Disney, release the original Star Wars movies already!

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'97 Special Editions are my favorites. Not because of the negative changes (which are relatively few) or sometimes poor CGI (Jabba) but stuff like better Mos Eisley, better Cloud City, those elevate the film well above the originals in my mind.
The original '04 versions had a lot of good fixes but also technical issues though apparently these were fixed for the Blu-Ray release, but their extra changes (extra "No"s, Hayden Christensen Anakin, etc.) were unacceptable for me.

Not sure if i'd take originals over '04 versions though.
 
Disney will release these eventually, when the timing is just right. I don't know when that will be, but they are coming. Too much money to be made for Disney to ignore.
 
I heard a rumour WAAAAAY back that Lucas was considering even having Hayden's face superimposed on the unmasking scene.

He should have done it just so we could have observed the butthurt, but it would have been such sacrilege.
 
ThoseDeafMutes said:
Jokes aside, my ideal version is the theratrical one with updated lightsabers / blaster bolts or whatever. No greedo shot first nonsense or silly cg animal additions, but I'm not really angry if they want to update a couple of vfx shots.
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This. I don't mind touching up the original VFX just to make them cleaner and better looking. But none of the Lucas tier shit.
 
Moff said:
well I dont have a VHS player anymore, so of course I bought the 2008 release. and its not that terrible either, I certainly dont regret buying them. as I said, not everyone who wants the original cut wants them, thats obvious, but I'm sure the sales were indicative enough to show that the interest in the original cut is much lower than some people make you think.
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Man you really just have no idea. The people who would have bought those releases didn't because they were fuckin' pillar-letterboxed garbage rips of the laserdisc transfer. They weren't advertised or sold as the theatricals, it was a little sticker on the box that basically threw it in as an extra for anyone who was buying the normal movie by itself anyway, which was approximately zero fuckin' people since the whole set had been available as a trilogy for a couple years at that point and who buys just one Star Wars movie?

The whole thing disenchanted the enthusiast crowd that would have paid money just for the theatricals, myself and tons of others included, and I'm sure it barely sold because the people who don't care about the theatricals sure aren't gonna just buy a single flick with a sticker of "oh bonus old version" and no explanation or promotion whatsoever.

An actual lovingly-restored set of the originals with emphasis on preservation, careful treatment, good packaging, some nice featurettes, the original poster artwork even--that would sell not only to Star Wars fans, but to Blu collectors and people--in general--who appreciate film and film history.
 
RoboPlato said:
I think they've already hinted at this in the past. A well restored original trilogy blu would be lovely.
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I would be fine with a cleaned up OT (like those boxes around tie fighters gone, good colors etc) and also that awful matte painting of people at the start of the medal ceremony in ep4 on the corners.
 
I imagine Fox would be ok with the idea of making lots more money again. They'd probably have released the original trilogy if Lucas had let them.

Personally I'd buy it, but I also like some of the special edition. The X-wing flyby..ooh. But get rid of all the stupid animals and clutter in Mos Eisley and on the dunes etc.
 
John Rabbit said:
Despecialized Editions. you can find them fairly easily. they're cherry-picked updated scenes that otherwise present films in their original versions. they combine blu-ray, DVD, DTV and even scans directly from negatives. they're quite impressive.
one might say most impressive.
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Have they put out Despecialized Editions of V and VI? I could only find IV, but it's flippin' awesome.
 
Sapiens said:
I heard a rumour WAAAAAY back that Lucas was considering even having Hayden's face superimposed on the unmasking scene.

He should have done it just so we could have observed the butthurt, but it would have been such sacrilege.
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Well he already ruined Darth Vader's sacrifice with the big "NOOO" so I say in for a penny, in for a pound.
 
ThoseDeafMutes said:
Jokes aside, my ideal version is the theratrical one with updated lightsabers / blaster bolts or whatever. No greedo shot first nonsense or silly cg animal additions, but I'm not really angry if they want to update a couple of vfx shots.
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Indeed. I think that's what most people really wanted from the Special Editions anyway. The films they remember and enjoyed spruced up a bit.
 
Scooter155 said:
Have they put out Despecialized Editions of V and VI? I could only find IV, but it's flippin' awesome.
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yup, but he only has a new hope done for the "remastered" despecialized editions
which are basically him totally redoing all his work using the blu-ray release as the base instead of the hd hbo version he used for the original 3 despecialized editions
 
Anth0ny said:
There is a collector that not only own multiple (technicolor) prints of Star Wars, but has been working on a 4K restoration of the film for the better part of 10 years. He is willing to offer his restoration to Disney/Lucas if necessary.
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Offering his homemade restoration isn't the same as offering his print so that it can be professionally restored. No way Disney is just like "yeah, sure, just sendspace us the files, or dropbox, or whatever. Thanks man!"

They're going to want the prints themselves. He's got to want to just give them back. Because he can't SELL them back. He's not supposed to have them.
 
Fuck da haters, I still think the original '97 special editions are the superior version of the OT. Loved the addition of the Jabba scene in Ep. IV, and the CG wasn't so egregious as to distract from the overall tone of the films. The second remasters they did after the PT were pretty shite though, especially how they botched Ep. VI (wtf at Jabba's palace dance scene and removing Sebastian Shaw. WTF.)
 
moltonasty said:
Fuck da haters, I still think the original '97 special editions are the superior version of the OT. Loved the addition of the Jabba scene in Ep. IV, and the CG wasn't so egregious as to distract from the overall tone of the films. The second remasters they did after the PT were pretty shite though, especially how they botched Ep. VI (wtf at Jabba's palace dance scene and removing Sebastian Shaw. WTF.)
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I have to strongly disagree. I thought the added Jabba scene in IV was absolutely terrible. The scene itself is cool, but the execution is just laughable. Jabba looks awful, and there is that part where Han walks over him and it looks completely fake and out of place. Just terrible.
 
moltonasty said:
Fuck da haters, I still think the original '97 special editions are the superior version of the OT. Loved the addition of the Jabba scene in Ep. IV, and the CG wasn't so egregious as to distract from the overall tone of the films. The second remasters they did after the PT were pretty shite though, especially how they botched Ep. VI (wtf at Jabba's palace dance scene and removing Sebastian Shaw. WTF.)
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Jabba's palace dance scene was a 1997 addition.

Sorry but I think 2004 only corrected flaws of 97. A better CG of Jabba. Luke doesn't scream like a bitch when he falls in ESB (added for 1997 version). Greedo shooting first was at least tried to be corrected by Han's CG dodge... (better than just "oops... Han lives because Greedo is a terrible shot")

I don't like either Special Edition but 1997 is by far the worse version.
 
moltonasty said:
Fuck da haters, I still think the original '97 special editions are the superior version of the OT. Loved the addition of the Jabba scene in Ep. IV, and the CG wasn't so egregious as to distract from the overall tone of the films. The second remasters they did after the PT were pretty shite though, especially how they botched Ep. VI (wtf at Jabba's palace dance scene and removing Sebastian Shaw. WTF.)
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You are half right, but unfortunately you are also half wrong :\

The new Jabba scene in IV is no bueno. It makes Jabba seem like a pussycat (figuratively and literally, he "meows" when Han steps on his tail) who let's Han walk free after putting a bounty on his head, why would he ever do that? And it as originally shot with a human playing Jabba, not a giant space worm, which is why Han awkwardly steps on his tail which Jabba just lets slide. Are you kidding me? Han just effectively spit in the Godfather's face while surrounded by armed henchman while the Godfather has an active hit out on his head, and they just let him go. It makes no sense and the CG is worse than you remember and it diminishes Jabba's presence in ROTJ.
 
The Greedo scene makes the Jabba scene completely redundant. Which is why it was cut in the first place. There's no information you get from the Jabba scene that you didn't already get in the Greedo scene, and the Greedo scene is better at establishing Han's character on top of that.

Jabba in Star Wars is completely superfluous. Adding him back was basically an effects test.

The Special Editions in general were effects tests, actually. I believe there's a quote somewhere, from McCallum, where he explains the SE's were a means to proof-of-concept the work they were planning on doing for the Prequels.
 
Scooter155 said:
You are half right, but unfortunately you are also half wrong :\

The new Jabba scene in IV is no bueno. It makes Jabba seem like a pussycat (figuratively and literally, he "meows" when Han steps on his tail) who let's Han walk free after putting a bounty on his head, why would he ever do that? And it as originally shot with a human playing Jabba, not a giant space worm, which is why Han awkwardly steps on his tail which Jabba just lets slide. Are you kidding me? Han just effectively spit in the Godfather's face while surrounded by armed henchman while the Godfather has an active hit out on his head, and they just let him go. It makes no sense and the CG is worse than you remember and it diminishes Jabba's presence in ROTJ.
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I rewatched it recently, and I didn't mind it. Jabba says something like "Han, my boy, you're the best smuggler I ever hired" So I got the impression that Han makes him so much money, that he overlooks certain things, such as him delaying paying him and "accidentally" walking over his tail.

Damn though about RoTJ dance scene, I seem to remember the first special edition had the original music from the original release, and it was only in 2004 that they redid that with all the excessive CGI and new music. So damn corny.
 
moltonasty said:
I rewatched it recently, and I didn't mind it. Jabba says something like "Han, my boy, you're the best smuggler I ever hired" So I got the impression that Han makes him so much money, that he overlooks certain things, such as him delaying paying him and "accidentally" walking over his tail.

Damn though about RoTJ dance scene, I seem to remember the first special edition had the original music from the original release, and it was only in 2004 that they redid that with all the excessive CGI and new music. So damn corny.
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All the egregious new CG and music is from the 1997 version... it is the loud warning shot that Star Wars had just transformed into an awkward cartoon.
 
I actually liked the DVD release more than the '97 VHS release. Added a few little touches, like the language displayed on the screen in the X-Wing and other vehicles isn't English, but it a different dialect. Removing the old fossil Emperor and adding in McDiarmid in Empire. Removing Luke's scream as he falls in ESB. Cleaning up the Jabba scene in ANH.

Remove Jedi Rocks, and add back in Sebastian Shaw as Anakin's ghost, and I'd be good w/ the HD transfer of the DVD versions.
 
Hayden Christensen sucks but... it really doesn't make sense to have Shaw-Anakin there anymore either. You're supposed to look at that person and see Anakin, but to post-prequel viewers who are familiar with an Anakin in their head, they'd think "who is that old man???"
 
"Special Edition" was such a funny thing to call those movies because they are definitely not "special" in any way. I remember when I saw "Star Wars" in the theater back in February of 1997. After it was over, I stumbled outside. I took a couple deep breaths to try to get myself under control but then I accidentally recalled Greedo shooting first and threw up behind my mom's car. I looked at my mom and said, in a voice shaking with fear, "Mom... Call the cops. I think George poisoned me." She said, "Would you just get in the car?"

Anyway, I'd buy blu ray versions of the original movies.

BocoDragon said:
Hayden Christiensen sucks but... it really doesn't make sense to have Shaw-Anakin there anymore either. You're supposed to look at that person and see Anakin, but to post-prequel viewers who are familiar with an Anakin in their head, they'd think "who is that old man???"
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Now you're left with Luke thinking "who is that young man?"
 
BocoDragon said:
Hayden Christensen sucks but... it really doesn't make sense to have Shaw-Anakin there anymore either. You're supposed to look at that person and see Anakin, but to post-prequel viewers who are familiar with an Anakin in their head, they'd think "who is that old man???"
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I find it so goddamn disrespectful to the actors, especially ones that pass away, that their work on such classic films are edited out. This was Shaw as Anakin and always was in the original trilogy. That's what disgust me so much with ROTJ when I saw Hayden. Worse than Han shooting first.
 
ThoseDeafMutes said:
Jokes aside, my ideal version is the theratrical one with updated lightsabers / blaster bolts or whatever. No greedo shot first nonsense or silly cg animal additions, but I'm not really angry if they want to update a couple of vfx shots.
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i liked the crooked sabers :\
 
Legally, is there a distinction between distribution rights of the original unmodified trilogy and the special edition? Because I notice the SE has revised credits with newer copyright dates among other things.
 
HomerSimpson-Man said:
I find it so goddamn disrespectful to the actors, especially ones that pass away, that their work on such classic films are edited out. This was Shaw as Anakin and always was in the original trilogy. That's what disgust me so much with ROTJ when I saw Hayden. Worse than Han shooting first.
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I don't buy in to the "Lucas is just out to fuck us fans over!" like a lot of hardcare fans do. But, I will never for the life of me understand why Hayden was added in, and Shaw was removed. Lucas explanation of "That's the last time Anakin was his true self w/ the force" completely discredits his full redemption when he realizes his love for his son fully, and throws the Emperor over the rail. So, Anakin was not "full with the force" at that time?

Makes no sense whatsover. I honestly don't have as big of an issue w/ the edits on the Special Edition, and DVD releases as some others do, but that complete removal was just unnecessary.
 
BocoDragon said:
Hayden Christensen sucks but... it really doesn't make sense to have Shaw-Anakin there anymore either. You're supposed to look at that person and see Anakin, but to post-prequel viewers who are familiar with an Anakin in their head, they'd think "who is that old man???"
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what lol
you see the fucking old man only a few scenes earlier when luke takes off vader's mask
what is so confusing about that?
 
mattp said:
what lol
you see the fucking old man only a few scenes earlier when luke takes off vader's mask
what is so confusing about that?
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Not to mention that viewers would have to be pretty dense not to realize that it's Vader/Anakin just based off of context clues alone. I mean, who else could it possibly be? A little late in the game to introduce a new character.
 
nemss said:
I don't buy in to the "Lucas is just out to fuck us fans over!" like a lot of hardcare fans do. But, I will never for the life of me understand why Hayden was added in, and Shaw was removed. Lucas explanation of "That's the last time Anakin was his true self w/ the force" completely discredits his full redemption when he realizes his love for his son fully, and throws the Emperor over the rail. So, Anakin was not "full with the force" at that time?

Makes no sense whatsover. I honestly don't have as big of an issue w/ the edits on the Special Edition, and DVD releases as some others do, but that complete removal was just unnecessary.
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Yeah, I actually enjoy the special editions alright for the most part until that final scene, I just cringe. Well okay, the CG song and dance scene in Jabba's place is also pretty awkward.
 
mattp said:
people keep saying this
but...why is disney and fox just working out a licensing agreement so out of the question?
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Well Disney and Fox are not exactly on good terms considering that Fox owns some of Marvel's properties (X-Men & Fantastic Four). There's bad blood between the two after Fox lost Daredevil to Disney.
 
richiek said:
Well Disney and Fox are not exactly on good terms considering that Fox owns some of Marvel's properties (X-Men & Fantastic Four). There's bad blood between the two after Fox lost Daredevil to Disney.
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Neither of them are personality-driven media empires. They're both soulless machines who feed on money. It's certainly possible for them to come to a deal.
 
richiek said:
Well Disney and Fox are not exactly on good terms considering that Fox owns some of Marvel's properties (X-Men & Fantastic Four). There's bad blood between the two after Fox lost Daredevil to Disney.
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LOL...you think there is bad blood over B-rated properties? Agreements and negotiations happen all the time...sometime they work out and sometimes they don't but one failure wouldn't preclude working together on another project. There is a TON of money to be made here so they'll find a way.
 
Regardless of whether or not Disney and Fox can come to a deal (it's debatable), we're not gonna see any new box set until after 2020.

Face it, the people that want the original SW films are a very small minority. The Blu-rays of the SW films sold extremely well, so I don't see a new release of the films considering the ownership limbo they're in right now.
 
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