logo Sign In

DocLathropBrown

User Group
Members
Join date
27-Sep-2005
Last activity
22-Nov-2011
Posts
37

Post History

Post
#234533
Topic
Audience reaction to the reveal?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/234533/action/topic#234533
Time
Just curious, being of the wrong generation, I wanted to ask those of you who saw The Empire Strikes Back in the theaters back in 1980: what was audience reaction like for the Vader/Luke reveal?

I can only wonder what people would have said, done or felt back in the day before it became common knowledge.

Oh, if only I could go back and experience the trilogy on their respective opening days. I'm downloading the famous bootleg of Star Wars from 1977, Pre-ANH. Quality's supposed to be terrible, but I'm curious about audience reaction. That, to me, helps a theatrical film experience if it's a tentpole movie like a SW flick or Batman, Superman, etc...
Post
#207490
Topic
How "original" do you think it is going to be...? (the 2006 GOUT DVD release)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/207490/action/topic#207490
Time
Well, with all due respect, I don't work for Lucasfilm, so I don't see why my expression of personal preference should trouble you, because it seems like it is. You're correct, any correction keeps them from being the original versions, that's why they're being released unmolested. Although, I'd certainly accept a purely FX cleaned version as original, without any CG or new shots added.
Post
#207480
Topic
In defense of George Lucas!
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/207480/action/topic#207480
Time
Here here, Bomma. I'm shocked at a lot of the people here. As a writer, I know how Lucas claims to have felt. You look at the orange blob under the Landspeeder in Mos Eisley in ANH and I can totally understand why the idea of redoing effects would itch in the back of his mind for so many years until he just did it. I don't agree with all of his changes to the films, but I find a great majority of them to be fairly unobtrusive. But that was on the assumtpion that the original cuts wouldn't be "erased from existance", so to speak. And now that the original cuts are getting the preservation they deserve, I honestly don't mind anything else he does. For what it's worth, I enjoyed the prequel films as he wanted me to. Escapism and some nice backstory. I'm not as critical of them as everyone else because.... they're the stories he wanted to tell. It not that he messed up when making them, maybe it's just that the stories he told with the prequels were always less than steller? The prequels don't hold a candle to the original trilogy, but honestly, would anything ever manage to do that?

Ever since I was six or so, I wanted to see that battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin that made him into Darth Vader. I'm a lot younger than all of you here, just barely 19 and a half.... and I didn't grow up on the SEs, I grew up primarily with the original cuts too. I was 10 during the SE re-releases and though I'd seen the films plenty of times, it was those theatrical experiences that MADE me a bona-fide fan. And some of you never thought the SEs could have a positive effect?

What am I trying to say? I don't really know. I've never hated Lucas for anything he's done. When you create something, you have the right to revise it as you see fit, as long as you play fair and have a contingency, ie: keep the original cuts alive for those who prefur them. I never understood why he would refuse to do such a thing. If it were me, I'd do as I've said here, but note that "the SEs are in continuity, the OOT isn't" and leave it at that. Now that he's doing right by the OOT diehards, give him a rest. Even if the new releases are shoddy, it's still a supreme victory; you got him to change his mind, you got the artist to look at the work that make him embarrassed again. It's the principal of the thing, this whole argument always has been.
Post
#207471
Topic
How "original" do you think it is going to be...? (the 2006 GOUT DVD release)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/207471/action/topic#207471
Time
Because as I said before, I'm an FX buff. I'm not saying don't release the original cuts, they need to be released for those who grew up with them and for preservation, as well. I was merely expressing what my ideal OT would be. Good FX work helps keep me "in" the film. When CG isn't obvious, I enjoy it. And the only CG from the SE that worked was the outer-space/vehicle footage, really. Ideally, I like model-work and digital compositing to make things as realistic looking and clean as possible. Matte lines have always irked me and drawn my eyes right to them, in effect. Having an eye for FX can really suck. I was very very pleased at the fine matte line removal from the Rancor scene in ROTJ, but I was appauled at the shoddy Lightsaber "restoration."

Besides, FX cleanup doesn't mean screw it up by adding new elements. I'm not talking about adding anything. Removing matte lines and making the snowspeeder cockpits solid doesn't hurt the film at all.
Post
#206848
Topic
How "original" do you think it is going to be...? (the 2006 GOUT DVD release)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/206848/action/topic#206848
Time
I personally don't think Lucas is going to do any cleaning or restoration. That's what the "Saga" versions of the OT are for. Think about it... he says the original versions no longer exist (He doesn't count them, he means), so why bother with them? The SE versions and anything post are redesinged to fit into the 6-film saga, thus, the "Saga" versions of the OT will be the ones to continually be tweaked. All we'll get is some general upkeep to wipe away some grime, and he'll slap it into production. Not a rush job, but not a full restoration.

Personally, the only thing I actually actively liked (I didn't *mind* the rest, but I certainly didn't see any of it as necessary) about the SOT (Saga Original Trilogy) was the FX cleanup, and the new CG ship material for the Battle of Yavin, as the original motion-control work, although great for it's time, is a lot more dull compared to the SOT Battle of Yavin. I loved seeing the matte lines around the Rancor completely gone; it was a real pleasure as an FX buff. But those stupid garbage mattes around the ships were atrocious!

So, I only think we're getting "Pristine," not "Cleaned up," because I take "Cleaned up" to mean effects improved also. But I would LIKE to have the FX improvement of the SOT w/ the new Yavin battle footage, though I accept it ain't happening.
Post
#183501
Topic
NON-Star Wars Fan Edit and Alternate DVD Covers SHOWCASE
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/183501/action/topic#183501
Time
Since I'm a fan of the 'minimalist' approach, here's my custom cover for Ghostbusters. 'Tis very big, to keep the quality (I put everything, legal text, logos, everything but barcode) so it works as a useable replacement cover for whichever edition you have. The screenshots on back are taken from the recent re-release with the (supposed) new transfer, but their quality doesn't seem to be all that great. Anyone who wants to use this can resize it, as I wasn't sure how to without losing the readability of the text on the back. Distribute freely, just give me credit.

BTW, I'd love to see someone give this the "3D" treatment, since I have no clue how to.

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/6132/gbdvdcopy7py.th.jpg Link is here.
Post
#151952
Topic
Weird Al's SW songs...?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/151952/action/topic#151952
Time
I was wondering if anyone aside from me ever thought that the video for "The Saga Begins" should be on an Episode I DVD? Likewise, that a live performance of Yankovic's "Yoda" (Since there's no video) should be on an Episode V DVD?

Lucas would never do it, I suspect. Although it's reported that when Al sent Lucas a copy of "The Saga Begins," Lucas loved it. I think it'd be interesting if something like these showed up as Easter Eggs on that someday-forthcoming six-film set. Personally, I feel that if Lucas was to show that kind of humility/sense of humor, I'd forgive him for Jar Jar.

Discuss...
Post
#150675
Topic
Idea: a Batman Forever re-edit?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/150675/action/topic#150675
Time

Watching the new SE DVD, I’ve compiled a list of edits that could be done. I would do this myself, but you know, a lack of the right equipment presents a problem. All of the deleted scenes are in rough form, but someone clever could try to clean it up a bit and re-dub new soud effects and music off the Forever score CD.

1. Tone down both Two Face and the Riddler (Wouldn’t be that hard, since 99% of it is over the top anyway, you just need to cut out the 1% of “MORE over the top” footage.)

2. re-insert the deleted scenes, change the order of the early scenes (As for the “Beauty and the Batman” scene which takes Batman into a gay hair salon by mistake, you can just cut the scene to end before the women start laughing at Batman) As the original order had the WB logo, cut to Two Face’s Arkham escape, opening credits, then Bruce @ Wayne Industries, then to stop Two Face at the bank.

3. Cut the slight amount of camp that exists, like Two Face/Riddler bickering about whose entrace was better, and the butt shots near the end.

That’s prettymuch all that would be needed, however one wouldn’t be able to use the scene where Batman takes off at the beginning (“I’ll get drive thru.”) because of the existing opening titles even into the appearance of Batman in the elevator (“BLAST HIM!”). Maybe someone could paint them out, and if that, go as far as to paint-out the nipples on the Bat and Robin suits.

This is just an idea. Anyone interested? I know Greencapt was thinking of doing a BF re-edit. Just watching the new DVD, I was inspired to discuss it.