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J.J. Abrams Wants The Original Trilogy Released Uncut...but says it won't happen.
- Thread starter Deleted member 7777
- Start date
Having recently seen for the first time the Despecialized Editions, it's a shame these versions aren't more available. I don't mind some of the Special Edition changes, but it's crazy how, for example, ROTJ is pretty much destroyed at least once in each act.
#Pray4YubNub
#Pray4YubNub
OP
OP
At best we will have to wait until George is no longer with us.
In George's mind, respecting his right to add asinine and ugly changes is more important than preserving the work of others. Academy Award winning effects work has simply been erased by these enhanced versions. Story beats in films he didn't even direct have been altered. If he had any respect for the craft he would have made sure to preserve the original versions and present them alongside any new release.
In George's mind, respecting his right to add asinine and ugly changes is more important than preserving the work of others. Academy Award winning effects work has simply been erased by these enhanced versions. Story beats in films he didn't even direct have been altered. If he had any respect for the craft he would have made sure to preserve the original versions and present them alongside any new release.
I'm going to get real morbid here for a second... but I'm guessing in his contract he kind of wants control over his 6 films for a long time so any changes he has/wants to make he still can and Disney will adhere to that. BUT (here's the morbid part) what about when he dies, his estate will go to someone and then could they decide to release the original trilogy uncut? I wonder just how deep this rabbit hole goes.
Well, you beat me to it.
Mod edit: don't link to pirated stuff
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I followed the google doc last week end, it's not that long to setup
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People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians, and if the laws of the United States continue to condone this behavior, history will surely classify us as a barbaric society. The preservation of our cultural heritage may not seem to be as politically sensitive an issue as "when life begins" or "when it should be appropriately terminated," but it is important because it goes to the heart of what sets mankind apart. Creative expression is at the core of our humanness. Art is a distinctly human endeavor. We must have respect for it if we are to have any respect for the human race.
These current defacements are just the beginning. Today, engineers with their computers can add color to black-and-white movies, change the soundtrack, speed up the pace, and add or subtract material to the philosophical tastes of the copyright holder. Tomorrow, more advanced technology will be able to replace actors with "fresher faces," or alter dialogue and change the movement of the actor's lips to match. It will soon be possible to create a new "original" negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires. The copyright holders, so far, have not been completely diligent in preserving the original negatives of films they control. In order to reconstruct old negatives, many archivists have had to go to Eastern bloc countries where American films have been better preserved.
In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be "replaced" by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.
George Lucas, speech to Congress, 1988
These current defacements are just the beginning. Today, engineers with their computers can add color to black-and-white movies, change the soundtrack, speed up the pace, and add or subtract material to the philosophical tastes of the copyright holder. Tomorrow, more advanced technology will be able to replace actors with "fresher faces," or alter dialogue and change the movement of the actor's lips to match. It will soon be possible to create a new "original" negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires. The copyright holders, so far, have not been completely diligent in preserving the original negatives of films they control. In order to reconstruct old negatives, many archivists have had to go to Eastern bloc countries where American films have been better preserved.
In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be "replaced" by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.
George Lucas, speech to Congress, 1988
I mean, there's a difference between a creator making changes to their film and some company swooping in to make changes to someone else's film to censor it or adjust it to their own personal sensibilities, but sure.
This is so crazy it almost feels like it has to be fake
Its not
Its like George Lucas was replaced around 95 by a look alike
1. I don't believe there is
2. The important part of that speech (other than when he predicts his own redubbing and editing of his films) is where he talks about the original film negatives being lost and unable to be preserved, which is what (possibly) happened to the OT after he butchered them
George Lucas directed only one of the original trilogy. Just because he created Star Wars and owned Lucasfilm does not give him the artistic right to alter the work of others. He should have preserved the films as constructed by their original directors and present his versions alongside them.
If I had to guess, the reception to his changes (and the PT) made him compare his audience to his pre Star Wars studio bosses he had to deal with. Star Wars was the movie that got him out of that monetary creative dependency, when he reads or hears about how people don't like what he's done with the edits then all he sees are old enemies and he goes into lockdown mode. He probably still believes in what he said about preservation, just not when it comes to Star Wars.
That's my armchair psychiatrist analysis!
Enjoy your missed income, Disney.
God bless despecialized and 4k77.
God bless despecialized and 4k77.
Lucas changed ESB well after Irvin Keshner's death. And he wasn't consulted anyway in 1997 and 2004.
Of course they would fix this shit if they could. But it seems clear that Lucas has gone to great lengths to prevent anyone except him from altering the old films, both in terms of the obfuscation of the original prints and the legal handover to Disney.
It depends. As far as I know, you can not, in perpetuity, forbid an heir from doing something legal with property you left them in your will that alters the property. It's theirs.
art does not belong to any one person once it's out there
and it's not like the release of the original cuts would make Lucas's neverending alterations suddenly disappear
people are going to continue bootlegging the despecialized editions, they just won't be seen in as high a quality as they deserve
Lucas's wishes are petty and misguided
It's clear Lucas really wanted to push Star Wars as being a six movie saga, and well, the original versions essentially contradict what he would do years later with the prequels in many ways, hence why he went back and modified to them to be more in line with what happens in the latter.
But on the bright side, we already have the Despecialized Editions made by the fans, just like how we have a perfectly good Mother 3 fan translation.
But on the bright side, we already have the Despecialized Editions made by the fans, just like how we have a perfectly good Mother 3 fan translation.
Or maybe they don't have the original cut and don't want to admit it? 🤣
OP
OP
Iirc the last time they were officially "released" they were 4:3 laserdisc scans as a bonus feature on a DVD release
There are some improvements in the special edition, like Bespin. Having both versions available would be the best thing.
The sad part about this, is that i was born in 91. My Dad showed me the originals and that was were my love of fantasy and sci-fi began. Now i can't even own a copy of a legit despecialized version. I've kinda forgot what the original trilogy is like without all the special edition stuff.
Fuck George Lucas for being a hypocrite and against film preservation after claiming to be for it.
Exactly. Fuck him.
Which version removes that cantinas scene from the beginning of ROTJ?
Truly one of the worst scenes of all time
Truly one of the worst scenes of all time
Hard disagree - the original matte paintings of Bespin are way better than the ugly 90's cgi.