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I just can't watch Star Wars anymore....

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Growing up, I've seen all the films so many times that I literally have most of the scenes, musical cues and dialogue memorized. The original trilogy is no doubt brilliant and epic, but I can't seem to enjoy watching them any more. The less said about the prequels, the better. Up until about a year ago, I was as die-hard a geek as they come. I own all six films on DVD, have several copies of the OT on Laserdisc and VHS; and I have hundreds of the toys and merchandise. But now my passion for it is all but gone.

I hadn't seen a SW film for awhile due to loss of interest, but now, due to the hype of teh 30th anniversary, I'm trying to reinvent myself as a SW fan. Screw the prequels.
The best one is the original. I don't know about any fourth film called A NEW HOPE, I just know this fun little 70's movie called STAR WARS. Now TESB was just as good, if not better, and ROTJ was decent, but I really want to rediscover the original as a standalone film. I find it works better that way.

Sure all six films make an epic and sweeping saga, but if all six films make up one movie, then the first half sucks and comes off as a time-wasting PS2 game with bad-acting and even worse dialogue. It gets really good in the middle of the second half, but the final third almost goes back to quailty of the "first" three.
So now, I am just saying screw it to the franchise and going back to the film I fell in love with in the first place.

Now say what the hardcore geeks will about the non-anamorphic, poor quality of the last OOT DVD release. I love it. I've recently ripped my copy of the original STAR WARS from my 2006 DVD to my hardrive and have been rewatching it on my Windows Media Player. The quality isn't pristine, but it's still decent. It actually looks like a film from the 70's. Imagine that.
Star Wars was originally a fairly low-budget, low-key epic, that was made as a throwback to the serials of the 1930's and 40's. The grainy picture quality enhances that mood and gives it a B-movie feel.

Watching the brand new CGI enchanced quality of the 2004 films only reminds me that there are other SW films. So in the future, if I wish to re-evaluate and accept the saga as a whole, I will watch those versions. But for now, there is only an epic standalone B-movie called STAR WARS.

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I'll reply to this when I have more time, but you're not alone in your views. Search through my posts and you'll see.

You're amongst friends though - a great group of people here. Not only have they been accepting of my Star Wars 77 beliefs, they've put me on to some great stuff that still fits within, enhanced, (and in one case, surpassed) my Star Wars world. They know how grateful I am for it also.
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man....seven posts in and you're done?



i kid



I'll never stop watching Star Wars. I mean, I moderate myself so I don't get burned out (which goes for music and other movies too) but I'll always be up for a viewing in the right company of people (or like, a really nice TV)

But yeah, this is the right place to re-invent the way you watch Star Wars...especially if you're not a fan of the PT.

Hey look, a bear!

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I really enjoyed watching ESB '80 last night. Crappy transfer and all, I'll take the GOUT over the SE's anyday.
I am fluent in over six million forms of procrastination.
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Is anyone pissed off that they didn't mention anything about a "Grand Ultimate Saga Box Set" I know I am. I've been waiting since ROTS came out in 2005. The trilogy dvds were cool when they 1st came out, but the picture quality was horrible, and the outdated effects just makes me clinch. When is GL gonna realize that the reason the O-OT didn't do so hot on the market is because everyone was waiting for THE FREAKING BOX SET!!! Any thoughts about this please speak up so it doesn't feel like I'm the only one who cares.

 

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I was just watching part of ROTJ and when the Emperor walks out of his shuttle towards Darth Vader for a split second I was thinking "how did they meet and how did Vader turn to the dark side". It was a very very short split second and then ofcourse ROTS came into memory again. But it was such a happy moment, looking at the OOT and wondering about them without the prequels in mind.
Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.
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If you have the original versions, it's surprisingly very easy to simply enjoy them the way you might enjoy the other movies from that era without any baggage. (although the notion that the 06 dvds "look like a movie from the 70s" is just not true. The 70s was a time of fantastic, artful cinematography and the dvds don't reflect that at all)
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After the craptacular prequels, I admit it's gotten harder to love Star Wars like I once did. I still love the old trilogy in its old format, but that love has been tainted, I'm sorry to say.
I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

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My wife & i watched the entire GOUT trilogy over the weekend ~ gotta say, we had a great time in that galaxy far, far away.

Needless to say, we had no desire to watch the prequels afterwards, not a fricken midichlorian in sight!!

The original trilogy just WORKS ~ beautiful, fun movies with tons of pathos and humour, made with passion and an innate drive to tell the story.
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I would give this example to anyone, why even care about Lucas anymore, or what he says? Why care what the new PT fans think of the movies anymore? I used to get mad at Lucas taking jabs at the OOT fans, or the way the 'saga' is portrayed now, but what can you do?

I look at it this way, I think Tom Cruise has turned into the biggest jerk in the past few years as he is jumping on couches and spreading his Scientology BS in everyone's face, but if the guy puts out a good movie, I will see it and not really care about my annoyance towards Cruises antics. This also goes for many rock singers too. I love Bruce Springsteen, but I could care less about his politics. It's not whether I agree or disagree with him on all the issues, I just don't really care what his opinions are cause it wont change mine. But that will not prevent me from enjoying all his music i have loved for 30 years.

Guys, forget Lucas, forget what has happened in the past 10 years. I am still mad about the GOUT and the treatment of the OOT, but after there wasn't an announcement this weekend about the OOT being remastered at C4 I kinda gave up and just try to enjoy the movies I have now, and if they ever get remastered, I will be there the first day. And as for future SW stuff, I will take a pass.
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Do you mean we just need to accpet the PT and SE, or are you saying that the GOUT is bearable? Cause I cannot believe the apathy toward Lucas that is developing right now, and I can't just stop caring about what Lucas is doing to destroy the OOT (which is IMO equivalent to erasing the works of Homer from existence). We need to fan the flames against Lucas or get the damn x0 project off the ground so we can preserve the OOT.
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Sorry, I've been out of it for a while, but what does GOUT stand for?
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Originally posted by: generalfrevious
Do you mean we just need to accpet the PT and SE, or are you saying that the GOUT is bearable? Cause I cannot believe the apathy toward Lucas that is developing right now, and I can't just stop caring about what Lucas is doing to destroy the OOT (which is IMO equivalent to erasing the works of Homer from existence). We need to fan the flames against Lucas or get the damn x0 project off the ground so we can preserve the OOT.


U r right we need to tell lucas to get off his lazy ass and give us our "30th Anniversary Box Set" NOW!!!

 

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"Cry me a river"...

I'd love to see a 30th anniversary box set with the ANH deleted scenes as much as the next guy, but do you think Lucas honestly owes us something? Like Lucas is inclined to get off his ass just because you want him to? Get real and face reality. How old are you? I mean, how old r u? Think constructively. We've got a petition here, why not get out the word and let him know how badly we want this release, without taking the approach that he should just give it to us because he's a lazy ass, which he certainly isn't. You try producing 3 two+ hour movies and come back and tell me how just lounges around on your ass all day.

Originally posted by: DGC General X
Originally posted by: generalfrevious
Do you mean we just need to accpet the PT and SE, or are you saying that the GOUT is bearable? Cause I cannot believe the apathy toward Lucas that is developing right now, and I can't just stop caring about what Lucas is doing to destroy the OOT (which is IMO equivalent to erasing the works of Homer from existence). We need to fan the flames against Lucas or get the damn x0 project off the ground so we can preserve the OOT.


U r right we need to tell lucas to get off his lazy ass and give us our "30th Anniversary Box Set" NOW!!!


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Originally posted by: sunday256
"Cry me a river"...

I'd love to see a 30th anniversary box set with the ANH deleted scenes as much as the next guy, but do you think Lucas honestly owes us something? Like Lucas is inclined to get off his ass just because you want him to? Get real and face reality. How old are you? I mean, how old r u? Think constructively. We've got a petition here, why not get out the word and let him know how badly we want this release, without taking the approach that he should just give it to us because he's a lazy ass, which he certainly isn't. You try producing 3 two+ hour movies and come back and tell me how just lounges around on your ass all day.

]



Hey Sunday, have you seen the upcoming Bladerunner boxset due out in September. It is loaded with documentaries, deleted scenes, and has 5 versions of the film to chose from, cause Ridley Scott isn't afraid if someone doesn't like 'his' personal version.

Did you see the Superman Boxset that came out last November? 14 disks, all the movies remastered, the Donnor Cut, loads of Documentaries, the Original Superman:The Movie version also in the boxset. If you ANY type of Superman fan, there is something in there for you to love.

Have you checked Lord of the Rings Boxsets, Alien Quadrilogy Boxsets? All of these have BOTH versions, and are loaded with documentaries, deleted scenes, and I don't hear one fan of these movies complain cause it covers every demographic.

I don't know about Lucas getting off his ass comment, but for you to keep chiding people cause they're frustrated with the way SW has been released on DVD, I think you need to understand what is out there on the DVD market for movie series comparable to SW, and then look at what Lucasfilm has put out.
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I'm not frustrated that I don't have a new Star Wars 30th anniversary collector's set. And I'm certainly not frustrated that I don't have the deleted scenes. Why? Because I've got a life. The only box set I own that you mentioned is the Lord of the Rings. Does it smack the hell out of any of the SW box sets? Sure it does. But you don't see me here complaining about it to the choir over and over. I signed the petition on the main page so that we might see the unaltered trilogy as it was...restored..widescreen in all it's cleaned up glory.

We've not gotten it so far, but at least we've gotten close. We can keep trying, or we can keep complaining. The complaining is the only thing around here getting old as far as I'm concerned.

I see where you're going with your statement, but there's a much more constructive way of achieving the goal than the way people are going about it.
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Originally posted by: Luke_Skywalker77
Sorry, I've been out of it for a while, but what does GOUT stand for?

George's Original Unaltered Trilogy (september 2006 bonus discs).

Acronym Buster.
Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.
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I don't usually post at this site, but some of you will know me from ORS and, occaisionally, TF.N.

I couldn't agree more with the original poster on this thread. When I first saw Star Wars in 1977 as a kid, it was my life. When ESB came out, I loved it too, maybe even more than the original. However, I didn't care for RotJ, even when it came out. But I loved the other two so much, I tried to convince myself it was ok. When the prequels came out, I tried to do the same; however, I thought TPM and Clones were so weak, I couldn't pull it off. As for Revenge of the Sith, I briefly convinced myself I liked it, but on further reflection realized it was more of the same. About 2 years ago, I finally realized that all of my rationalization of the other five films just came from my love of the original; still the greatest action adventure film of all time for me. ESB itself, even with its technical superiority and better direction, was where the "saga" began to fall apart--making Vader Luke's father was a great pay-off moment, but the death knell for the "saga" to me. I liked the Galactic Civil War story of Star Wars, not the family drama of redeeming a man as evil as Hitler of the Saga. I don't really care where Vader came from and don't want to see him "redeemed". The original film had it all, and it had its own beginning, middle and end; no need for the rest. And I refuse to call that film anything but its real name: Star Wars; the rest is revisionist history.
The movie from 1977 was called Star Wars, not Episode IV, not A New Hope, not Star Wars Episode IV: a New Hope, just plane Star Wars
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Originally posted by: Luke_Skywalker77
Sorry, I've been out of it for a while, but what does GOUT stand for?

Originally posted by: Scruffy
OUT is Original Unaltered Trilogy, a new marketing term used to describe the 2006 DVD release of the Star Wars Trilogy. Since it's not the original unaltered trilogy, using that acronym represents a sort of intellectual buy-in to a lie. Prefixing it with the G acknowledges this and places the blame for the dissonance where it rightly lies.


However, in practice you must take into account the “fuckwit factor”. Just talk to Darth Mallwalker…
-Moth3r

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Originally posted by: ADigitalMan
I really enjoyed watching ESB '80 last night. Crappy transfer and all, I'll take the GOUT over the SE's anyday.
There are days when even ESB is apocrypha to me.

If there was never anything but just that first movie, "Star Wars"... I'd still be happy. Perhaps happier, even.

--SKot


P.S. - Actually, I'll take the Holiday Special too... as craptacular as it was, it was still pre-sequel and still had some of that original Star Wars magic.

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 don't have as many problems with remembering the prequels while watching the originals as I thought I would, because I've only seen ROTS once (in the theatre). I own the DVD, and I've tried to watch it 4 different times, and every time I've fallen asleep about 20 minutes in.

I'm starting to get more and more "Star Wars '77 Only" as time goes by. I still really enjoy ESB, and certain parts of ROTJ (pretty much all of the Luke/Vader/Emperor scenes, especially the final lightsaber duel....also Leia's scenes in Jabba's Palace, only for completely different reasons.). Since I saw ROTJ first, it was hard for me to watch the original without the sequels in mind, but I'm slowly getting to the point where it's the only one that I really care to watch repeatedly (it's also the only Star Wars movie on my iPod at the moment). The Radio Drama is great though!

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yeah you gotta love revisionist history pretty much all that empire of dreams, and legacy revealed are.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Originally posted by: Luke_Skywalker77
Sorry, I've been out of it for a while, but what does GOUT stand for?


Gout is a horrible pain middle aged to older people get in thier legs. My dad has it a lot. It's awful.....

It's also the abbriviation for GEORGE"S ORIGINAL UNALTERED TRILOGY. Spells Gout. Kind of reflects the release....a horrible, horrible pain.
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May I make a suggestion and instead of the RotS DVD, find a copy of Hyperspace (aka Gremloids).

Because of a small navigation mistake Lord Buckethead lands on earth instead of "in a galaxy far, far away". But he is still looking for the princess and the secret transmissions.