Star Wars on bluray, but which version?

[Danny]

I agree, Doc. I've never seen the huge problem with most of the additions. Sure, some may not be necessary and some of them are a bit silly, but as you said....it doesn't take away from the total effect of the films. It's still essentially the same trilogy. How much is really changed in each film, anyway? Maybe ten or so minutes? Out of two hour films? C'mon.....that doesn't ruin the entire experience. I may not agree with it all and flat out hate some of it, but it's not total blashemy as the SW fans have made it out to be.... you know i would be very interested to watch on two screens next to each other an original untouched print and the latest version to really see how much has changed. because we are talking decades of incremental changes that, alone my seem no big deal, but when comparing the vanilla original to the very latest? who knows how much of a stark difference it could be.

[MinionZombie]

I'll never buy Star Wars on disc until they put out the restored original prints (in widescreen) - no CGI tweaking, no audio changes, no recuts and re-edits, just the original films shown theatrically when they were first released. I wish the people who keep buying these damned new versions would put their foot down and say "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" () en mass and demand the original-originals.

[Neil]

More changes - http://www.aintitcool.com/node/51019 Another article on the same thing - http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Star-...ror-26504.html

[bassman]

Now comes word that CGI is being used to make the Ewoks blink. Why? What's the friggin purpose? Here's a quote from Lucas himself in 1988: "People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians, and if the laws of the United States continue to condone this behavior, history will surely classify us as a barbaric society. The preservation of our cultural heritage may not seem to be as politically sensitive an issue as 'when life begins' or 'when it should be appropriately terminated,' but it is important because it goes to the heart of what sets mankind apart. Creative expression is at the core of our humanness. Art is a distinctly human endeavor. We must have respect for it if we are to have any respect for the human race. These current defacements are just the beginning. Today, engineers with their computers can add color to black-and-white movies, change the soundtrack, speed up the pace, and add or subtract material to the philosophical tastes of the copyright holder. Tomorrow, more advanced technology will be able to replace actors with “fresher faces,” or alter dialogue and change the movement of the actor’s lips to match. It will soon be possible to create a new “original” negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires...In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be 'replaced' by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten." Now that is funny....

[Neil]

Now comes word that CGI is being used to make the Ewoks blink. Why? What's the friggin purpose? Here's a quote from Lucas himself in 1988: Now that is funny.... ....yet, for all shitty changes Lucas has made, all the unecessary who-shoots-first changes, redo'ing of of music, changing of actors, adding of CGI Keystone Cop aliens.... I bet he still hasn't replaced the 1/2 second glaringly poor scene of the animated missiles going into the Death Star's vent. He's spent all this time and effort doing questionable changes, and left that horrible 1/2 second of footage?

[AcesandEights]

Stuff like this shouldn't matter to me, but...damn Lucas...I want to wish bad things upon him

[MinionZombie]

Bassman - well, for me personally, Return of the Jedi was a cinematic travesty ... and all because those fucking Ewoks didn't blink! It ruined the whole bloody movie! All of it! Ruined! *explodes in a mushroom cloud of sarcasm* What a moronic idea ... Lucas needs a dose of reality, methinks. At the very least he needs to take a good long hard look at Ridley Scott and the 2007 Final Cut of Blade Runner to see how you really do tweaks (e.g. the blending of live action plates with matte paintings in the 2007 cut was beautiful ... simple, restrained, very effective, and didn't change anything ... it just made the join seamless and the colours match).

[bassman]

Funny you mention the Blade Runner final cut. I just recently picked it up and was shocked at how in-depth the documentary was. It's 3.5 hours long, ffs!

[Neil]

Stuff like this shouldn't matter to me, but...damn Lucas...I want to wish bad things upon him LOL! Reminds me of...

[MinionZombie]

Funny you mention the Blade Runner final cut. I just recently picked it up and was shocked at how in-depth the documentary was. It's 3.5 hours long, ffs! I know! It's excellent. I've watched it a couple of times. No stone is left unturned.

[LouCipherr]

you know i would be very interested to watch on two screens next to each other an original untouched print and the latest version to really see how much has changed. because we are talking decades of incremental changes that, alone my seem no big deal, but when comparing the vanilla original to the very latest? who knows how much of a stark difference it could be. There's a set of fantastic "comparison" discs out there already (although not for the 'current' set that's coming out). They show both the "original" and "special edition" side-by-side (episodes 4-6) and you can see what's been added audio and video-wise. During some parts, the original blanks out where the "speical edition" has added a scene. It's very interesting to watch and see how GL as pretty much fucked up what was consider good enough by just about everyone on the damn planet (except for himself). Take a look around on the net, they're out there, 'cause I have 'em.

[Danny]

Take a look around on the net, they're out there, 'cause I have 'em. aint gonna lie, kind of cant give a single fuck. star wars has been something i have utter indifference to for maybe a decade.

[bassman]

Bluray.com has given the complete Blu Ray set a perfect score. No, the "untouched" original trilogy is not included. Yes, there are some goofy new additions, like Darth Vader yelling "NOOOOO" as he throws Emperor Palpatine over the railing. I don't think anyone expected this release of The Complete Saga to be free of controversy. But come on. It's Star Wars. On Blu-ray. This is a once-in-a-technological-generation event, and if your hatred of George Lucas' revisionist tinkerings keeps you from enjoying some of your favorite films in high definition, you're missing out. Believe me, I share your pain. Whenever I hear that stupid funk song inside Jabba's palace, I cringe like a man being forced to bite down on tin foil or chew sand. It's almost physically painful. But I'm done being bitter. I'm playing the long game. One of these days, Lucas will wise up and realize that the original trilogy—in its original form—is a culturally and historically important piece of pop art that belongs to its fans. But until that day, I'm going to enjoy this Blu-ray box set. The films have never looked or sounded better— Episodes III-VI are particularly impressive—and they come with a fantastic collection of special features. Highly Recommended! They didn't even give the Alien Anthology set a perfect score. And that set, imo, IS the best blu ray available. I might have to get this SW set after all...

[MinionZombie]

I might have to get this SW set after all...

[Mike70]

it would be nice to have the untouched originals BUT since this version is the only game in town, we are stuck with it. un-fucking-fortunate as that is. sad faces all around.