Return of the Jedi - The Spence Final Cut (Released) — Page 24

Thanks MTHaslett and Sluggo.

I must have missed something. What's different with 7 and 21?

Thanx guys, I got the link

Got the disc to burn!

Disc in hand, arranging the screening-- it's a wrapped present under the tree...

The big day is here.  Thank you, Spence. Review to come.

SpenceEdit said:

If MTHaslett comes back like "What was that shit!!?" I will laugh for at least a month.

Ha!

We shall see.

WOW!

Fantastic!  I will write a proper review tomorrow, but when I saw the credits I just had to come and post.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too, Spence! That was amazing!

The Saga now has a proper ending. Luke Skywalker now has a complete journey. Anakin Skywalker has a complete journey.

So the big words of the review will be STORY, TENSION, CHARACTER, and BEAUTY.

But it's 2:00am now and I want to go bask in the glow of this.

Thank you again, Spence. This was a long time coming.

Well, Spence. I think I'll be writing a detailed review soon, but it's so exciting to watch Jedi this way I just have to write something now immidiately after watching it. First of all, thank you for all the hard work you've done. Only a few things:

-this edit is the bravest step till date of showing what ROTJ could really have been although it's probably still far away from an original idea in the times of Gary Kurtz's Star Wars production presence.

Here is Gary Kurtz talking,  from this interview (http://movies.ign.com/articles/376/376873p4.html):

One of the reasons Jedi came out the way it did was because the story outline of how Jedi was going to be seemed to get tossed out, and one of the reasons I was really unhappy was the fact that all of the carefully constructed story structure of characters and things that we did in Empire was going to carry over into Jedi. The resolution of that film was going to be quite bittersweet, with Han Solo being killed, and the princess having to take over as queen of what remained of her people, leaving everybody else. In effect, Luke was left on his own. None of that happened, of course. 

IGNFF: So it would have been less of a fairy-tale ending? 

KURTZ: Much, much less. It would have been quite sad, and poignant and upbeat at the same time, because they would have won a battle. But the idea of another attack on another Death Star wasn't there at all ... it was a rehash of Star Wars, with better visual effects. And there were no Ewoks ... it was just entirely different. It was much more adult and straightforward, the story. This idea that the roller-coaster ride was all the audience was interested in, and the story doesn't have to be very adult or interesting, seemed to come up because of what happened with Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Indiana Jones films – and the fact that that seemed to make a lot of money and it didn't matter whether there was a really good story or not – that wasn't what this kind of film was about. We had serious differences about a lot of that. 

This edit tries to get closer to this first concept and does it with success! It's a enjoyable movie now, people in it behave like in adult world which is still adorable for children. I personally was wery touched by seeing it because it reminded me on that anticipation of it back at 1983. Now this is what I actually like more for a lot of reasons:

-all the lines indicating that characters in this movie are actually played by real actors, are gone, and that includes some crappy street humour from our "earthy" lives as well Tarzan - parody (not very star warsy, isn't it?), so characters "stay" in their characters which is great

-less great thing about cutting certain "character lines" like "hey!...it's me" is the fact you can't replace them with something else "more in his or her character" because there isn't anythyng else available to use. So what one ends with is an rather empty sort of character. That is what happened to Solo and Jabba in this edit.

- cutting Jabba's screen time brings less fascination for Leia killing him, it felt like Jabba is some minor character, a not very interesting space gangster like lots of others and a character one doesn't want to know more about, he just sits and threats around

- the whole Jabba's palace sequence reminded me on some new "Clone Wars" - tv - episode now. It's also almost the same length :-) and I don't know is that good or bad 

- after seeing "trimmed versions" of some of this movie's characters it is clear that this is as far as one can go trimming them because although they are more believable now, they also feel less personal and the whole movie like "made from a distance". I didn't feel "in it" like in ESB but looking at it "from outside" which still is better then original cliche and over the top - lines of every character. They are all gone now in that 30 min cut out.

- ewoks involment now feels appropriate and right. They don't have to hijack the whole movie any more and are actually very likable in this edit. They are really living there on Endor so now you just get along with it and one might even like them a lot without getting too patheticaly close to their characters.

- the duel doesn't seem short but simple now. It could live with one intercutting to the Endor/Space battle but this was your choice, it brings a new simplier feel now, like a chamber instead symphonic concert. It doesn't mean that it's less spectacular, it just feels new and different also because of trimmed dialogues.  

- the star destroyer duel - concept is great. But overall I felt a need to see more places-introductions (Boushe walking in hallways of Jabba's palace, Trone - room from outside star destroyer) and this would probbably be neccessary in any attempt of a bigger edit then this one

- it is clear to me now after seeing this great made edit that it's impossible changing ROTJ to make it in another kind of style, but with all bounded elements that a good movie should still have but also, there are great functioning new moments in this version which are real pleasure to see (new intercuttings for example) and can represent an inspiration and orientation for  Adywan and his decisions on his future ROTJ:R, because Spence, you brought a clear light on a certain road

- I allways liked to watch ROTJ, particulary it's noble opening. This version is the one I'll be looking from time to time from now on and enjoy it

- i think it would be great now to watch the whole OT with this version in it. If I do it , I'll write again how it felt. This could bring some new impacts as well 

- I'll adress some cutting details and music choices in more detail soon

Congrats to you Spence, everyone who helped and thank you for your dedication!

Ok I just grabbed the edit and here is my feedback:)

I liked the new crawl. Much more strong.

Nice little touch you removed the walking "bug" when the shot fades from jejerod to dagobah.

Even aestheticaly the colors/mood(warm) match when you fade from yoda's death to jabba's palace the fade seems to be a bit fast. i would prefer a slower fade/transition just to slow down things and take a breath/moment to enhance the death while establishing an other set. The music cut worked pretty awesome tho :) (pacing)

The fades from Luke to tattoine might seem work like they did in Empire but it was set on short period of time/simultaneously. Sure they mirror Leia that bends next to R2 for some reason :).Your fades add some tension that PT try to do. Not my style but i like the effort.

Nice little reel from ESB ;)

Tho i would like to know where 3PO was when luke took off. we see R2 for sure. Maybe a dialogue from him that is IN the shot but you DONT see him. it might work.

I loved the cuts you did with the droid-eye-door scene. It feels like its was meant to edited that way.

Again the dialogues of jabba and the rearrangement of the shots really gives the feeling that something is underground filthy and dangerous.

When C3po says we are doomed we suddenly cut to palps arrival. I would like to see some music tension begins a bit earlier from the doomed line so you are used to go from one Tone to an other.(pacing)

I like the fade when palps laughing but its nice to have it with the way that the door opens. It will lead the eye better with the motion.

Very very nice with the jabba dialogues as well with the well timed cuts. it adds a lot to the gangster all seen character.( I would prefer jedi weapon rather lightsaber word)

Nice you cut the R2 drink servant subplot :)

I liked the fast paced jedi action :) Nice clever cuts here and there. It sure feels that it was the right time for leia to act too. more fast with the mayhem. In the original felt slow. good job!

I wouldnt mind to cut the droid rescue because it was established from luke that they will do that. Focus on the explosion and the escape.

I liked the new piece of dialogue from C3po in the forest.

Very nice touch have chewie watching the troopers with the team!

I loved the music in the bike chase. It felt like indy ;)

NICE fade with Leia that something mysterious coming and again with the other fade that cuts to our heroes again :)

Nice treatment with the god dialogue. Han feels stressed and not goofy :)

I like the approach of cutting human facts from this movie. I would love to see cut the ewok that smokes a pipe.

Nice cut of i must obey my master. :) less desperate. more vader

The star destroyer next to the death star seems a bit static and off. I would like you have executor that is the main focus of next shots.

Not good choice of a slowed xwing engine sound. There are available shuttle sounds.

Nice little TFU music.

Why vader and luke is flipped and then they are flipped again? Vader's chest is flipped too(continuity)

I liked the shot that the death star were presence on the battle. but why the executor too?(continuity)

The death star missing from Luke's close up.

Nice of the bring those down there.

The death star is still missing from the fire at will shots

Same as the above with the alliance will die shots.

The saber sounds like i commented in the preview clip needed to be less repeated and with more music in them. the Duel pacing tho feels so tight and good.

Nice cut from lando to han trying to open the door. It seems that they are stressed and desperate

Good riddance tarzan :)

A little rough cut from Han planting the explosives and then he runs to avoid them

Anakin's symphony/theme doesnt feel right to vader's death.

Nice little ROTS music it matches with the tone

Not fan of the slowmo when luke places the fire to vader.

But I liked the ending. Much better feeling rather the cheezy dancing.

The audio were pretty low and when the credits appeared the volume was poped to hell.

Some credits are overlapping the original ones and cyan tones are different from the original.

Nice Credits at the end :)

-Angel