generalfrevious

Thanks, Harmy. All I ask is that LFL releases the originals on Blu-ray like any other other home entertainment company, not to resort to bootlegs just to see Han shoot first.

none said:

generalfrevious wrote: And, the purpose of this site is to petition GL to create a proper restoration for the originals, not force others to make their own due to his personal hubris.

The purpose of this site has changed.  The last petition written in 2009 was ignored in the 2011 release.  Instead of writing another, the forums now cultivate a culture of doers/makers/redoers. If you want the petitions to be the purpose of this site, then spend the time rewriting it to fit a new goal.

No one's forced to do anything.  Not Lucas to preserve this stupid film or the public to preserve the stupid film.  They choose to do it.

GL has proven not once but several times that he and all the companies he funds is not up to the task of preserving this stupid film.  Why you want to go back to him for the twenty something time expecting a different results is well....

You sure have a positive outlook...

I mean, everyone else in the world except for LFL puts the original versions of their films on DVD/Blu-ray. Does it make sense that we want GL to do the same as everyone else? If not, we should change the name of this website if we have abandoned the goal of LFL recanting their corporate stubbornness and getting what should have happened to SW years ago. A film so ingrained into our culture deserves better than freelance preservations due to one man's megalomania. The axe is over our heads of GL decides create a law to stamp out these preservations like the Holiday Special. And besides, even though these films should be owned by the public, the sad reality i that LFL has an iron grip over the OT; they can tell you which version to watch and make changes to the films with absolutely little warning days before relaese. They have purged all previously existing video copies right before this new BD was released. And apparently people bought into it again, because they have an addiction to these movies, and LFL has devolved into the role as a cheapskate drug dealer. So we must fight against them until they release the originals to acceptable standards.

And, the purpose of this site is to petition GL to create a proper restoration for the originals, not force others to make their own due to his personal hubris.

Plus, GL has erased Marcia from all historical references to SW, and she's the reason why the movie became such a cultural phenomenon! 

I appreciate that you guys are doing good work on fan preservations, and if you have any Blu-ray versions I like, I might get them. But unless you like doing them (which I guess you do), the principle is that LFL should be doing this job, and not half-assedly either. No one else in cinema is forcing their fanbase to do their won work to ensure the original work does not suffer the same fate as a Fatty Arbuckle silent film.

Wexter said:

generalfrevious said:

I'm going to repost this, because people apparently read only the first and last sentences of my comments:

Here's what at stake: we have a man who has the power to order the federal government not to preserve their own copies of his films. Anyone who questions his destruction of the OOT is told to get a life, even though no other filmmaker tampers his movies like GL has and withhold the originals (the reason he is where is right now) from the public. He has groomed his children to ensure the disintegration of the original films for many years after his own death. He continues to show poor taste in creative decisions in whatever movie he is currently releasing or rereleasing, even tarnishing the careers of more talented persons (Crystal skull the prime example). Don't get pissed off when he updates the OT yet again for home video in 2018, 2025, 2032, 2039, etc.

To imagine I almost didn't read your post for the first time... and even now, I find so much more subtext and meaning in there.... Thank you for reposting.

 

 

 

 

;-) meet Mr Winkerton

At least I know people read my posts now. I won't do it again. 

But seriously, does anyone feel concerned that GL has the power now to tell the federal government (LOC) to suppress the originals and preserve only the SE? We didn't know that when the Blu-rays were out. What if he decides to tell the BFI they can't preserve the originals either? What If GL even lobbies congress to make a law forcing private collectors to fork up their own prints of the originals? It may be crazy, but that could be reality five years from now. LFL is a corporation, and hence has a lot of money to create laws that work for their advantage.

I'm going to repost this, because people apparently read only the first and last sentences of my comments:

Here's what at stake: we have a man who has the power to order the federal government not to preserve their own copies of his films. Anyone who questions his destruction of the OOT is told to get a life, even though no other filmmaker tampers his movies like GL has and withhold the originals (the reason he is where is right now) from the public. He has groomed his children to ensure the disintegration of the original films for many years after his own death. He continues to show poor taste in creative decisions in whatever movie he is currently releasing or rereleasing, even tarnishing the careers of more talented persons (Crystal skull the prime example). Don't get pissed off when he updates the OT yet again for home video in 2018, 2025, 2032, 2039, etc.

I thought this was SW forum! I'm glad that Trek is in good hands, but that doesn't make the SW situation any better than it is now.

Here's what at stake: we have a man who has the power to order the federal government not to preserve their own copies of his films. Anyone who questions his destruction of the OOT is told to get a life, even though no other filmmaker tampers his movies like GL has and withhold the originals (the reason he is where is right now) from the public. He has groomed his children to ensure the disintegration of the original films for many years after his own death. He continues to show poor taste in creative decisions in whatever movie he is currently releasing or rereleasing, even tarnishing the careers of more talented persons (Crystal skull the prime example). Don't get pissed off when he updates the OT yet again for home video in 2018, 2025, 2032, 2039, etc. when we will sadly become nostalgic for the 2011 Blu-rays.

Leonardo said:

generalfrevious said:

Let's get back to the problem: Gl refuses to give us what we want...

IMHO it's not about what "we" want. Some people want the oot, some people want a purist SE, yadda yadda yadda...

It's about what SHOULD exist out there, and what SHOULD exist out there is respect for film history and culture. Instead we get, in the words of Yogurt, "moichandising, moichandising, moichandising!" that's what it's all about!

I stand corrected, that the OOT should exist out there is what I meant.

The saddest thing is that is all hinges on a stubborn ass of a person, and with Katie Lucas' behavior towards us it looks like GL's stubbornness is going to continue beyond the grave.

Let's get back to the problem: Gl refuses to give us what we want, and what he gives us is the worst example of least effort for maximum profit. Plus, the more time that has passed joking around, the OT negatives that were not preserved 15 years ago are progressively deteriorating.

Anchorhead said:

Harmy said:

Adywan just posted this:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/93945

It's a comparison between the Blu-Ray and a 35mm scan of the original version. The Blu-Ray fails miserably.

Wow, that is really bad.  I haven't been following the Blu-ray quality discussions too closely, but I knew there were issues from some of the screen grabs and magazine articles.  I had no idea they looked that bad.  Shameful to ask for money for a product handled so poorly.

Once again, LFL always breaking new ground by making shittier and shittier products, and forcing internet sites to give their products good reviews- it's nothing more than a direct to video release. I hate to say this for the hundredth time, but GL/LFL is fucking evil. What's worse: that no one can be allowed to preserve the originals, or the zero effort quality work that's replacing it? 

DuracellEnergizer said:

 

generalfrevious said:

Plus, about this time VHS tapes are probably unwatchable by now

Most of the movies I own (including the OT) are on VHS. They are not in pristine condition, and far from DVD (and I'll assume Blu-Ray) quality, but most of them are far from unwatchable.

 

Yours haven't worn out? My faces set (bought in 97) had run its course within ten years. 

Asaki said:

Generalfrevious is my favorite _____.

 

generalfrevious said:

...and the idea that future generations will not be able to see these essential films of american cinema just scares me.

You are obviously unaware of the fine preservation efforts we offer.

Not to mention, any old shmoe can get a used copy of pre or post THX in their favorite flavor on both VHS and Laserdisc (and post on DVD). 

 

Alright, you got me there. But what about the original film elements? The survival of the OOT depends on a actual film print that GL failed to preserve 20 years ago. They only exist in private collections now. Without that film source the preservations cannot last beyond several generations of video copying, right? Plus, about this time VHS tapes are probably unwatchable by now, and LD will follow in about 15 years.

Does George Lucas even read these posts? I wouldn't think he would spend any time here.

ray_afraid said:

generalfrevious said:

 

I can't live without these movies, and yet I cannot have them.

Yikes.

Alright that was selfish, I'm sorry. But these movies deserve to be seen by everyone, and the idea that future generations will not be able to see these essential films of american cinema just scares me.

TheoOdo said:

Just why is he so tenacious about keeping these films under wraps?

Did he accidentally slip a map to his buried treasure into a single frame? If you play it backwards, does it reveal the recipe for the elixir of immortality?

What the hell is going on in this man's head?!

I think he wants to be known as the first filmmaker in modern times to destroy a film before our very eyes. The OT is inextricably linked with GL's obsessive-compulsive revisionist behavior, and the sad fact that has developed over the years is that The films we saw in 77-80-83 are not gonna last physically like every other film made. I don't know why GL wants to hurt his fans so much, but no one could have expected the nadir we are all in, not even a year ago. It will be a matter of time when we are sunk into a new seeming pit; maybe GL will show us burning the original negatives: why not? He has billions of dollars, and can just bypass any law he finds inconvenient. It is also a matter of time that he will recall every copy from private collectors and film institutes around the world and just smash them to pieces. Think that's far-fetched? WE didn't expect Darth Vader to say NOOOO at the end of the new version of ROTJ, and we didn't expect this saddening news about the lack of new prints in the LOC. What pisses me off the most is that is that I can't live without these movies, and yet I cannot have them.

Akwat Kbrana said:

georgec said:

You have to give Lucas credit for sticking to his guns amidst all the demand from SW fans, critics, and even the NFR/LoC. That man has conviction.

Except that in this case, there's no clear line between "conviction" and "megalomania." And personally, I've never found megalomania particularly creditworthy.

Sadly, megalomania has been running human society since the egyptians...

DuracellEnergizer said:

 

Puggo - Jar Jar's Yoda said:

Geez, that's like saying if Leonardo DaVinci didn't paint the Mona Lisa, somebody else would have.  You can't really believe this, can you?

Anything is possible in an infinite multiverse ;-)

 

I agree. At least Da Vinci wasn't a megalomaniac and forbade people to see the Mona Lisa.

georgec said:

Harmy said:

Nobody is arguing that he did, man ;-)

What I'm saying is that without those franchises created specifically by Lucas we'd probably have equally entertaining films perhaps comparable in subject matter.

Another way to think of it is if Edison didn't invent the light bulb, someone else probably would have done so later on. :)

Exactly. The problem is that GL has a perfectionist streak that goes against the preservation of these films. If SW was done by another person, maybe we would have the originals on Blu-ray by now, and there would be nothing to discuss.

I'm sure in some alternate universe, someone else could have come up with the ideas for star wars and raiders if GL did not exist. He wasn't the only person in the universe to have seen old movie serials.

That still does not address that Lucas is on a mad quest to destroy the original versions of the SW saga, THX, and american graffiti; and he appears to be succeeding on that front with the advent of the absence of the LOC safety net. Private owners of the OUT are going to be under threat in matter of time to surrender their copies to be destroyed by LFL. Do you think GL/LFL cares about private ownership rights? They don't,because corporations like LFL have more power that they have had in the history of incorporated businesses, I keep saying this, big corporations are able to supersede any law in any country to make a profit.  So we have keep open the idea that the OUT may actually be lost. No one wants to talk about this scenario, but we should.

Harmy said:

Sorry, but that's a really stupid statement, STAR WARS and Raiders would not be the great films they are if GL was never involved, because they would not be. Period.

Star wars: it would be exactly like the PT in tone and style if it wasn't saved in editing by Marcia Lucas et al, and dissenters like Harrison Ford and Gary Kurtz to restrain GL.

Raiders: this is really a Spielberg film, when he was still a good director. If GL was taken out of the equation, it wouldn't affect the film that much.

SilverWook said:

A world in which THX-1138, Star Wars, and Raiders were never made? Perish the thought!

Star wars and raiders were great in spite of Lucas; if GL was never involved in these films, they would still be the great films they are without any compromise. 

THX, however, I have never seen and have no plans to do so. Especially as it has been eliminated and replaced with a 2004 remake that is probably not worth it.

He has erased Marcia from the history books. What's to stop him from erasing eight films? We live in an age of reckless corporate power (LFL is definitely no exception): they can do whatever they want, and everyone outside the system is impotent.

I wish Lucas never went into filmmaking. He has tarnished his legacy too many times over to redeem himself.

Cuchulainn said:

FunkyDays said:

canofhumdingers said:

Can't post it yet (it will actually probably wind up as a nice article on savestarwars.com), but there IS more info to come. And maybe even something positive/hopeful...

It'll likely be late next week at the earliest though.

 

"Positive/hopeful" sounds better than the alternative.  Can't wait to see what it is, as it looks pretty bleak right now.

Absolutely. I know I'm coming off as very naive here, but are most private collectors stuffy old reclusive millionaires like Charles Foster Kane, or might one be persuaded to make a personally-financed  scan of a Tech print, just so the damn thing doesn't disappear...?

Lucas can just order any private collector to surrender his copy for destruction, probably by citing some intellectual property law. He has the power of a god, and as the LOC incident shows, he can tell governments what they can and cannot do to "his" films. It's only a matter of time that he orders the BFI archives to be handed over as well if they are not the Special Edition. He wants these films to be lost forever, and unfortunately he has the money and power to do this.

What would happen if the original trilogy actually became lost films? I might as well bring it up, since no one wants to contemplate this.

The problem with Lucas is sadly common with insane persons who have too much power: they bring out the worst in humanity. A filmmaker should not have this much power, which he uses the law to tell people which film to watch and without remorse destroy the other. I can no longer forgive the man.

Nothing can still compete with money and power; I wasn't pissed off until I heard the news about the absence of originals in the LOC. This means our one trump card is gone. And don't think it can be preserved in another country- LFL has gained so much power now that they can destroy any copy in the world with no regard to international law. YOU cannot escape that. I try to tell you the harsh truth the GL will always have the upper hand, and that no voice is loud enough to stop him from destroying the OOT, it will cease to exist in ten years, and deep down YOU can do nothing about it. Yet you call me an asshole, and treat me with hostility and I am sick and tired of it. I came here for solace, and I am harshly criticized every single time. I want these movies saved as much as the next person, but the truth is that it will never happen. I don't want this to happen as much as you do.

We can do nothing, that is a fact. I honestly wish it were othewise.