hope we can make a difference like we did with this site. Our voices will be heard. Please fellow Star Wars fans, send your letters also to any of the e-mails provided earlier in this thread. We have to get as many fans in on this as possible.
peace,

Rebelscum
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I've sent my letter to the publicity@lucasfilm.com address. Over the weekend I will be doing something I hardly ever do write a hard copy letter. This will be going to Jim Ward.
There's good in the Original Trilogy, and it's worth fighting for.
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
http://www.myspace.com/harlock415
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I'm going to go write a nice little e-mail letter to the publicity address. I've already sent Jim one. I think an e-mail would be just as appropriate.
"I am altering the movies. Pray I don't alter them any further." -Darth Lucas
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I just mailed my letter an hour ago!

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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I sent am e-mail to every address on the list and will send a snail-mail later today.

War does not make one great.

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Don't just stop at Lucasfilm. Start emailing about this grassroots campaign to every media outlet you can think of, from your local newspaper to Entertainment Weekly. The latter can be reached at letters@ew.com and I'm certain if they get cc'ed on all your correspondence, they'll take note and run something about it.
I am fluent in over six million forms of procrastination.
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I'm going to respond on the upcoming non-anamorphic LaserDisc-2-DVD copy of the OOT in much the same way I did in 2000 when Episode I was released on VHS: I'm not going to buy it.

When Episode I was announced for home video, George Lucas decided he wasn't going to release it on DVD. He felt that the DVD format lacked (image) quality and wasn't suited for showing his movies. Instead he releases the movie on the far inferior VHS format. This stroke me as odd, to say the least. Some year and a half later he came back on his decision and released Epispode I on DVD.

I just hope that other fans will decide not to buy the announced/rumoured september 2006 re-release of both the OOT and 2004 version. Most likely, less than a year later, I expect that yet another release will be announced to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the 1977 Star Wars movie. Maybe then we will finally get an anamorphic and digitally restored but otherwise unaltered versionn of the OOT. Untill then, I'll just wait and see ...
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I'm sending this e-mail to the lucasfilm publicity address:



"To those whom it may concern at Lucasfilm,

Like innumerable Star Wars fans around the world, I was overjoyed to learn that the original versions of the Star Wars trilogy were to be released on dvd this fall. I applaud Mr. Lucas for his efforts to bring the movies to the visual and artistic standards he had always imagined. I have long felt, however, that the original versions of the films should not be suppressed in light of enhancements made numerous years after the fact. Both versions should be available for the viewing public to choose from (similar to Mr. Spielberg's release of E.T. a few years ago), and at first glance this news seemed to promise that.

The past few days, however, have brought more disturbing news to my ears, namely that these classic, groundbreaking films are not to be treated to a proper high-quality digital release, in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen as per the prevailing dvd industry standard, but instead in 4:3 letterbox, a transfer technique that has been obsolete for a number of years. I am deeply disturbed that Lucasfilm would see fit to release such a technically inferior product, from an outdated video source using outdated technology, to the public. Your company has long been at the forefront of technological innovation in film-making, and I am unable to understand why this historic release is being given such lacklustre treatment.

As you must be aware, the market for bootleg copies of the Star Wars films in their original forms is tremendous. More still are made and exchanged for no profit at all, simply for love of the material and a desire to preserve it. I feel I must warn the company that if the upcoming release is not given the treatment it deserves, in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen and using the best possible film elements available, then the loss in revenue, both from lack of sales and to the continued bootlegging, will be considerable. If the product we are given is no better than what we already own from previous releases, innumerable fans will see no point in purchasing it at all. Personally I dislike the practice of bootlegging and would be glad to see it made irrelevant through an official release of spectacular quality, and I urge the company to do these groundbreaking films justice and give them the treatment they deserve. We the fans will thank you with our hearts and our wallets if this is done.

It is my understanding that Mr. Robert Harris, who has done restoration work on Lawrence of Arabia and other films, has offered to assist Lucasfilm on restoring the original Star Wars films if necessary, for a low price and quickly enough to be released on dvd by Christmas. I appeal to Mr. Lucas and to Mr. Ward to contact him and enlist his services. These movies are beloved classics and deserve to be treated as such.

Thank you very much for your time."
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again , man i supported you guys before and now your getting what you wanted, and your still complaining and asking for more. man starwars fans are like spoiled brats, with lucas being the father.
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Originally posted by: Shimraa
again , man i supported you guys before and now your getting what you wanted, and your still complaining and asking for more. man starwars fans are like spoiled brats, with lucas being the father.


Please inform yourself before posting. I don´t think it is much to ask for a treatment every 2nd grade B movie gets nowadays for DVD release. 13 year old video masters made with obsolete technology for obsolete technology of the biggest money making franchise in the world from the self-acclaimed technical leaders in home video market is outrageous. Especially when paying $30 bucks. And considering that the OOT scenes shown in the Empire of Dreams documentary obviously come from a much better source, since they are anamorphic.

If you call us spoiled brats, well, you didn´t understand anything at all.
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Originally posted by: Shimraa
again , man i supported you guys before and now your getting what you wanted, and your still complaining and asking for more. man starwars fans are like spoiled brats, with lucas being the father.


Shim, it seems that every other member of this forum, including Jay, who has updated the main page page to reflect this and has stated that he refuses to buy this product, is united in our disdain for this slipshod treatment. I don't see what logical basis you have for calling us spoiled brats in this case.

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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its more in the sense that, you guys are already very lucky that he is releaseing them in the first place. Lucus didnt want to but you guys swayed his opinion and changed his mind. in my mind seems to me that he doesnt want to put any more money into fixing something that he only releasing as a favour to the fans. its possible that he did not save a copy of the OOT that was in the SE quality but without the SE scenes. Now the entire basis of releasing the movie is to preserve history, or at least thats what i can extract from jays letter to GL. if you want to preserve history you cant just pick and choose what, you have to include everything, include all the little flaws, along with all the greatness. if i have a 200 hundred year olf book, that i want to keep as part of history, do i take it and just photocopy all the pages and make a new book with photocopied pages so that the book doesnt fall apart, so that i dnt have to worry about the old paper anymore, no i dont, i try my best to keep it good condition by not touching it too much and isolating it i.e. by put it in conditions where it will stay preserved for longer. Now thats what lucas has done for you. he has take the OOT and placed it on a DVD so it wont ruin more over time. i know it sucks that its going to be 4:3 rather then widescreen but so what, logically there is no reason lucas would not release the widescreen if he had it. so whining about it wont do anything.

Again i wouldnt as much have this opinion if it wasnt 2 days after the announcement of the release that fans started bitching that it wasnt good enough. My entire point is that you guys got what you wanted, the OOT on DVD and you still want more. the same way if a kid with his mom at the mall whines that he wants icecream for 2 hrs, then finally his mom gives in and they go to the icecream store and they dont have the flavor he wants so he whines more.

I know you guys are having quams about the widescreen issue. but the bottem line is, lucas is release the OOT on DVD, i think he knows that widescreen is the prefered media. given that knowledge and that he is not an idiot. there are to things that could have happened either A. he doesnt have it, cause if he did he would release it, or B. he doesnt care about the fans. it cant be B because if he did he wouldnt even do as much as he is doing now. therefore it must be A. and he doesnt want to spend the money to re-render the movies from film to computer then spend millions to refinish the whole thing, just the way fans want him to.

vigo, umm i beleive my post count is about 9000 more then you, and that i have been here from the beginning of this site. i think i am pretty well informed about this issue thank you very much.
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Shim, we are not "lucky" to be getting this. This is not a gift from Lucasfilm. This is a product, made for sale to the general public. We the consumers are being asked for our hard-earned money in exchange for essentially the same release as before, with different bonus material according to Lucasfilm's view. So if that is the expectation, the Bonus Material had very well better be worth it. Content alone does not justify a $90 sticker price. Content plus presentation are at issue, and presently, the presentation is a complete embarassment for all involved in the project. Lucasfilm is spitting in our faces with this release.
I am fluent in over six million forms of procrastination.
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if thats how you feel then thats how you feel. i suppose its the difference between a glass half full and a glass half empty. you yourself said its a release of the same dvd with different extra content. its not a very far leap to assume that its just a release of extra content. that content is something you guys have wanted for a very long time, and that content is a whole movie. its your choice if you want to be satisfied with what you got or if you want more. And if you want more, well the story of the little kid comes to mind. just the way i see it, and you cant deny that there are similarities. price shouldnt really matter if you are as devoted to the OOT as most of the fans are. to go and make a edit of it, shows just how devoted you are. but dvds are always expensive, so many new releases are around $40 if you go to the store the day its released. and like i said above what you get is more then likely all he has. without spending shit loads of money on makeing it again fron scratch.
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Originally posted by: Shimraa
if i have a 200 hundred year olf book, that i want to keep as part of history, do i take it and just photocopy all the pages and make a new book with photocopied pages so that the book doesnt fall apart, so that i dnt have to worry about the old paper anymore, no i dont, i try my best to keep it good condition by not touching it too much and isolating it i.e. by put it in conditions where it will stay preserved for longer.

And that's where your wrong. In a documentary on the gospel of Judas they showed that the historians have scanned the pages and, every little piece on photcopied pages and, into a computer 3-D program. The only time that they ever touch the pages is when they think they can fit another piece into it's place. Even then, the pages are kept between two panes of glass and, touched very lighty. Also, before even thinking of getting a page they use the 3-D computer program to make absolutely sure that it fits where they want to put it. So yes in essence they have made a new copy of the book perserving it on the best technology possible at the moment. Plus so that they don't have to deal with the old paper as, much.

the same way if a kid with his mom at the mall whines that he wants icecream for 2 hrs, then finally his mom gives in and they go to the icecream store and they dont have the flavor he wants so he whines more.


That doesn't work as an analogy. The kid doesn't pay for the icecream. More like a Mom that really wants to get a chocolate icecream with sprinkles. The Mom goes to the icecream store finds that they have chocolate but, it's going to cost her 70 dollars to get three scoops and, the store she went to is out of sprinkles. If Lucasfilm went with your scenario (i.e. giving it away) I don't think anyone would be complaining.

http://twister111.tumblr.com
Previous Signature preservation link

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Sent my emails to the publicity address, and also George Lucas and Jim Ward. No response from anyone as of now.
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To Shimraa,

In order to obtain the OOT you'll have to purchase the 2004 version too since they are in one boxed set. For most of us here this would mean buying something we already have.

If the OOT were to be released in a seperate box, George might be surprised as to how many people actually prefer the original unaltered versions. Even if they were just presented in letterbox format ...
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i hate to say but thats your fault for buying them. maybe if you had held out for awhile like me you wouldnt have that problem.

and the kid analogy works fine dont try to nit pick it i am not talking about money, i am am refering to the idea that you got what you wanted and you want more just as the kid go his icecream and now wants a different flavour.

and as for preserveing something again dont take the example too literally, cause its the idea i am talking about.and your example points directly at that, they are making a 3d image of the book to preserve the content of the book, but they are still infact keepin the book and all its flaws together, there is only one copy of it and so it remains in a chamber where it can be preserved, they are not however taking the book re-writing everything in it. even in the 3D images the flaws are still there, thats why they are making the 3D image rather then a 2D image, to preserve everything.