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What Special Edition changes (if any) did people like? — Page 3

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....George...George....It is I, the ghost of Sequels Past....your old friend, Sebastian Shaw, the ORIGINAL Anakin Skywalker from ROTJ. Why, oh why George did you remove me from the only scene in the film where I didn't look like Humpty Dumpty after he fell off the wall? Have you no respect for the departed? Good god, I only had a couple spoken lines to begin with, why you gotta do me like that? I kept trying to tell my grandkids that I was in a Star Wars film, and when they asked where, I had to tell them I'm the guy who looks like a rotten canteloupe...then they ran away in horror.

...And it's not like I had much of a career ahead of me after that, I mean, who remembers "Reilly: The Ace of Spies?" Ohhhuuuhuuhooow, when will you realize the error of your ways George, and stop picking the festering wound on the psyche of fandom that Star Wars has become? With each re-re-re-release, it becomes more distorted, more revisionist, more--commercial. Most artists accept the shortcomings of their work and move forward. Great art is never finished, only abandoned, or so they say. I say, that is the true mark of talent and restraint. Perhaps that is why you never went on to do much else...trapped forever in the circle, eternally retelling and revising a story that never had anything wrong with it to begin with--even to the point of cranking out three awful new movies to justify yourself. But greed got you in the end didn't it, my old friend?

...Face it George, none of this crap was in your original vision, otherwise, you would have just had Greedo shoot at Han in the first place, without making Han look like Stretch Armstrong. There would be SOME sort of footage of these scenes, however amateurish--some hint of them in the original script. Even your insertion of the Jabba scene is complete shizzle, mah nizzle. Sure, you did actually shoot it during production of ANH, but if Jabba was such a clear part of your "original vision", then why did you shoot it with a Scotsman wearing a pelt? Isn't it true that you didn't have the foggiest about what Jabba actually looked like until well into pre-pro on ROTJ, when a team of artists cranked out dozens of sketches until you pointed your chubby little finger and said "that's him," in your Kermit-like voice?

...AAAHHhhhhh...but what WAS in your original vision, Mr. Lucassss....we get the 'net here on the other side, oh yes...I've seen the outtakes--cheesy scenes of Mark Hamill in a Gilligan hat, wacky music and wobbly robots tooling around the Lars ranch as Luke hangs with his inconsequential buddies and gives a new meaning to the phrase "bad acting." Why don't you put THOSE gems back in? No, those won't even make it to the deleted scenes disk, will they? But wait, let's look at the pre-produciton material. What's this? Why, It's right there in all the concept art--it's you, as Han Solo, with a Marvin Gaye headband, standing next to some chick playing Luke Skywalker! Why not just come out and admit it--you've always wanted to be Han Solo! Why not just get it over with--go on, comp your head into every Harrison Ford shot! We have the technology, why not do it? Harry's already had a full career, he won't miss the royalties! But I sure as hell do, you rat bastard! Do you have any idea what a funeral costs these days? What did you pay that kid who replaced me? Come on, fork it over prequel-boy! AAAARRRGGGHHH! Rattle-Rattle!!! Time is growing short to set things right! You're heading down the road to Seventy at light-speed! But there's still time George! George! Geooooorrrrgeee!!!!.....

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Ahem. OK, now that that's out of my system (and no disrespect to Sebastian Shaw, on the contrary, I think Lucas did a great disrespect by erasing him from the final scenes of ROTJ.)

To be honest, I actually kind of liked some of the 3D battle scenes at the end of ANH. Most of the new stuff really didn't bother me at all, back when they were just the "Special Editions". Well, except for the completely re-shot Jabba's dancing harem scene. The new girls were kind of hot, in a foam-rubbery kind of way, but that was the most blatant "hey, that never happened" sequence. I mean, a lot of the other additions were just cutaways, establishing shots, or inserts of new scenes that could have happened without disrupting the original continuity. But that scene was almost completely re-shot over 20 years later--something that, to my knowledge, has NEVER been done by any other director in history. They even completely redesigned the singer! Poor...uh, what's-her-name.

Anyway, when it was just the Special Editions, everyone assumed it was just something Lucas did for fun, and to help get people back in theaters a scant 3 years after the previous THX re-release...because Lord knows, the man needs ta get PAID! No one thought that Lucas was actually planning to erase the original films as if they'd never existed, or hold them hostage in the Disney Vault for almost a decade, while bestowing the SE's with the status of the Official Original Trilogy. That news was really what soured the SE for me, and from that point on, every replay of the "Greedo Shoots First" scene was like a rusty fork scraping at my spine. ~UUUUHHHHAAAUGGH!!~

I really do think that Lucas may have a mental problem. It's not healthy for an artist to sit and agonize for almost 30 years now, over every detail of every single frame of a trilogy of films, that most of the world LOVED when they originally premiered--to the point of making him a billionaire. It's also not that healthy for a thirty-something fanboy like me to be agonizing over the bastardization of one of my childhood joys, and it really sucks that I can't help it. Every new re-release adds some new slap in the face that I just can't ignore. Hey, I loved the films the way I remembered them. All I want is the best home-viewable version possible with current technology. Go Figure.

The new OT bonus DVDs are much improved over the heavily compressed--er, em--DVD backups I've been watching for the last few years, but I'd much prefer a properly done anamorphic HD transfer now that the format is finally here. Still, I'd rather watch an SD transfer of the OT, than an HD transfer of the SE trilogy--even if they manage to get it RIGHT this time!

I’m not much more than an interpreter, and not very good at telling stories. Well, not at making them interesting, anyway.

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I like the new versions of Episode V and Episode VI for the most part.

The new version of Episode IV is a mess with the Jawa pratfall, Greedo firing first, and the Jabba scene just a few of many things that bug the hell out of me. I am thrilled with the Darth Editous cut, which is my favorite version of the film.

 

Time is running out for the Rebels. Antilles upcourt to Skywalker. He’s being paced by Darth Va— the bone-jarring pick by Solo! He came out of nowhere! Skywalker’s open from way outside, he launches at the buzzer... Good! It’s good! The Rebels win on a sensational buzzer beater by Luke Skywalker! Let’s take another look at that last shot. He just does get it off in time. Wow, what a shot. That’s why they call him Luke Legend.

 

That may be the most exciting battle I have ever been privileged to broadcast. Certainly the most dramatic finish. We’ll get you an update on the Artoo Detoo injury situation in just a moment. Right now let’s go courtside where SuperShadow is waiting with Chewbacca.

 

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i like all of the changes i have seen these movies in the theater back in 1977-1983 i think he made the movies just that much better by adding to them the only thing that i find funny is in the dvd version of the empire strikes back darth vader says "thats it thats the system and im sure skywalker is with them" but when he is talking the the the emperor he says im sure that the young rebel that destroyed the death star is the offspring of anakin skywalker and darth vader says how is that possible you would think that they would have cought that mistake other then that i love every thing he's done to the movies i am a die hard star wars fan i was ever since 7 years old thats when i seen the first star wars in the theater in 1977 i dont know why people bit-- so much about what he has done to the movies i think it makes them that much better just my 2 cents.
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msthec1 said:

i like all of the changes i have seen these movies in the theater back in 1977-1983 i think he made the movies just that much better by adding to them the only thing that i find funny is in the dvd version of the empire strikes back darth vader says "thats it thats the system and im sure skywalker is with them" but when he is talking the the the emperor he says im sure that the young rebel that destroyed the death star is the offspring of anakin skywalker and darth vader says how is that possible you would think that they would have cought that mistake other then that i love every thing he's done to the movies i am a die hard star wars fan i was ever since 7 years old thats when i seen the first star wars in the theater in 1977 i dont know why people bit-- so much about what he has done to the movies i think it makes them that much better just my 2 cents.


That is the longest sentence I've read in a long time.

Star Wars Revisited Wordpress

Star Wars Visual Comparisons WordPress

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- ANH
Corrected perspective in Death Star corridor
Han chases the stormtroopers... into a shitload more stormtroopers
The Falcon lifting off from Docking Bay 94

- ESB
Cloud City (pretty much everything)

- ROTJ
Celebration music
Not a "change" but I dig that Oola's wardrobe malfunction is still in there
My preference is simple. I want remastered versions of precisely what we saw and heard for each Star Wars film on opening day.
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Star Wars
1.Wedge's improved rescue of Luke during the dogfight

2.the improved award ceremony shot (with the painted rebels replaced)

Empire-uh..
Jedi-well..

that's all. 3 shots.
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andy_k_250 said:

Originally posted by: Darth Richard
Cell block perspective was a good one. The rmeastering for '97 was excellent. Hmm lets see *thinks* I like the windows in Cloud City, and how much more expanded it is.
Does anyone know why in the SE's the Sunset in ANH was blue and black


I like the windows, too. The only part that bugs me is the Cloud Car fly-by right before the fixed single-story room with Leia.

 I really like the updated Cloud City scene. I always hated the original because it reminded me too much of ALIEN and 2001. But yeah, the fly by looks really fake and I don't think it was needed.

 

The addition of the actual actor for the Emperor in the ESB scenes was nice.

Taking out the wolf man in ANH was good. I think that's it.

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-- ANH
In the original, Vader's saber is flat white after he kills Obi-Wan and Luke shoots the control of a door to keep Vader from entering the fight on the Death Star.  I think the '04 edition corrected that.  Incidental but there you go.  It's fine the way it was though.

-- ESB
The expanded approach to Cloud City is okay, with the all the CG buildings and whatnot.  It's fine the way it was though.

-- ROTJ
Uh, hmm...

All I really want is each film as it was originally seen and heard in theaters; no fixes, corrections, "improvements" or modifications necessary.

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 (Edited)

Yeah the updated falcon escape and the now hilariously huge stormtrooper crowd is something that I actually miss in the original. As well as the impressively subtle update of the Mos Eisley reveal.

Other than that I can't really think of something, the CG effects aren't really that much of an improvement over the old ones. Instead of bad matting and perspective errors they just look video gamey. Tit for tat. None of the effects that truly needed updating have been so anyway. I still see an unprocessed lightsaber prop in ANH and I still see obviously composited pyrotechnics in ESB and I still see fighters popping out of nowehre in ROTJ, so whatever.

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STAR WARS - The new Falcon liftoff from Mos Eisley. I hate seeing three consecutive shots of a ship flying/landing/whatever in one direction, but they didn't chop up the scene to fit the new shot in, so it worked.

EMPIRE - The original score got cut up and butchered - every shot of the Empire's fleet used the same audio clip and the scene where Leia and Lando chased down Boba Fett cut out in the middle of the climax. The Special Editions edited those scenes to use the music John Williams wrote.

JEDI - I thought the new clips in the end were fun. Minus the gungans. Naboo got its finale in Sith. Also didnt mind the new shots of Boba Fett.

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I would put my likes into 2 categories -- one for the original series, and one for the SE.  That is, I would always want to have the option of watching the original or the SE with certain changes:

Original Trilogy:

Just the cleanup, please.  No changes other than addressing color and picture quality.

SE IV Likes:

  • New X-Wing Treatments on Yavin
  • Obi-Wan's House
  • Desert Treatments with 3PO and R2
  • Jawa Improvements
  • Falcon takeoff from Mos Eisley
  • Death Star Battle Updates (except the ring around explosion)

 

SE V Likes:

  • Hoth Monster Updates
  • Cloud City Updates

 

SE VI Likes:

  • Cleanup of all Death Star Scenes
  • Sarlak Updates
  • Bantha Herd
  • Ewok Celebration and Song with ORIGINAL Spirits...

 

Things to delete with expreme prejudice:

  • Greedo Scene/Redone Cantina
  • Jabba Scene with Han
  • Stupid CGI creatures running around and distracting me (all 3 movies)
  • Stormtroopers on lizards
  • Crappy Pacing/Dialogue Changes after Luke/Darth Lightsaber fight in Empire
  • Redone Song in Jabba's Palace
  • Hayden with the Spirits
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My favorite change from all three movies: The ending song/additional planet views in Return of the Jedi.

My least favorite change from all three movies: Jedi Rocks replacing Lapti Nek.

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 (Edited)

Pretty much all the alterations you wouldn't notice right off the bat I'm fine with - though I still find them unnecessary.

And the "new improved" Wampa doesn't really bother me either. Thank God Lucas didn't use CGI to create it.

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Quicker to list the changes I don't like.  They're all in ESB. 

 

The dialogue change from "Bring my shuttle" to "Alert my start destroyer to prepare for my arrival, and have my smoking jacket and slippers ready.  Oh, and put the kettle on for I should like a cup of hot chocolate, too."  And the butchering of the subsequent chase scene.  All unecessary and I'd love to see them removed.

 

Other than that, I'm fine with everything.

That's some bad hat, Harry
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I have little in common with the fans who make their own edits, I'm afraid.  I'm aware of Adywan and while his passion is admirable, I won't be choosing his versions over the ones I currently have.  Thanks all the same :)

That's some bad hat, Harry
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 (Edited)

Easterhay said:

I have little in common with the fans who make their own edits, I'm afraid.  I'm aware of Adywan and while his passion is admirable, I won't be choosing his versions over the ones I currently have.  Thanks all the same :)

You did realize that the link was to a restoration/reconstruction of the original version not a fan edit as such, did you not?

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Your correction is pedantic in the extreme.  It's a fan-edit,  Adywan is a fan, and he's constructing his own personalised version of the film; I've seen his Facebook page and the work he's done.  It's a fan-edit.

That's some bad hat, Harry
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 (Edited)

No, I was actually just making sure that you knew which version that link pointed to.  The work that you have seen on Adywan's page is for his Empire Strikes Back: Revisited edit, which is indeed his own personalised version of the film.  The link was to a restoration of the original theatrical version of Empre Strikes Back in high quality, as close to the way it appeared in theaters as he could make it in time for the anniversary of the film.

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I like this Easterhay guy!  He's making this forum much more entertaining. :-)

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Easterhay said:

I have little in common with the fans who make their own edits, I'm afraid.  I'm aware of Adywan and while his passion is admirable, I won't be choosing his versions over the ones I currently have.  Thanks all the same :)

You stated you'd love to see the changes removed. Adywan has removed them.

"Well here's a big bag of rock salt" - Patton Oswalt

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Easterhay said:

Your correction is pedantic in the extreme.  It's a fan-edit,  Adywan is a fan, and he's constructing his own personalised version of the film; I've seen his Facebook page and the work he's done.  It's a fan-edit.

 It's not pedantic, you just seem to have not clicked the link that he posted. Adywan did a less-well-know restoration of ESB to its original theatrical version, which was released in May of this year. Try to find it, it's really good.

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Sorry, Chewtobacca - my caffeine intake must have been off the chart the night I posted this.

 

Whilst I dearly want my precious "bring my shuttle" back in the film, I also like the additions to Cloud City.  If I could find a version that only has the extra stuff from near the end of the film removed, I'd be happier.

That's some bad hat, Harry
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You mean, like a fan edit?

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?