The Ultimate Editions: Discussing Changes to Possible Upcoming Releases of the Saga

I agree...erase the scream in ESB, it was better without it in the original. I mean, Luke made a conscious decision to jump so why scream? Also, ditto for the Greedo shooting thing. So what if Han shoots first and kills the maggot. Why change it? I wish they could do something with the matte lines on the rancor. I'm sure you can go in and blend those in with the background more...shoot you can do that in photoshop. I hope that in ep. III George doesn't try to tie up all the loose ends, how boring would that be? I'd rather have something to debate about in these boards with our own conclusions on different aspects of SW. It's more fun that way

 

Quit calling it "continuity."

I agree. Having Hayden in the OT is not continuity. Having McDiarmid in ESB is not continuity. That the history of the character in the OT is what is portrayed in the PT is continuity. Saying that Bail Organa needs to be seen is the worst abuse of the word I've ever heard.

The interaction between Hamill and Shaw is genuine, because they were both there, actually talking to each other. That would not be the case if you digitally replaced him with Hayden, who has never even met Mark Hamill, that we know of. Plus, Shaw did better acting in that 60 seconds than Hayden does in spouting that awful romantic drivel from AOTC, or whining about Obi-Wan in Padme's apartment.

 

"Shaw did better acting in that 60 seconds than Hayden does in spouting that awful romantic drivel from AOTC, or whining about Obi-Wan in Padme's apartment."

Amen, brother!

 

Here is my ULTIMATE EDITION.


Take the original edition...


1) Clean up the Picture and Sound
2) Get rid of Matte Lines
3) Fix the wipes and dissolves
4) Remove blurs, blobs and other distortions on the films.
5) Re-Color all the lightsabers.
6) Put in the Return of the Jedi SE ending.


THE END

 

Very good changes indeed.

Although, IMHO, there should be many more added to your very short list.

 

"1) Clean up the Picture and Sound"
"2) Get rid of Matte Lines"
"3) Fix the wipes and dissolves"
"4) Remove blurs, blobs and other distortions on the films."

This was all done in the THX and SE versions. This is about as good as it's going to get.

"5) Re-Color all the lightsabers."
"6) Put in the Return of the Jedi SE ending."

5, maybe (I kinda like Darth's white saber ), but you definitely lost me at 6.

 

All the changes are good.

They didn't really do a good job removing the blobs and stuff. Guess they need to fix that in the AE.

And definately redo the lightsabers!

 

It isn't going to happen. And it doesn't need to. The films will work together without changes being made. I fail to see how Ian McDiarmid's absense will make someone stop paying attention to the story. If we can stand Ewan McGregor's fake beard used in the reshoots, we can stand Clive Revill, blurs under landspeeders, and original lightsaber effects.

 

Although I am not really for the Special Editions, the new Wampa scene in ESB is possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen. Its too bad CG Jabba looks SOO dated now.

 

That didn't do anything for me. It was like adding more shots of the shark in Jaws.

 

What annoys me is when fans say that "These are Lucas's films and he can do whatever he wants!".

Then, they list 200 changes to each film and say "Lucas HAS to make these changes."

 

eclipseSD, I love your insight!

 

Quite frankly, I hate the position that "they're his films, he can do what he wants." Films are pieces of art, and you don't release those to the public and then keep making changes ad infinitum. Once you've released it, I would argue that it is the audience's film, for better or worse.

And secondly, the changes suggested are really stupid. They say changes MUST be made for the saga to flow together, which is not true. The original films, in their original form, fit with the prequels already, despite the difference in technology. The old effects still look good today. Palpatine doesn't need to be in ANH, nor does Coruscant, nor does Ian McDiarmid need to be in ESB, or Hayden Christensen in ROTJ.

When you insist on changes like this, then fall back on "They're Lucas's films," that just shows you can't back up your own nitpickings, and therefore must project them upon Lucas. It's like people who say they don't want Vader's secret revealed in the prequels, then talk about how Lucas doesn't want to ruin the surprise.

 

Just three things need to be taken care of-

1) Vader's voice in ANH doesnt seem to match the other two OT films, it seems a bit more tinny sounding.

2) Fix the bad lightsaber shot in ANH when you can see the actual plastic prop ObiWan is using even in the special edition

3) Lose the fake Emperor, and reshoot footage with Ian McDiarmid.

 

Obi-Ewan: GL has proven, time and again, that these films are HIS. First the THX versions of the OT, then the SE, then the DVD version of TPM, then the digital theater version of AOTC, then the DVD version of AOTC.
The man will keep making changes until he has created the continuity and the quality that HE wants in HIS saga.
WHAT changes he will make, though, none of us knows, but we can always dream until the day comes....

 

Anything in BOLD letters are MUST-CHANGES IMHO

I would appreciate the other suggestions.
But I could live without them.

EPISODE IV ? A NEW HOPE

. Compose new score for the Mos Eisley establishing shots
and put the score to where it belongs (Trash Compactor)
· Han shooting first (redo)
· Better (or no) Jabba CGI (at all) and NO stupid ?tail joke?
· Alderaan scenes before blow-up
· Cell block AA23 shootout (like original version, more graphic)
· Vader´s ?white? lightsaber fix
· Red Leader crashing into DS (better effects)

EPISODE V ? THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK


· Get rid off that ridiculous scream (Luke)
· Lando and Luke on the Millenium Falcon (additional scene)
· James Earl Jones voice over in new Vader shuttle scene or original version
. Throw out the Shuttle landing on Executor scene (messes up the brilliant soundtrack)

EPISODE VI ? RETURN OF THE JEDI

· Bring back Lapti Nek (maybe CG-Version) !!!
· Shield Generator blow up (more debris)
· Millenium Falcon gunners
· Executor crash into DS2 (better effects)
· More rebel forces ground battle (or any at all !)


As you see most of my "changes" affect the SE changes.

 

I don't see why GL didn't fix the "broken" parts for the SE instead of putting stupid Greedo shooting first crap. There's things that could actually use some fixing like the "jumping" when they ignite their sabers or the mirror of Han when he's running from the bunker. Those are the things that should be fixed, he shouldn't add pointless, laughable ideas for scenes like Palpatine in ANH. The few second additional cgi is pretty cool like stuff for the death star and Tatooine and Coruscant at the end and stuff. PS I think GL is just making up that saying "movies are never finished they're abandoned" I never heard that anywhere else.

 

Just because he makes changes doesn't mean that he is right to do so. They are collaborative efforts, and every change he makes destroys work that was done by others. How ungrateful can he be? He may not treat them with the respect they deserve, but that doesn't make them "his films." That's the most solipsistic attitude about filmmaking that has ever been expressed, and we have the snobby French to thank.

Secondly, "continuity" is not the reason he makes changes. Money is. And there will be no further changes made.

If the special editions had never been made in the first place, you'd never have come up with the idea of more changes being made. If you have such issues with the OT effects, you're lucky you got the SE's to begin with.

 

They should release the Archival and the Original Editions(or Special) on Dvd. So that everyone can buy what they want..
anyways here is what i would change

A New Hope

the Cantina Music... i know a lot of you will hate me for this but that music is awful..and annoying....more annoying than the Ewoks and Jar Jr put together

The whole space battle in computer(or what ever you call those cool effects) excet the close ups on charaters....

The blowig up of the Death Star...they could make that scene look so amazing....(It looks really fake)

You can see DArth Vaders eye when he is spinning in his ship....fix that

Make Greedo CG

change some of the cantina monsters cause they look awful and fake (don't get mad it is an opinion)

change lightsaber effects

everyone is going to hate me for this next one.... Do the Obi WAn vs. Darth Vader scene all over again... I don't care if they are old... Dokku was old and he fought better than both Darth Vader and Obi Wan...

that is all i could think of right now

 

"Just because he makes changes doesn't mean that he is right to do so."

WTF! George has every right in the world to change whatever he damn well pleases.

And i'm sick and tired of panywaste posters who say George has no right to change his own films.

He can do whatever the hell he wants to his own ****ing creations, so back off, buddy! !!!

 

Just because he makes changes doesn't mean that he is right to do so."

WTF! George has every right in the world to change whatever he damn well pleases.

First of all, you misunderstand me. That particular quote means that it is wrong to do so. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should, it doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do.

And secondly, Lucas is no different from other filmmakers, except in one respect. Most other filmmakers understand that once a film is released, it is no longer their own. They have given it to the audience. Lucas and Spielberg, however, fail to realize this.

 

Just because the effects in the OT aren't as noticeably fake (cgi)as the PT doesn't mean the trilogies aren't tied together already. Of course George has the legal rights to do all that nonsense but he's not gonna because I don't think he's that bad of a filmmaker. I don't think he wants to be known as the sell out who sucks at making movies when he first made them so he waits til computer animation comes out to "fix" good looking aliens and makes them look worse.

 

Obiewan, just out of curiosity, how can you be so sure that they wont come out with an AE? We really dont have enough substantial evidence to prove whether or not the AE will happen. By the way, you have heard the quote by John Williams in Score Magazine haven't you? That's probably the best evidence concerning the AE.

 

He won't make it, he's not gonna waste a whole bunch of money to do all those pointless things to his movies. I hope he might take out greedo shooting first and that's it. Hopefully he'll realize the actual "mistakes" and fix them (lightsaber "jumps" is an example).

 

There isn't lots of money that needs to be spent on the new archival versions. Replace the Rancor in Jedi with CGI, Shoot footage of Ian for TESB while on the set of Episode 3, Replace ROTJ Boba with CGI Boba over the Great Pit of Carkoon, fix lightsabers in ANH, and redo the Jabba sequence in ANH without resorting to the stupid tail stepping idea. I understand why that scene was done that way back then, considering the fact that Harrison Ford actually walked around the Jabba actor before they decided upon the slug design. With todays technology, which has come far since 1997, they could adequetely present this scene with a fat Jabba and no stupid tail stepping comedic ignorance. Hopefully, George will remove the two BIG mistakes he made like Greedo shooting first and Luke's scream on Cloud City. Also, simply remove Vader's dialogue altogether when approaching his shuttle on Cloud City. Why the heck does he HAVE to say anything???? Escpecially something as stupid as "Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival. Have the cocktails ready in my lounge and the beautiful women ready in my chamber....." Ooooppps, got carried away there!