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An angry Review of the 2004 OT SE DVD's

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What say we watch "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy instead?


What say you shoot yourself in the head moron?

Geez how much more of this LOTR is better than SW can a person take, they are 2 different set of films they are both good, no one cares, not even George Lucas and Peter Jackson. Get over it people.
I wish I had a Kryptonite cross, because then you could keep both Dracula AND Superman away.
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Christ, what an idiot that guy is. There's a paper that actually PAID for this infantile, mediocre writing???

The "best" part is probably this:

"Peter Jackson understands fans. His "The Lord of the Rings" movies are released on DVD in both theatrical and extended versions"

Wrong, idiot. It's the marketing that understands sheep and their mentality. I may not forgive Lucas for inserting Hayjerk in RotJ, but he certainly doesn't release a "new edition" SW DVD every three months, and doesn't puke out "special limited collector's editions" (limited to 2 billion copies, apparently - at least here they're in every damn store and nobody buys them) with cheap gaudy toys and droning "bonus" interviews.
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That sinister LOTR remark is just meant to be as a little swipe at Lucas for only releasing the SE. He can´t seriously think the LOTR trilogy beats the OT. No way.

And although the review is a little childish, it has many valid arguements which I totally agree with - let´s hope we get a LOT more of "negative" or "angry" reviews in the press in the coming weeks so hopefully the point will get across to Lucas. Fans are really upset about this. This is part of our life, our culture and our heritage as moviegoers, videobuyers, toybuyers - you name it. We´ve been supporting Lucas massively through the years all the way since 1977 and enabled him to do what he´s done. How about some got damn respect and support on his part to us then!

I know that if our voices are heard loud enough and long enough Lucas will eventually release the OT, I´m sure of it. There´s proof for this kind of turnaround for him with Jar Jar Binks for example. He released the TPM and fans absolutely hated and were gutted by this lousy character and he actually took note and made his part in the next one almost non-extistance. There probably a lot of other stuff he did change going into AOTC after hearing what the fans had to say, after all he HAS to make them happy or else he won´t see the ticket-, DVD- and merchandise sales he so obviously wants. We are, and have been paying for ALL of this, remember that Lucas! Time for some payback!

peace,

Rebelscum
peace,

Rebelscum
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well Lucas used to release a copy of Star Wars every couple years....
so thats just as bad...

Jackson on the other hand said he's releasing the theatrical and the extended edition...
two different films both with different features....
and neither were limited editions...
hell you can find them anywhere...
i dont see whats wrong with the LOTR DVDs... they're great!

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That sinister LOTR remark is just meant to be as a little swipe at Lucas for only releasing the SE. He can´t seriously think the LOTR trilogy beats the OT. No way.


i think he said that on purpose... just to get in a little jab at Lucas... lol its childish yes.. but funny.
and if he's talking about LOTR being better than the original OT than he is gravely wrong...
if hes talking about these DVD releases i totally agree with him....

for Star Wars not only are these film versions shabby but the special features are absolute shit!
3 movies that have had that big of an impact on society and we get about 3 hours worth of documentary....
thats almost 1 hour per movie...
"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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"Special limited editions" packaged with gaudy, lousy Gollum toys and a "unique bonus disc" featuring interviews with Howard Bore (and possibly some more "features" - I don't know, I didn't check as I don't care the least bit about these flicks); "special limited soundtracks" exactly the same as normal ones, only packaged in cheap tasteless fake leather - all this "limited" junk collects dusts in stores here, that's what I mean. Hilariously enough, it seems to be sold out on some online US stores I checked, e.g. on Amazon.

Lucas never released a "limited collector's edition" of SW with a Jar-Jar Binks doll. In fact, Lucas always gets criticized for *not* releasing enough, while most studios happily vomit out fourteen "special edition" DVDs of one movie in two years, because they know the sheep will buy each "new" edition. When is "The New Extremely Limited Lord of the Rings Super DVD Megaboxset With Genuine Hair From Peter Jackson's Beard" coming, I wonder... or the "Ultimatrix: the 20 DVD Century Edition Directors' Cuts Box"?

Frankly, while I'm peeved at Lucas's stinginess when it comes to releasing things (no OT on DVD, poor bonus features in the current release), I actually think it's better than what would happen if a film studio owned Star Wars. We wouldn't be asking for the old and new versions of the movies on DVD; we would be pissed off at learning that in 2005, "Fox Home Video" will be releasing the sixth DVD edition of "Star Wars: the Original, the Special and the New Edition" in three years, this time with "an all new bonus documentary containing two of the previously unavailable deleted scenes" and "five collectible covers".
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My 12yr old daughter is really into LOTR, I've watched the first two, and to be totally honest, I feel 0 interest in the whole thing.

I might see how the younger generation might stir up comparisons, between the two franchises, but it seems like apples and oranges to me.

I have nothing against LOTR, I think Jackson did a solid job on these movies, but I was completely disinterested and bored and actually started falling asleep a couple times.

Star Wars completely absorbed me, when I saw it in 77, any comparisons are a fan thing, Star Wars changed the way movies were made and the industry itself....a little different than a film adaptation of novels that use technology that Lucas helped set the standard for.

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Star Wars completely absorbed me, when I saw it in 77, any comparisons are a fan thing, Star Wars changed the way movies were made and the industry itself....a little different than a film adaptation of novels that use technology that Lucas helped set the standard for.


This is the most acurate and true statement about this topic I've read in a long time.
I wish I had a Kryptonite cross, because then you could keep both Dracula AND Superman away.
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Well I thought this would be good for a laugh not make everyone angry. Like someone said above, I hope there is a number of angry reviews and not, not..."These are the greatest movies ever, made better" stuff. As far as LOTR, why is everyone a hater. I love the fact that there are extended editions. That trilogy may have been made after the OT, but the books predate the OT. The books are brilliant and I have loved them all my life, just like Star Wars...though I never had a love/hate thing like I do with Star Wars in General lately. Star Wars and the Lucas Empire is like the attractive girl that treated me really well at the beginning used me up and is now kicking me around and treating me like crap and occasionally teases me. LOTR its that nice girl that was really deep, may not have been much to look at but becomes cute later on. One had my heart (star wars) one had my brain (LOTR books) since I was a kid and loved them both...though now, I look at LOTR with zero frustration...none. I couldn't ask for more. So what if there is merchandise, is that Peter Jackson's fault? Peter Jackson made good movies and was as faithful as he could be (though there was no Arwen in LOTR...Silmarillion and Tom Bombadil is absent). I'd love to see more great literary fantasy works get done like that (eg. Tales of Narnia by CS Lewis or Gunslinger series by Stephen King).

Again we all love Star Wars, but lets not forget why were all here too. We all are frustrated to some degree. Pissed of reviews, even if over the top is whats needed to MAKE LUCAS PULL HIS HEAD OUT HIS ASS AND RELEASE THE OT RIGHT.

BTW, at least we know now with Kershner and Lowry saying work is being done for an HD-DVD release and there will be deleted scenes on that, no one has said anything about the original trilogy, but maybe. So I say keep the pissed of reviews coming.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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And let's not forget that LOTR is a source of inspiration for Star Wars!

Ben's sacrifice in the Death Star, and Luke's reaction to it is very similar to Gandalf's sacrifice in the Moria, and Frodo reaction to it...

Han: Hey Lando! You kept your promise, right? Not a scratch?
Lando: Well, what’s left of her isn’t scratched. All the scratched parts got knocked off along the way.
Han (exasperated): Knocked off?!

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That might be true, but I have specifically heard Lucas say that Ben was killed off in Episode IV because in the last third of the original script he had nothing to do but stand around and watch and Lucas wanted some sort of dramatic boost at that point.
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I only wish Frodo died! Lord of the Rings was a complete waste of time. Too long, too boring, no essence. That's all I have to say about that.

I hope the negative reviews and complaints come in like a hurricane!
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I think Lord of the Rings is a much better set of movies.

Let the flaming begin.

“You know, when you think about it, the Ewoks probably just crap over the sides of their tree-huts.”

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Ben was killed off because Guinness refused to do any sequels after Ep 4. All of the scenes that show Ben as a ghost in the later 2 movies were shot ahead of time (probably right after SW was released), which is why some of the shots are a little miscued.
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I still believe that the OT is better than LOTR.

I enjoyed the hell out of FOTR and TTT, but ROTK was just too damned long. I wanted it to end so badly and that is never a good sign. The battle scenes were epic, no question, but the ending was one hour too long. I can't say I ever wanted a movie in the OT to end (even ROTJ) and that gives it a distinction over LOTR.
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Originally posted by: TR47
Ben was killed off because Guinness refused to do any sequels after Ep 4. All of the scenes that show Ben as a ghost in the later 2 movies were shot ahead of time (probably right after SW was released), which is why some of the shots are a little miscued.


- That´s the story I´ve always heard and believed (although Lucas has another more unbelievable version saying he saw that Obi-Wan had nothing to do but sit around and watch the action unfold in parts 5 and 6 and therefore he had him killed off). I remember reading an interview with Guinnes a few years ago where this was stated. Alec was always really bugged about how those "sci-fi nonsense" movies made him (or rather as Obi-Wan!) so well known over the world as opposed to his more respectable "shakespearian" roles.

peace,

Rebelscum
peace,

Rebelscum
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Jackson's lousy films are terrible adaptations. Empty, soulless, dumb and worst of all, revisionist. They reminded me of all those "updated, hip" moronic TV series like "Hercules" or "The New Adventures of Robin Hood". Idiotic changes like throwing Glorfindel out and replacing him with Politically Cretinous Expanded "Warrior Maiden" (TM). Plus, the stupid films made a whole generation of dumb teenyboppers claim they "love LotR". I'm still a bit ashamed to admit I first read and loved the whole LotR, Hobbit and Silmarillion cycle when I was 6, ashamed because I don't want to be taken for one of that whole "ringnut" crowd of idiots who never even heard of the books before those three idiotic movies.
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I agree. They should have been called Attack of the Orcs 1, 2, #3.
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Personally I think this review is awesome. It spells out exactly what this site and its cause is about! You're blowing the LOTR reference way out of proportion frendon and Sammythebull. He's not saying, "LOTR" is better than Star Wars, he's saying Lucas doesn't know how to look after his fans by way of releasing the ORIGINAL version of the film, Jackson does! In fact he only mentions LOTR twice!

Fair enough if you don't like LOTR, but don't detract from what this article is saying!

These kind of reviews are ammunition for the OT on DVD cause, be grateful reviewers are giving this opinion! What we don't need are writers giving the "Bless Lucas for finally releasing these films on DVD, its been such a long wait and they're finally here in all their glory" which I have seen from other reviwers. Would you be happier with reviews like these would you?

I think anyone who cares for this campaign should be behind reviews such as this one, it slams Lucas for denying his original films ever existed, it slams him for the PT and it slams him for modifying important elements of the OT that are pointless and ridiculous (ie Greedo shooting first).

Get behind it, if you truly support it I say.
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Originally posted by: SammyTheBull
Jackson's lousy films are terrible adaptations. Empty, soulless, dumb and worst of all, revisionist. They reminded me of all those "updated, hip" moronic TV series like "Hercules" or "The New Adventures of Robin Hood". Idiotic changes like throwing Glorfindel out and replacing him with Politically Cretinous Expanded "Warrior Maiden" (TM). Plus, the stupid films made a whole generation of dumb teenyboppers claim they "love LotR". I'm still a bit ashamed to admit I first read and loved the whole LotR, Hobbit and Silmarillion cycle when I was 6, ashamed because I don't want to be taken for one of that whole "ringnut" crowd of idiots who never even heard of the books before those three idiotic movies.


Hey! Don't dis the LOTR movies. They inroduced a whole generation to LOTR!

4

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"Ben was killed off because Guinness refused to do any sequels after Ep 4. All of the scenes that show Ben as a ghost in the later 2 movies were shot ahead of time (probably right after SW was released), which is why some of the shots are a little miscued"


Nooo....actually, that's kinda not what happened, in a not even close kinda way. Original script, and the one Guiness signed to-Ben lives. Halfway through shooting, Lucas changes the ending as far as Ben is concerned, and Guiness, who had been pretty much all that held the U.K. crew together, is so pissed he almost walks. The nonsense over his hatred of the franchise and the fans comes up MUCH later, after the thing blows up to global proportions and he can't walk down the street without being accosted by some fan boy. Guiness films bluescreen scenes for Empire when Empire shoots, not "ahead of time". In fact, has to come back and do ADR at the end of production on some of his stuff because he was sufferring from a horrendous cold when the footage was shot, and the diologue is unuseable.. He returns for Jedi, this time INSISTING that ILM find a way for him do do his scene with Mark Hammil on the Dagobah set, and NOT against a bluescreen (which, incidentally, is why you will notice he NEVER crosses in front of Luke during the scene, AND why the camera is locked during the scene (so ILM can go in and roto the glow in, and composite the transparency). Just thought I'd clear that up.
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These kind of reviews are ammunition for the OT on DVD cause, be grateful reviewers are giving this opinion! What we don't need are writers giving the "Bless Lucas for finally releasing these films on DVD, its been such a long wait and they're finally here in all their glory" which I have seen from other reviwers. Would you be happier with reviews like these would you?


exactly!!
we need all the support we can get...
and if that includes angry reviewers than so be it...
there are too many kiss ass people out there who all though they dont like the DVDs are saying... "we're so glad we finally got star wars on dvd after all these years!"
bullshit... SHEEP!!!!

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"Special limited editions" packaged with gaudy, lousy Gollum toys and a "unique bonus disc" featuring interviews with Howard Bore (and possibly some more "features" - I don't know, I didn't check as I don't care the least bit about these flicks)


just an FYI
they released the EE by itself as well so as we had a choice if we wanted the figure or not...
some of the real fans of LOTR bought them and some didnt... hell at least they get a choice...
we get a set of DVDs that arent even the theatrical releases, 1 disc of special features and are told to STFU....

you may not like LOTR and i totally understand... but to say that Peter Jackson didnt make the best use of the DVD format for his movies and for his fans is just wrong...
i can say that regardless of the movies at hand.... LOTR had a much better treatment on DVD than Star Wars will ever have in its existance...

rant over
"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 have compiled a VERY long list of similarities between Lord of the Rings and Star Wars.

1. Star Wars: Luke lives in a domed house with his uncle and dreams of farway adventures. His sword glows blue.
LOTR: Frodo lives in a hobbit hole with his uncle and dreams of faraway adventures. His sword glows blue.

2. Star Wars: Luke finds a message hidden in R2.
LOTR: Frodo finds a message hidden in the Ring.

3. Star Wars: Obi-wan and Luke travel to Mos Eisley and meet Han solo at a cantina.
LOTR: Frodo and his friends travel to Bree and meet Strider at the prancing pony.

4. Star Wars: Obi-Wan digs Anakin's lightsaber out of an old wooden box, gives to Luke.
LOTR: Bilbo digs his magic sword out of an old wooden box, gives to Frodo.

5. Star Wars: The Company is forced to enter the perilous Death Star.
LOTR: The Company is forced to enter the perilous Mines of Moria.

6. Star Wars: Luke is attacked by a tentacled creature.
LOTR: Frodo is attacked by a tentacled creature.

7. Star Wars: Luke watches from across a chasm as his mentor Obi-Wan duels with Darth Vader, sacrificing himself so that the others can escape.
LOTR: Frodo watches from across a chasm as his mentor Gandalf duels with a Balrog, sacrificing himself so that the others can escape.

8. Star Wars: Darth tries to convince Luke to join the dark side, thereby bringing order to the galaxy.
LOTR: Saruman tries to convince Gandalf to join the dark lord, thereby bringing order to Middle Earth.

9. Star Wars: Ben Kenobi falls and returns in a more powerful form (jedi spirit).
LOTR: Gandalf falls and returns in a more powerful form (Gandalf the White).

10. Star Wars: Han Solo, a rough space traveler in exile, falls in love with a beautiful princess.
LOTR: Aragorn, a wreckless ranger in exile, falls in love with a beautiful princess.

11. Star Wars: ATATs crush everything as they attach the rebel base.
LOTR: Oliphaunts crush everything as they attack Minas Terith.

12. Star Wars: Han Solo comes to the rescue when the Death Star battle seems lost.
LOTR: Gandalf comes to the rescue when the helm's deep battle seems lost.

13. Star Wars: Darth cuts off Luke's hand, which plunges into the abyss with Luke's lightsaber.
LOTR: Gollum bites off Frodo's finger, which plunges into the abyss with the One Ring.

14. Star Wars: Heroes are walking through a forest when they're suprised by ewoks, captured at spear-point, then taken to a village in the trees.
LOTR: Heroes are walking through a forest when they're suprised by elves, captured at arrow-point, then taken to a village in the trees.

15. Star Wars: R2D2 and C3P0 provide comic relief.
LOTR: Merry and Pippin provide comic relief.

Yes, some of these are a stretch (and not book/movie specific), but some are so close that it's almost scary. I of course left out things like Ewoks=Hobbits, Stormtroopers=Orcs, Emperor=Sauron, Vader=Saruman, etc.

Oh yeah by the way, Star Wars (and its sequels) hold the record for having the most hove video releases EVER. So dont diss LOTR for having more than one DVD release.
You like popsicles? Then you need to come on down to the cellar. I got a whole freezer FULL of popsicles. Mmmmm...
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Wow, lot's of hate for the LOTR movies from a coupe people. A shame the movies didn't speak to them the way they spoke to others, but I'll say no more on the topic. That nonsense about Alec Guiness doing all his scenes for Empire and jedi during ANh though? Come on, get serious. Vader wasn't even decided to be Lukes father until a later draft of the ESB script. And Leia wasn't decided to be Luke's sister until during the writing of ROTJ. Don't swallow the whole 'I had it all planned out back in 75 with a script large enough to be 12 movies and a whole back story and character arcs and blah blah blah...' because that's just bull. Lucas made these movies by the seat of his pants, and it's only by virtue of having talented screenwriters, actors, crew, and directors that the OT became what it is. Lucas got lucky. He's a brilliant story man, not a brilliant writer.

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