Mike O

Originally posted by: Patrick Russell
Look, this is nothing new at all.

Way back when, Lucas was adamant about the fact that the Star Wars movies would never be broadcast on television because they needed to be seen on the big screen to have the impact that they were supposed to have.

Then he broadcast Star Wars on... I think it may have been on ON-TV, the old pre-cable pay movie station. It was a big huge deal, they even broadcast the audio portion on the radio (which I taped, obviously) and as I recall it was supposed to be a one-shot deal. Then, of course, they ended up running the thing on network TV a couple years later with great pomp and fanfare, and thereafter Star Wars was in broadcast rotation on TV.

Lucas also was equally adamant, once upon a time, that the Star Wars movies would never be released on home video. Again... not the way he thought people ought to be watching them.

But of course, we all know that he didn't hold out forever on that one either.

How long did Lucas insist that he didn't want the original edits out on DVD? I mean, he was *thump!* serious about it this time. No original edit DVDs. Only the Endlessly-F***ed-With Editions were to be released, as they were his true vision du jour.

Now, suddenly, they're releasing what amounts to the bootleg DVDs of the O-OT as incentive to shift 10,000 or so more units of their 2004 EFWE DVDs, and they're now saying that they will never release the O-OT again, especially in any kind of DVD format that's at all useful to those of us with modern widescreen TVs.

Y'all know as well as I do... they'll eventually release the O-OT in the same crisp, anamorphic widescreen format in which we see the O-OT clips in the Empire Of Dreams documentary.

The trick, of course, is to not pony up for the jocky-ass versions of the O-OT that they're putting out in September. Why would any of us want to shell out money for something that's been available VERY inexpensively on Ebay for years?

I'm not sticking pins in the arse of a George Lucas voodoo doll or anything, mind you... I just think he's been incredibly lame to a lot of his fanbase for quite awhile now (I think it really started after the "Greedo shoots first" debacle back in '97, but certainly after the tepid fan reception that TPM so rightly got.) This current nonsense about the O-OT, though, is just beyond the pale. O-OT footage can be presented in anamorphic widescreen in a DVD documentary, but the full films end up being released like Chinese bootlegs. I know that we'll eventually get the O-OT in anamorphic widescreen with good sound and picture, despite LFL claims to the contrary, but at the moment I have no trouble at all seeing why so many people are pissed at Lucas over this.

Originally posted by: Invader Jenny
This movie has made so much money, but I don't understand what the big draw is. I mean, was there really that much anticipation to see this film, or were people going to the theater because they didn't really have anything else to do (and other than SR there wasn't anything worth while playing in the theater)?

I mean, I saw the first movie but I wasn't all that impressed. I was at a sleep over with a friend 2 years ago when I saw it, but there you go. And this movie just seems to be raking in the fans but again...I must just not be into pirate movies or Johnny Depp. Same thing with Lord of the Rings. I saw the movies in the theater but that was it. I don't own the DVDs nor do I really care about Orlando Bloom.

Pirates and Wizards. Whatever.

think Mike O has the right approach with his Helm's Deep analogy.

That was a joke . And thanks very much. Call me Mike. I change my name, but it doesn't appear that the software would allow such a thing.



Do you want a flame war .?

Why do you keep posting your pity party on each thread? You wanna give up, fine, but I for one am willing to wait Lucas out. I'm 23 and healthy. He's 62 and fat. Once he's dead, we'll get our DVDs. Just wait.

I agree; a Potter film by Terry Gilliam would rock. JK Rowling even recommended him to direct the first film, but Warner Brothers didn't have the balls to let Gilliam do it, they wanted a "family friendly" film, so they went with Columbus instead. I can only hope that they'll consider him for either "Half Blood Prince" or #7.

I like Bladerunner, but I never liked it enough to pay $40 bucks for four different versions.

True, but you do have the choice.

To be fair, The Abyss and Brazil are both non-anamorphic LD transfers, like what we're getting with the new SW discs. Brazil will, however, be released in September with a new transfer. Fox has yet to get off their asses and put out a better edition of the Abyss though. They've been peddling and rereleasing the same non-anamorphic disc for the past few years. The only edition of Blade Runner available on DVD is the director's cut in a lousy LD transfer. This should be rectified next year though.

Originally posted by: Mielr

I don't know about that..... I see this upcoming DVD release as a sign that Lucas is beginning to soften a bit. I really do think he's testing the waters, to see if those of us who've been screaming for the OOT, are willing to put our money where our mouths are. It could be that he's so insulated, that he really doesn't think that there are that many of us who actually want the OT, and thinks that most Star Wars fans feel the same way about the SE that he does.

If these DVDs sell big-time, I think it will be an eye-opener for him. He may decide to give the OOT a hi-def release in the future. Normally, I wouldn't be this optimistic- but the fact that the OOT is coming out on DVD at all is a BIG shocker for me- I never thought I'd see it happen, especially with the disdain that GL has shown for them.

Originally posted by: Knightmessenger
If they were sold in a box set and anamorphic, they would be flying off the shelves. I think they will still sell like crazy because although they "won't be much better than what we have," there's many more people who don't have them at all.

The marketing that his company has done for the SE release has been nothing short of misrepresentation, if not outright lying. Anyone who goes into Best Buy to buy the currently available DVDs will find no indication that the DVDs are anything but the original versions. They are simply labeled as STAR WARS TRILOGY.

Originally posted by: ADigitalMan
There is no set date when Book Seven is coming out, as it hasn't been finished yet. They'll set a date only after it goes to the publisher and gets edited.

7/7/07 was a WAY cool notion for releasing Book 7, but I don't think it'll ultimately happen. Movie 5 has officially been slated for 7/13/07 and I don't see JK pitting her products against each other like that.

I hope that it'll work out so they can film Book 6 and 7 back to back and get the release dates closer to each other.

I actually suggested having Jay be the leader of this a while back, but somebody said that Jay might not approve of buying the DVDs in the first place. I'd still really like to hear what Jay thinks about this sendback idea, though. The purpose of this site now could be to organize a mass-sendback movement, instead of the petition site that it once was.

We need to do something. This upcoming situation has escalated the battle to save the OOT. I think that a new petition is in order, but the send-back program is interesting as well. And even if Jay does not buy the September release, many will. Its just that everyone here is so passionate, that I only hope that we can do something. By the way, Mielr, thanks very much. You've been very welcoming to me.


About the idea of sending the SE discs back to Lucas, I don't mean to sound like a pessimistic curmudgeon, but how effective do you think this would really be? A huge number of people would have to get behind this, and Lucas has already demonstrated that he will do what he wants with little regard for his original fans. It's a very dramatic and poignant gesture, but by the time you send the discs back, he's already got your money.

Originally posted by: Tiptup
The disk return should get a degree of official focus on this website if possible.

Originally posted by: Mielr



Let us hope that you are correct. This waiting game is agonizing though.

I can't wait till the home theater and entertainment mags start doing their reviews of the DVDs- they're going to rip him a new one!

I am.

Originally posted by: darkhelmet
Thanks for the kick in the butt, Mielr. I emailed Jim Ward a while back about the non-anamorphic thing but haven't made multiple attempts until tonight. All we can do is make our voices heard, now with correspondence or later by withholding our money. Like a lot of us fans are, I'm pretty burned out on worrying about what Lucas will or won't do, so my email was pretty much just polite brass tacks. I can't get that emotionally involved any more.

We should probably keep up the contact. Here's what I wrote to Lynne Hayle, Jim Ward, Fox Studios and the others that Mielr provided the addresses for:

"Dear Lucasfilm and Fox Studios,

Please, reconsider the plans for the upcoming September DVD release of the original theatrical versions of the Star Wars Trilogy, three of the most popular and beloved movies in film history.

It would be wonderful if they could be enjoyed in the industry-standard anamorphic format that maximizes the presentation regardless of the final screen on which the DVDs are displayed.

Sincerely,
Michael Banks,
Star Wars Fan"

Nothing flowery; just facts and disappointment.



Are either of you sending back the SE discs to Lucas/ It will be interesting to see how many people do and what effect it has.



Film deteriorates even in ideal storage conditions. If he hasn't made an effort to make preservation copies of all of the OOT material, we're screwed.

Originally posted by: Mielr
I don't even care if they ever release the OOT with 5.1 sound- I'm perfectly happy with the 2.0 sound from the laserdiscs.

I think we are all pretty reasonable and undemanding, which makes me even more angry at GL. We really have asked for so little- just give us a new anamorphic transfer of the OOT, George. Nuthin' fancy.

Originally posted by: The Bizzle
lynne.hale@lucasfilm.com

This is the response I just sent back to her:

Subject: Hey Lynne. Read your email response.

And that part where you say “we could not put the extraordinary time and resources into this project as we did with the Special Editions?”

The extraordinary time and resources bit is a crock. You guys rushed Lowry for the 2004 editions, and no one's even asking for THAT level of dedication here, really. We just want new transfers. It can be done, and we know it can, we know the film elements DO EXIST, and that this transfer CAN be finished. No one’s talking pristine cleanup, dirt removal. Just a new master, not the old 93 laserdisc master. Which, by the way, made your publicity dept look a little foolish, since Jim Ward said Lucasfilm looked deep in the vaults for elements. How deep you gotta go to dig up the LD master?

If you simply JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THIS then say so, but don't hide behind some set of false mitigating circumstances designed to shift blame from this shoddy business decision. It costs money to make money, you've got 12 billion in merchandise sales over the past 30 years, you can cough up the relatively low price for someone along the lines of Robert Harris to go in and, using the film elements that ARE more than likely available, give the Star Wars movies some semblance of justice.

Dont' say you can't. Because that rings utterly, hollowly false.

If you're going to spend all that marketing money making these original versions the crown jewel of your campaign to get these discs out the door, you can spend a little bit more to polish that jewel instead of trying to shove a Crackerjack ring in a black velvet jewelry box and telling me how much fun I'm having for getting it. Because the focus of your marketing isn't "You can buy them separately for the first time ever." it's "BUY THE ORIGINALS FINALLY." So something seems a little incongruous that you're willing to spend on the advertising but not the picture itself.

It's well within your means and well within street date. License it out if you have to. If you can license out the right to make Jar Jar lollipops where 7 year olds suck on his tongue, you can license out the originals to a company like Criterion to do justice to the films where you won’t. You’ll still get the money and then some, without actually putting ANY of the cost in that way.

The options are sitting there, BEGGING for you to take one of them. And instead, you pick the worst possible option and then try to market it down our throats as a fun gift and the center of your campaign. That’s beyond dishonest.

Your company is better than this. Prove it. Please.


Yeah, time to send responses back to lynne.hale@lucasfilm.com. That is if we have any fight left. I see a lot of dejected "dammits' going around and fans seriously think it's not worth it. But man--if they're not going to even TRY, then they need to license this out to a company that will. they'll still profit, they'll still get their money. They won't have to put the effort in like they apparently can't be assed to do. Someone else can, and someone else will. You think Criterion is gonna turn this down? You got Robert Harris volunteering. They wanna do it--LET EM.

There's still time.

Originally posted by: 20th Century Mark
I think that Lucas knows that so many people don't like the changes he made, so he can't admit he is wrong. In his opinion, he improved the movies and he knows now that people prefere the OOT. His ego can't handle it. I think this release is an atempt to shut some people up. And unfortunatly, it might work.

surely the new DVD's only need to outsell the 2005 repackaging rather than the original 2004 to send out a clear message as to which version of the movies the public wants

You would think.

although I'm sure if they do make record sails George will say it's all due to the fact they're being offered individually for the very first time.

Originally posted by: ADigitalMan
That's it in a nutshell. But his notion is dead wrong. Because his "perfectionism" has caused people to actually hate Star Wars when they didn't before. Immaculate CG does not tell a story. His ability to tell a story has diminished, and he's screwed up the ones that didn't need fixing in the first place. He's changing history because he can. He's mucking up his stories because he can. He's holding out on the very people who made him what he is because he can.

C-3PO or Han Solo would call it delusions of grandeur, but I have one word to describe his entire attitude: Megalomania.