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Lazy, lazy Lucas.

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This isn't to start a debate on whether Lucas should keep making changes or not. That is a discussion that rages on elsewhere.

Something that is apparent to me is the cheap shortcuts that Lucas takes when messing about with the Trilogy. These films mean so much to so many people but these quick fixes would seem to reveal a lack of respect for the fans and the films.

Some examples:


1. Luke's scream

We all know the bizarreness of Luke's added (and since removed again) scream as he falls in ESB. What is stranger, however, is why Lucas saw fit to simply use the Emperor's scream from ROTJ and not record anything new. Very obvious to fans.


2. Vader's arrival

For reasons known only to Lucas himself, the 'Star Destroyer' arrival scene added to ESB is footage from the Death Star arrival in ROTJ. Same docking bay, shuttle and background. Even Death Star Commander JerJerrod is there to greet him - clearly mouthing the words he says in the subsequent movie. Of course, it is not "an unexpected pleasure" as Vader's newly dubbed line on Cloud City is much more expository than the original.

3. Boba's new voice

Whatever the merits of changing the voice, few could argue that the reading is very poorly done. I doubt that Temuera Morrison even watched the scenes he was dubbing for as he rushes through his lines.

4. Added Naboo Scene.

Lucas thought that this planet should be included in his continuing montage of celebrations. However, simple re-using a scene from TPM and flipping it would seem to be a lazy way to do it. It would appear that Naboo has remained 100% unchanged through Imperial Rule!

5. Hayden Ghost

Having decided that there is no good in Vader after all and that Anakin died in episode 3, Lucas decides to add 'evil Anakin' into ROTJ. There is some debate as to whether this was filmed especially for ROTJ or whether it is taken of Hayden in the ROTS canteen. Certainly the acting, expressions and total lack of eye line would support the latter.
What is certain is that Lucas felt no need to put Anakin in a relevant costume, instead opting to cut and paste Hayden's head onto Shaw's traditional robes. Robes that Anakin never wore.



If Lucas is so passionate about his vision, why the laziness in implementing it?
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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Who could forget the lightsabers. Luke's is not even given adequate treatment in A New Hope, and is even green on the Falcon. When it's not green, it's in its original form, which does look crappy I'll admit. While I'm not for changes, if you're going to do them, do em right. Vader and Ben's got the ultimate treatment in ANH and for a couple of shots, Ben has Mace Windu's saber color. What's up with that?

In Empire and Jedi, there are major problems with the lightsaber colors and apperance that were never originally there. If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it.


Really, really wrong.


Um...no?


What the #%*&?!
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1. I noticed that, but I thought maybe I was just listening to it too hard.
2. Well, what was Jucas going to do, rebuild the set and refilm it?? He wasn't going to leave it as it was.
3. No matter what reasons you give, it all boils down to this: Lucas should have kept Bolloch's voice.
4. I always hoped that in EP3, we'd see why Vader says "The power to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force." We learn that HE destroys Naboo in a fit of pure dark-side rage. In addition, this rage strips the memory of the planet from everyone.
That is power.
5. Cannot comment, except to say I don't like the change at all.

Lightsabers:
Horrible mistakes. Especially that last one. Luke's green saber should be in front, since its being blocked by Vader's blade, yet we see the red core of Vader's saber. We should see Luke's core.
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Bulloch never did Boba's voice, it was Jason Wingreen. The saber issues, with the possible exception of Luke's green saber, are a result of the averaging out of the contrast over the scenes. If one bumps up the contrast levels then the white cores of the sabers return, but obviously this makes the rest of the film look rubbish. Ideally things like this should have been corrected manually, but as Lowry were only given thirty days to restore the films one can hardly blame them. I think Lowry himself was quoted as sayng that if it were up to him they'd still be working on the transfers. It really annoys me that we were denied the films for years for no good reason, only for them to be rushed out because of 'piracy' concerns.
"Whatever! I digitally put Jabba the Hutt back into the original Star Wars movie! I'll do what I want!"
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Well. This forum was involved in some of that piracy. So go figure.

Yeah, a lot of the changes really are lazy, which annoys the crap out of me. If you care som much as to add to/enhance the movies, DO IT RIGHT.

It is almost as if Lucas didn't even bother to watch them. Actually, it is exactly like that.

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Originally posted by: Mentasm
It really annoys me that we were denied the films for years for no good reason, only for them to be rushed out because of 'piracy' concerns.
If Lucas wanted to reduce piracy, he probably should/would have released the originals.

He's not stupid. He knows that plenty of people do not like the Special editions. By releasing these DVDs, he almost acknowledges the fact that he will never release the originals, which will drive an increase in piracy of the originals.

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I just think he's really pissed at people that hate the prequels and the Special Editions and he just does what he does to get back at them. You might say I'm wrong or I'm acting a immature about it, but I truly feel that's why he does what he does. And why we hear comments from him like the ones we've heard.
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Originally posted by: starkiller
4. I always hoped that in EP3, we'd see why Vader says "The power to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force." We learn that HE destroys Naboo in a fit of pure dark-side rage. In addition, this rage strips the memory of the planet from everyone.
That is power.


YES!!!!!!!!!!

While I don't agree with the last part about the memory-wipe stuff, Vader destroying Naboo would have been incredible, and tied in with the story and that line so well.
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Well, maybe the memory wipe thing was a little much. I was thinking that such a wipe would ensure that people understand why Naboo is never mentioned in 4, 5, or 6.

It was probably 4 years ago that I had that idea. I think what I had written (it was a SW email group at collegeclub.com) was that Obi-wan and Padme start getting close, and it pushes Anakin over the edge. Palpatine tells his 'apprentice' to destroy Naboo. What he doesn't know, is the Padme is ON Naboo when it happens, and that pushes him farther.
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How would Vader destroy Naboo?
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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Well here's one scenario:

Anakin, dressed similar to the Vader we know and love (not yet a cyborg) has attained the force focussing Kyber crystal at the Emperor's behest and places it in an acnient shrine on Mount Naboo. Then he begins concentrating his energy and slots his palms into the shrine's long dormant device.

He aims to become the most powerful Jedi ever but his Dark Side energies corrupt the light force power and rejected shoot down into the planet's core causing terrible planet-wide earthquakes.

A quick shot of Ootah Gungah revelas it to have been instantly vaporised by jets of lava racing to the surface.

The ground around him cracks open with eruptions of steam and fire.

Obi Wan shows up to stop him but is too late and as the planet destroys itself around them the two old friends begin their climactic showdown.
"The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." - Goering.

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." - Goebbels.

"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - Orwell.
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I think it would have been a great Idea for Naboo to be destroyed in Ep 3, it never made sense that such an important planet in the prequals doesn't get any mention at all in the original trilogy, I figured it must have been destroyed at some stage although I'm not sure how, Han seemed to think it was impossible to destroy a planet in ANH 'that's impossible, it would take more star destroyers with more fire power than i can possibly imagine....."(or words to that effect, I'm going by memory)

as far as Lucas and co being lazy with the dvd fixes, It always worried me that he spent more time and energy adding new cartoony sight-gags than on fixing some shots, such as the still glaring mattboxes on the tie-fighters in the Han/luke gun turret scene, if any thing the matts seem more noticable now than ever before, but I must admit to being a bit lost about the whole 'green' sabre thing on board the falcon, I mean it does look a weird teal colour but I don't see the green? especially not to the extent of that screen capture (is that for real or touched up?)

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Anakin, dressed similar to the Vader we know and love (not yet a cyborg) has attained the force focussing Kyber crystal at the Emperor's behest and places it in an acnient shrine on Mount Naboo. Then he begins concentrating his energy and slots his palms into the shrine's long dormant device.

Anakin, dressed similar to the Vader we know and love (not yet a cyborg) has attained the force focussing Kyber crystal at the Emperor's behest and places it in an acnient shrine on Mount Naboo. Then he begins concentrating his energy and slots his palms into the shrine's long dormant device.

He aims to become the most powerful Jedi ever but his Dark Side energies corrupt the light force power and rejected shoot down into the planet's core causing terrible planet-wide earthquakes.

A quick shot of Ootah Gungah revelas it to have been instantly vaporised by jets of lava racing to the surface.

The ground around him cracks open with eruptions of steam and fire


HEY! isn't that the last 10 minutes of TOTAL RECALL??
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That would be actually pretty cool, to see Vader destroy a planet. I think it would be cool if they show Vader, even if only breifly at the end of the movie, but use one of the concept designs they had from the original, something similar to how he ended up looking, but to show that over time more and more machine replaced his human parts.

As far as if Lucas was really concerned with piracy and/or actually cared about how the originals are presented (I agree that he is bitter towards fans that dont like the PT, but it also seems that he's abandoned the OT all together, not just in the sense that he has his 'new improved' versions, but that he really wants star wars to be defined by his new work, the PT, cause he thinks feels its more creative and a better movie/story), but i degress. So what i think he should have done is started working on the OT DVD's when he started working on episode I, and then stuck to the whole after episode III release. This way, even with a B-Team working on them, they would have tons of time to clean the film, sharpen the color, enhance the sound, fix slight special effects things that dont effect the story (lightsabers they missed colorizing, matte lines, and stuff like that) This of course would all be done to the original theatrical releases. then release this ultimate dvd (heck, it could even contain the theatrical and special editions like so many other dvds do now-a-days). But thats just what I would have done.

-Darth Simon
Why Anakin really turned to the dark side:
"Anakin, You're father I am" - Yoda
"No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!" - Anakin

0100111001101001011011100110101001100001

*touchy people disclaimer*
some or all of the above comments are partially exaggerated to convey a point, none of the comments are meant as personal attacks on anyone mentioned or reference in the above post
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Originally posted by: buddy-x-wing
HEY! isn't that the last 10 minutes of TOTAL RECALL??


*GASP!* You caught me.

It was unintentional, but considering Lucas penchant for 'homage'...
"The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." - Goering.

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." - Goebbels.

"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - Orwell.
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Originally posted by: ricarleite
How would Vader destroy Naboo?
I viewed it mentally to be similar to what happens to Veridian 3(?) towards the end of Star Trek: Generations.

A massive wave of energy just slams into Naboo, causing it to break apart. Fast enough that no one can get off the planet, but slow enough that the molten core cools as it is exposed to the vacuum of space, essentially creating a massive field of debris.
No massive explosions. An almost peaceful destruction.
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I think it would take centuries for the core of a planet to cool.

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I don't know. I was just trying to give you a mental picture.
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Well, but thanks to the DVDs, we know this will not happen, and that probably Jar Jar will not die on episode 3. Vader destroying a planet by himself would be kinda ridiculous, I mean not even Yoda would be able to do such thing, but it would make some sense later: "Don't be so proud of this technological terror..." you know the rest.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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but why would they need a Death Star if Darth Vader and the Emperor can destroy planets with the force alone?
"Last night, Darth Vader came down from planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't take Lorraine out that he'd melt my brain."
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1. I never said or suggested Palpatine could.

2. Paraphrasing Admiral Motti:
Well, why not use the Force to find the Rebel base, or the stolen data tapes? I don't know, but what could else could the Force be used for that shows it to be a greater power than the Death Star? Perhaps destroy a star, but that seems like too much.

3. The line from Back to the Future is "My name is Darth Vader. I come from the planet Vulcan."
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Originally posted by: starkiller
3. The line from Back to the Future is "My name is Darth Vader. I come from the planet Vulcan."


Actually, ahem...it's:

"My name is Darth Vader. I am an extra-terrestrial from the planet Vulcan."

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1. if Darth Vader could destroy a planet then I think that palpatine should be able too since he's as strong - or maybe even stronger - in the force than Vader is. need i remind you of his lightning sparks (or whatever they are).

2. nobody really knows what the force can do, that's what makes it so appealing to SW fans and that's also why the midi chlorian explanation is generally disliked (since it lessens that mystery).
it follows that we also don't know what the force can't do, I think that find the base and the stolen data and destroy an entire planet are part of it.

3. thanks for the quote correction DJ but I'm too lazy to go and change it...


"Last night, Darth Vader came down from planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't take Lorraine out that he'd melt my brain."
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Originally posted by: Darth Justin
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Originally posted by: starkiller
3. The line from Back to the Future is "My name is Darth Vader. I come from the planet Vulcan."


Actually, ahem...it's:

"My name is Darth Vader. I am an extra-terrestrial from the planet Vulcan."


I better get the family copy of the movie out...I'm forgetting the lines.