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I got a response from Leonard Maltin..... — Page 2

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Originally posted by: Mike O
I know. I'm just bitter. I just want a proper release of three of my favorite movies at some point before I die, and doesn't look like I'll bet it anytime soon. The one odd bit is Darth Fist's comments about the preparation of a new transfer. I just don't know anymore.

Mike- if there's one thing we can count on, it's that we can't take GL at his word. You know- "star wars will never be on home video", "ONE LAST TIME!" etc., so- cheer up!

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Why are you always here to cheer me up, huh Mielr? I was just considering leaving the forum for a while. Maybe I'll stay a bit longer. Thanks . There's just a lot of negativity in this thread, and understandably so. I suppose we should wait and see how the whole thing goes. I just don't want to expect the best and then be disappointed. But, hey, it's only been 2 months since the announcement. I suppose that this process could take years. I need to learn to be patient. Thanks again, Mielr .

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Originally posted by: Mike O
Why are you always here to cheer me up, huh Mielr? I was just considering leaving the forum for a while. Maybe I'll stay a bit longer. Thanks . There's just a lot of negativity in this thread, and understandably so. I suppose we should wait and see how the whole thing goes. I just don't want to expect the best and then be disappointed. But, hey, it's only been 2 months since the announcement. I suppose that this process could take years. I need to learn to be patient. Thanks again, Mielr .

You're welcome. I was getting pretty down from all the negativity around here lately, too. It's understandable- but we have to try to stay positive. We have to keep writing letters and making phone calls, and make sure our side is properly represented, and let people know that we're not just 'whiners', incapable of being satisfied. The average 'Joe' out there needs to be told about these DVDs and why they're not what they should or could be. GL needs to be embarrassed by this whole fiasco.

Hopefully, Leonard Maltin will mention the controversy when the DVDs come out. I'm hoping Roger Ebert will as well.

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Originally posted by: Anchorhead
Originally posted by: Mielr
His stubbornness has become the stuff of legend.


Even Mark Hamill mentioned it in the interview someone posted here. When anyone gives Lucas even the slightest bit of constructive criticism or advice - he sees it as some sort of threat or challenge that must be defeated and he digs his heels in and prepares for battle.

That's just who he is, man.


That's destructive behavior too. Someday it's gonna come back and bite him on the ass. Money is good for many things in this world, but it doesn't cover for everything.
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Someday it's gonna come back and bite him on the ass.


It already seems to be starting too. Leonard Maltin is all very well, but we really need to do several things. One, we need some clout, some famous people. Other billionares who also feel the same, like Gary Kurtz. Or we need to apply tons of pressure from tons of different people. I just wish either option could make a difference. But who knows? Maybe we can.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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I wish Criterion could convince Lucas to let them do new transfers of the Trilogy. He wouldn't have to pony up any money/effort for it, and we'd get a great set of DVDs. It might be worth it for us to start bugging them- maybe they could work something out with the Dark Lord.

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Originally posted by: Mielr
I wish Criterion could convince Lucas to let them do new transfers of the Trilogy. He wouldn't have to pony up any money/effort for it, and we'd get a great set of DVDs. It might be worth it for us to start bugging them- maybe they could work something out with the Dark Lord.


Robert A. Harris wants to do this very much, so if anyone is a member of the Home Theater Forum and knows how to contact him, then by all means do, and post it in the "contacts" thread. The more people that we can have leaning on Lucas, the better. Ideally, Criterion would do a breathtaking restoration full of awesome extras, LFL would get the money, and everyone would be happy. While I'm at it, I wish for a new car, a million dollars, a home theater system, and world peace.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Originally posted by: Mike O


Robert A. Harris wants to do this very much, so if anyone is a member of the Home Theater Forum and knows how to contact him, then by all means do, and post it in the "contacts" thread. The more people that we can have leaning on Lucas, the better. Ideally, Criterion would do a breathtaking restoration full of awesome extras, LFL would get the money, and everyone would be happy. While I'm at it ...


I think herein lies the problem for LFL. Once proper anamorphic widescreen OOT DVD's have been released and sold to fans around the world, there'll be no more money to be made off these OOT movies untill a new medium/format like HD-DVD or BlueRay has become main stream enough to start all over again.
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Yeah, I mean, where's the money in giving the fans what they want? If you satisfy them, they won't come back. If you keep releasing new versions that have some good things and some mistakes, then the next one having different good things and different mistakes, then the idiots will keep coming back. Ah. Don't you just love big business?

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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Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape
If you keep releasing new versions that have some good things and some mistakes, then the next one having different good things and different mistakes, then the idiots will keep coming back. Ah. Don't you just love big business?

That's it exactly.
I know people that will literally buy every single iteration of something there is, whether it is movies, music, whatever. They want everything there is so they can say they have "the complete set" or "all there is" of something. Don't think for a second that Lucas isn't business savvy enough to tap into those people. He’s the master where marketing is concerned. People often mention (rightly so) that he altered the science fiction genre by showing people a "used universe" where things are old, dirty, occasionally troublesome, etc. Well, he also revolutionized the marketing of a film. Tie-ins with fast food restaurants, snack companies, soft drinks, special editions, special packaging of the same editions, and on and on.

Even going as far as creating characters solely because of the marketing tie-in potential, Ewoks and Darth Maul for example. He’s created a situation where the film is just part of the marketing campaign, a two hour advertisement for the toys. It doesn’t have to be great, it only has to be good enough. In his world, it appears that merchandising is first and foremost in importance, the film technology is second, and the actual story seems to be a very distant third. Acting ability doesn't even show up on the radar - that can be altered accordingly, post-production.

My point with all of this is that maybe he really is testing the water like he says he is. Maybe he really is trying to see if there's money to be made with the original films. Better yet, he may have already decided there is and this is just the first of the official releases. The "Original unaltered film for a limited time only - better hurry and buy it". Soon to be followed by "The original unaltered film in all it's glory, getting the respect it deserves, restored and anamorphic, from a long lost copy of the original release". Finally, a few years from now - "The original unaltered film in all it's glory, getting the respect it deserves, restored and anamorphic, now with the original theatrical trailer and screen tests of the stars. Included in the special box set is an actual piece of the original crawl in a special presentation holder and with a certificate of authenticity"

Like I’ve said before, I already get to watch Star Wars the way I want to see it, so I’m not loosing sleep over any of his ridiculous comments or lies. However, if a better version were to be released, I’d get it.

But only once.


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