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21-Sep-2004
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30-Mar-2015
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101

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Post
#94794
Topic
Info Wanted: Haven't been here in a while and just need an update of site events since
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/94794/action/topic#94794
Time

Although I knew of this site’s existence for quite a while, I discovered that it’s focus had changed to one of preservation once the official DVDs were announced and became a regluar visitor to these forums last summer. Then, sometime in October my dad was diagnosed with cancer and I ceased having the time to visit for the last five months. Now my dad has come through surgery and is doing quite well, but now I feel kind of lost and out of date when looking at the threads. Can someone update me as to what has transpired in the time since October? Are any of the newer transfers based on the “Faces” set (like Zion or MeBeJedi’s) finished yet? Are there any other new transfers finished or even unfinished that I should know about? Is TR47’s Definitive Collection letterboxed transfer still generally considered the best available? If anyone can update me on these basic questions to get me back up to speed, I’d really appreciate it because the sheer amount of threads and posts make catching up on 5 months of absence a very daunting task.

Thanks!

Post
#71731
Topic
Bowling for Coruscant
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/71731/action/topic#71731
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: ricarleite
I'm so glad to see that this insane idea of mine is actually taking shape on the hands of professional, competent people... who knows, maybe someday we could screen "Bowling for Coruscant" for George Lucas at the Skywalker Ranch - pretty much in the way as Hitler watched Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" while he was on France, ont once but twice...


That would be great. Speaking of Hitler, I actually think Stalin would make a better analogy, as Stalin had a predilection for revisionist history, he had an awful lot of people airbrushed out of pictures of the revolutionaries. Kinda reminds one of how Lucas is "airbrushing" things, and now even actors out of the trilogy.

Also this is as good a time as any to point out that I don't think it would be wise to use the title "Bowling For Coruscant" as I don't think it would be wise to associate ourselves and our film with Michael Moore in any way even in a playful way. Many, many people hate Michael Moore, and I think that basing the title off of the title of one of his shameless propaganda pieces could alienate a significant number of potential supporters. That, and Moore is just a total piece of shit and we shouldn't associate ourselves with him, he's a shameless propagandist with no credibility, why would we want to guilt ourselves by association to that? Anyway, there is plenty of time to come up with titles, that is the least of our problem, let's worry about getting this project off the ground first. We don't need a title until it is done, let's get it started!
Post
#71704
Topic
an idea...Star Wars Trilogy as a SUPERBIT release
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/71704/action/topic#71704
Time
Thanks for the link!!

EDIT--

I went to that site and there was an address to send suggestions/requests for titles for Criterion to release, so I thought I'd send an email on behalf of us. I haven't sent it yet, I thought I'd post it here first in case anyone here thinks I made too direct of a mention of bootlegs, although I tried very carefully not to reference them directly. If you think any part of this could be damaging tell me and I will re-word or excise that portion in question. Anyway, here is the email I wrote (but, I repeat, have not sent yet):

==========

Jon,
I, and many fans of the original Star Wars Trilogy want to be able to watch those films in their original form before George Lucas began altering them in 1997 with his "Special Editions" and now with the new 2004 DVD set.

I, and many other film enthusiasts (not just Star Wars fans) feel that the original cuts of those original three Star Wars movies are an important part of film history as well as being plain brilliant films. Unfortunately, George Lucas, who in the past, has spoken in favor of film preservation has indicated in recent interviews that he doesn't feel that the original cuts of these movies are worth preserving saying that "to him" those original cuts "no longer exist" and whatever new version he has currently come up with is the "real movie." I and many other Star Wars and film fans are very disturbed by this. Not only is a part of our childhood being suppressed and (the VHS and LaserDisc copies being) erased by time, but an important part of film history is being suppressed and erased. Numerous film experts have stated that apart from being great films, the (original) Star Wars films changed cinema and the way movies are made forever. And now Lucas is denying future generations seeing those movies in their original industry-changing forms.

George Lucas owns the rights to the Star Wars movies outright and, legally, can single-handedly determine their fate, so in this case the rights are in the hands of a single individual rather than a studio or corporation. I know it is a long shot, but I, and many other Star Wars fans, film enthusiasts and, really anyone against revisionist history would all be very appreciative if you could try to get the rights to release the original cuts of these three groundbreaking films on DVD (and hopefully on HD-DVD). If you want to see how passionate some are about this issue go to this website: http://www.originaltrilogy.com
The people there are all united in a common cause to preserve the original Star Wars Trilogy in it's original form. Some are making truly heroic efforts to preserve the trilogy. However, compared to an officially released DVD of the original cut of the original trilogy our efforts are quite inadequate as amazing as they are under the circumstances.

We know that there is little chance that Mr. Lucas will change his mind, but maybe he would listen to you, as you guys are authorities on film preservation. We would appreciate any effort you could put into talking to him about this issue. It would be criminal for these films to disappear in this age of digital preservation, especially when their creator has total control of them and is noted as a technological pioneer and film preservationist.

Lastly, I read the FAQ, so I know you can't keep us updated on your efforts if you undertake this quest to convince Lucas, so all I ask is that you confirm receipt of this message. Thank you very much, and good luck should you choose to accept this impossible mission.

===================

The dude that they direct you to email is named Jon in case anyone was wondering about that. And, of course, no insult was intended to those who have done beautiful work here on the bootlegs. I hope that is obvious. Please let me know what you think of this email. Did anyone else email them?
Post
#71700
Topic
OT.com appearing in GQ Magazine in September
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/71700/action/topic#71700
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Bossk
See, I don't think Chasing Amy was meant to be an all-out comedy. It's meant to show how KS learned from a relationship in which he acted like Ben Affleck does. Amy is more about the story than the comedy. KS didn't "forget" anything. He was trying to make a minor departure from what he had done before.

And it is a funny movie as well. I don't personally think that anything in Mallrats compares to the Comiccon nubian fight between Banky and Hooper. That is just classic Kevin Smith.

Clerks is a damn good movie, but Mallrats was piss poor by the standards established by Clerks and then followed by Chasing Amy and, even, Dogma. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Mallrats every once in a while, but it is the worst of the Jersey Quintilogy (is that a word?).


Sorry to come back to this topic which is really off-topic, but I haven't checked this thread in a while and just wanted to respond to Bossk here:

Bossk, I see your point, but if that is the case then the movie was mismarketed. It was sold to us as a comedy. And while he has the right to make a departure in style from his previous films, and has a right to say whatever he wants in his films, I found the film preachy, condescending, and pompous. I went to be entertained not to have politically correct homosexual propaganda shoved down my throat. I don't go to the movies to be preached to. I don't care about KS's little pet social engineering projects, I didn't go to watch propaganda, I went to be entertained. If I had known that the movie was going to be so preachy and would focus more on gays and lesbians than comedy I wouldn't have paid my hard-earned cash to see it. So I feel the advertising was a little deceptive as it depicted this mis-matched relationship as the backdrop for comedy where, really the comedy was the backdrop for the relationship story, which took on a socio-political tone that I found condescending. Hey, I don't care about gays and lesbians, they can do as they please, but it's really annoying to go to a movie to be entertained and wind up watching a 2 hour infomercial about them, which I had to pay to see.

And, where Clerks was clearly superior to Mallrats, I disagree that Chasing Amy or even Dogma was even in the same league (comedy wise) as Mallrats. I feel Mallrats was truer to the style and spirit of Clerks, which was a light-hearted albeit raunchy comedy about everyday minutae. Mallrats may not have had production values as high as Chasing Amy and Dogma, but I feel it was a purer comedy and truer to the Clerks style.

I incidently found Dogma kind of preachy as well. Keven Smith is waaaay too obvious and clumsy about putting dialog supporting his personal politics into his comedies. Perfect example in Dogma: the part where the main character thought that Jay and Silent Bob were "some kind of pro-life nutjobs" or however she said it, and Jay responds, "Hell no! We support a woman's right to choose!" WTF?!?! This is coming from this character who is a juvenile delinquent fuck-up drug dealing drunken idiot and is played that way for laughs. But then we have him standing up for some political cause?! KS just did that because people see Jay and Silent Bob as "cool" so if they express this opinion that that opinion will be "cool." That was the most ham-handed, clumsy and blatantly obvious attempt to inject ideology into a movie ever. I can't believe that more people didn't pick up on it. I find that kind of thing offensive because it is patronizing and uncalled for. Just stick to comedy, and if you're going to be political make it funny. That line wasn't funny it was stilted and was shoehorned in there. KS insults our intelligence when he tries shit like that. There were plenty of other things like that in Dogma (and Chasing Amy) but none of the other stuff came close to that instance in it's brazenness and clumsyness.

Don't get me wrong, Chasing Amy and Dogma had funny parts but they were the worst and second worst films in that series respectively. Clerks and Mallrats are the best of the series, because Mallrats stayed true to the spirit and style of Clerks. The Clerks animated series was good too, and I'd reccommend that to any fan of KS's films over CA and Dogma.
Post
#71697
Topic
Bowling for Coruscant
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/71697/action/topic#71697
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: ricarleite
Quote
Originally posted by: D0CT0R_W40
We definately have enough people that can get interviews done, but what about other footage? Basically anything we want to say needs footage to go with it.

Does anyone have any footage that we could fit in for voice-overs?


We need as much GL interviews as we can get. Hopefully we can have him contradicting himself.

We also need some interviews from crewmembers, need some footage from all Star Wars versions, and the usual stuff, such as the famous line outside the theater footage from 1977, images from posters, from ads, and so on...


For the purposes of this documentary, we only need be interested in GL contradicting himself if it is directly relavent to our cause, and even then, we shouldn't dwell on him, but the situation.

With all the making-of features and featurettes between the official DVDs and all the stuff that people like Rowman have put on DVD there should be plenty of footage of GL and crew interviews. The "Making of Star Wars as told by C-3PO and R2-D2" has footage of the Mann's Chinese Theater line, and so does "From Star Wars To Jedi" I think. That stuff won't be difficult to compile. We also need a complete list of changes to the SE's, and now the 2004 DVDs, and footage of the major changes but that won't be a problem. We just need to decide which changes we mention and which we focus on. But always the focus should not be that we don't like the changes but that we only want the original version preserved and available on DVD. We don't want to go off on rants bashing the changes, we should take the attitude (for the purposes of the doc) that we don't mind the changes, but we want to have the original as well. Ideally the viewer shouldn't be able to tell if we like the changes or not, just that we also want the original version to be available. And ripping on GL will NOT be a wise strategy to take, that will alienate not only GL but a large amount of potential supporters.

I think that stuff will be relatively easy, just time consuming to come up with a script for how we will edit it and what the narration will say (and the actual editing, of course). The hard part will be collecting usable footage of interviews of people in the present time. If anyone knows any film historians, film preservationists, or any other type of expert like that, please get them to sit for an interview (but don't film any hoax interviews, we need credibility). Also, if we do anything like interview common fans at conventions, we must stress to them that the footage won't be useable if they use profanity and/or go off on a diatribe against GL. The more professional this looks the better.
Post
#70915
Topic
Glitch With The DVDs?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/70915/action/topic#70915
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Mistystuffer
My set is the Region 1 Widescreen Version purchased from Best Buy a mere few moments after it opened on the release date. Not a bootleg. Although I think I understand the angle problem, it doesn't explain the quick blue-screen flash on "A New Hope".


Thanks Moll.

Misty, I don't know what to tell you. That sounds weird. Maybe your discs are defective?
Post
#70793
Topic
Bowling for Coruscant
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/70793/action/topic#70793
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Angsty
Hi all,

I'd also like to suggest that the focus of this project should be to highlight the preservation fo the original trilogy, and not a personal attack on Geroge, his power or whatever else.

Denigrating George Lucas is not a good strategy to take, we want to play the issue (preservation), not the man (George.)

What if we focus on our love of Star Wars over the last 25 years, why this movie has endured, what people have said about it, why it was so different technically - all these reactions to the movies give us a human view (baseline?) for the originals, thus enabling us to emotively highlight the feelings of betrayal and disappointment we feel with what has been released on DVD.

Focus on what has been "lost" with the changes - the music has changed, the addition of characters, the changes in dialogue that lessen the dramatic impact of the movie. Focus on the "lost" and emphasize the need to "preserve" original works of art


I agree with you here Angsty, but I see Doctor_W40 has yielded on this issue. I think he'll be happy in the end when we have our finished product.

Quote

(My personal disappointment with the Greedo-shoots-first revisions is that is lessens the value of Han's sacrifice when he helps save the Rebellion at the flim's ending. By no longer being an uncaring mercenary who can shoot in cold blood, then, it wasn't such a character leap for him to turn around and help the fight against the Empire).


I see what you're saying, and I agree with you, except I have to disagree with the use of the phrase "in cold blood." I maintain that Han shot Greedo in self defense even in the original cut when he shot before Greedo could get a shot off. So it wasn't in cold blood. Think about it, he's an experienced smuggler, wise in the ways of the criminal underworld. When Greedo said, "I've been looking forward to this for a long time," Han knew what was coming next. Only an idiot would wait for the other guy to shoot and not even attempt to beat him to the punch like Han did. Of course, Han was very casual about it. He wasn't exactly broken up about wasting Greedo (which is understandable being that Greedo was going to kill him). But the casual nature in which Han dealt with Greedo showed someone world-weary and practical who did what had to be done. His character was clearly the antithesis of Luke's idealism. There is where the leap occurs, from someone who is clearly not an idealist, to someone who is willing to side with the Rebellion who are fighting an idealistic war against insurmountable odds. But I don't think the phrase "in cold blood" ever entered anyone's mind in relation to Han and Greedo until Lucas suggested it in 1997. Han clearly just did what he had to do to survive. But, yes you are very right, that change diminished the depth of Han's character transformation. It also made Han look like an incredibly lucky guy, slow to the draw, who survived that encounter through dumb luck instead of guile, skill and speed as he did in the original version. And of course Greedo comes off looking the worst of all, instead of appearing like an arrogant, cocksure bounty hunter sure that he had his quarry cornered, but just wasn't fast enough to pull the trigger, he now appears to be the worst bounty hunter ever who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn at point black range.

Quote

In closing, while I am a total newbie with video editing/production, I have a G4 mac with 1GB of ram that I can volunteer to help with any of the production grunt work. Hey, we can set up our own version fo the SETI project - call it the JEDI project??

Ang


Well, you certainly might be able to put that computer to use. Does anyone here live near Angsty? Maybe someone who knows how to do video editing and has the software can use his comp for their workhorse....if that's cool with Ang, I don't mean to invite people over your house dude, lol! Anyway thanks for the volunteer to help.

Post
#69936
Topic
Bowling for Coruscant
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/69936/action/topic#69936
Time
Yes, me and Doctor_W40 are obviously pretty gung ho about this. We need others. There have been a few earlier in the thread, but we need MORE! MORE MORE!

I think it'd be a good idea for all of us to gather signatures on a printed version of the petition on this site at any and all conventions or other fan events we go to and to also get footage of us getting the signatures as well, and maybe intervew a few average fans/moviegoers that we get the sigs from.

I think it'd also be good just to raise awareness in general at conventions, especially Celebration III.
Post
#69826
Topic
Lucas listens to us...and ruins things further (Boba Fett)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/69826/action/topic#69826
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Kam
Quote
Originally posted by: ADigitalMan
Quote
Originally posted by: ricarleite
Any good person who isn't afraid to use a pistol would have the same reaction in the same situation. And they WOULDN'T wait for the other party to hit and hope they'd miss at point-blank range.


Unless they're democrats.

///


HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!! SOOOOO TRUE!!
Post
#69821
Topic
Bowling for Coruscant
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/69821/action/topic#69821
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: D0CT0R_W40
Hey, please don't take anything I say personally...I don't want to argue here. I appologize if you took my post as a bash or anything like that, I didn't mean it to come off in that way.


Don't worry, I didn't take anything personally. I apologize if my post came off agitated. I wasn't, I was just defending my position.

Quote

The idea here is to make a documentary...I'm trying to say from experience that "release the originals" isn't enough material to make a decent documentary. That will also make us sound like whiney star wars geeks.

A documentary that only asks for the OT will get the attention of other Star Wars fans...but in this article Lucas directly admits that he doesn't care what the fans think. If he's not changing his mind about the OT from the number of signatures on this petition, a documentary about it won't change his mind either. If we have something that gets the attention of other directors...maybe we'll have more luck. And if we can show that Lucas has taken too much credit, that will get the attention of the other directors.


I agree with you, we need to appeal to a wider audience than just Star Wars fans (although they will remain our core audience no matter what we do), and I think appealing to film preservationists is a good idea. However, I still don't think being overly critical of Lucas (especially to the extent of bringing up irrelevant topics like the Prequels) is going to win us any friends even among other directors. In the end, hundreds (if not thousands) of people work on every movie released and/or distributed by major studios, but it always comes down to people denoting ownership of it by the director (eg: "Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Oddessey"). So, I wouldn't concern myself with how much "credit" he's taken. I mean he's never said that he invented the motion control camera himself, he gave credit to Dykstra, he never claimed to have built any models, painted any matte paintings, fabricated any costumes, or even shot any effects footage. I think that we should bring up the fact that the hard work of these people won't be able to be seen anymore when much of it has been replaced by CGI, but I wouldn't get too focused on how much credit Lucas takes for the films as a whole.

Quote

I'm going to wait and see if anyone agrees with me before I discuss this any more...if no one else agrees with me, I'll just drop the "lucas took too much credit" aspect of it, and I'll help you guys do whatever you want to do.

So everyone who wants to take part in this, or anyone who's just browsing through, what do you think? Should we A) Do a documentary that only asks for the original trilogy; or B) Do a documentary that asks that same question, but also points out that Lucas may have taken too much credit. Everybody who's reading this please tell us what you think...and read what we've both been saying before you vote

I'll be happy to help out in any way I can, whichever way we decide to do this.

By the way, This was posted recently by Jay. Let's make sure we keep that in mind while we talk about this, it's started to get just a *little* heated, and that's the last thing we want.


So, yeah, anyway, I hope you didn't take anything I said personally either. I don't mean to be insulting so if you get that impression please give me the benefit of the doubt and ask me what I meant. I'll afford the same respect to you. It's natural that we are passionate about this. We both think our way is right and will get more results, but as long as we keep in mind that we have the same goal we should be able to get along quite affably.

Post
#69325
Topic
Info Wanted: Bonus Material not offered by the major bootleggers
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/69325/action/topic#69325
Time
Me three, Rowman, I also wouldn't mind owning that 5 Star set if it is cheap.

Also, one other question about your four disc set that TR47 is offering in his 7 disc set: one of the discs is identical to the 4th disc in TR47's 4 disc set, right? Otherwise there would be 8 discs. I'm I right on this or just very confused? I understood the 4th TR47 disc to be the Definitive Collection bonus material, and the other 3 discs in the 7 disc set to be additional bonus material. If I'm wrong about this I'd appreciate you clearing that up. Thanks.
Post
#69300
Topic
Info: The "Lost Cut" Of ANH
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/69300/action/topic#69300
Time
Other than Lucas, Gary Kurtz, and maybe a few other bigger names associated with the first film I don't think more than a handful of other people have EVER seen that cut and they only saw it in private exhibitions at LFL, Skywalker Ranch, and maybe at 20th Century Fox where the executives may have seen it. I believe that Lucas' friends such as Spielberg, Coppola, Scorsese, Milius, and maybe a couple more "film school brats" may have seen it back when it was made. The last person to be shown that print, however may have been someone who wrote an article about it for the SW Insider. I think he may actually have seen the film, but all that's been leaked from that cut are the few cut scenes released in documentary material about the trilogy such as the Definitive Collection extras, the new 4th DVD bonus disc, the Behind the Magic CD-ROM, and a few stills from SW Insider. Very few people have ever seen that edit, and if Lucas won't even release the original theatrical versions of the trilogy you can be sure he won't release that cut in it's entirety, or even significant portions of cut footage. I was surprised to see the Anchorhead scene on the Behind the Magic CD-ROM. Someone should put the cut scenes on that disc on a DVD.