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An angry Review of the 2004 OT SE DVD's — Page 2

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Lucas got lucky. He's a brilliant story man, not a brilliant writer.


I agree in that Lucas most certainly is not the writer that Tolkien is...no question.

He had (read: HAD) a great vision and executed something great with the OT, which was at its best when he got help from Kershner and its sad he never chose to do that again. People are talking about the movies for LOTR being bloated and poorly executed, well, to be honest 1. There is a choice if you want bloat or not with the extended editions (which I greatly prefer) 2. Considering there is only soooo much time to be faithful in a movie...at 4-5 hours for the ROTK extended tell me what he could have done so much better. There will be sacrifices made in a major motion picture release, but most I feel were minor and the movies were EPIC. By the way, The PT is poorly executed and bloated and it does not have to conform to the distributor, it has had 16+ years to work out a script, it is filled with useless lines and silliness, poorly executed CG (overdone). I would have loved to have seen lucas get a writer like a CS Lewis or Tolkien of present day work with that as a script...work on all three movies at once for continuity, and have extended editions and theatrical editions (SOON AFTER THE MOVIE RELEASES!!!! NOT YEARS AND YEARS LATER WITH MULTIPLE RELEASES THAT DESPERATELY NEED EDITING TO MAKE WATCHABLE).

OK. I loved that post Duke about the similarities. To me the OT and the LOTR books will forever be my childhood's happiest memories.

And yes we need more pissed of people at those DVD's to knock sense in to GL...thanks Luke
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Why people continue to compare an contrast two differing pieces of art is beyond me.
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i dont get it either...
both were great movies...

just that LOTR got a better DVD treatment...
and ironically has never pissed off their fans...


we on the other hand...
well... look at the name of the site..
lol
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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I'm a huge fan of LOTR and am grateful those films came along. They helped soften the blow of the crappy Star Wars prequels and the lack of Original Versions being available on DVD. I agree with the reviewer on one point many didn't. I would rather watch the LOTR Trilogy on DVD than the 2004 version of the Star Wars Trilogy. There is no question about that. Hell, I'm not even buying the Star Wars DVD's. However, I would have no problem picking the Star Wars Trilogy DVD's over the LOTR Trilogy DVD's if they contained the Original Versions.

Patrick
"When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk." - Tuco from The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
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i think most here would rather watch LOTR rather than these new versions of SW...
hell i would...

funny thing is i could watch either the theatrical or the EE...
both are quality products...
and Lucas is having difficulty releasing one...

tsk tsk
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Too true Luke, well said.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Lucas should just stop all this madness and release those SE versions as "Visionary´s Cut" and be done with it. Then release the original untouched versions and everybody is happy. Lucas can tinker, meddle and torture the OT movies anyway he can, but the original OT would be out there on DVD for us to enjoy. Simple ain´t it?

peace,

Rebelscum
peace,

Rebelscum
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"Jackson's lousy films are terrible adaptations. Empty, soulless, dumb and worst of all, revisionist."

What in Gawd's name are you going on about man? Jackson has achived a remarkable feat in making these three epic movies. This is REAL movie-making, the way it should be done. REAL solid movie-making using special effects to ENHANCE the story, not overwhelm it! The effects serve the story, NOT the otherway around like the prequals! Soulless? Soulless?!? Yeah if you have zero tolerance for a gripping storyline and fantastic acting and directing! There's REAL emotion, real depth going on in this film - some very lump in the throat moments, if you have an ounce of sensitivity that is... Dumb? Yeah to dumb fucks who can't process all the events going on in this film. Revisionist? What and Luca$ isn't?!? ;-)

There's NO WAY you could film the book exactly as is, and I think Jackson and co hit the nail on the head perfectly with this trilogy. Look at all the hard work that went into it! You must have a two second attention span or something, or can't process anything which is slower paced than your average MTV music video!

All this fanboy 'this film vs that film' crap really bugs me. I like BOTH LOTR and Star Wars (and old-school Star Trek!) - always will!!! Why chosse one over the other if you like them all?!? I'll tell you this though, Jackson is a professional film-maker who loves COLLABORATING with his team to get the best possible results for his films. Lucas has turned into a fat ignornat business man who loves screwing the public for every last $ they have - he's quite happy to accept our money - and yet refuses to listen to what we really want! Have you seen teh prequal documentaries?!? You call THIS a filmmaker? He dishes out orders, or sits back in a comfy chair slurping away on a Coke while his minions display their creations in front of him, and he justs says, "yeah.. nah...nah... but this tit on this guys head!!". The guy has let fame and money gradually go to his head, and nobody has the balls to stand up to him these days! Bring back Gary Kurtz!

Remember that old saying, "absolute power corrupts absolutely" - say no more!!

AGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I just want Lucas to start making other movies and stop tinkering with SW. It's time to leave well enought alone.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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I'm still a bit ashamed to admit I first read and loved the whole LotR, Hobbit and Silmarillion cycle when I was 6


6! You read Lord of the Rings when you were 6? I somehow doubt that!
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i really dont see how people can not like LOTR...
maybe they have trouble understanding it...
or just dont have the attention spans to get through the whole movie...

many people i know fell asleep during it...
they said it was boring...
so i told them to go watch Universal Soldier...
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Originally posted by: Sean
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I'm still a bit ashamed to admit I first read and loved the whole LotR, Hobbit and Silmarillion cycle when I was 6


6! You read Lord of the Rings when you were 6? I somehow doubt that!


I don't doubt it. I had a friend who was reading Gone With the Wind for school book reports at 6. That's a pretty tough book for that age. Plus, my old boss has read the LOTR trilogy every five years since she was 6 or 7. Doesn't mean he completely understood it, but it can be done.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
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kapgar.com
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Do me a favour! 6! At 6 years old most of us (apart from Einstein) were still throwing our crap around the kitchen with our dinner bowls on our head. Then again, didn't Harrison Ford come up with a gem about GL writing the script, but he didn't have to say the lines?
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Here is another review of the Star Wars DVDs. The guy that reviewed them didn't like the changes, but he's gonna buy them anyway. But nevertheless, if you're curious how many more changes were made, read the review. But don't give up hope. Here is what he's said before and seems to have changed his mind. One thing about George Lucas is that he's inconsistent. There's still a chance we might get the original theatrical versions on DVD some day.
"May the force be with you!"
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At least Peter's review reflects more consistent feelings than Bill Hunt's. The only thing that bothers me is that both The Digital Bits and DVD File had banners from this site, but they do not anymore. Also Bill used to be really p.o. 'ed that the Original Versions were not going to be included on the DVD's. Since then, it seems that it doesn't bother him that much. I'm just as p.o. 'ed as ever and will not give in and buy this crap.

Patrick
"When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk." - Tuco from The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
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im glad someone is as mad as i am about our so called sponsers...

at least DVDfile kept it up as long as they could...
thedigitalbits kept theres up for what? a couple months?

and now they go saying that "no petition of any kind will help... these are his movies"
Bill Hunt is starting to become a miniture Lucas...
goes back on his word and becomes a prick to all...
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Originally posted by: Sean
Do me a favour! 6! At 6 years old most of us (apart from Einstein) were still throwing our crap around the kitchen with our dinner bowls on our head.

You matured a bit late, didn't you? JK

I learned to read when I was four years old. Not that I was up to LOTR level by 6 or anything like that, but there are some people that are that capable. Mozart was conducting by six and had written his own music by 8 or some such age. Why is it that unbelievable that someone could have read LOTR by 6? Some people just have a gift.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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Bah, I still can't forgive Peter Jackson for botching LOTR.
He made way oo many changes and made it WAY too political.

Politics has its place but NOT IN FANTASY!

///
Fine, mister Lucas, while you're at it why dont you replace Lando with will smith?
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All this fanboy 'this film vs that film' crap really bugs me. I like BOTH LOTR and Star Wars (and old-school Star Trek!) - always will!!! Why chosse one over the other if you like them all?!? I'll tell you this though, Jackson is a professional film-maker who loves COLLABORATING with his team to get the best possible results for his films. Lucas has turned into a fat ignornat business man who loves screwing the public for every last $ they have - he's quite happy to accept our money - and yet refuses to listen to what we really want! Have you seen teh prequal documentaries?!? You call THIS a filmmaker? He dishes out orders, or sits back in a comfy chair slurping away on a Coke while his minions display their creations in front of him, and he justs says, "yeah.. nah...nah... but this tit on this guys head!!". The guy has let fame and money gradually go to his head, and nobody has the balls to stand up to him these days! Bring back Gary Kurtz!


Amen, seventiesfilmnut. I too won't bother comparing LOTR and SW (pointless) but suffice to say, as an adult filmgoer who was way into SW as a child, the LOTR trilogy definitely hits home on so many more levels that SW. BUT, that's just my opinion, and I still love watching the OT (I have the 1995 "Faces" edition) from time to time. Leaving any differences between the two franchises aside and looking at the DVD releases from a purely objective viewpoint, P. Jackson has done it right and Lucasfilm hasn't. The LOTR EE DVDs truly take you inside the movie-making process. I learn so much by watching the Appendices of these sets, which are as enjoyable to watch as the films themself. I haven't seen the 4th "bonus" disc from the SW set yet (which I'll rent, not buy), but if it's anything like the Indiana Jones bonus disc I just watched (rented from Netflix), I wouldn't expect much. Yeah, you get to watch Spielberg, Ben Burt, Harrison Ford et al. talk alot about the films, but you don't get to see exactly HOW alot of the cool fx were shot. I have seen a clip from the "Lightsaber" featurette (from the new DVDs) online, and the whole thing is Lucas talking about his vision of lightsabers (over clips of the movies which we're all familiar with) and how they work in the story. NOTHING about how the sound was created, what the actors used on set.....although I can't be too critical b/c it was only a clip. But I figure most of the so-called documentaries and featurettes will be dominated by Lucas patting himself on the back about his vision for the films, with not many intereviews with supporting crew and creative team.
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But the books were political as well. Just much more subversively so. The entire series was a commentary on the industrial revolution.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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Originally posted by: Bossk
But the books were political as well. Just much more subversively so. The entire series was a commentary on the industrial revolution.


If you're talking about LOTR, Tolkein did not want to draw parallels to his books from history. You can make the connection, but it was never his intention.

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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If it wasn't intentional, then he did a piss poor job of avoiding it.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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They hugely political and have strong religious influences. The books are indeed about the industrial revolution, coal mining, WWI, oppression, the landscapes of England and his best friend was CS lewis wrote fantasy (Narnia) as well, but also wrote innumerous theological works. They met at a pub every week and talked about their writings. He was a brilliant cartographer (maps) and linguist (Elvish,etc). The languages and customs of the creatures in his books come from the rich history of England itself and lost languages, songs, poetry and customs. There is some great specials on his life on those discs if you watch them. He was truly brilliant.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Tolkein has said repeatly he did not want parallels to be drawn... regardless of what the documentary said - I'm very well aware of them and Christopher T. is quite pissed by it.

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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What documentary? That's just what I got out of reading them.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com