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Why doesn't Lucus just release both versions?

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Why doesn't he just release both of the versions, one for people who want the OT and the SE ones. Now, don't kill me but I have never seen the original and looking at all your reasons why you think the original is better I have to agree and I really want to see the original trilogy.

(PS: The reason why I haven't seen the original trilogy is because I am only 13)
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That's what we don't understand either, Indy. All Lucas will say is that the original cuts of the movies that made it to theaters in 77, 80, and 83 are just working copies that are part of some master evolution to an ultimate archival copy of all six films in the sextology (no laughing, that's a real word, I think) that should be due in 2007. We're hoping this ultimate editon (or UE for short) will contain the original cuts, but, personally, I'm not holding my breath.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
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Bossk is pretty much right, although I'm still hoping that George may change his mind and release the originals in the future.

If you read the boards, especially under general discussion, you will find that everyone has their own opinion on why George hasn't released it yet, but unless you are actually George, probably no one will ever know the real truth. Here is a repost on how I feel about it:
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George Lucas is a very rich and powerful man. He doesn't need Star Wars to make another penny to be well off. He's also made clear that no amount of petitions will make a difference, and frankly 50,000 or even 100,000 signatures is nothing compared to the millions of fans who don't care or even know there is a difference. A boycott is neither practical or realistic. Flooding mailboxes and annoying people with demands or threats will only raise their ire and fundamentally cast ourselves in a negative light, and open to ridicule and dismissal. Certainly if someone made demands or threats to me, I would promptly ignore them.

But we have to do something.

Besides being rich and powerful, George considers himself an artist. "We realize there's a lot of debate out there," says Jim Ward. "But this is not a democracy. We love our fans, but this is about art and filmmaking. [George] has decided that the sole version he wants available is this one."

An artist who was hurt when some of his fans thought his later more personal work was inferior to work he did as younger man in collaboration with others. An artist who is rich and powerful enough, and now arrogant enough to defy his nay-sayers and critics and forge ahead alone.

But he is still an artist, and art benefits everyone. It is the very meaning of culture. George the artist must be reminded that art in all its forms or variations benefits everyone in its continued existence. We don't bury our art history or replace it with something new, we treasure our history. We study it and learn from its natural growth, its changes from ere to era.

My point is that we don't make demands. I'm a patron of the arts, and a patron of George's for many years, as I'm sure everyone else here is. We established a relationship early on by paying for work that we enjoyed. George has moved on now and so he should. But regardless of whether we enjoy his current work or not, the work from the past must not be forgotten. It must be cherished and valued. That is what we must do. Not beg or plead. Never that. We must remind him of the value of of historical art. The original Star Wars trilogy is that art. It has touched so many, myself included. So that is what we should remember.

We have to convince him that there is artistic and creative value in preserving the originals for everyone now, and for future generations to see and learn from. I think that is something that everyone, including George might agree with.

I won't purchase the release in Sept'04, but I remain hopeful for the future after that.


Bill Hunt at the Digital Bits is well respected in the DVD community and has written an editorial about this that you can read here.

Hope that helps.

(PS: When I was your age, I saw Return of the Jedi 5 times at the theatre! Ah... good times)
The original Star Wars trilogy: Our cultural history deserves to be preserved and should be available to the public like all great works of art!
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Originally posted by: sweyland
(PS: When I was your age, I saw Return of the Jedi 5 times at the theatre! Ah... good times)

My mom pulled me out of school on opening day of ROTJ to see the movie at the first showing. Much like you... good times.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
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Originally posted by: Bossk
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Originally posted by: sweyland
(PS: When I was your age, I saw Return of the Jedi 5 times at the theatre! Ah... good times)

My mom pulled me out of school on opening day of ROTJ to see the movie at the first showing. Much like you... good times.


Wow, your mom rocks. Mine took me three times, but only after school and after homework.
The original Star Wars trilogy: Our cultural history deserves to be preserved and should be available to the public like all great works of art!
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Yep. And the mom of one of my good friends pulled her twins (one was my friend) out to go with us.

Hey, does anybody know if the theatrical release for ROTJ was on a Wednesday or a Friday?
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
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Sadly I was too young to see the OT in theatres, but I remember the toys for ROTJ. Then when I was 6 or 7 I saw ROTJ on video, and about a year later I saw ESB. Then for some weird reason I waited another two years before seeing ANH.

I was mainly just into ESB as a kid, but when I hit about 13 or 14 (so around 1993 - 1994) I got more into SW as a whole.
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Bossk and sweyland are so lucky to remember to heyday of the Star Wars Trilogy. Sadly I was not born when these films were made. I was born in 1986 so I am a second generation Star Wars fan and I remember watching it when I was 3 or 4 and I loved it. These movies along with the Indiana Jones Trilogy inspired me to follow my dream of becomming an actor and I will always love both the Indy and Star Wars Trilogies. I only wish I could have been there to see these movies on the big screen.
"Mola Ram, sudaram!! Mola Ram, sudaram!!"
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I would have been 3 when it came out. (Appears I am about the same age as Rebel Scumb)

My parents probably still took me to see it though (or then again, they might went and left me with a babysitter). Unfortunately, I do not remember it.

I was big on the toys though. KayBee toys was the closest toy store, and I was always getting the action figures 3 for $1 (really, the only way my parents would buy them for me).

I still have about 99% of my Star Wars stuff. The only things missing are some action figure weapons and other random parts (missing most of my Ewok glider, and 1 knob off the side of my Han Solo Blaster).
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sexology-study of human sexuality: the study of human sexual behavior
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Originally posted by: Indy
Why doesn't he just release both of the versions, one for people who want the OT and the SE ones.



Top answer your original question, I firmly believe that GL is worried that the OV would outsell the SE.

SOme might disagree as its all money in his pocket either way, but look at it this way. If the OV outsells the SE dvds or the PT dvds, doesn't that more or less take away any credibility to Lucas' whole por-CGI, pro-prequel, pro-revisionist cinema/liquid filmmaking mumbo jumbo?

Basically everything he's been preaching the past 10 years would be negated, and sales would show that people just don't buy into what he's saying.

Lucas can't risk that, and though the SE might outsell the OV, I just don't think he's prepared to take that chance.

Added to which, I don't think he likes the OT, SE or not. I haven't read one interview or seen one clip of him speak about the OT in a favourable way in a long long time. I'm pretty sure he hates the OT, and he definitely hates the OV OT.

And I dance. And I sing.
And I'm a monkey, in a long line of kings.
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i know he hates it, i'm so sure i can hate him for ruining star wars
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Originally posted by: starkiller
I still have about 99% of my Star Wars stuff. The only things missing are some action figure weapons and other random parts (missing most of my Ewok glider, and 1 knob off the side of my Han Solo Blaster).

I've got all of my original figures. I was only missing five to have the collection in its entirety. However, when the POTF series came out in 1985, I was pretty firmly entrenched in collecting G.I. Joe. So, most of the POTF series were purchased well after the fact from collectors stores.

I, too, am missing some weapons from figures. But I do have three carded figs still and a few smaller vehicles and beasts. My mom donated the rest of my vehicles thinking that they had broken when we moved from Kentucky to Connecticut. I wanted to cry. I did, now that I think about it.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Rebel Scum said that Lucas is worried that the OV Ot will outsell the SE and I don't see why Lucas wouldn't release the OV. It would make him ten times as more than the SE and would make him even richer than he already is. I don't understand why he wouldn't release the OV OT is it some kind of sick power trip?
"Mola Ram, sudaram!! Mola Ram, sudaram!!"
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Originally posted by: dcsantangelo2005
Rebel Scum said that Lucas is worried that the OV Ot will outsell the SE and I don't see why Lucas wouldn't release the OV. It would make him ten times as more than the SE and would make him even richer than he already is. I don't understand why he wouldn't release the OV OT is it some kind of sick power trip?

It's the pride factor taking hold. Lucas is exceptionally proud of where he is now able to take the trilogy due to technology that his company has helped perfect. And he's a huge proponent of the digitization of the filmmaking process as a whole. For an old, film-based copy of his movies that don't rely on digital SFX to sell better than his "pure vision" would be a major source of humiliation to the great bearded one. He does not want to take that chance. Why give him a chance to be proven wrong by the hording masses? Play it safe and be able to say that the OV OT is not better than the SE by eliminating any chance of being proven wrong.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
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Originally posted by: Bossk
I've got all of my original figures. I was only missing five to have the collection in its entirety. However, when the POTF series came out in 1985, I was pretty firmly entrenched in collecting G.I. Joe. So, most of the POTF series were purchased well after the fact from collectors stores.

I, too, am missing some weapons from figures. But I do have three carded figs still and a few smaller vehicles and beasts. My mom donated the rest of my vehicles thinking that they had broken when we moved from Kentucky to Connecticut. I wanted to cry. I did, now that I think about it.


Ouch.
My parents never did THAT to me. Anything that got broke, got fixed. I don't think I even threw anything away.
(My battle-damage X-Wing, you know how you could lock the s-foils in attack position by pressing down on R2. Well, R2 has a screw in his head to reenforce the system, and one of the foils is glued back on.
Battle Damage indeed.)
One of these days I need to tabulate all the stuff I've got, and see if its worth anything.
The one thing that might be quite valuable, is my POTF edition Jabba's Dungeon.

I just had a question pop into my head, but I'll head over to the appropriate forum for it.
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I had almost every single Star Wars toy when I was a kid. I had the big Imperial Walker, the little one, the Millenium Falcon, all the characters, etc.. etc.. Unfortunately when I was like 10 years old my mom threw them all away, despite my pleas. All were in good condition. *shakes fist*

It still makes me mad when I think about it.
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The thing that kills me about my mom getting rid of it all is that, even if it was busted, she always would send broken toys back to Kenner who were more than happy to replace them with new toys. Kenner was incredible in terms of customer service (until Hasbro bought them out, that is). So I don't understand why she wouldn't have just sifted through for broken stuff and sent it back.

I tease her by saying that the money I could've earned from selling those toys would have financed a very posh retirement community. Now she gets a cardboard box.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
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Originally posted by: Bossk
The thing that kills me about my mom getting rid of it all is that, even if it was busted, she always would send broken toys back to Kenner who were more than happy to replace them with new toys. Kenner was incredible in terms of customer service (until Hasbro bought them out, that is). So I don't understand why she wouldn't have just sifted through for broken stuff and sent it back.


Holy crap, I didn't know Kenner did that! I've never heard anyone tell me about them replacing broken toys. Considering the popularity and extreme play-value of SW figures and vehicles (not a single SW toy of mine from back then survived unscathed) they would have went bankrupt if everyone had their broken toys replaced though I suppose. Bummer.
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I tease her by saying that the money I could've earned from selling those toys would have financed a very posh retirement community. Now she gets a cardboard box.

Geez, this for the woman who pulled you out of school to just to catch the first showing of ROTJ? For shame.
At least give her a plastic bag in case it rains.
The original Star Wars trilogy: Our cultural history deserves to be preserved and should be available to the public like all great works of art!
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Originally posted by: sweyland
Holy crap, I didn't know Kenner did that! I've never heard anyone tell me about them replacing broken toys. Considering the popularity and extreme play-value of SW figures and vehicles (not a single SW toy of mine from back then survived unscathed) they would have went bankrupt if everyone had their broken toys replaced though I suppose. Bummer.

You would think it would kill them. And perhaps it did play its part in the downfall of Kenner (that and constantly rehashing molds for other series (anyone recall how the Ewok Village was used for the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves toys?). But, being a kid and as hard on SW toys as I was, the fact that Kenner did this was quite welcomed by me and my parents and we took advantage of it at every turn. The other great thing about it is that most of the time that I was playing with SW toys was while I was living in Kentucky and Kenner was just up north of the river in Ohio. Turnaround on replacing toys was next to nothing. They would even send you boxed up new versions. I loved that company.
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Geez, this for the woman who pulled you out of school to just to catch the first showing of ROTJ? For shame.
At least give her a plastic bag in case it rains.

I figured I'd spite her and give her a cardboard box from the Millennium Falcon toy.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
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Originally posted by: Rebel Scumb
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Originally posted by: Indy
Why doesn't he just release both of the versions, one for people who want the OT and the SE ones.



Top answer your original question, I firmly believe that GL is worried that the OV would outsell the SE.

SOme might disagree as its all money in his pocket either way, but look at it this way. If the OV outsells the SE dvds or the PT dvds, doesn't that more or less take away any credibility to Lucas' whole por-CGI, pro-prequel, pro-revisionist cinema/liquid filmmaking mumbo jumbo?

Basically everything he's been preaching the past 10 years would be negated, and sales would show that people just don't buy into what he's saying.

Lucas can't risk that, and though the SE might outsell the OV, I just don't think he's prepared to take that chance.

Added to which, I don't think he likes the OT, SE or not. I haven't read one interview or seen one clip of him speak about the OT in a favourable way in a long long time. I'm pretty sure he hates the OT, and he definitely hates the OV OT.



No way the originals would outsell the Special Editions (I am not a fan of abbriviations) People like those Special Effects. The pursuists would be the only ones who buy um. The money of making a DVD fine transfer for the originals might be more then the extra money made.
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Originally posted by: jimbo
No way the originals would outsell the Special Editions (I am not a fan of abbriviations) People like those Special Effects. The pursuists would be the only ones who buy um. The money of making a DVD fine transfer for the originals might be more then the extra money made.

You don't know that for sure. Up until you started posting here, you were under the impression that everyone was of the same mind as you. And now you know better. Don't assume that everyone else thinks this way. It's not that they prefer the special effects, it's likely that they're too ignorant to know the difference. And many people are that way. I hate to use a negative word like "ignorant" but it's the truth in this case. Unless you've spoken to every single person the world over and gotten their opinion, don't presume to know what they think.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
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Listen OK people like effects. Thats why just about every new movie has em. People prefer seeing the Wampa to just hearing him. People prefer digital creatures to puppets that I didn't even know were suppose to be creatures.