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Finally Hocked the SE

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Never thought I'd find myself doing this, but today I went and hocked my WS SE boxset and all my PT films. Felt odd. Star Wars has always held a place of honor on my movie shelf, right next to the Indy Trilogy and the LOTR Extended Edition sets. I'm done with Star Wars. I don't want the SE in my house anymore. For a long time I tried to fool myself into thinking that the SE changes actually helped the OT. I've come around. Since 1997 I've been trying to accept the CG Dewbacks, CG Jabba, Han the Flash and legally blind Greedo, Obnoxious flying Stormtrooper droids, the non-acting schmuck the threw the Wampa suit on, Joe Yowhza's and his spit danglies, (Why is it that every CG creature ever created has little danglies of spit inside its mouth when it inevitably sticks its face in the camera to roar? See the Men in Black bug, FOTR Cave Troll, ect.) Anyway, I think I've had more than enough Star Wars for one lifetime. There will never be decent versions of the O-OT, if there ever is, Lucas will be proven a liar. (again) I'm not going to help line the pockets of a liar who I've already helped to make rich. Fuck this.
“We like to think that we are very particular, because we’ve done about a hundred movies now, and we strive to make our output pristine. So to work with a guy like Lucas is fabulous because he’s got his head in the same place, pristine.”
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That's an interesting step. Perhaps I'll go there myself someday. I know I don't really bother watching the SEs or the PT. Though, the 1997 SE of Jedi had the better ending to the series and I might sometimes watch that VHS for the heck of it. Call me crazy but the Ewok song is kind of silly.

I'm sure Lucas will be proven to be a liar. A proper treatment for the theatrical releases can't be that far off. The HD-era would seem to require it if George Lucas does not want to be hated by everyone.

"Now all Lucas has to do is make a cgi version of himself.  It will be better than the original and fit his original vision." - skyjedi2005

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Obiwampa, you've taken your first step into a larger world.
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I have to make a confession and say that I actually bought TPM when it was released. As time went by, however, I decided that it represented such a cheapening of Star Wars that I didn't want it anymore and gave it away. I wish I didn't need to (i.e. I wish the story wasn't destoryed - that still eats me).

I have kept my VHS copy of the 97 SE, because I can still stand to watch that (even though thinking about it I haven't watched it in several years lol). I can't bring myself to buy anything with the 2004 DVDs in the package though. Hayden was absolutely the last straw and I just can't watch it without wanting to cry.

So congratulations Obiwampa. I respect your decision.
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the good thing about the Destroyed DVDs is that they let me take a high-res clip of Han and leia hugging during the end celebration. I'll keep the destroyed DVDs around for that purpose-high-res screen shots (OCP's posting about the classic editions on this sight provide the rest-Sebastian Shaw, lightsabers in front of emporer's face, etc.

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This is interesting, and I think this is what Lucas feared by putting out the O-OT on DVD, many fans would just watch the saga 4-6, not 1-6. For me, the saga 1-6 is the PT/SE, and the saga 4-6 is the O-OT, so in a sense Lucas has created the one market of fans he never wanted to create.

If Lucas had left the OT movies alone and just kept the O-OT in tact but remastered it like every other DVD on the market, I think there would be so many fans who don't love the Prequels, but would accept them as part of the saga, and just say I have the trilogy I love in the box set, and the trilogy I think is alright.

But Lucas has now divided the OT fans, so many fans like me are now starting to distance myself not only from the SE, but the PT now, cause I know in any future boxset of the saga, it will PT & OT/SE, and probably not include the O-OT as one of the versions. So the point for me and many fans, why buy 6 movies where you don't love any of the versions? Atleast if Lucas had the saga PT + O-OT, you could atleast justify buying 3 great movies, I know I do that when I buy the Rocky Boxset, I have to buy Rocky V, but I do it for completionist sense.

The ironic thing about the changes is the more Lucas tries to tie the saga by changing the OT, he alienates a section of fans who have a harder time tying the trilogies. The funny thing is the fans that love the PT/SE are the same fans who fell in love with the O-OT before 1997, so they would still love the movies today! Good job George, you were instrumental in creating the O-OT fanbase, and I don't even think you realized it.
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Very good point. The die-hards who hate the SEs and the PT probably wouldn't care as much and would still purchase those items if George had also offered copies of the original trilogy in its theatrical form. George Lucas made his own problem here.

"Now all Lucas has to do is make a cgi version of himself.  It will be better than the original and fit his original vision." - skyjedi2005

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Yeah, that's definitely the way it was for me. I rushed out to get the SEs when they first released to video. They never replaced my Faces set, but I'd watch them pretty regularly as an alternate version. I only resented them when they became the only thing, and I realized that VHS dies pretty fast...

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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Good for you, Obiwampa! I have to admit that the thought of the SEs being under my roof makes me a little sick as well, and I've often thought of getting rid of them. But, being the Star Wars completist that I am, I've got to have a copy of the Luke/Biggs scene in SW, and the Luke hugging Wedge shot in ROTJ.

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I bought all of the DVDs of all the movies the minute they came out (except for ROTS, as that was released at a point where I was broke) - and I don't regret it. I don't intend to get rid of them, either. The Star Wars historian in me wants to have all of the versions of the films, at the very least just for the sake of reference. And I reference them a lot. I may not like the SEs or the prequels as much as I do the OOT, but it's all Star Wars - even if I find parts of it disappointing. I guess I look at the SE changes and prequels as EU material that I don't necessarily accept as canon, but find interesting to watch sometimes, kind of like reading those Star Wars Tales comics Dark Horse put out.

When I want to watch what to me are the REAL movies, I get out the EditDroid set. Or maybe the Moth3r set, for better quality. As long as I have the choice of being able to watch the OOT, I'm happy. I have that choice now, unofficial though it may be. When the September DVDs come out, hopefully I'll have a somewhat better quality yet (though still non-anamorphic) official choice, and be somewhat happier.

I'll repeat what I imagine are the feelings of most of the group here: I don't care what George Lucas does to his movies, as long as I have the ability to watch the original, unaltered versions in good quality at my leisure.

--SKot

Projects:
Return Of The Ewok and Other Short Films (with OCPmovie) [COMPLETED]
Preserving the…cringe…Star Wars Holiday Special [COMPLETED]
The Star Wars TV Commercials Project [DORMANT]
Felix the Cat 1919-1930 early film shorts preservation [ONGOING]
Lights Out! (lost TV anthology shows) [ONGOING]
Iznogoud (1995 animated series) English audio preservation [ONGOING]

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I have to admit that I only watched the SE/2004 DVD versions of Star Wars from 1997-2004. The reason was I absolutely abhor full screen films and with so much of the picture missing I wouldn't really be seeing the theatrical versions. Now I have a set of the OOT on DVD and it's great. But the picture on the 2004 is so much better. Actually, the last time I watched Empire, I watched the 2004 version, but then switched back and forth between the original version and the 2004 dvd (for the scenes that were not changed.)
George Lucas was seduced by the dark side. The OOT ceased to exist in his mind and became the Special Editions...." "They're more maching now than movies. Twisted and evil."
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Originally posted by: JennyS1138
I have to admit that I only watched the SE/2004 DVD versions of Star Wars from 1997-2004. The reason was I absolutely abhor full screen films and with so much of the picture missing I wouldn't really be seeing the theatrical versions. Now I have a set of the OOT on DVD and it's great. But the picture on the 2004 is so much better. Actually, the last time I watched Empire, I watched the 2004 version, but then switched back and forth between the original version and the 2004 dvd (for the scenes that were not changed.)
You sound like a good candidate for ocpmovie's Classic Editions, then. If you haven't already, you should seek them out--as you may or may not know, they took the clarity of the 2004 editions and mixed in (as fluidly as could be done) elements from laserdisc captures to undo the SE changes. Plus a little extra effort was made to make the sound mix a "best of" from previous mixes, including all the missing lines. Then you wouldn't have to switch back and forth.

--SKot

Projects:
Return Of The Ewok and Other Short Films (with OCPmovie) [COMPLETED]
Preserving the…cringe…Star Wars Holiday Special [COMPLETED]
The Star Wars TV Commercials Project [DORMANT]
Felix the Cat 1919-1930 early film shorts preservation [ONGOING]
Lights Out! (lost TV anthology shows) [ONGOING]
Iznogoud (1995 animated series) English audio preservation [ONGOING]

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I have a copy of ROTS that I bought several months ago, and I still haven't opened it. I've decided to return it to the store and exchange it for the Richard Donner cut of Superman II when it comes out in Nov., which I'm REALLY excited about seeing.

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I felt sick when i played the 2004 SE discs and saw Annie-Morphic Skywalker at the end of ROTJ! Very next day, i put my boxset on Ebay and purchased some LD transfers. After seeing ROTS on the big screen, i got a copy of the DVD, sat down and watched the entire PT. I concluded that although they have their moments, overall they are balls. So i put my PT discs on Ebay too. My next step was to sell my LD transfers when i heard news of the OUT being released. And now of course i've learned my lesson, cos these official discs are LD transfers too! So i'm gonna buy the discs and send the SE ones back to Lucasfilm.

Thing is ~ greatest (original) trilogy of movies in the world, ever. Now why is it such a fricking "bring-and-buy" sale to own them on DVD?
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I havent thrown or given away my 2004 set it sits in my DVD collection with all my other DVDs even though it isnt really my preffered way of viewing the original films, and I have other O.T "DVDs" at home and am happy with them, so I view them, as for the PT DVDs I still watch them,I dont mind them really and enjoy them when I feel like watching them so I wont get rid of them, All my other Star Wars stuff like all my OOT & SE VHS other SW DVDs books and other bits and pieces have been packed away in bags as havent the room in the house to keep them around.