"Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival." What was the point?

As a kid, I never realized there was a difference. The new scene doesn't fit at all pacing-wise. The line "bring my shuttle" is delivered in such a way that it firmly establishes how pissed off Vader is. (Although if he was just going to get Luke in a few minutes, why should he be so pissed?) "Alert my star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival" simply doesn't work in that scene (heard it was leftover dialogue from SW) and the fact that the snippet from ROTJ with Jejerrod is on the end just goes to show how pitiful the thought process was. They put all that time into making a CGI shot of Vader walking up to the shuttle, and then cut to leftovers?

I've said before that, from a purely filmmaking standpoint, this addition is probably the worst in the entire Special Edition.  Yes, there are things that are dumber and more agonizing from a fan standpoint, but, aside from the addition of the Jabba scene, there is no other part of the SE that RUINS THE PACING as much as this.  The Falcon is rushing back to save Luke, the music is pumping, the TIEs are closing in... AND THE FILM JUST FUCKING STOPS SO WE CAN WATCH VADER ARRIVE ON HIS SHIP?!  Whose crack-addled brain came up with that one?!

captainsolo said:

"Alert my star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival" simply doesn't work in that scene (heard it was leftover dialogue from SW) and the fact that the snippet from ROTJ with Jejerrod is on the end just goes to show how pitiful the thought process was.

Same answer he always seems to give.  If JEJ indeed dubbed for it, then the scene was shot and made pretty far into the editing stage.  What scene, etc?  Wouldn't it be in the novelization or comic book, or any of the other scenes from there?

What was the point?  I would've thought it was clear.  George forced that change in there even though it totally conflicts with the tone and pace of the surrounding scenes.  He wanted to show Vader travelling on the shuttle to the Star Destroyer, pacing be damned, and the "alert my Star Destroyer" stuff better clarifies Vader's little trip.

"Bring my shuttle" is truer to Vader's character (esp at that moment) though.

Is it even JEJ in Episode III?  He is uncredited (but he wasn't credited in Star Wars when it first came out, was he?)

To me it seemed that the Vader line had just been sped up or something to fit that really awkward editing on the SE. It has to be JEJ. Also, wasn't that line in Ep.II Qui-Gon and then a Tusken Raider screaming Noooo?

When I first heard the line back in 1997 I immediately thought it was someone else doing Vader's voice for that line. My opinion hasn't changed in the last 12 years, even after hearing Burtt say it was unused dialogue from Star Wars.

It sounds nothing like James Earl Jones.

Vader's voice and Luke's scream are what upset me the most about the Special Editions

The entire special edition was pointless.  The restoration was necessary, but the changes and bad added cartoon cgi added nothing and actually take away from the experience. Things i'm for are reducing or removing the garbage mattes or blue screen bleed or fringing.

I imagine George Lucas taking a break from whatever the hell he does these days to look at this thread with his friend Ralph, who is secretly an OUT kind of guy.

Lucas: Hey Ralph, look at this.

Ralph: (reads in a kind of mumble to self) Hey wow, the nerve of that guy. (Ralph doesn't sound convincing, but Lucas doesn't notice)

Lucas: No, no, I think this guy has a point. And you know, I've been meaning to fix that whole "I know" line in Empire anyway -

Ralph: George, I don't think this guy means-

Lucas: (pontificating, oblivious to Ralph's sheepish objection) - See, Darth Vader is the greatest character ever invented in the long history of everything. In that scene, he is shrugging off his failure and reestablishing his ethos - it all relates very closely to Kurosawa and auto racing.

Ralph: (anxious to change the subject) Umm, what's the latest on Red Tails?

Lucas: Never heard of them. So clearly, in my last draft of Empire, I didn't spell out that Vader is again taking control of the situation. I mean, can you blame me, what with having to work with that that limp fish of a nothing film Kersh made? Jeez, the way he did it, it was like Interiors meets Star Trek.

Ralph: (at a loss for words) Hey...uh George...you in the mood for a burger or something?

Lucas: Ralph, can you wait here a while? I'm going to put on some Holst and write the pre-draft for my next draft of Empire.

Ralph: S-sure.

(Lucas leaves via the swinging door and comes back through it as it swings shut with a sheaf of script in his left arm)

Lucas: Go ahead, buddy. Read it. You'll love it - big Star Wars fan like you. Go on! You're the lucky first to read it!

Ralph: (extremely reluctant) "Attention all Imperial milit-"

Lucas: You're doing it wrong! Read the direction, too. And Vader speaks in all caps! Don't forget that.

Ralph: "Vader enters an open area on Bespin. All eyes are on him. He commands the sort of attention usually reserved for Lady GaGa and the Pope."

Lucas: HAH! Topical! I am so funny!

Ralph: "Vader wordlessly sticks out his right hand while looking straight into the picture and someone out of frame hands him a megaphone." They have megaphones in Star Wars, George?

Lucas: I've got design working on the Star Wars equivalent now. Anyway, continue! Come ooooonn! I wanna heeeeeeeear it!

Ralph: "ATTENTION ALL IMPERIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL!"

Lucas: Faster, more intense!

Ralph: "ATTENTION ALL IMPERIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL! NOW HEAR THIS! THIS IS DARTH VADER, DARK LORD OF THE SITH, ONE OF ONLY TWO IN ALL THE GALAXY! I HAVE, AS EXPECTED, BESTED LUKE SKYWALKER IN A LIGHTSABER DUEL AND, RATHER THAN SURRENDER TO ME, SKYWALKER PLUNGED TO HIS APPARENT DEATH; HOWEVER, MY COMMAND OF THE FORCE HAS PRESERVED SKYWALKER FOR NOW - IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CAPTURE HIM AT ONCE! TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THIS, I MUST BE RETURNED TO MY STAR DESTROYER, THE EXECUTOR, AT ONCE! FURTHERMORE, THERE SHOULD BE NO LACK OF PREPAREDNESS ONBOARD THE EXECUTOR WHEN I HAVE ARRIVED THERE." (ruffles through script) George, how long does this go on, anyway?

Lucas: (smiling, pleased with his latest effort) Here's a hint: Who is John Galt?

Gaffer Tape said:

I've said before that, from a purely filmmaking standpoint, this addition is probably the worst in the entire Special Edition.  Yes, there are things that are dumber and more agonizing from a fan standpoint, but, aside from the addition of the Jabba scene, there is no other part of the SE that RUINS THE PACING as much as this.  The Falcon is rushing back to save Luke, the music is pumping, the TIEs are closing in... AND THE FILM JUST FUCKING STOPS SO WE CAN WATCH VADER ARRIVE ON HIS SHIP?!  Whose crack-addled brain came up with that one?!

 Yeah, it's one of the least talked about alterations but it's really one of the worst changes. It makes you wonder how Lucas was ever successful at all because it demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge over pacing and basic filmmaking in general. The first time I actually watched Empire straight through was after getting the 2004 set and I seem to remember being confused as to why Vaders big ship looked identical to the second Death Star. The film might have well gone to a commercial break. "We interrupt the conclusion of Empire Strikes Back for this paid promotional segment by the Empire." God I wish Nostalgia Critic would just tear into that.

The music editing is really horrible too, it just abruptly goes back to the music when Vader reveals he's Luke's father.

If you have the 1997 version, you can also compare how much blue tinted it was in 2004.

Another Empire edit that bothers me (which no one else points out either). Lando frees Chewbacca who starts choking Lando. Leia says "You think after what you did to Han we're going to trust you?"

In the 2004 audio mix, Chewbacca's growl comes in sooner completely drowing out "trust you" from Leia.

"You think after what you did to Han, we're going to- garrragggaahhh"

The Falcon is rushing back to save Luke, the music is pumping, the TIEs are closing in... AND THE FILM JUST FUCKING STOPS SO WE CAN WATCH VADER ARRIVE ON HIS SHIP?! 

Oh, come on, Gaff! Jeez, don't you remember how utterly confusing the original version was? Vader says "Bring my shuttle" - first of all, where is that shuttle going? Is he gonna get in it? Is he going somewhere? We don't know! Then, the next time we see him, he's in a STAR DESTROYER!! Not a shuttle, like we had just been led to believe! A GINORMOUS ship that don't look like no shuttle to me! Then again, how would I know in the first place - they don't show the shuttle!! But in the new version he says where he's going and we see the shuttle taking him there! What's not to like? We now have all the information we need!

It's like finally getting to see the Wampa monster feeding while Luke struggled to free himself. Why was Luke hanging there before? Now we know!