Why do the Special Editions have to be all or nothing?

Why is it that people on these boards seem to have to either think that the Special Editions are a travesty to SW or that they're flawless? It's really annoying to hear arguments between someone saying how the original movies were sacred and should never have been tampered with and someone else saying that Lucas has a right to do whatever he wants with his vision and still be a genius? Honestly, I think some of the changes in the SE were brilliant, some were terrible, and some were completely irrelevant. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing like many of the posts on this board make it out to be.

 

I agree, some changes are great others I am like what the hell?

 

I'm that way too, it's just that when people go on and on and on and on about how horrible the SEs are, sometimes I just explode trying to balance out the arguent with how GREAT the SEs are.


Actually, I debate more on the PT vs. OT thing, rather than the OEs vs SEs. But it's still basically the same principle.

 

I agree, there is no sense in sayinf the changes are good or bad. Any sensible person should realise that some work and some don't depending on opinion. I think the real problem is to many anti-SE fans use the changes as their point of argument. This is unreasonable. Their point of argument should be: is it right to change a film??

 

I had no prob w/ the SE. There were changes I liked and others that i didn't. I actually didn't know that there was such a disdain for the SE until I started coming to this site this summer (same w/ the disdain by some for ROTJ).

I do prefer the OT personally, but this is not because I dislike the SE but because it is the one I grew up watching. I hope lucas releases both the OT and SE together alla ET. I would watch both versions.

 

Of the SE changes...

There are many I think are good.
There are JUST as many that I am indifferent towards--I could take or leave, wouldn't help or hurt the film significantly.
There is one I think hurts the films (Luke's screaming as he falls in ANH).

But I'm cool with whatever.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

The Special Editions were made for Special kinda of fans those who didn't like the SE well your not Special

Please understand I'm joking or maybe not

 

I feel, if you hate the SE....Don't watch em... If ya do....Do watch em... It doesn't matter... Its still the same story. Just with a little extra...Some good, some bad...But hey...Tough... You go out and make a SE

 

What I would LOOOVE to do with my tapes before they get old, is find someone who has a widescreen set of the originals and borrow them. Then at home, I'd edit them along with my SE widescreen set to create a version to be proud of. I version featuring only changes that I like. Oh, yes! That would be SWEET!
*comes back to reality and realizes that he can't* Crap.

 

MGK, I'm sure most people share your feelings that some of the SE changes are good, and others are bad, however, they're just defending thier prefered version, as it doesn't make a strong arguement to secced points to your opponent.

 

"MGK, I'm sure most people share your feelings that some of the SE changes are good, and others are bad, however, they're just defending thier prefered version, as it doesn't make a strong arguement to secced points to your opponent."

Isn't that kinda like what I was trying to say?

 

The SEs are flawless by definition. They are the definitive vision of the films, and as such, they completely blow the originals out of the water.

 

Bib Fortuna thats the stupidest thing you've said so far!

 

Let's be fair, while most of the SE changes are good, it does have two monster bad ones in Greedo being the worst shot in the Universe and Vader channelling a smurf when he orders his shuttle brought to him in ESB.

UKS

 

The problem with the SEs is that if that if you have just one single niggle with a film, it tends to spoil the overall experience.

For example, I love some of the new Tatooine composites (the sunset, extra CGI) but can't stand Jabba.

And given the choice, I'd rather lose the whole lot than have Jabba stay in "my" version...

Oh, and Bib, are you for real?!?

 

There are approximately 105 changes made to ANH special edition, only four of those I don't like.

There are approximately 65 changes made to TESB special edition, only four of those I don't like.

There are approximately 50 changes made to ROTJ special edition, only two of which I don't like.

Most of the changes made to these films are changes I really like (for instance, changing the hallway to a balcony in TESB. It looks better this way). It's just those ten things (Greedo shooting first, Jabba in ANH, the Rontos, replacing the wolfmen with other aliens, changing Luke's line on Dagobah, Luke screaming as he falls, vader's "Alert my Star Destroyer" line, the new scene of Vader's shuttle flying to his Star Destroyer, the Jedi Rocks crap, and the beak on the Sarlaac pit) that are so harrendous it makes me want to watch the originals instead.

 

I think the conflict that I and others have with the SE's may have something to do with films we've loved for as long as we can remember (most of my 14 years back in '97) being deemed "obsolete" and replaced by a less than perfect mixing of said films with some really obvious CG changes (and then there's Jedi Rocks, but that's another story completely).
While I understand (to a degree) and respect the other viewpoints on the issue, I just feel a bit shafted by the way it looks like the OE's will never come out again.

 

I've thought about this a lot...and I've somewhat changed my stance on this.

I do believe Lucas will make the original versions available on DVD at some point. The overwhelming public opinion, plus his friend Spielberg releaseing the original ET will likely be the driving forces behind this.

I also feel like the "unpopular" changes to the SEs get way too much run, while the actual improvements are routinely ignored.

Anyone else prefer the SE Yavin IV battle as opposed to the slow motion replay we got in the original versions? Cloud City also looks 50 percent better, IMO, after the SEs stepped in. I wish more people would give the SEs the love for the improvements they did bring us. Oh well, you know how misery loves company

 

Some things were pretty terrible, for instance Greedo shooting first and the awful Jabba the Hutt dancing scene (Sorry if you think it was good, but it was stupid in my opinion). However I think alot of other things were really well done.
One thing that has always bugged me though is, why in ROTJ is the Falcon backdrop when Lando and Han are talking never been redone, it looks quite out dated and fake now. Strange because all the other films have an actual lifesize model Falcon, did they run out of money or something?
Still the effects aren't really that important at the end of the day, are they? They were excellent films that definetely won't be forgotten...I hope!

 

I agree, it wasn't the biggest gigantic travesty in the world that the SE's were made and they also aren't the greatest thing since sliced bread. Updating the effects, making the film cleaner, the ANH Yavin battle and entrance into Tatooine, Cloud City, is all nice touches and adds to the film. I personally don't have an opinion on the Jabba scene in ANH, one way or another. But Greedo shooting first is what really makes me raise an eyebrow when it comes to the SE's. It really does detract from the character of Han, especially for people who saw the movie before the SE's.

 

Yes. Many people here feel their differences are irreconcilable, when in reality it's just stubbornness.

 

Not stubborness....good taste. Am I the only one who remembers the Jabba scene in ANH:SE? Horrible.

One moment he's "Jabba, the most vile gangster in the galaxy who has every bounty hunter available hunting Han Solo down.", then he's comic relief. Han stepping on his tail? Absolute garbage.

And even though I am a big Boba Fett fan, the little parting shot he gives was trash, too. I don't buy George's explanation that the only reason he did the SE's was because he didn't feel they were complete.

I believe there was a more "corporate" reason for it.

 

Some were good some were bad for instance, Greedo shooting first was okay, but what was gl thinking when he put windows in the bespin? -Hello!! That totally ruins the scene. Even worse the sarlaac pit...with audrey II looking out? What was that guy on when he thought of this... I mean that totally wrecks my vision of the sarlaac's character man. It really goes against my grain for it's head to stick out. And man, what's with the cosmic donut explosion of the deathstar. Not being satisfied with one such abomination, gl decides to go for a second donut on ds2. What are we going to see on the ultimate editions? The s.d. executor going up in pancake flames? The shield generator combusting like a blueberry muffin?? Maybe the sarlaac will jump out of the pit and dance the samba (actually that's going a bit far - hey that jedi rocks number at jabba's pad was the second best thing going after the stroke of genius on greedo).

On a more serious note I have a QUESTION. On one se version of esb I have (widescreen) Yoda has one more line than he seems to have on another SE version of esb (non-widescreen). On my version, Yoda's first line is "Feel like what?" between Luke's "I feel like..." (feel like what) "...like we're being WATCHED" lines. In the other esb se version Luke does not say this (as in all non-se versions). Does he say this on YOUR version?

 

I have no idea.

One thing I DO know is I never noticed Greedo shooting first 'till I came here

 

Greedo shooting first is something that should have never happened (Yes I know this belongs in another thread) and Han stepping on Jabba's tail made the gangster look idiotic.