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Lucas is a businessman - Don't believe what he says

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He's a businessman, first and foremost, and he is finding clever ways to keep the money train rolling on the original star wars trilogy.

Lucas knows that he has three revenue streams at his disposal.

1) Releasing the Special editions on DVD and then proclaiming it will be the only version of Star Wars you will see on it. The fans will obediently buy because they still want Star Wars on DVD, and the only reason they will buy is they believe it will be the only taste of Star Wars on that format. This is major cash flow #1.

2) After the fans have obediently bought the SE versions on DVD, and sales slump to very low levels, Lucasfilm will come out and proclaim that Star Wars will be re-released with ADDED BONUS FEATURES that will contain the unaltered, theatrical versions which Star Wars fans wanted in the first place. Excitement grows! Fans are happy. They plan to make yet ANOTHER purchase for Star Wars on DVD just so they can get the unaltered versions. Yet, as more details emerge about the unaltered versions and how sucky they are going to look and sound, fan enthusiasm wanes. They are upset, they vow to not buy, but Lucasfilm then says...."Okay. We give you want you want finally, and you don't want it. I guess this means you really do prefer the special editions. This will be the final release of the unaltered versions ever, so get it while it lasts." Fans, dismayed, will obediently buy believing the words of Lucasfilm. This is cash flow #2.

3) After the fans have bought the SEs, and then the SEs with the unaltered versions as bonus features, a year or two from now as DVD begins to wane in popularity, Lucasfilm will release Star Wars ONE MORE TIME on DVD, THIS time with the unaltered, digitally remastered anamorphic widescreen versions. FANS ARE OVERJOYED! They will go out and buy Star Wars AGAIN on that media format. This will result in the BIGGEST cash flow for Lucasfilm yet and it their way of kissing DVD goodbye.

The cycle will no doubt continue on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.

This is how Lucasfilm will continue to make the original Star Wars trilogy very profitable, because they know the fans are UBER fans who won't hesitate to buy multiple copies of the same movie. They are totally taking advantage of us.
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Originally posted by: thinicer
He's a businessman, first and foremost, and he is finding clever ways to keep the money train rolling on the original star wars trilogy.


Actually, first and foremost, Lucas is an arrogant, dishonest has-been.



I make these films for myself more than I make them for anybody else…I don't really make my films for an audience ~George Lucas

The most important people for any filmmaker, the reason that I make films, is for you! The audience rules! ~ George Lucas


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Look, this is nothing new at all.

Way back when, Lucas was adamant about the fact that the Star Wars movies would never be broadcast on television because they needed to be seen on the big screen to have the impact that they were supposed to have.

Then he broadcast Star Wars on... I think it may have been on ON-TV, the old pre-cable pay movie station. It was a big huge deal, they even broadcast the audio portion on the radio (which I taped, obviously) and as I recall it was supposed to be a one-shot deal. Then, of course, they ended up running the thing on network TV a couple years later with great pomp and fanfare, and thereafter Star Wars was in broadcast rotation on TV.

Lucas also was equally adamant, once upon a time, that the Star Wars movies would never be released on home video. Again... not the way he thought people ought to be watching them.

But of course, we all know that he didn't hold out forever on that one either.

How long did Lucas insist that he didn't want the original edits out on DVD? I mean, he was *thump!* serious about it this time. No original edit DVDs. Only the Endlessly-F***ed-With Editions were to be released, as they were his true vision du jour.

Now, suddenly, they're releasing what amounts to the bootleg DVDs of the O-OT as incentive to shift 10,000 or so more units of their 2004 EFWE DVDs, and they're now saying that they will never release the O-OT again, especially in any kind of DVD format that's at all useful to those of us with modern widescreen TVs.

Y'all know as well as I do... they'll eventually release the O-OT in the same crisp, anamorphic widescreen format in which we see the O-OT clips in the Empire Of Dreams documentary.

The trick, of course, is to not pony up for the jocky-ass versions of the O-OT that they're putting out in September. Why would any of us want to shell out money for something that's been available VERY inexpensively on Ebay for years?

I'm not sticking pins in the arse of a George Lucas voodoo doll or anything, mind you... I just think he's been incredibly lame to a lot of his fanbase for quite awhile now (I think it really started after the "Greedo shoots first" debacle back in '97, but certainly after the tepid fan reception that TPM so rightly got.) This current nonsense about the O-OT, though, is just beyond the pale. O-OT footage can be presented in anamorphic widescreen in a DVD documentary, but the full films end up being released like Chinese bootlegs. I know that we'll eventually get the O-OT in anamorphic widescreen with good sound and picture, despite LFL claims to the contrary, but at the moment I have no trouble at all seeing why so many people are pissed at Lucas over this.

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Originally posted by: Patrick Russell
Look, this is nothing new at all.

Way back when, Lucas was adamant about the fact that the Star Wars movies would never be broadcast on television because they needed to be seen on the big screen to have the impact that they were supposed to have.

Then he broadcast Star Wars on... I think it may have been on ON-TV, the old pre-cable pay movie station. It was a big huge deal, they even broadcast the audio portion on the radio (which I taped, obviously) and as I recall it was supposed to be a one-shot deal. Then, of course, they ended up running the thing on network TV a couple years later with great pomp and fanfare, and thereafter Star Wars was in broadcast rotation on TV.

Lucas also was equally adamant, once upon a time, that the Star Wars movies would never be released on home video. Again... not the way he thought people ought to be watching them.

But of course, we all know that he didn't hold out forever on that one either.

How long did Lucas insist that he didn't want the original edits out on DVD? I mean, he was *thump!* serious about it this time. No original edit DVDs. Only the Endlessly-F***ed-With Editions were to be released, as they were his true vision du jour.

Now, suddenly, they're releasing what amounts to the bootleg DVDs of the O-OT as incentive to shift 10,000 or so more units of their 2004 EFWE DVDs, and they're now saying that they will never release the O-OT again, especially in any kind of DVD format that's at all useful to those of us with modern widescreen TVs.

Y'all know as well as I do... they'll eventually release the O-OT in the same crisp, anamorphic widescreen format in which we see the O-OT clips in the Empire Of Dreams documentary.

The trick, of course, is to not pony up for the jocky-ass versions of the O-OT that they're putting out in September. Why would any of us want to shell out money for something that's been available VERY inexpensively on Ebay for years?

I'm not sticking pins in the arse of a George Lucas voodoo doll or anything, mind you... I just think he's been incredibly lame to a lot of his fanbase for quite awhile now (I think it really started after the "Greedo shoots first" debacle back in '97, but certainly after the tepid fan reception that TPM so rightly got.) This current nonsense about the O-OT, though, is just beyond the pale. O-OT footage can be presented in anamorphic widescreen in a DVD documentary, but the full films end up being released like Chinese bootlegs. I know that we'll eventually get the O-OT in anamorphic widescreen with good sound and picture, despite LFL claims to the contrary, but at the moment I have no trouble at all seeing why so many people are pissed at Lucas over this.


I want that post framed and put on my wall.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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He's not so good of a businessman that he doesn't know how to NOT alienate his most loyal fan-base.

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Originally posted by: Patrick Russell
Y'all know as well as I do... they'll eventually release the O-OT in the same crisp, anamorphic widescreen format in which we see the O-OT clips in the Empire Of Dreams documentary.
I agree exactly.

The main thing I'm looking at this as is the timing of it all. It makes no sense to me to release the never to be sold again OOT in september when next year will be the 30th Anniversery. If this is the only version we'll see of the OOT on DVD, wouldn't he wait a few months later and release them on the 30th Anni? I think we could see a new uber box set (I'm hoping the PT and 2004's will be fixed along with the anamorphic widescreen format OOT) next year. One can dream anyway.
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Well, I'm sure that uber box set will cost more total than these releases will. Besides, I don't want new copies of the PT. I already own them. If the new rumors about an anamorphic transfer are true, then the September releases will be good enough for me without the need of some wallet-draining special edition 6 chapter saga box set.

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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Originally posted by: yanksno1
Originally posted by: Patrick Russell
Y'all know as well as I do... they'll eventually release the O-OT in the same crisp, anamorphic widescreen format in which we see the O-OT clips in the Empire Of Dreams documentary. I agree exactly.

The main thing I'm looking at this as is the timing of it all. It makes no sense to me to release the never to be sold again OOT in september when next year will be the 30th Anniversery. If this is the only version we'll see of the OOT on DVD, wouldn't he wait a few months later and release them on the 30th Anni? I think we could see a new uber box set (I'm hoping the PT and 2004's will be fixed along with the anamorphic widescreen format OOT) next year. One can dream anyway.

That is my hope as well. With the 2.0 and mono tracks and a good 5.1 mix. I've got all of my fingers and toes crossed.


Well, I'm sure that uber box set will cost more total than these releases will. Besides, I don't want new copies of the PT. I already own them. If the new rumors about an anamorphic transfer are true, then the September releases will be good enough for me without the need of some wallet-draining special edition 6 chapter saga box set.


The rumor is false. However, we must remember that that is probably exactly what Lucas wants. If restored anamorphic 5.1/2.0/mono versions are in the high-priced set, people like me would pay an exhorbitant amount for the set. Lucas may be testing the waters with this release to see if there is a market for it at all. If the John Q. public is willing to buy the OOT, then audio/videophiles would certainly pay for a good version. Lucas may be stubborn, but he is certainly not stupid. I hope that we are right in our optimistic beliefs. Cross your fingers. I hope that we do not have to wait too long.

The cycle will no doubt continue on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.


And hopefully on other formats to come.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Wasn't he also adamant about not releasing the films in full screen pan & scan hackjobs? Lo and Behold!
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Originally posted by: SpecialEditionSaboteur
Wasn't he also adamant about not releasing the films in full screen pan & scan hackjobs? Lo and Behold!


As I said, money is a powerful thing. Nimoy did not want to come back as Mr. Spock after his death, but ka-ching. I'm just not a patient man. I hope that we are correct. There are few things I would love more in my collection than high quality OOT DVDs. And I would pay quie a bit for them. Lucas knows this.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Unfortunately, there's no reason for him to give true fans what they want when the mindless masses lap up every bit of shit that LFL releases as though it were the food of the gods. Why give them filet mignon when they're happy with McDonalds? Stop buying the SAME movies over and over again. Exercise some self-control. When the cash stops rolling in, which we know it never will, but if it did, watch how quickly those "reviled and flawed" originals would find their way onto a high quality dvd.
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Originally posted by: JediFlyer06
Unfortunately, there's no reason for him to give true fans what they want when the mindless masses lap up every bit of shit that LFL releases as though it were the food of the gods. Why give them filet mignon when they're happy with McDonalds? Stop buying the SAME movies over and over again. Exercise some self-control. When the cash stops rolling in, which we know it never will, but if it did, watch how quickly those "reviled and flawed" originals would find their way onto a high quality dvd.


We at OT.com are a minority, albiet a growing minority. However, that matters not because money is money and evidently even a multi-billion dollar company can never have too much of it. We're not buying the same movies over and over. We're buyingdifferent versions. Not everyone knows about this whole situation yet, and opinions still vary. But things are changing fast. As Lucas own Skywalker, THX, and ILM, the money wouldn't stop rolling in even if the whole world boycotted Star Wars. However, the saga is finally over. What else do LFL have to release now? Sooner or later, and hopefully sooner, the OOT will show up on high quality DVDs. It's just a matter of waiting. Again.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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The problem is that we can wait until doomsday, and may never see a high-quality pristine version of the O-OT on DVD. Lucasfilm doesn't really need the money.
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Originally posted by: Number20
The problem is that we can wait until doomsday, and may never see a high-quality pristine version of the O-OT on DVD. Lucasfilm doesn't really need the money.


Lucasfilm doesn't need any more money. They haven't needed it for a long time now. About three decades. But they keep releasing new products. When they have no more new products to release, the OOT will come out on a fantastic set. Besides, there seems to be something of an ego clash going on here. Lucas said that he is releasing these discs to bait fans. Let's wait and see how this pans out. I'll be the foolish optimist.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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I don't think Lucas did say that, actually. I believe that was interpretational editorial content inserted by the "journalist".
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Originally posted by: Mike O

Well, I'm sure that uber box set will cost more total than these releases will. Besides, I don't want new copies of the PT. I already own them. If the new rumors about an anamorphic transfer are true, then the September releases will be good enough for me without the need of some wallet-draining special edition 6 chapter saga box set.

The rumor is false. However, we must remember that that is probably exactly what Lucas wants. If restored anamorphic 5.1/2.0/mono versions are in the high-priced set, people like me would pay an exhorbitant amount for the set. Lucas may be testing the waters with this release to see if there is a market for it at all. If the John Q. public is willing to buy the OOT, then audio/videophiles would certainly pay for a good version. Lucas may be stubborn, but he is certainly not stupid. I hope that we are right in our optimistic beliefs. Cross your fingers. I hope that we do not have to wait too long.

The cycle will no doubt continue on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.


And hopefully on other formats to come.


Well, the point is, I would not be willing to buy a huge boxset even if the OOT were on it and pristine to the point of pants-crapping perfection. I love the movies, but I'm not willing to shell out a couple hundred dollars when I only want about 1/3 to 1/4 of the content I'm paying for, and the rest is useless to me. If I hated chocolate with coconut in it, I wouldn't buy a huge sampler box that had 25 coconut candies just so I could have 6 butter creams, would you? Hopefully nobody's that insane unless they just have an exorbitant amount of money. And I happen to not have that kind of money, and I refuse to be screwed around with anymore.

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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Originally posted by: THX
I don't think Lucas did say that, actually. I believe that was interpretational editorial content inserted by the "journalist".

OK, but he did say that "it will all come out in the end." MTV. The root of all evil today.

Well, the point is, I would not be willing to buy a huge boxset even if the OOT were on it and pristine to the point of pants-crapping perfection. I love the movies, but I'm not willing to shell out a couple hundred dollars when I only want about 1/3 to 1/4 of the content I'm paying for, and the rest is useless to me. If I hated chocolate with coconut in it, I wouldn't buy a huge sampler box that had 25 coconut candies just so I could have 6 butter creams, would you? Hopefully nobody's that insane unless they just have an exorbitant amount of money. And I happen to not have that kind of money, and I refuse to be screwed around with anymore.


I was just commenting on the way that Lucas thinks. That would depend on how much I like butter creams . DVDs would also last quite a bit longer. . I get what you are saying. I was just trying to make a point.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Heh, I know. Pretty much, if I had to choose between buying the Sept releases and a new individual release that had a good transfer, I'd buy the latter. But if I had to choose between the Sept releases and a pristine version of the trilogy in a huge boxset, I'd have to go with the Sept. Despite the lesser quality, I'd still feel like I was getting ripped off less.

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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As I said, I know. I was just commenting on Lucas's line of thought, or what I hope is his line of thought. There will be an excellent release of the OOT, and hopefully sooner rather than later.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Originally posted by: yanksno1
Originally posted by: Patrick Russell
Y'all know as well as I do... they'll eventually release the O-OT in the same crisp, anamorphic widescreen format in which we see the O-OT clips in the Empire Of Dreams documentary.
I agree exactly.

The main thing I'm looking at this as is the timing of it all. It makes no sense to me to release the never to be sold again OOT in september when next year will be the 30th Anniversery. If this is the only version we'll see of the OOT on DVD, wouldn't he wait a few months later and release them on the 30th Anni? I think we could see a new uber box set (I'm hoping the PT and 2004's will be fixed along with the anamorphic widescreen format OOT) next year. One can dream anyway.


God willing. I keep hoping that too. Cross all your fingers. Like I said, money talks.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death