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OT Special Editions to have USA Roadshow Summer '16

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http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/12/star-wars-original-trilogy-alamo

The OT will return to the big screen in the USA this summer in one big marathon at various locations. Special editions aside, this will be the first time a lot of people see the OT in a theatrical format! So that’s exciting.

The venue choices seem interesting. For example, Town Hall in NYC is a concert venue, often for classical music. Should be neat!

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Alamo Drafthouse knows what they’re doing, so it’d be a lot of fun. It is a bummer it’ll be the SE of some sort.

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I’m not sure if the fact that they’re doing this should make me hopeful about an OUT release because they aren’t doing it for the 40th anniversary or if it should make me pessimistic because they’re doing it at all.

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I feel like Fox is going to get as much as they can out of the movies before the full rights revert to Disney.

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Oh this is very cool! I wish i lived near an alamo drafthouse. when my wife and i were visiting my sister and brother in-law in texas a few years back i wanted to go to one of the Alamo theaters, but it didn’t work out.

I don’t mind that it is the 97SE, i actually grew up on those so i would love to see them again!

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I bet it’s the blu ray version. Most people don’t acknowledge the later versions as being products differing from the first SE.

The Person in Question

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It would be weird to specifically call it the 1997 SE if that’s true.

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I saw these in the theater in 1997. I think I’ll pass this time.

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I just came across an article on the tumblr of something called “The Wrap: A Yahoo Partner” that specifically stated it’s the 1997 version and not the 2011 one. No idea how credible they are, but if this is true I’ll try to go. The 1997 SEs in the theater were a huge part of my Star Wars history at the time, regardless of what the situation’s become since.

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https://drafthouse.com/news/original-star-wars-trilogy-2016

The Alamo Drafthouse site has a press release which states that it is, in fact, the 1997 version. I feel mixed about this as the 1997 is probably the least bad of the Special Editions, but it’s still not the OUT. I imagine it’s the best they can do at the moment, since a complete film reel in decent condition with the OUT probably does not exist at this point (don’t quote me on this, I’m nowhere near an expert). In some ways, maybe we can view this as a “step in the right direction,” since they’re willing to look backwards, as each successive display of the Original Star Wars Trilogy has had further changes, but now they are finally going back. I’m probably reading too much into this though.

Regardless, I think I’m in for this. I never got to see the original trilogy in theaters and I do have fond memories of renting the '97SE on VHS and watching it repeatedly (before I knew better).

"These films are extremely important both cinematically and as cultural icons, and deserve to be seen in the finest quality possible." -Robert Harris

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It is good they are acknowledging the variations to these films, even if they continue to ignore the later revisions.
The copyright status of all Special Editions releases have been retro-active to the 1997 theatrical release, according to the credits. So most likely they will be showing the BR or whatever propped up version is their now current.

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The source I read earlier said specifically that they were showing 1997 SE film. Since (I assume) the 2011 version was never put to film, I believe it is the 97 version.

The 97 version is the most tolerable SE. If the OUT becomes available, I might actually watch the 97 versions from time to time* as a neat alternate viewing experience. Since the OUT is not available, I’ll likely pass on this.

*Not often. Maybe like once a year, since I watch the old 95 tapes several times a year.

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If they’re using the 97 SE, does that mean these will be screened on actual 35mm film? I don’t know why they would be using that version if they were going digital. You would think they would use the 2011 versions if they were. It just doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense that they would use the 97 unless they had a very specific reason to do so. Either use the originals to satisfy the old fans or use the latest Lucas approved version to satisfy the prequel fanboys. Why go in between like that? That’s not going to satisfy anybody, except for maybe a small subset of fans with a nostalgic attachment to the 97 versions.

In any case, I will be going to see it. I’m disappointed it’s not the original but I can’t resist the opportunity to see them on the big screen. Though if they double dip and give the OUT a 40th anniversary release a year later as I predicted I will feel a bit ripped off. They might just be milking the SEs for the last time.

In fact that’s probably what they’re doing: Using this roadshow as a final send-off both to the SEs and to Star Wars on film print. Then the next year they’ll have a much wider, less limited release of a digital restoration of the OUT, considering most theaters these days only have digital projection capabilities.

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It is quite clearly the 97 SE. and that means film unless i am mistaken. I am seriously considering trying to do this.

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TV’s Frink said:

I saw these in the theater in 1997. I think I’ll pass this time.

And then my wife expressed interest, so I may end up seeing these after all.

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TV’s Frink said:

TV’s Frink said:

I saw these in the theater in 1997. I think I’ll pass this time.

And then my wife expressed interest, so I may end up seeing these after all.

if you are the one who told her, then i think perhaps you really do want to go :-p

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I didn’t actually, she saw a Tweet or Facespace or Vinegram from Alamo.

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I guess no one here went to the marathon leading up to TFA last December to see which versions were being run?

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Where were you in '77?

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SilverWook said:

I guess no one here went to the marathon leading up to TFA last December to see which versions were being run?

I did not want the last thing I saw before TFA to be Hayden’s ghost. I can endure sitting through the '97 SE if I have no other choice.

My stance on revising fan edits.

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SilverWook said:

I guess no one here went to the marathon leading up to TFA last December to see which versions were being run?

I didn’t go, but I read a recap article by someone who did that confirmed it was the 2011 version.

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I think they referred to it as 1997 just to reference the release date of the SE. I’d be surprised if they did a screening of any SE that isn’t the current one. What’s the point? The only reason would be if they were specifically showing it on film, which seems unlikely. As far as I’m concerned the blu rays aren’t any worse than the 1997 SEs. There are just a few extra changes (some worse than others), but the 97 SEs are already unwatchable for me anyway, so the Vader screaming “No!” is just another nail in the coffin.

The Person in Question

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The color is a hell of a lot better in the 97 version. It’s also missing prequel retcons like ghost Hayden and Boba Fett’s voice and the Gungans in the victory celebration. There’s also no rock in front of R2-D2 on Tatooine, which I’ve long considered to be the most baffling change of all. I’d be much more willing to turn out for this if it is indeed the 97 cut, especially if they’re actual prints (which is the only reason I can come up with why they’d use that version).