This would seem like a no-brainer, especially with the new film coming out - just in time for Christmas! (Imagine that.) So, they may have finally breached all the technical and ownership hurdles?
Apparently, Landis mentioned this at a Q&A. He and Lucas are apparently friends and Landis was relaying something Lucas told him... apparently. Landis might be a film nut of the highest order (his knowledge never ceases to amaze me) but he's not exactly an authority on Star Wars.
I'll believe it when it's sitting on my shelf!
Besides, Fox still owns home video rights to the first film, but I forget if it's in perpetuity or for a set number of years before it reverts to Disney. But both studios know there's money to be made.
In the meantime, if you do a Google search, you'll eventually find a download link to a fan project known as the "de-Specialized Editions." My friend saw them and he said they did great work.
At this point, I'd rather have a remastered soundtrack boxset. The complete prequel scores have yet to be officially released, and the original scores were last remastered almost 20 years ago. The technology has improved by leaps and bounds since then.
Scott, I have the de-specialized editions (Star Wars nerd, that I am.) They did do a very good job - especially if you consider they built their own telecine with a Canon 5d MkIII. :) If I want to watch the original trilogy - those are the blu-rays I pop in (hopefully, for the moment.) :)
There's also a fan out there who goes by the name Adywan and he's doing his own Special Edition: he finished the first film and seems to be stuck on Empire... he's building new miniatures, filming new footage (crowds for backgrounds, etc.), and I haven't heard anything in months.
I saw his Star Wars and while he added a few things I didn't like, he did a TON of work that Lucas should've done with the Special Editions: nothing major like Greedo shooting first, but continuity issues, lightsaber colors, etc.
Interesting. I've actually never scene the original 1977 version. The earliest cut I can remember had the "Episode IV: A New Hope" scrawl. But I'm not such a jagoff purist that I consider that to be a problem. I'm fine with it. (For the record, I did see the 1997 'special edition' in theaters. My biggest gripe at the time was how the sound was off and looked like bad Godzilla-style dubbing. What was special about that anyway?)
However, something happened a few years ago that showed me just how much Lucas wrecked his own creation. In between shows, my camera operator- several years younger than me- and I were talking about the cantina scene. He said it didn't make sense how they shot at the same time. It wasn't framed, blocked or choreographed correctly. There was just something off. Then it hit me: he never saw Han shoot first! Oh, the horror for the younger generation! I immediately went to Youtube, found the correct clip, and showed him what was supposed to happen. His response: "That actually makes sense!"
Rustbelt, It's not about purity. It's about Lucas making a fantastic film into a stupid f**ing cartoon! He's changed the characters, changed the plot in nonsense ways, and filled the screen with ADD animation.
I know, Andrew. (I think my example shows just how badly he messed things up.) It's just that I've read many, many remarks from purist fanatics who see the addition of "Episode IV" as heathen blasphemy and the beginning of the end of all things. Of course, these are the same goofs who think an Obi-Wan-Anakin-Padme love triangle would solve all of Episode I's problems. What can I say? Guys like that really need girlfriends.
Rustbelt, I agree. There is a point where it goes from "why are you ruining a great film" to "you have ruined my life!" That's not a good line to cross.
I imagine the place to find these would be the torrent sites, like Kickass Torrents. And then you'd need a program like uTorrent to download the complete file. But I wouldn't know anything about that. :-)
14 comments:
This would seem like a no-brainer, especially with the new film coming out - just in time for Christmas! (Imagine that.) So, they may have finally breached all the technical and ownership hurdles?
Andrew -
Apparently, Landis mentioned this at a Q&A. He and Lucas are apparently friends and Landis was relaying something Lucas told him... apparently. Landis might be a film nut of the highest order (his knowledge never ceases to amaze me) but he's not exactly an authority on Star Wars.
I'll believe it when it's sitting on my shelf!
Besides, Fox still owns home video rights to the first film, but I forget if it's in perpetuity or for a set number of years before it reverts to Disney. But both studios know there's money to be made.
In the meantime, if you do a Google search, you'll eventually find a download link to a fan project known as the "de-Specialized Editions." My friend saw them and he said they did great work.
At this point, I'd rather have a remastered soundtrack boxset. The complete prequel scores have yet to be officially released, and the original scores were last remastered almost 20 years ago. The technology has improved by leaps and bounds since then.
Ken, I hope so. It wouldn't surprise me though because Disney is all about making money and the only reason to hold this back was Lucas's ego.
Scott, We'll see. This could be HUGE money, so I can't imagine they won't do it. And now would be the time to do it with the new films coming out.
Scott, I have the de-specialized editions (Star Wars nerd, that I am.) They did do a very good job - especially if you consider they built their own telecine with a Canon 5d MkIII. :) If I want to watch the original trilogy - those are the blu-rays I pop in (hopefully, for the moment.) :)
I'm going to have to check those out!
Andrew -
Watch this.
There's also a fan out there who goes by the name Adywan and he's doing his own Special Edition: he finished the first film and seems to be stuck on Empire... he's building new miniatures, filming new footage (crowds for backgrounds, etc.), and I haven't heard anything in months.
I saw his Star Wars and while he added a few things I didn't like, he did a TON of work that Lucas should've done with the Special Editions: nothing major like Greedo shooting first, but continuity issues, lightsaber colors, etc.
Interesting. I've actually never scene the original 1977 version. The earliest cut I can remember had the "Episode IV: A New Hope" scrawl. But I'm not such a jagoff purist that I consider that to be a problem. I'm fine with it.
(For the record, I did see the 1997 'special edition' in theaters. My biggest gripe at the time was how the sound was off and looked like bad Godzilla-style dubbing. What was special about that anyway?)
However, something happened a few years ago that showed me just how much Lucas wrecked his own creation. In between shows, my camera operator- several years younger than me- and I were talking about the cantina scene. He said it didn't make sense how they shot at the same time. It wasn't framed, blocked or choreographed correctly. There was just something off.
Then it hit me: he never saw Han shoot first! Oh, the horror for the younger generation!
I immediately went to Youtube, found the correct clip, and showed him what was supposed to happen. His response: "That actually makes sense!"
George...what the hell were you thinking?!
Scott, Where does one find this?
Rustbelt, It's not about purity. It's about Lucas making a fantastic film into a stupid f**ing cartoon! He's changed the characters, changed the plot in nonsense ways, and filled the screen with ADD animation.
I know, Andrew. (I think my example shows just how badly he messed things up.)
It's just that I've read many, many remarks from purist fanatics who see the addition of "Episode IV" as heathen blasphemy and the beginning of the end of all things. Of course, these are the same goofs who think an Obi-Wan-Anakin-Padme love triangle would solve all of Episode I's problems.
What can I say? Guys like that really need girlfriends.
Rustbelt, I agree. There is a point where it goes from "why are you ruining a great film" to "you have ruined my life!" That's not a good line to cross.
Andrew -
I imagine the place to find these would be the torrent sites, like Kickass Torrents. And then you'd need a program like uTorrent to download the complete file. But I wouldn't know anything about that. :-)
fanedit.org. That's a good place to look for adawan edit.
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