CT Did the rise of VHS lead Lucas to want to make the Special Editions?

Was he worried that now that people could pause the movies, they would notice things like Greedo not shooting and flaws in the special effects?

 

That could be, but I think it was more the success of the films in general. George procured the finances, time, and technology to have the Special Editions made. Even if home video barely existed, he probably still would've made the Special Editions. They did premiere in a theater before coming to VHS and Laserdisc.

 

In 1994, I went to a benefit showing of the OT at Union County Arts Center in Rahway, NJ. It was a total blast. They had a big crowd, and showed the movies, the trailers, an old March of Dimes Walkathon PSA with Mark Hamill, and even the old General Cinemas "Feature Presentation" bumper. It was, reportedly, the last public showing of the original OT, and it's success was one of the reasons that Lucas decided there was still an audience for theater showings of the OT. (Remember, this was back when "Star Wars" fandom was at a low ebb, with no new material coming out.) So, he decided to go ahead with re-doing the movies according to what he had wanted to do, and brought them back.
And the rest is history...

 

No, I'd say it was the progress made in digital FX that made him realise he could improve a few things, but then he got carried away.

 

Correct. Lucas has long felt dissatisfied with how ANH came out, effects wise. The strides made with T2, "The Abyss", "Jurassic Park" and "Forrest Gump" gave him the desire to go back and make the changes.

 

I think it was a few reasons, they were in the process of beginning to work on the prequels and the new digital effects could be used to 'improve' those things he thought needing improving. Plus the fact they were back in the cinemas and back on home video was perfect promo for the upcoming prequels because SW was in the wilderness then.

 

I believe it is because technology has advanced and he wanted to do stuff.

I personally think it is better if Greedo doesn't shoot at all. Certain special effects were pretty bad though. Like Obiwan's dying lightsaber versus Darth Vader. Honestly, the whole choreography in that scene is pretty terrible.

 

There was a quote from Lucas talking about how SW would never be released on home video, because he didn't want people going through the film slowly looking for mistakes. I wish I could find it.

 

I know for sure there is a quote where he said the VHS tapes of the original cuts weren't exist forever.

"Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won't last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition], and you'll be able to project it on a 20-foot-by-40-foot screen with perfect quality. I think it's the director's prerogative, not the studio's, to go back and reinvent a movie."

George Lucas in 1997

 

No, I think it was more just tech progress and also wanting to do some trial runs on new tech to see if prequels, as he envisioned, might be possible yet.

 

It had nothing to do with VHS. It was because in the early 90s, 20th Century Fox wanted to do a theatrical re-release in celebration of the 20th anniversary. And when they went to Lucas with that idea (and because the movies required a restoration job to be put into theaters again), he took advantage of that opportunity to not only restore the picture but fix and add things that he wanted ever since he made the movies.

 

That quote just makes me want to transfer my Avenger VHS boxset to DVD, bonus features and all.