ChainsawAsh said:
Wait - so even American Graffiti isn't the theatrical cut (CG opening shot aside)?!
The DVD version is the 1978 theatrical re-release which included four additional minutes that Lucas originally had in the 1973 version, but which were edited out by the studio for the original release in 1973. I can't recall every scene off the top of my head, but one of them is Harrison Ford singing when he and Cindy Williams are driving around.
*edit*
Also, the 1978\DVD version is stereo.
There's a scene with Toad and the used car salesman that wasn't in the theatrical/ studio cut. Just because someone financed the movie you directed doesn't mean they should alter it without your consent. Unless your name's Marquand and you are dead.
If you signed a contract saying they can alter it, they can alter it. That's all there is to it.
And it doesn't matter, anyway, as Lucas got to release his version 5 years later.
However, the 1973 cut should still be preserved for historical reasons. The fact that the 1973 cut of American Graffiti and the 1971 cut of THX 1138 have never been released on home video in any format is even worse than Star Wars' situation.
ChainsawAsh said:
However, the 1973 cut should still be preserved for historical reasons. The fact that the 1973 cut of American Graffiti and the 1971 cut of THX 1138 have never been released on home video in any format is even worse than Star Wars' situation.
I imagine the THX 1138 cause is much more lost than Star Wars. However, considering some of the skill on this very board, getting a high quality 1973 theatrical version of American Graffiti is probably fairly easy. Cut out the three 1978 scenes, edit back in the original title card, switch the sound to mono. I don't know the quality of the title card shot from the documentary, but it may be the same as the film.
The three scenes cut in 73, then added back in 78 are;
Toad and the used car salesman - "Say, that's a really beautiful car you have there."
Steve telling off one of his former teachers - "Why don't you go kiss a duck."
Falfa singing Some Enchanted Evening.
According to IMDB, the audio for the original film was 4-track Stereo, just remixed in Dolby for the re-release. (but I'm beginning to think this info is incorrect, I think Walter Murch have said that Apocalypse Now was the first film he worked on in Stereo)
In the original release, John Milner is listed as having been killed by a drunk driver in June of 1964 in the closing segment just before the final credits. When the movie was reedited in 1978, the date of his death was changed to December of 1964, most likely in anticipation of the release of its sequel, More American Graffiti.
The '78 cut should be easy to restore though with the help of Laserdisc footage, the documentary footage is not enough as it don't have the complete opening titles.
We want you to be aware that we have no plans—now or in the future—to restore the earlier versions.
Sincerely, Lynne Hale publicity@lucasfilm.com
The recent-ish Japanese "WOWOW" high-definition broadcast of RAIDERS retained the original "cliff shot". The transfer quality was excellent - much better than the previous HDTV version with the CGI-enhanced shot. I'm almost certain this'll share the same source as the eventual blu ray.
I hope so, but doubt it. Why would they bother to make the new cliff shot, only to show it on TV a couple times?
Because they can?
To use up the rest of the year's budget to put off a restoration of the OOT?
Who can tell?
As an Lucasfilm DVD/Blu expert, I know this:
-American Graffiti. (No big altertations, just the opening. The rest remains unaltered. I expect this will be the same thing come the Blu-Ray release)
-Clone Wars Theatrical Movie (No alterations of any kind)
-Star Wars OT (2004 Versions. Will possibly be the same for Blu-Ray. The OOT is already available on DVD officially, albeit the 1993 Laserdisc transfers. No word yet for the OOT on Blu, but George is not saying "no".)
-Star Wars PT (TPM DVD release is the DVD version, AOTC is Digital Theater version so will call that a draw, and ROTS just features a tiny change and nothing more)
-THX 1138 (2004 Director's Cut. No DVD/Blu-Ray release of the Theatrical Version)
-Indiana Jones Quadrilogy (Not a single change. Crystal Skull remains untouched. The first will most likely and obviously remain unaltered for Blu-Ray)
-Clone Wars Micro Series (no changes on DVD, just optical wipes chapter-to-chapter. Not a big deal)
-Droids and Ewoks (Re-edited "movie" versions. No season box sets yet.)
-Ewok Movies (Caravan just features the international title "Caravan Of Courage: An Ewok Adventure. Battle For Endor features a line alteration and a line subtraction near the end.)
-Howard The Duck (no changes)
-Clone Wars CGI TV Series (No changes. Season sets feature the episodes in original 2.39:1 widescreen. Season 1 features 7 episodes in Director's Cut versions which is cool.)
-'The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Re-edited versions)
ThiefCobbler4ever said:
As an Lucasfilm DVD/Blu expert, I know this:
-Ewok Movies (Caravan just features the international title "Caravan Of Courage: An Ewok Adventure. Battle For Endor features a line alteration and a line subtraction near the end.)
I don't have the DVD, but the Laserdisc of Battle For Endor has the closing credits play out over black. In the tv version I have, the credits play out over the final shot of the sky the spaceship flies off into.
Where were you in '77?
#1. I can plainly see the glass in the cobra/Indy scene on VHS on a modest TV. If you know what you're looking for, you can see it.
#2. Was anything changed in Temple of Doom or Last Crusade?
IT'S MY TRILOGY, AND I WANT IT NOW!
"[George Lucas] rebooted the franchise in 1997 without telling anyone." -skyjedi2005
"Yeah, well, George says a lot of things..." a young 1997 xhonzi on RASSM
"They're my movies." -George Lucas. 19 people won oscars for their work on Star Wars (1977) and George Lucas wasn't one of them.
Last Crusade just featured on line subtraction.
http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=4155
"...in the initial Theatrical Release of "The Last Crusade", Walter Donovan points to a Chest of Gold Items and says to the Sultan of Hatay "... donated by the finest Jewish families in Germany." In all subsequent releases of The Film, including this one (DVD), the word "Jewish" has been edited out of the dialogue."
I saw Crusade several times in the theater and don't remember the word Jewish in that line. After I read the above post, I played that portion of my Crusade audio rip and there is a noticeable gap in that line, where Jewish would fit.
Interesting.
I've read somewhere that the theatrical cut of Temple of Doom featured slightly more gore during the heart removal, and that this was later toned down a bit for home video release. So does that mean the theatrical version of temple of doom was never released on video?
(This may have been imdb crap I read though.)
You know of the rebellion against the Empire?
As gruesome as that controversial scene is, it's always been bloodless. I'm pretty sure it's unchanged as I saw an fairly old print a few years back.
Spielberg did tone the lava dip scene in post production, because he found it too gruesome watching the footage ILM created with a realistic puppet of the sacraficial victim writhing in agony. ILM added more flames in the foreground to obscure it.
There's a Last Crusade screening coming up near me. I may have to go and find out if that line of dialog is there.
Where were you in '77?
Erikstormtrooper said:
I've read somewhere that the theatrical cut of Temple of Doom featured slightly more gore during the heart removal, and that this was later toned down a bit for home video release. So does that mean the theatrical version of temple of doom was never released on video?
(This may have been imdb crap I read though.)
I know that this scene was censored in the UK, but I don't think it's ever been toned down in the US, including home video.
ChainsawAsh said:
Erikstormtrooper said:
I've read somewhere that the theatrical cut of Temple of Doom featured slightly more gore during the heart removal, and that this was later toned down a bit for home video release. So does that mean the theatrical version of temple of doom was never released on video?
(This may have been imdb crap I read though.)
I know that this scene was censored in the UK, but I don't think it's ever been toned down in the US, including home video.
That's how I remember it also - UK edited only.
The American DVD is the same as the 35mm prints, judging from the one I saw two years ago.
I never understood why families in Germany would donate money for Donovan to use to pay some Sultan. What was a childhood misconception turned out to be a Holocaust reference. Interesting.ThiefCobbler4ever said:
"...in the initial Theatrical Release of "The Last Crusade", Walter Donovan points to a Chest of Gold Items and says to the Sultan of Hatay "... donated by the finest Jewish families in Germany." In all subsequent releases of The Film, including this one (DVD), the word "Jewish" has been edited out of the dialogue."
Star Wars Revisited Wordpress
Star Wars Visual Comparisons WordPress
I've always known "donated" meant "stolen", but I don't remember the word "Jewish" being in there originally. I only saw it a few times when it first came out, so just because I don't remember it doesn't mean that it didn't happen. The memory cheats.