JadedSkywalker

No protection master of the restoration that was done in the 1990s was done for the original, so no there is no archival print to offer to LOC. What they have is the original copyright submission for each of the films.

I still can’t believe 20th Century Fox did not protect its investment by making sure a restored copy of the original was made. But we know one was not done, the negative cutter/editor was ready to order a new print and Lucas stopped him.

YAREL_RGP said:

JadedSkywalker said:

I think still having to argue with people over why the original should be on Blu-Ray and 4K and Han why Han shooting second is stupid, 20 years after we signed a petition to the get the original released just to get Lynn Hale’s spiel, kind of makes me think it’s a lost cause.

I have 4K77 and I’m reasonably happy with it.

It won’t be lost because the British Film Archive and Library of Congress have the original. Its just not available to the general public. Unless you have out of print DVD, VHS or laserdisc. Yeah none of those is theatrically accurate but whatever.

Does that mean that the original negatives are archived in a place where they are available for scanning at any time today? From what source do you get this information? It is really very interesting

Not negatives no, but LOC do have 35mm prints they have scanned and archived. I’m almost 100% certain BFI has done the same. But I don’t have some inside knowledge.

Lucasfilm has the negatives, and it is true that the O-neg is conformed to the 1997 edit. But they saved all the trims. What is lost is the original color reversal negative, all the wipes and dissolves. Anyone who says they can’t do a restoration is being foolish. It’s not about the money, it’s not about can it be done. It is all about George, he hates the original and does not want it restored.

Quite impossible I’m afraid. Al Williamson died in 2010. I have no idea who bought or holds the original art.

I wish you luck.

Probably the 20th Century Records vinyl of Star Wars. And the first issue RSO Empire Strikes Back.

I’ve heard various things over the years that either the Japanese or UK pressings were better but all I have is the US release.

If it has to be a release of the movies it is the 1995 THX Boxed set, with the making of trilogy on Laserdisc. Good picture for laserdisc, great audio. And I don’t mind the Japanese subtitles, though not having the Huttese dialog is a complaint. I do have the 1997 and 2000 sets but I haven’t watched them. Other than to sample the quality of the audio which was excellent. But George can keep Greedo shooting first.

I questioned the original vision narrative, if the 1997 special edition was supposed to be the original vision. Why was there a 2004 cut, and 2011 cut, and 2020 UHD after the Digital release all with more changes.

I didn’t even go into all the other untruths like Vader was always Luke’s father, Leia was always the sister. It was one big script. Those and the originals being available are separate issues. But linked in that Lucas likes to spin a yarn.

The biggest whopper of all is the original looks bad because it is a laserdisc.

Were Red Lightsabers supposed to denote evil? Because I swear in the EU red meant synthetic and the reason the Sith used them was because they didn’t have access to natural crystals.

Then in Disney SW they bleed Kyber Crystals.

And In George’s films he decided red is evil, and good is green or blue. And Mace is purple, because Sam Jackson asked for one.

Despite all the drama and everyone suing each other I finally did see the Icarus Maneuver short, and I thought it was fantastic.

I won’t get into all the Axanar Drama but it’s really a shame. A full hour long or 2 hour long feature like that would be the best thing to come out of Star Trek in years. I’m still not convinced if they did it for real Alec Peters should be Garth though i think an actor would be better, but he is just good enough for a 6 minute short film.

Robert Watts died. R.I.P. He seemed like such a nice man and so unsung on Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

Your story still sounds better than a Jacen Solo ripoff given the name of Luke Skywalker’s son Ben. Who also wore a Darth Revan style helmet. Whose Dark Side name came from Kybo Ren and the Droids cartoon.

And who had a bigger more dangerous lightsaber than Vader and a bigger death star called Starkiller base.

I mean you can’t make this stuff up.

He is right about Scorsese being right about Marvel but a broken clock is right twice a day. I have a deep respect for George Lucas as an artist, creator and mythologist. But he ruined his art with the prequel and forcing the special edition on people who liked the original is stupid. The prequels if dissected might have something to say in them about the downfall of a republic and the rise of fascism, they are mixed at best as films.

Also Francis does not make commercial films, or pop art the most commercial thing he ever made was the Godfather and he didn’t even want to make it and was forced do to it for financial reasons.

the Conversation and Apocalypse Now are absolutely brilliant.

The one thing I dislike about George which I won’t change my opinion on is promising final cut to Kersh on Empire and going back on his word with the Special Edition. Recutting Jedi when Marquand was dead and had no say.

He kept his word on Spielberg directed Raiders of the Lost Ark, there is no George Lucas redone cgi cut on DVD, Blu-Ray or 4K. He never took the picture away from Spielberg during production either. There is just something about Empire that makes George deeply unhappy from the way Kurtz produced it, going way over budget and schedule. To where he said in public, he thought it was the worst one and I actually believe he thinks that.

I also take him at his word when he says he doesn’t care what the fans want, and that he hated the Expanded Universe of Star Wars and let the marketing people do it because it was separate from his world. When he says we will never allow the original, I take that as gospel. That man is stubborn will never relent.

I think still having to argue with people over why the original should be on Blu-Ray and 4K and Han why Han shooting second is stupid, 20 years after we signed a petition to the get the original released just to get Lynn Hale’s spiel, kind of makes me think it’s a lost cause.

I have 4K77 and I’m reasonably happy with it.

It won’t be lost because the British Film Archive and Library of Congress have the original. Its just not available to the general public. Unless you have out of print DVD, VHS or laserdisc. Yeah none of those is theatrically accurate but whatever.

Should have been more plain, he comes off as a WWF 1980s wrestler.

I hate Global Warming, Days of 70 plus degree weather on October 31st and November 1st totally normal for it to feel like July.

No air conditioning in my livingroom or kitchen. On the second floor hotter than a hot tin roof in summer. Darn landlord has the heat on all the time. Sure, not in my apartment but the adjoining hallway so my place is like a sweat lodge even with the windows open.

Why can’t it be 40 degrees like it’s supposed to be.

For my birthday I bought The Japanese Blu-ray of my Neighbor Totoro, yes its used, and i paid like 20 more than I would for a new one at retail but its local and I don’t have to pay for import taxes and shipping. I’m also supporting a small business.

I also bought an extremely expensive 80 dollar laserdisc set with OBI of Aliens Japanese Special Collection. This person’s collectibles shop is just very high in prices even with a sale. But they did give me a couple of deals before in Star Trek and Star Wars discs. Probably only gets like half of what I paid after tax and shipping and ebay fees.40 bucks is nothing to write home about. But I will still grouse because of inflation.

All in all both items came to 50 or 60 more combined than i wanted to pay. Because i don’t want to best offer haggle and the free shipping and discount options are a joke.

Underworld Blood Wars DVD. I think this is Region 1 NTSC.

Triple feature of Ultraviolet, Serenity and Resident Evil 2 PAL used. This is UK DVD Region 2.

And also Indiana Jones trilogy and 4th disc bonus content. French PAL release. Lowry. Used. I don’t know if that has English audio I assume it does, but it was 7 dollars it was hard to pass up.

I mean of course they are DVD but to me 28 bucks for 7 films is pretty good in any format. Good DVD prices, even if some of the titles aren’t the best and that is putting it mildly. Their VHS prices were insane though no VHS is worth 20 dollars even if its sealed especially Temple of Doom or Last Crusade. I would have paid that for a sealed first issue Raiders though if even on the high side, but there are zillions of copies of the sequels. and so many reissues of Raiders through the 1980s the only one that is correct is the one that advertises a 1984 release for Temple of Doom.

Superman 4 The Quest for Peace. Worse than I remembered it being. Awful special effects, the guy who plays nuclear man is like carboard and ridiculous. Worst compositing I have ever seen on a feature film the transparency when they fly is laughable.

You go from portraying the Russians just as regular people even their cosmonauts are like our astronauts, then they become cartoon villains.

Owen and Anakin should have had a disagreement over him joining the clone wars and not staying to be a moisture farmer. Of course, in that event Anakin would have to be much older closer to Luke’s age in Star Wars. Little orphan Anni would be erased.

It just shows you how bad a liar Ben was, he lied about Yoda being his master and Darth Vader killing Anakin. He lied about Anakin’s motivation to become a Jedi, he said Anakin wanted Luke to have his lightsaber when he was old enough.

It is funny of course it’s just George making stuff up on the fly and retconning, never with a mind for what he wrote previously.

Was he all torn up about the death of his child if he gloats to Luke about him having a twin and wants to turn her to the darkside in Return of the Jedi. He let Luke fall from Cloud city and cut off his hand in Empire. Dad of the year material clearly. The prequel tries to make him sympathetic and fails.

The only time I liked him in the prequel was in Phantom Menace he was not whining or acting petulantly, he was kind and generous. He was heroic. The Hayden portrayal ruins him.

He never is shown as a good friend or good star pilot. Never a cunning warrior, there is no zeal to join the Clone Wars he never was even given a choice. He was taken as a child.

The Anakin not being smooth because he is an awkward young man who grew up around celibate monks, who expressly forbid attachment is on point though. As is the arrogance of the other Jedi projected on him because they believe he is the chosen one and he has taken that to heart. Much is expected of him, and he isn’t allowed to grow up normally.

I also believe that there is some merit to Hook and the score by John Williams, it is very good.

Then again I’m a Spielberg apologist who finds some good in Tintin, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. And can defend the film AI. But I still hate the War of the Worlds remake.

I mean I even liked the special editions of ET and Close Encounters as long as they didn’t replace the originals.

What I don’t like is Ready Player One. Passionless directing like he was asleep, and its workmanlike and semi competent.

It is a video game movie not based on a game, that is one long cgi videogame. and a bunch of references.

A little on the nose and out place in Star Wars but nice reference to hardware wars. The clothes Iron.

I don’t have a hard time with the dialog all that much in this I did think the Huggs thing was dumb.

And the comedy tone does not fit Star Wars like Finn leaking in a Bacta Suit?

The slow WW2 Bombers in space thing was really out of place in Star Wars though when you have bombers like those small fighters the size of X-wings Y- Wing bomber?

Luke is reluctant to train Rey because she could become the next failure like Kylo, and he is still upset with his pride destroying everything he built. Its not because he knows she is Palpatine, they made that up on the next film great way to write a series.

I haven’t seen the 4K cut of 2020 SE. I was doing a run through of the films on laserdisc I couldn’t be bothered to finish 1997 0r 2000 sets. I did watch a bit of the 2004 Empire Pal DVD but it’s not fresh in my mind. I did watch some of 97 35mm of Empire, scratches and some wobble a bit of dirt. Nice color though much nicer than anything on home video.

I think my favorite is probably somewhere between 70mm Empire premiere cut and 35mm 4k80. Harmy is good for a super clean modern edit of the original. An approximation.

The problem with mystery boxes is the fan theories are more interesting than what we end up with. Or you know they can suck like the Snoke theory about being Plagueis. I actually agree with Rian on that your snoke theory sucks.
I rather liked the idea of the lightsaber calling to Rey because she was Luke’s kid but that was just fan made theory.

Hearing JJ intended her to be a Kenobi sounds like crap I like Rey nobody over that.

Rey Palpatine self adopted Skywalker is meeting fans halfway but nobody was pleased.

Some fans liked Force Awakens and some liked Last Jedi, and but quite a few of both disliked Rise of Skywalker.

As for JJ i don’t think he any passion for Star Wars or Star Trek for that matter he is a guy they hire to direct these things who makes corporate product. I don’t think he made anything with genuine passion since maybe Super 8 or even the Bad Robot tv years before he was directing movies. JJ is not alone even Michael Bay makes passionless corporate assembly line junk like Transformers. Probably dozens of other directors I can’t think of off the top of my head have done the same for Marvel studios.

I think George had genuine passion for some aspects of the prequel and even Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it makes you wonder if fans are just beyond pleasing when it comes to these things. and that was before hate watching was a thing and people went to something, so they review bomb the hell out of it on Rotten Tomatoes. I’ve never done that but I’m kind of bored of the same film criticism anyways.

I think Last Jedi is mostly a good film and any problem I have with it is because of Mark Hamill saying he was Jake Skywalker, the anticipation of expecting a Luke like the Expanded Universe version, and Rise of Skywalker not sticking the landing. If Leia did not die in episode 9 I would not feel like Luke died in vain.

There are problems though the Casino side quest is stupid and could be completely cut. Luke should have trained Rey. Lukes’s fall and redemption should have been more clearly defined.

Rey being drawn to and in love with Kylo makes no sense though based on him killing Han in Force Awakens. I never understood Reylo.

Luke’s astral projection should have been his green lightsaber form. He lost his father’s lightsaber on cloud city.

And then Rise of Skywalker says the opposite by making Rey a Palpatine who chooses to name herself after the Jedi who defied Palpatine in Return of the Jedi Luke Skywalker. Palpatine by blood Skywalker by intent. Not Rey nobody. Rey somebody.

Poe was more like Wedge. He never was like Han until his backstory was changed in Rise of Skywalker.

I’d say Finn was more like Han, and Rey was the Luke analogue.

Disney Lucasfilm used familiar archetypes and motifs, if you hoped for subversion, you would be pretty disappointed.

Superweapon VII said:

JadedSkywalker said:

You want me to do homework, play every game, read every comic, and novel to understand your terrible movie, you failed.

Their goal is to make you consume product. From that perspective, they’ve succeeded.

You aren’t wrong I dropped like a hundred bucks on Force Awakens tickets. None on the other two films. Boycotted Last Jedi had a free ticket for Rise of Skywalker.

I bought a couple of books and I bought some 4K discs. But I’m not the audience they have people who drop hundreds per month on Disney SW. Comics, video games, toys, posters, shows, conventions. I have done none of those. I have probably given them a paltry few hundred dollars of my money at best on Lucasfilm products in 10 years. Most of that on 4K Blu-ray and comics. Most of it to Star Wars legends. Even there i just buy Omnibus books for titles I like.

On the quote unquote Disney canon I have the novelizations and Shadow of the Sith and that is it, and the comic adaptations of the story of and films that they made. Only Shadow of the Sith I paid full price for.

Few of them would I keep most of it is dumpster worthy. I guess I could put them in the goodwill bin but I would be giving away trash.

Marvelzing Star Wars and making it one canon was a total mistake its basically ruined the franchise, it really should be movies only matter.

I like that the Last Jedi novelization of the movie, and I like Shadow of the Sith. Only because they make Luke and Leia actual characters, the movie handled the original crew abominably. In fact I would probably love the sequel for the new characters had they any depth if Luke, Han and Leia were written with love.

Because I really like Rey, Finn, Poe and Rose. and in the prequel I really didn’t like anyone after Episode I The Phantom Menace.