Ugnaught

Sevb32 said:

Yeah this thread should be all negative, I hate this and I hate that. I want this person beaten and that one dead because my opinon is fact and rules over all. Nevermind many of us would never reach anywhere close to the levels of Burtt or Wood.

No, most of us will not reach their level, but why screw with the original sound mixes? Do you serious believe that the rebel fanfare mixed out of the Death Star attack sounds better than the original? A classic silver screen moment ruined by either  a mistake, apathy, stupidity, or all three? If the 2004 mix is the extant of Wood's ability, then I do seriously question his ability as a sound mixer.

I really don't have a problem with people who enjoy the PT. I think the problem is how Lucas treats the OT. Historical revisionism is a trait that I cannot abide in anything, let alone in a pop cultural phenom that is the original Star Wars trilogy.

I know a lot of people who are not a freakishly into Star Wars as myself (not a huge nerd like me) who hated the PT, yet who still like Star Wars. All the revisionism is tarnishing any respect for Lucas from the non fanboy public. There was a time when Star Wars was cool, everybody knew and talked about it. Even in the so called dark ages of the late 80's and early 90's, it was still relevant in all the kids I went to school with. We may not have talked about as much as when we were in grade school, but every time we mentioned films that we liked, the OT always was near the top. The new films never resonated with the public. The PT made a lot of money because they were fricking Star Wars, everybody had to see them, even though they disappointed the majority of the film going public.

There is nothing wrong with being popular. The Beatles are still remembered as being one of the greatest bands of all time. They were extremely popular in their time, as well as such artists like Louis Armstrong, or Frank Sinatra. Regardless if you like their music or not does not deny them of their influence on their contemperaires, or the musicans who followed.

I believe that in the future, the OT will be remembered as cinematic classics, not unlike The Wizard of Oz. Or how the great animated features of Walt Disney, such as Snow White and Fantasia, are remembered today. The PT will slide into obscurity, remembered only by a select few.

I'll give an example. Everybody knows of Mark Twain's masterpieces The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. How many people know of Tom Sawyer Abroad, or Tom Sawyer Detective? Both where written late in Twain's career, and both failed to live up to the originals. (On a personal note, i believe them to still be better than the craptastic quality of the PT.)

The Holiday Special at least holds a certain camp appeal. An Ed Wood version of Star Wars if you will. From Han Solo faking out the stormtrooper on Chewbacca's front porch, Art Carney wanting to eat some of Mala's famous Wookiee ookiees, Mark Hamill in terrible stage makeup to hide the ravages of his recent auto accident, Carrie singing to skinny ass, monk clothed Wookiees, to the grandpa Wookiee watching Star Wars porn on his virtual reality machine, this is pure 70's television cheese gold. In my humble opinion, it is a hell of a lot more entertaining then the PT could ever hope to be. 

Anchorhead said:

Ugnaught said:

(with all due respect to Anchorhead, who I believe used to post on theforce.net forums under a different name.)

 

This is the only Star Wars board I've ever been a member of.

Sorry Anchorhead, it is just that along time ago, there was a poster on TFN who only liked the original Star Wars like you. That was my only point, it is just interesting to see that several people who have the same tastes as you. I also believe that the universe became smaller with Empire, but I like the film to much to dismiss it.  I believe that the first two films are classics, while Jedi is problematic.

But Spielberg did at least release all three versions of Close Encounters on Blu Ray, and i suspect he will do the same with E.T. Lucas has all ready stated that he will not with the Star Wars "saga" release.

I believe that the success of Lucas is tied into the pop cultural phenomenon that was the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogy. He has gone back and tried to relive his glory days, instead of expanding and changing as an artist. While I did enjoy Indie 4, it is only a sequel that did not try to change the original movies that came before it. I enjoy it as a 1950's Indiana Jones Sci Fi flick, what I believe that Spielberg and Lucas were going for. Unlike the PT and SE, it has no effect to the established mythology. If you don't like it, don't watch it. The same cannot be said of Star Wars, since all we have are inferior versions of the great, forgotten originals. Micheal Jackson never made the original versions of Off The Wall, Thriller, or the Jackson 5 unavailable, even though he had moral and legal problems, he did not compromise his artistic credibility.

I don't mean to break the current topic conversation, but it is a relief to find a site like this on the internet. A site full of the original classic trilogy fans, (with all due respect to Anchorhead, who I believe used to post on theforce.net forums under a different name.) who have taken offense to the current state of the Star Wars universe.

I have been a fan of Star Wars since before I could remember. I grew up when the films were first released, my earliest memories where watching the original release of Empire, and the 1981 release of Star Wars. And having older brothers who saw the original 77 Wars when I was 1 years old, I basically grew up with complete knowledge of the film before I had cognitive memory.I used to listen to the album soundtrack, and had one of my older brothers read me the novelization, and played with the Kenner action figures. With the advent of home video, my father finally bought a Beta Max, and the first film we owned was Star Wars, which a watched till the tape wore down.

My point being is that I grew up with these films, and there was a time period when being a fan of Star Wars was not a niche, but a cultural landmark that was shared by all kids who I went to school with, And it is a shame that Lucasfilm has taken this away from the world by declaring that the abominations known as the SE's are the only true representation of these pieces of American film history. It is as if MGM decided to alter The Wizard of Oz, or Disney Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and declare the new and improved versions to be the true definitive versions of these cinematic classics.

I know of the argument that Lucas was the original creator, he owns the rights, and has every right to change what he feels like. This would ring true if the original versions are preserved properly, and made available to the world. To not do so is an affront to film historians, enthusiasts. and fans everywhere. It shows a true arrogance towards history that is befuddling as well as it is complete and utter bull@!#$. Lucas was once a visionary genius, I feel  no hatred towards the man, only sadness on what he has become.

As an artist myself, once I am done with a project, I am done. It is, for good or bad, an extension on what I was feeling and where I was at at (pun) the time I created it. If I feel disappointment on what I did, I move on and try to improve my next work. I just do not get his attitude.

Sorry for my long rant, but this forum has struck a cord with me, and more people in real world than anybody in this forum might suspect. Star Wars is an American icon, everybody I know do not like the SE's or PT's, people who do not consider themselves Star Wars of science fiction fans. Hopefully Lucasfilm will come to this realization and do what is the only right and noble thing to do, release the originals in a format that truly shows their cinematic greatness. To not do so would be a crime to art everywhere.