Whats the big deal with wanting the unaltered versions released again?

Okay I am gona try to be a little more civil about this topic then last time. It's not like the old vhs copies just magicaly disapaired when the special edition came out. Also they do exist on dvd(if I remember right it was the 2008 releas). Downloaded movies can be easly converted to dvd so what's the big deal again?

 

History, originality, concreteness, proper quality, respect.

 

For some reasons people never made a big deal out of the first film getting a subtitle. I guess because the theatrical version had not existed for that long when it was done.

 

It doesn't need one and didn't originally have it.

 

"Who cares about the unaltered original trilogy? You can always buy used, twenty year-old copies that only work with outdated technology that many people no longer use or own! Or subpar DVDs that weren't even acceptable quality ten years ago, which nevertheless go for sale for hundreds of dollars on ebay! You can still steal it, sheeple!" - your argument

 

Also, what Cushy said, for the articulate, non-sarcastic rationale.

 

Well I am not the only guy who thinks that downloading films is okay. Eispecially when the movies are that old.

 

You're completely missing the point.

 

Well you seem to have problem with downloading since the only way you should watch these films according to you is to have them released on dvd again but with better quality then last time(I don't think that the original roles from the 70,s were in that great quality to begin with although I never watched them(the old roles I mean).

 

I have an issue with illegally downloading the films being the only way of watching them. There's no legitimate way to own them, and there's currently no version available to (illegitimately, again) download that's of the quality that should be expected of films of this iconic and culturally important nature. The closest thing there is is Harmy's Despecialized edition, which is a fan restoration project. So, it's an illegal download of an unofficial restoration of the film. And none of this sounds like an issue to you? Because "the VHS" is still there? That's ridiculous. I don't know what a "role" is, but I assume you're talking about the negatives. They can, and should be restored, and then made available to the public in the best quality available for whichever home video services or technologies are currently in popular use. DVD, Blu-ray, hell, throw them on digital too, while you're at it, just to cover all the bases. Far worse damage has been treated for far less culturally or cinematically prominent films.

The issue is they are currently unavailable to the public through conventional means, and the last time they were was in a presentation that was a decade behind acceptable standards. Not everyone wants to own the films digitally, many prefer to own physical copies, and most want their copies of a beloved film to be high definition. Low-quality or fan restoration copies of the films accessible online for illegal download isn't acceptable. It's not even on the same planet as "acceptable." It wouldn't be for any other film, or set of films, why should it be for something as culturally significant as this?

 

Ugh, sorry I meant rolls. That what people watched before vhs. My grandparents used to own one with the original star wars actually.

 

VHS has been around for a while, actually; Star Wars was first offered on VHS in 1982, but I feel you're talking about the 8mm release of the film. Well, saying it's a release of the "film" would be slightly disingenuous, since (from my understanding of this release) for the most part only certain scenes were released, with reels having either 200 feet of film (approximately seven or eight minutes long) or 400 feet (roughly twice that length). The scenes were offered in either black-and-white silent, color silent, or color with sound. Eventually they released the entire film on 8mm, but it was very, very expensive.

Someone actually edited together about 35 minutes of the 8mm. You can watch it here if you so desire.

 

Many fans grew up with the unaltered versions and fell in love with them. For them, they are their childhood memories.
I'm not really one of those, although I watched the unaltered first in the 90s and only later the SE, I prefer the latter (yes, even Hayden force ghost). But in my opinion, the unaltered versions should be released on Blu-Ray in HD. I think that the fans who prefer the OOT and dislike the SE should have their favourite version on a proper format. I mean, other films have also Directors cuts and such things, but usually both versions are available. Or look at Star Trek TOS. There is a remastered version where the old effects were replaced with CGI, but the old version is still available, also on Blu-Ray. Why not the same with Star Wars? If both versions are available, then all would be happy - the OOT lovers and the SE lovers.

But sadly, this probably won't happen in this decade. Fox owns the rights for TESB and ROTJ until 2020 (and ANH for eternity) and seems not to be interested in releasing the OOT.

 

I don't know if Fox owns the rights anymore. Judging by the fact that the digital release happened at all, and every film but IV opened without the traditional Fox fanfare, I'd say it's pretty safe to assume Disney bit the bullet and bought the distribution rights ahead of the 2020 reversion date, and they're clearly willing to collaborate with Fox to release ANH.

 

But do you think there is any chance they will ever release ANH as just "star wars" after all I am not sure if that version was ever released outside those 8mm that we just talked about

 

The 2006 DVD didn't have the "Episode IV - A New Hope" in the opening crawl. If I had to guess, I'd say the version of the film with the 1977 crawl is probably the one they'd release. I don't think people that are pining for those editions of the films are too concerned with minute continuity, and more with historical authenticity.

 

to answer the OP:

because some people don't want subpar 1990's CGI in a film that clearly belongs in the 70's, which I don't blame them.

The thing I find a bit disingenuous is wanting to "preserve the films". Would these people really care if say Alice In Wonderland (1915) got voice overs or was wiped from existence? I doubt it, It's just a way to see their wants in a way that doesn't shout "whiny fan boy" all in my opinion of course

that said I see no reason why the OOT shouldn't be released.