CT Is there any real reason why the OT will never get an unaltered release?

Unaltered usually references any pre-SE copy of the films, because those changes are the controversial ones.

 

"Unaltered"/"unchanged" usually references pre-SE because there were no additions. There was no culture of changes to the movies and new material and new visual effects popping up. Even though there are differences between video releases pre-SE, like the dialogue removed and then reincorporated during the Death Star control room scene, it was dialogue that'd been recorded during production or post-production. It's not so much that people want what was in theaters in 1977, because so many saw the "Episode IV: A New Hope" after that, but want what was ingrained in our minds for twenty years without strange and unnecessary tweaks.

 

^^^
Correct. I imagine if an actual 1977 print was restored, plenty would find it a little bit strange - Aunt Beru's voice is different, there's different sound effects used here & there, and so on. Even the actual May 25, 1977 premiere cut cut is apparently slightly different to the wider initial release that year as well, largely with the audio. Let's face it, most OOT fans' memories are based on repeated viewings via home video & maybe the 1981 re-release, not the initial run in 1977.

Even so, the handful of barely noticeable audio changes & about two visual ones (opening crawl, plus apparently one shot order reversed) across what we saw from 1977 to 1995 aren't in any way comparable to the drastic overhaul which happened for the 1997 SE's and beyond.
If LFL/Disney went ahead and released a fully restored 'OOT' which had SW/ANH taken from the 1981 re-release with 'Episode IV' in the opening crawl, but everything else intact, virtually all OOT purists would be satisfied, apart from an insignificant handful of diehard psychopaths. I know I'd be happy enough.

 

The reason not to release the OOOOOOOOOT:

There is only supposed to be one version, and that is whatever version is sold by the creator/owner of the films. A great guy known as George Lucus.
Whenever this tiny vocal minority keeps asking for the OOOOOOOOT, it just sounds like people asking for the leaked copy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine that had unfinished effects. Its basically the same thing.

 

The OOT was released in theatres, made a fortune, launched a franchise and fanbase that remains healthy to this day, won numerous awards for its 'unfinished' effects, and remained as it was, for the most part, for nearly two decades.
It's not the same thing at all.

 

Besides, nobody asks for the leaked copy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. They don't need to. They just watch it and then hilariously complain about the effects in the film.

 

Even if it were the "One Last Time" mid 90's version, that would do the trick.

 

Even if it were the "One Last Time" mid 90's version, that would do the trick.

 

I do that with the OT already (though not as much with the new Blu-rays, they've fixed a lot)

 

Except that the OOT is the VERSION MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SAW IN THEATERS and was Star Wars from 1977-1997.

People didn't see the leaked copy of X-Men:Wolverine in theaters. I don't think many saw the official copy in theaters.

 

The same thing that prevents the LD transfers from being converted to HD.

You can't create detail that isn't there.

 

That is one of the most ridiculous post i have read in a long a time

 

...From a certain point of view.

 

Yeah, pretty much. If it was presented in full HD, I couldn't see too many getting their knickers in a twist over the "Episode IV: A New Hope" opening crawl, the "Close the blast doors!" line & Aunt Beru's voice (plus, supposedly, a few alternate takes for C-3PO's lines & some sound effects).

Then there'd be whingeing about matte lines & transparencies, blah, blah, blah. The SE's weren't a bad idea to begin with, it's just that the tweaking got out of control.

Funny thing is, I'd bet good money that the next release of the LOTR trilogy will have Martin Freeman as Bilbo in the brief shot of him discovering the Ring in the prelude instead of Ian Holm - and it'll be accepted almost completely by the fans. Not unlike sticking Ian McDiarmid into the DVD release of ESB, but by that time, fiddling with the OT was pouring salt & vinegar into an open wound.

 

The way Bilbo finds the ring in The Hobbit is nothing like how he found it in the original LOTR opening, so I'm not sure they'd even bother since they can't just copy and paste a new identical scene. And putting Ian McDiarmid in Empire was horrible, no question. Ian's performance wasn't up to snuff, his appearance was much less creepy and mysterious than the original Emperor's shadowed visage (which is fine if you're already familiar with how he looks from the prequels, but not as effective if you're watching in production order), and the altered dialogue makes no sense.

 

A wise Jedi Master once said something about certain points of view.

Some guy I met on the internet once said something about opinions.

I really dislike arguing, but I will respect your opinion. I don't want to try and stop you from enjoying the movies the way you want to.

 

The guy who trained him once said something about betting good money.

 

And the guy who trained the guy who trained him was a vampire.

 

As a much bigger LOTR/Middle Earth fan than I am a Star Wars fan, I sincerely hope that they do this! Continuity is everything.

 

But as _Catherine_ said, if they do that it doesn't help continuity ( except in the case of Bilbo's appearance ). They would have to reshoot the scene, or splice in part of the scene from AUJ.

 

Yeah, but you can see why they did it (altered dialogue aside). It was just an opportunity for a little tweak to make the OT a bit more consistent, but like a lot of them, they had to go & stuff around with the content & context instead of leaving well enough alone. If it was McDiarmid simply saying the exact same dialogue from the OOT, I doubt it'd be all that much of an issue.

And before anyone mentions it, the Sebastian Shaw vs Hayden Christensen debate is a completely different matter.

 

Dammit, I was ABOUT to mention it

 

When did they add Ian? The first time I saw ESB was on TV in 2000 and I seem to remember Ian already in there.

 

I believe Ian was added to TESB in the 2004 special edition release.

 

Yeah, Ian wasn't in TESB until 2004.

That said, the new scene is a hell of a lot closer to what's in the TESB storyboards than what showed up in the original films-Palpatine is giant-scale in the storyboards.