*Blacked-Out Spoilers Allowed* The CT on DVD, and possible further changes to the trilogy.

Welcome to the forum's brand spanking new thread for discussion of the CT DVD's and any possible changes that may be made to the films for these discs (the rumored Ultimate/Archival Editions).

Since the old DVD thread basically degenerated into fights between Lucas-supporters and Lucas-bashers, we're going to try having a different set-up of threads on the topic. There is now a thread for SE discussion and a thread for O-OT purism. I'd rather not think of these as basher and gusher threads, and since basher/gusher wars contribute nothing to a forum, I won't be afraid to step in if it seems either of these threads is spawning bashing. What these threads are are hubs for fans to discuss the SE and SE changes, as well as the original trilogy.

That brings us to the topic of this thread. This third thread will deal with the DVDs themselves, special features, FAQs, etc. It is a discussion thread, and it will not be allowed to degenerate into the types of arguments that sidetracked the old thread.

So, sound good? We're going to try this for a few days and see how it works. Feedback is welcome.

 

The big thread scared me, so hopefully i can get my word in here.

I think it's really an essential to have the OT just the way it was in the SE with little changes. Maybe some added scenes that they never got finished during filming or something of that nature, but nothing major.

Hear that?! I said it.

 

Well, I'm looking forward to the DVDs in Sept. The SEs were fun, and while I'd rather have the OEs, this is still better than what we've had, which is nothing.

Plus, my ESB-SE Wiescreen VHS has a bad soundtrack. It's always been faulty, but since the widescreens have never been available individually, I've been dying to replace this for seven years, yet never wanted to re-buy the box set for one movie. Now, problem solved. (But just watch, my ESB-DVD will be scratched. I just know it!! )

 

Im in favor of Lucas changing/adding new scenes to the OT.
Besides fixing the special effects such as the light sabers, I would like to see:


ANH:

1) Palpatine disbanding the senate.

2) Bail Organa on Alderaan right before its destruction.

3) Add a scene of Yoda on Dagobah when Alderaan is destroyed showing the same reaction that Ben feels after Alderaan's destruction.

4) More aliens in the cantina.

5) I don't care if Greedo shoots first or not. Just make the scene look better.


TESB:

1) Replace the original face and voice of Palpatine with Ian McDiarmid's with new dialog.

2) Make Yoda CG.


ROTJ:

1) Make the rancor CG.

2) Make Yoda CG.

3) Make Jabba CG.

4) More aliens in Jabba's palace.

5) Add Naboo to the end celebration.

 

Fourth!!!


Good idea, DLM, making this new thread. Especially since we're going to be finding out more details about what the upcoming DVD release will actually include, there won't be so much wild speculation.

I'm in favor of very, very minor changes to the SEs. Get rid of Luke's ESB scream.
Update the Jabba CGI in ANH
Fix the lightsabers in ANH
Put Ian under the hood for the hologram scene in ESB

 

I don't see a reason to change Yoda to CG in ESB or ROTJ. TPM on the other hand, maybe.

Likewise, the rancor and Jabba don't need to be CG either.

I do, however, agree with replacing the old lady monkey emperor in ESB with McDiarmid.

As others have said, I'm glad we're getting something, and I'm glad it's coming out a little sooner than we had been told. I really couldn't care less if it were the OOT or SE, since I happened to enjoy both of them, and 98% of them are the same anyways.

 

I'm pretty much with royalguard96 and YodaJeff. The only other changes I want to see is the Greedo scene either reverted to the O-OT version or made to look better, and the composite work on the Rancor fixed, and of course those pesky slugs gone from Sidious in ROTJ. Oh and I think adding Naboo to the end celebration would be a great idea.

 

I'm fine with whatever Lucas wants to his work, so long as he gives us the version that started it all. Pretty simple, really.

I want Adam, not Eve.

 

I hope Lucas just re-does the OT all in CG, like Final Fantasy the movie. CG is always better than non-CG... always.

 

I actually like puppet Yoda better than CGI Yoda. The only thing about puppet Yoda that I think sorely needs reworking is the scene where he takes a "bite" out of Luke's rations and it's ridiculously obvious the puppet isn't eating.

Other than that, I think it's minor whether he's CG or not.

 

While I was excited at the time of the release of the SE by the prospect of "more Star Wars!", I felt that some of the changes were ill-advised (I don't need to go into detail about who shot first or why Luke screamed in ESB). So my ideal world would be the pre-SE trilogy available on DVD, plus an Ultimate Edition that addresses some of the problems with the SE and allows Lucas to, finally, present his "definitive vision". Somebody once said on these boards that the SE was simply the unfinished UE and I would agree with that. This is why I feel that this DVD release is a bit of a missed opportunity - the combination of the original films and the archival versions in one set would surely have been a win-win situation. I suppose there's a marketing element here, as this release is bound to increase interest in Episode 3. What if the DVD's had been delayed until all 6 films were out? Maybe we'll see a further release as I've described above. I hope so...

As MeBeJedi said, as long as the original films are made available, I'm sure most fans would agree that George Lucas can make whatever further changes he deems necessary to "complete his vision".

I'll try to post some suggestions for an Ultimate Edition later on when I've got a bit of time...

 

Does anyone think that these DVD's are a dissappointment? I don't think they are but I would prefer the discs to be like the other DVD's, a 2-disc set rather than just the trilogy and a bonus disc. I know that there isn't as much material as the prequels but it makes me a tad frustrated when collections are not consistent. I am happy that I will be able to see the trilogy in a digital form and I can't wait for the boxset I would just prefer that it was consistent to the other releases.

Owen

 

I don't know about a disappointment, but I think that this is a fairly "stripped-down" release which increases my suspicion that there will be a meatier version after all 6 films are complete. I'm also not convinced that there isn't as much material available as for the PT, I think there's a wealth of potential bonus material out there! Not to mention new features that could be created just for the DVD release. You're right about consistency, it seems strange that the 3 films that started it all only merit one bonus disc between them. I do believe though that in a couple of years we'll see some kind of definitive box set that will please everyone...at least I hope we will!!

 

Well, as I understand it.....

Lucas was totally serious when he said that he didn't want to release ANY of the Star Wars films on DVD until after the prequels were done. Keep in mind that DVD was already out when the Special Editions were release for the first time. VHS and laserdisc, no DVD. When the Phantom Menace came out, nearly ALL new films were getting DVDs day-and-date with their VHS counterparts. Menace got only VHS. And the Special Editions came back into print, with different cover art....again, VHS only.

So fans whined. They petitioned. They moaned. Lucas finally gave in and released Menace on DVD almost a year after the VHS release. AOTC was released in the normal amount of time after the theatrical release. Both of these discs were fairly comprehensive special editions. Lucas found out, by doing this, that in between prequel films they had time to put together ONE high-quality DVD release each year.

Now of course Paramount was clamouring for them to put together something for Indiana Jones. I think we can ultimately thank Paramount for the fact that we're getting OT DVDs ahead of schedule. The reason? According to reports on this and other sites, Lucas and Spielburg wanted to do two-disc releases of each film seperatly, one at a time. Paramount, on the other hand, wanted to follow the formula they had established for the Godfather trilogy....3 movie discs and one bonus disc for the whole trilogy. Lucasfilm caved, and ended up liking it a lot. They could put together a trilogy set for basically the same time, effort, and expense as doing a two-disc special edition. So when Indy came out and shattered sales records (number one box set of all time, number one "back-catalogue" title of all time) they decided to go ahead and release the Special Edition Star Wars films using the same format. This is NOT the final, ultimate, be-all end-all release they had planned, so don't worry. This release is an extra bonus gift to the fans who don't want to wait. This release will do several things:

1. Help to quell the endless whining and petitioning

2. curtail the rampant bootlegging of the trilogy

3. smash sales records and reignite enthusiasm for the Star Wars franchise just in time for Episode III

4. make them a gigantic crapload of money

There WILL be another release, probably with two or three discs for each film, so don't worry about the lack of special features on this set. This is just a taste of things to come.

 

Wampas_Have_Dandruff, that was beautiful. I hope that you're right.

 

I'm pretty much with royalguard96 and YodaJeff.


Yeah, me too. I'd be happy with those. If the whole Greedo/Han thing gets put back to normal I'd be happier yet, but I'm really just happy that the blasted DVD's are coming out at all.

 

"Possible further changes..."

Ian, of course, as Emperor in Empire. I think everyone agrees with that. And if Lucas is going to go all out, put back deleted scenes, if they were enough completed and all, like Luke/Biggs, Wampa attack, Luke putting saber in R2, etc. Also, I don't know much about this, but how much was done of Madine on his command ship for Jedi? I think that'd be neat to see some more of him. Plus, some CGI cosmetic surgery on the Rancor, space slug, Yoda (maybe on the ears and mouth, but not wholly). Also, get rid of Greedo shooting first (another thing we can all agree on). Restore Vader's "Bring my shuttle" line in Empire. Of course, these are all just a fanboy's wishes. We'll see if Lucas does anything at all.

And whether barebones or no, I'm excited for the Classic DVDs. I no longer own a VCR, so watching an original Star Wars film is a rare occurance for me.

 

Very good post, Wampas_Have_Dandruff. I'd agree with all your points.

I think some people don't realise just how much of an improvement there is between DVD and VHS. I know I didn't pay much attention to it before I got a DVD player as a present, but it's like enjoying pan'n'scan before discovering widescreen.

Imagine the sound of the asteroid chase from ESB in full surround sound...wow!

 

I think it is a bad idea to add deleted scenes. Think about it, they are deleted for a reason. For example, luke putting the saber inside of R2 is not a good scene in terms of story telling because then you know something is up when he is about to jump into the sarlac pit.

From a fan perspective, it sounds cool, but from a story telling perspective, it is not a good idea. A seperate section of deleted scenes is more approrite.

 

Personally, I'd prefer seperate deleted scenes as well...

So long as they have some Hope they can do something with the sandstorm scene in ROTJ, the visual quality was apparently terrible so it might not be in good enough shape for the transfer...

 

Lucas thinks he is GOD when it comes to Star Wars. Yes, he did start it all, but Star Wars is now way bigger than anything that could be associated with just one man. In an interview, I heard Lucas say that he would continue to change, or add to, the CT until he was satisfied with the films. "Satisfied with the films"? That sounds like there was something wrong with the CT. Lucas may be the creator of the films, but I don't think he is a Star Wars fan. I think he is just into it to make money. In fact, I get the feeling that he feels "held back" by the films, that he can't get out of their shadows, and the only way he could win is to keep altering the films until they become trivialized.

When I was 9 years old, seeing Star Wars ANH for the first time, I thought I was seeing the actual, completed film. But according to Lucas I was just seeing a rough draft. According to Lucas, I did not fall in love with the Greatest Film/Story Of All Times, but rather a second rate production. Perhaps Lucas feels that we were all just too immature and naive to see the obvious flaws in the film.

As fans, and believers in Star Wars, we need something we can "hang our hats on". We need to know that the Star Wars that we have all come to love will be there, unchanged, for future generations.

When the DVD comes out, that will be the second time that Lucas has altered "our" Star Wars. How many more times will we let him have?

 

Please don't include me in your little band of 'we', I'm perfectly happy with the SW situation.

When it comes to Star Wars, like it or not, Lucas is God. He has the final say-so about it all, so what he says goes. Seeing as he was about the only guy to have faith in creating Star Wars, I'd say that's a fair deal.