Saga Favorite changes in the special editions?

Forgive me if such a thread already exists, I could not find one.

Use this thread to talk about the changes you liked in the special editions of I-VI, from the 1997 DVDs to the 2011 Blu-Rays, if it's changed, it's good!

My personal favorites:

CGI Yoda in TPM
Shmi's voice during Anakin's nightmare
CGI Mos Eisley citizens/droids
Boba Fett voiced by Morrison
McDiarmid as Palpatine in TESB
Windows on Cloud City
Anakin's "Nooo!" in ROTJ (Yes, I actually like this one)
The galaxy-wide celebrations
Christensen as Anakin's ghost
The new celebration theme

 

Ugh, most of that list belongs in the 'Unpopular SW opinions' thread, particularly the last entry...

But good call, I suppose we do need a dedicated SE thread.

Personally, the only changes I actually liked (as opposed to tolerated) were:
- Jabba in Docking Bay 94
- Biggs in the Yavin Hangar
- windows at Cloud City
- herd of banthas in ROTJ

 

I liked the addition of the Jabba scene, but the CGI was terrible, and the DVDs only improve it a little, so call that a net wash. However, I unqualifiedly like the various other additions to Mos Eisley - they give it more "color" and bustle.

Edit: Not a full list, just what immediately came to mind.

 

The Biggs hangar scene & new ROTJ victory celebration are probably at the top of my list.

 

Seeing Coruscant for the first time was great, but the new music completely and utterly sucks. It's as if GL & John Williams took (Mod edit: Let's watch the aggressive and filthy language, shall we? Oh wait, I'm the moderator) and stuck the name 'Victory Celebration' on it.

'Yub Nub' is as naff as hell, but it suited the original celebration set solely on Endor well enough. For the expanded ending they really should have composed something bigger and more majestic (maybe just a reworking of the Throne Room music in SW/ANH).

 

The additions and changes to the arrival at Mos Eisley.
The Bantha herd.
The moving creatures Stormtroopers rode on Tatooine.
Any change I don't notice.
CGI Yoda in TPM.

 

The SE version of the ROTJ celebrations is pretty good, it is the first one I saw and the one the one I am familiar with. 'Yub Nub' seems less climactic IMO. Also, some of the Mos Eisley additions in ANH were cool.
Generally I prefer the originals though, changing Boba Fett's voice was pointless, and most of the changes seem a bit pedantic and unneccessary to me.

 

Yeah, I also like the SE victory celebrations - including the music - much better. "Yub Nub" is just ridiculous, and not in a good way.

 

I'm this close to including preference of 'Victory Celebration' over 'Yub Nub' in the forum rules as a bannable offence...

 

Lol. I dunno, I saw the SE first, and when I watched the originals and saw the old ending, it seemed so out of place. To me it seems smaller as a conclusion, more like Endor has won a victory and not the entire galaxy.
Just my opinion

 

Actually, at the risk of flames I'm gonna say "Greedo shot first". IMHO it doesn't fundamentally alter the point of the scene or Han's character. In fact it reinforces both. The only conceivable reason that Greedo would miss from two feet away is if he were firing a warning shot.

So in the original version of the scene, both of them were ruthless and Han was just quicker. Whereas in the revised version, Greedo is actually being relatively 'kind' (relatively) by firing a warning shot first, compared to Han who simply kills him without thinking about it much. That, to me, reinforces the idea of Han at the beginning of ANH being out solely for himself.

I do also like Hayden Christensen appearing. Yes it creates plotholes, but as an Anakin fan it adds extra poignancy to the ending to see him returned in body as well as in spirit to the Jedi Knight he was before Palpatine enslaved him. It's for this reason that I was initially OK with the Noooo!, which seems like George Lucas wanted to mark Anakin's "rebirth", but I've since decided that it totally ruins the emotional impact of his sacrifice and of John Williams's score.

On a non-story level I like the revised Empire Strikes Back because the additional credits for all the Special Edition staff gets us an extra run of The Imperial March, which is always a good thing.

 

We do have another trilogy on the way, though, so maybe it'd be better that the ending of ROTJ wasn't so conclusive...

TBH, I don't have a problem with the addition of the new planets portraying a larger, galaxy-wide victory, I just can't stand the new music at all. It's limp, awful muzak barely appropriate for playing in an elevator or a toilet cubicle. Completely at odds with the concept of making the end of ROTJ 'bigger'.

But hey, I might still get my dream ending of the SW Saga - Episode IX's final shot being C-3PO & R2-D2 walking off in silhouette against the twin suns of Tatooine, bickering away about how they ended up on that miserable planet AGAIN...

 

The changed music and additional celebrations at the end of ROTJ made the saga much better imo.

 

Vader's eyebrows removed.


Personally I cannot stand the Jabba scene added to ANH.

For me -
It is the same conversation Han just had with Greedo.
It was cool eventually getting to see Jabba in ROTJ after he is talked about so much in the first two films, and what he looks like is a surprise.
It makes you wonder why Han is so scared of him after this encounter. In ROTJ he really is a vile gangster.
As somebody already said, the CGI is terrible.
Is Boba Fett winking at the camera at the end?

Sorry, I know this is supposed to be the changes you like. I see some of you like this change, please explain why!

 

In my opinion, I like it because

A. It shows Jabba being his usual, gangster-ish self with his "20%, 15%" deal

B. It creates a little more continutity

C. It would be a little disconcerting seeing him in TPM, then not again for a whole more five movies

D. I like Boba's pointless cameo (GUILTY)

 

He looks so much better in TPM it's not funny.

 

I just liked it because it was a brand new SW scene after 14 years, and it was from the OT era, Harrison Ford and all. I'd seen the snippets from the 1985 'From Star Wars to Jedi' doco with Declan Mulholland as Jabba, but this was complete and presentable. Jabba didn't look fantastic - obvious effect - but it didn't bother me in the slightest.
In hindsight, I still like it because it was once intended to be included back then, there isn't that uncomfortable ambiguity surrounding virtually all the other SE additions. It could have easily been just as enjoyable as a DVD extra, however - it doesn't really add anything to the film (Greedo's scene was rewritten & partly reshot after Jabba's scene was removed)

The reasons you've stated above for not liking it are perfectly valid, though, can't really argue against any of them. Including Boba Fett I'm 50/50 on - sure, it's gratuitous catering to the fans, but he's certainly not out of place, and it connects fine with his next (originally first) appearance in ESB.

 

I think Boba Fett's appearance here makes him look more menacing than all of Jabba's other entourage. In ESB he looks menacing but so do all the other bounty hunters. For that reason alone I like the scene. Jabba's appearance is rather clumsy by CGI levels now, but at the time was pioneering.

If they are going to tweak anything for future releases, I'd like them to clean up the CGI from the 1997 special editions.

 

As much as I do like Yub Nub, I like Victory Celebration more; sorry. A new ending doesn't need to be "bigger and more majestic" since to me, it's great as it is; less is more.

 

Love the Jabba insertion in ANH. Couldn't give a toss about 'good' or 'bad' CGI really. Just a funny scene. Everything shot for the '77 film is gold.

I have a soft spot for Jedi Rocks, the reasons for which I have expanded on in a different thread. I find it hilarious.

I thought I preferred the new RotJ celebration, and the scenes echoing the sentiment across the Galaxy - but I don't. The original ending brought it back to just being about these few characters. I can infer that the rest of the Galaxy is 'really pleased' about the fall of the Empire. I like the intimacy of the original ending. Both endings still give me chills though, even after 25 years of watching.

The new 'Noooooo' is strangely affecting. Adds a little more humanity to Vader. If he'd added it in '97 before everybody decided to loath every change he made, I think this would not be such a big deal.

 

I just don't like that little aside glance he gives while walking off. "Look, everybody! I'm making a gratuitous cameo!"

 

I could remember seeing the clips from the scene with the actor Jabba, now I know where.
But yeah it is fascinating to see, I would prefer it as a DVD extra though, as you suggested.

The way i see it, George Lucas originally intended for the scene to be in Star Wars, but it was cut and sometimes things happen by luck or accident. Jabba was a mysterious and obviously very dangerous individual until we finally see his big ugly mug in ROTJ and this is due to beautiful chance Unless for someone who watched in chronological order of course

 

- Victory Celebration trounces Ewok dance party.
- Mos Eisley is cooler as a legit city rather than the sparse settlement of the pre-SE cuts.
- Cloud City windows!
- ROTJ Banthas!
- younger Anakin ghost
- new CGI shots in first Death Star battle

 

The Phantom Menace
The CGI Yoda in TPM.

Attack of the Clones
Shmi calling for Anakin in his dream.

A New Hope
CGI Mos Eisley.
Han's and Jabba's discussion.
Luke's and Bigg's reunion before the Death Star assault.

The Empire Strikes Back
All of the additions.

Return of the Jedi
Oola in the Rancor Pit after the performance at Jabba's palace.
Darth Vader's "No!"
Galaxy-wide celebration for the Rebel Alliance's victory.
Hayden Christian added as Anakin's force ghost.