Save Star Wars Dot Com — Page 22

Well, this is the letter I wrote:

Hello Steve Leggett,
 
My name is Michael Kaminski and I am writer from Toronto who specialises in cinema studies. I understand that this year 1980's Empire Strikes Back was added to the National Film Registry and I had a few simple questions I was hoping you could clarify for me about the print. Firstly, I was wodering which version of the film this print represents? As you may know, the film was re-released in 1997 in a heavily modified form. I was also wondering whether the print was donated by Fox, Lucasfilm or a third party, and whether said print was already existant or if it was newly printed for the occassion.
 
Thanks in advance for your reply,
 
Michael Kaminski

Also: request:

Does anyone know how to make a random quote generator thing? I would like to put one in the sidebar on the main page to cycle through five or six nice soundbytes by Lucas and others every time someone refreshes the page. I'm afraid this is way beyond my own abilities.

24 hours for a government reply? Wow. The US bureacracy is faster than I thought. The news is good too:

"

Michael:  In reference to the question, we always recognize and seek to ensure preservation of the original theatrical release version, per the legislation (which says the Registry version is "the version of a film first published")., though we might also try to obtain other versions as well. This would apply even in cases where we might prefer a different version (i.e. where a studio butchered a director's film before release).

Tho we recognize the original, we have no problem with the filmmaker going back and releasing a modified version (that is their right after all).  We would want to see all versions preserved well.

After the recent selection, we will in the near future request that Fox/Lucasfilm strike and send us a new 35mm print of the original 1980 release version.  We do that for all the studio titles, and the studios do cooperate.

Best, Steve Leggett"

I am shocked--by this bureaucrat's speed of reply and attunement to the issue.

"In the near future," huh?  Does that mean they already got saddled with a SE version, and thanks to your notice will go back to the well?  Or does it mean that a film is typically "added to the registry" before a suitable print is actually procured?

This is encouraging. It's great that the legislation specifies "the version as first published". An important distinction to all the people (and there are many) who consider the changes merely cosmetic and insignificant. (also, thanks for taking the time to write the guy, zombie)

I don't see how Mr. Leggett's reply can make anyone here happy.  His reply, while seeming encouraging one moment, is a letdown the next.  There is nothing keeping LFL or Fox from pawning off a 1997 or 2004 version to the LOC, and more importantly, there is most likely nobody at the LOC that can verify just exactly what version of the film comes into their possession.  I commend Mr. Leggett for his prompt reply, and it does indeed sound like he at least knows there are multiple versions, but I just don't see it happening.  I would LOVE to be proved wrong.  But really, who at the LOC can actually dig the thing up and verify it?  Even if someone did say it is the 1980 print, could they provide proof?  Or, would they just take LFL or Fox's word?  Would pictures of the cans or reels be enough?  Could someone examine the film itself and provide pictures?

Highly doubtful.  I want to believe, but at this stage, I simply cannot.

Here's some other bits which I had forgotten/missed when discussing the Library of Congress issue.  Mr. Leggett got back to me today as well, since when signing up for the press section, I had asked a little bit about the ESB issue.  He wrote back with a similar statement that zombie received, and after asking a few more questions here's the gist.

Should have realized this earlier (since I did it...) but when you register a copyrighted work with the Library of Congress, typically you submit two copies.  So since we are discussing a high profile films, all versions of SW most likely have two copies submitted, shortly before or after release.  (he mentioned that pre-print versions are on occasion submitted for movies, but mostly it's 35mm, and from the era of the OT sometimes films which were in theaters.)  Deposit information we should all be able to get using their online search system:

http://catalog.loc.gov/

(i'll try to track down the actual records tomorrow)  These deposit copies are records so that if a lawsuit does come about, the Library of Congress version can be used as reference, and they are available for on-site research purposes.

The National Film Registry is in some ways like a back-up for 'the best', at the time of inclusion they return to the creator or company and ask for a new print.

The clips online in the press room have no relation to the archived material, they were just whatever could be quickly gathered.  So the Yoda clip doesn't mean anything.

none said:

The clips online in the press room have no relation to the archived material, they were just whatever could be quickly gathered.  So the Yoda clip doesn't mean anything.

 Thanks for solidifying what I said about that, none.

Kenobius Prime said:

I don't see how Mr. Leggett's reply can make anyone here happy.  His reply, while seeming encouraging one moment, is a letdown the next.  There is nothing keeping LFL or Fox from pawning off a 1997 or 2004 version to the LOC, and more importantly, there is most likely nobody at the LOC that can verify just exactly what version of the film comes into their possession.  I commend Mr. Leggett for his prompt reply, and it does indeed sound like he at least knows there are multiple versions, but I just don't see it happening.  I would LOVE to be proved wrong.  But really, who at the LOC can actually dig the thing up and verify it?  Even if someone did say it is the 1980 print, could they provide proof?  Or, would they just take LFL or Fox's word?  Would pictures of the cans or reels be enough?  Could someone examine the film itself and provide pictures?

Highly doubtful.  I want to believe, but at this stage, I simply cannot.

 I think this level of deceit is unrealistic. If LFL is only going to loan out the SE, they will say so. There are no prints of the 2004 version, so it would be the 1997 SE. At this point, the Fox/Lucasfilm-Congress dialogue hasn't really started, so it's too early to say. But I suspect that if the U.S. government asks for a print of the original that they will comply. It might be worth asking them in six months what the result was, and they will either say they asked for an original print and got one, asked for an original print and got one only after some negotiation/persuasal, or asked for an original print and were denied but did receive the 1997 version. That they are aware of the original version and specifically seeking that version is a very encouraging sign. In fact, it seems that unless they get the original version, the film cannot be added to the registry, as the legislation states that it must be the first version published. Extra versions are a bonus, but the original version must be satisfied first.

Found this:

http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v3=35&ti=1,35&SEQ=20110105004750&Search_Arg=empire%20strikes%20back&Search_Code=GKEY^*&CNT=100&type=quick&PID=HbLCo4FxdNU3Mkmp67FMIpwjbmYLr&SID=1

No, since it was never released to the public.

Expanding on what Fang Zei started, here are the Library of Congress record pages for the Original Trilogy - Opening Day.  There's other info, so check the full link, but i've copied out the 'Acquisition Source' these are the archived 'Registry' versions.

1977 - Star Wars
http://lccn.loc.gov/96512247

Acquisition Source:    Received: 7/8/83; viewing copies (copy 1 and 2); purchase, purchase order no. 0124319; LC Purchase Collection.
Received: 11/88; viewing copy (copy 3); purchase; LC Purchase Collection.
Received: ca. 1983 or 1984; viewing copy; purchase; LC Purchase Collection.
Received: 3/28/78; ref print; copyright deposit--advanced selection; Copyright Collection.
Received: 6/19/79; ref print (FGD 5534-5539); copyright deposit--no agreement; Copyright Collection.

I haven't done an exhaustive search yet so this is just the first 'Star Wars' film version which i've stumbled upon.  As mentioned by LexX, the Library of Congress might not have the 'First Published' version of Star Wars the 70mm.  From this record the 'First Published' is 1978, possibly a 35mm print from the theater run.  Then another print from 79, and some of the laserdiscs and CED versions.  But before getting excited they have a large database, others need to poke around for records.

1980 - Empire Strikes Back
http://lccn.loc.gov/96512208

Acquisition Source:    Received: 11/1988; viewing copy; purchase; LC Purchase Collection.
Received: 10/9/1980; viewing print; copyright deposit--no agreement; Copyright Collection.

This 1980's version again probably submitted after the theater run, is 35mm and contains the additional scenes not found in the opening day 70mm version.  (see pg.333 of 'the making of ESB' book)  Mr. Leggett mentioned that although the film was selected to the Archives, they have not asked CBS/Fox/Lucasfilm yet for the new print.  We'll have to wait until the summer and ask about what they received.

1983 - Return of the Jedi
http://lccn.loc.gov/96501520

Acquisition Source:    Received: 11/7/91; viewing copy; purchase, purchase order no. 172525; LC Purchase Collection.
Received: 6/15/83; ref print; copyright deposit--no agreement; Copyright Collection.

A few months after release, again probably a theater copy.  Don't know enough about the last minute production to know if there might be changes from the 70mm for RotJ.  Was there a 70mm RotJ?

Here are the Special Edition Library of Congress records:

1997 - Star Wars A New Hope Special Edition
http://lccn.loc.gov/97510343

Acquisition Source:    Received: 4-1-1997; viewing print; copyright deposit--RNR; Copyright Collection.

1997 - Empire Strikes Back Special Edition
http://lccn.loc.gov/98502262

Acquisition Source:    Received: 3/17/97; ref print; copyright deposit--RNR; Copyright Collection.

1997 - Return of the Jedi Special Edition
http://lccn.loc.gov/2006642053

Acquisition Source:    Received: 5/23/1997; viewing print; copyright deposit--RNR; Copyright Collection.

Weird that ESB was submitted first.  But it was the least modified.

Here are the Prequel Trilogy Library of Congress Records:

1999 - The Phantom Menace
http://lccn.loc.gov/99468631

Acquisition Source: Received: 6/1/1999; viewing print ; copyright deposit--RNR; Copyright Collection.

2002 - Attack of the Clones
http://lccn.loc.gov/2002636427

Acquisition Source: Received: 6-14-2002; viewing print; copyright deposit--RNR; Copyright Collection.

2005 - Revenge of the Sith
http://lccn.loc.gov/2005644161

Acquisition Source: Received: 6/15/2005; viewing print; copyright deposit--RNR; Copyright Collection.

So for TPM and AotC, the variations between the film and digital opening day projections are not archived.

2008 - The Clone Wars
http://lccn.loc.gov/2008636030

Acquisition Source: Received: 2008-09-30; viewing print; copyright deposit; Copyright Collection.

Yeah the LoC archives moved to Y/M/D records.

*Edit*

Can't seem to locate the 2004 & 2006 DVD sets...  If you want to give it a shot: http://catalog.loc.gov/

None, I thought the TPM opening day digital projection (which only played in four theatres in the U.S., two in Jersey, two in Cali) was the exact same edit as the 35mm. Are you thinking of the pre-release version where Darth Maul's body doesn't split in half?