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Spielberg comments on digital alterations to his films

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 (Edited)

Quint from http://www.aintitcool.com/node/49897 had a 50 minute interview with Steven Spielberg about Jaws etc. the whole interview isn't up yet but excerpts are below:

 

Quint: Is there a Jaws Blu-Ray in the works?

Steven Spielberg: Yes, there is. Yes, there is. I’ve already seen some of it. I don’t have a date yet, but there’s a Blu-Ray absolutely in the works.

Quint: I can’t wait, man. I love that the last DVD release actually had the original mono soundtrack on it as well. I wasn’t a fan of the remixed 5.1 sound… the splashing sounded canned…

Steven Spielberg: Oh, I know. I totally understand that. (In the future) there’s going to be no more digital enhancements or digital additions to anything based on any film I direct. I’m not going to do any corrections digitally to even wires that show.

If 1941 comes on Blu-Ray I’m not going to go back and take the wires out because the Blu-Ray will bring the wires out that are guiding the airplane down Hollywood Blvd. At this point right now I think letting movies exist in the era, with all the flaws and all of the flourishes, is a wonderful way to mark time and mark history.

Quint: I’m in total agreement with you. I wish you could talk George (Lucas) into doing the same thing!

Steven Spielberg: Well, I can’t!

Quint: (laughs) Yeah, I don’t think anybody can!

Steven Spielberg: George goes his own way and I respect him for it, but my new philosophy on this is to let sleeping dogs lie.

Quint: That’s great news for film lovers.

Steven Spielberg: When people ask me which E.T. they should look at, I always tell them to look at the original 1982 E.T. If you notice, when we did put out E.T. we put out two E.T.s. We put out the digitally enhanced version with the additional scenes and for no extra money, in the same package, we put out the original ‘82 version. I always tell people to go back to the ’82 version.

Quint: Having the option is the big deal for me. Using the Star Wars example, I don’t think there’d be an outcry if we could watch a nice transfer of the original versions. We’d be like, “George can do what he wants and I’ll watch it… but you know maybe the fans would like the option of watching the movie they fell in love with, too.”

Steven Spielberg: Yeah. And I think the other good thing is that they understand when they see a movie and they suddenly see something that obviously could have been done much better today and could have been corrected in the DVD/Blu-Ray transfer, they really appreciate seeing the strings attached.

If somebody put out George Pal’s War of the Worlds and took the strings off the machines I’d be very upset. When that machine crashes in downtown Hollywood, and you see the strings going from taut to slack, that’s the thing that allows me to both understand this movie is scaring the hell out of me and at the same time this movie is a creation of the human race.

That little taut-to-slack moment of those wires on that wingtip makes the original George Pal War of the Worlds work for me. It embraces my fears and it also alleviates them in the same breath.

 

It doesn't appear Raiders is going to revert back to the way it was (reflection etc) but that digital cliff will be gone. Current HD broadcasts don't have it so I'm happy enough with that.

I would never buy the eventual blu-rays if that cg cliff shot was included. It seems over the top but I draw the line at adding cg to a film as opposed to using cg to remove those guide rails that I never were there (but which totally should still be there).

As it is I'll be passing on the Indy blu-ray box set and wait to buy the films separately as to avoid Crystal Skulls. 

It also seems Spielberg has soured on the 20th Anniversary release of E.T proberly due to how poorly it was received. But it looks as if it will receive the Close Encounters treatment.

I've definitely soured on Spielberg and his output since Catch Me If You Can (loved that movie but have not liked anything of his since) so this candidness and back flipping is refreshing to me.

Can't wait for the full interview and Spielberg's response to "You need to quit beating up on Temple of Doom so much.” I love TOD. 

 

 

 

"Well here's a big bag of rock salt" - Patton Oswalt

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One word:  AWESOME!

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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What a swell guy that Spielberg.

Keep Circulating the Tapes.

END OF LINE

(It hasn’t happened yet)

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I wish he asked him about Crystal Skull and if nuking the fridge and aliens were George's ideas.

Some of my respect for Spielberg has been regained after reading this, but i can never forgive Indiana Jones IV.

If he could make a part V to make up for the bad part IV it might be interesting, but since Lucas would be involved would be another cgi piece pf garbage with star wars prequel-esque kiddie jokes.

 

What makes Spielberg a genius he said Aliens were a bad idea, he said the end of part 3 was the perfect ending for the series.

But for his friendship with George he made the movie, but not his way.  He wanted to shoot it old school with traditional effects, but no Lucas had to put his foot down and demand CGI cartoons to be added.

“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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 (Edited)

Nice! Really looking forward to Jaws on blu.

"The new philosophy..."  ;)

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

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IT'S A TARP!!!

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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George Lucas walks into his office and Spielberg, Coppola, and Cameron and many other fellow directors are sitting there waiting for him:

Lucas:  Hey guys, whats going on?

Spielberg:  Sit down George, we need to talk

Lucas:  What is this about?

Coppola:  George, this is what's called an intervention, and we think you've hit rock bottom

Lucas:  Are you kidding me????

Cameron:  George, enough of tampering with the films, we see there are more changes to the BlurRay release?

Lucas:  Well, I thought it was cool if Jar Jar was inserted into all scenes in A New Hope where R2 and C3PO are in, like a third sidekick

Spielberg:  George, you have a problem, and the first step is to admit it.

Lucas:  But....  I also thought it would be cool to insert a CGI Yoda in Empire and Jedi.  And I thought it would be cool to put QuiGon and Mace in the ghost scene in Jedi....

Coppola:   George, its over, you need help!

Lucas:  (Breaks down crying)  You guys are right, I do have a problem, someone help me!!!!!

(Mr. Lucas is admitted to CGI-anyomous rehab center with fellows addicts like McG and Michael Bay) 

Six weeks later the OOT is then announced to be fully restored and released in September :)

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 (Edited)

^ And the prequels are erased from history

 

 

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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BloodnoseThePirate said:

I less than three Steven Spielberg.

Er, what?

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TV's Frink said:

BloodnoseThePirate said:

I less than three Steven Spielberg.

Er, what?

*sigh*

I

<3

Speilberg

 

<3= love heart

also

<3= less than three

 

Simple. Sheesh!

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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FFS, you kids w/ yr txt spk.  Get off my lawn.

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STFU & GBTW!!!

 

LOL!

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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 (Edited)

I dislike much in ROTJ, the post-Raiders Indy films, the SEs and the PT but there are things in all of them that I do like and they are culturally significant.

If the original versions of the films were preserved and presented these sequels, prequels and alternate takes wouldn't be a problem.

Some people wouldn't be interested or not like them at all but to other people they would be interesting curios at least and to some people they would be their preferred versions or as continuations of the original hit their preferred episode in the film series.

It's the scrubbing of the original films from public view and exhibition which is the act of cultural vandalism not the altered versions and spin offs themselves.

CGI is a tool, if it's used correctly it can be a powerful means of getting otherwise impossible story elements onto the screen.

If used badly it can suck the life out of a film and shatter the illusion of being inside the story (as opposed to being inside a theatre or a living room) but the same is true of a terrible optical composite of a physical set, a matte painting (painted with paint) a physical model and live action.

In Temple Of Doom the whole last act is ruined by terrible special effects and none of them are CGI but as a cultural significant film I have no problem with anyone trying to fix the effects (even using CGI if it works) as long as the original version of the film is still available.

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Very well put, Bingo.  It's your clarity and groundedness that serves our corner of the fandom well.  Respected critics, directors, & authors have all said the same thing, ad nauseum, yet it continues to fall on deaf ears.   It's not the SEs - it's the lack of originals.  A very simple solution that will never be addressed because of an insanely self-involved man.

Good points on the CGI pre-hate by some folks, which I just can't understand.  CGI is the matte painting of the 21st century and can be a very effective resource in the right hands.

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Puggo - Jar Jar's Yoda said:

greenpenguino said:

I

<3

Speilberg

<3= love heart

Simple. Sheesh!

Geez I feel old.  There's no way I would have ever gotten that.

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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Go Spielberg!

Really, it's good that someone important is saying things like this. The fact he's Lucas's peer only makes it more poignant.

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Puggo - Jar Jar's Yoda said:

greenpenguino said:

I

<3

Speilberg

<3= love heart

Simple. Sheesh!

Geez I feel old.  There's no way I would have ever gotten that.

I'm only 20, and I couldn't figure it out.

"The other versions will disappear. Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won’t last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition], and you’ll be able to project it on a 20’ by 40’ screen with perfect quality. I think it’s the director’s prerogative, not the studio’s to go back and reinvent a movie." - George Lucas

<span> </span>

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Nor me.

I love Spielberg for this although it would sure be nice if he tried harder to persuade George to stop this SE madness.

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Anchorhead said:

Good points on the CGI pre-hate by some folks, which I just can't understand.  CGI is the matte painting of the 21st century and can be a very effective resource in the right hands.

as for CGI hate,  take a look at the CGI Yoda and compare it to puppet Yoda, also take a look CGI Jabba and compare it to Jabba in ROTJ.    Which looks more real?  CGI is just a fancy name for cartoon.  But it can used to good effect, if you limit its use to where no other special effect could do the scene justice and if it is in the right hands.  Unfortunately,  Lucas is not the right hands.   I rest my case. 

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I kissy lips speilberg??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe..

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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Warbler said:

Anchorhead said:

Good points on the CGI pre-hate by some folks, which I just can't understand.  CGI is the matte painting of the 21st century and can be a very effective resource in the right hands.

as for CGI hate,  take a look at the CGI Yoda and compare it to puppet Yoda,...

Lucas doesn't seem to know how to use it.  For whatever reason, the prequels, particularly the two I haven't seen (screencaps only), look completely fake.  They are truly cartoons.

The pre-hate I was referencing is how some people dismiss any use of CGI as a ruination of a film.  I don't agree with that.  I've seen plenty of CGI that added to a film and some instances where I probably didn't even realize there actually was CGI.

But then again, I was never distracted by matte work in Star Wars or Indiana Jones, so I'm not really the right guy to even comment on it.  I'm in the theater for the story, not the method.

 

 

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