VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: [1], 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 23:02:04 08/31/11 Wed
Author: Rick
Subject: Star Wars Blu-ray update

Digital Bits editor Bill Hunt

All right... so, Star Wars. You guys hear any good rumors today?

Kidding. My e-mail box is full this afternoon, trust me.

As I said yesterday, we don't comment on posted screenshots from Blu-rays that we haven't seen yet. Yes, we know they seem to indicate more changes that George Lucas has made to the films. But as we don't yet actually have the discs in hand, and Lucasfilm has been a little slow to respond to inquiries over the last 24 hours or so, we haven't been able to confirm. However... Lucasfilm HAS apparently told the New York Times that at least one of the changes is true, which means they probably all are. To wit, the major reported changes are thus:

1. In Episode I, Yoda is now all-digital.

2. In Star Wars, the sound effect for Ben's eerie "dragon" call that frightens off the Sandpeople has apparently been changed.

3. At the end of Return of the Jedi, Vader now screams "Noooo!" as he throws the Emperor to his death.

There are numerous other changes as well, apparently, but they're all more minor (in Jedi, the Ewoks' eyes now blink, etc, etc). Again, we don't have the discs, so we can't confirm everything. But as Lucasfilm acknowledged at their press event, "new dialogue has been added" and there are indeed "new things to spot" when you watch these films.

Predictably, the online geek community is aflame today. Here's the thing: I'm really having a hard time getting worked up about it. We've just been through this too many times now. Every time these films are released, Lucas tweaks and changes them some more. And the tweaks and changes don't really improve the films, they just make them... different. The fact is, Star Wars stopped being what I loved and remembered a very LONG time ago. The combination of the prequels, repeated digital nips and tucks to the originals (Episode IV now reminds me more of Joan Rivers than a beloved classic film), the obvious BS about the original versions "no longer existing", etc, etc - it's all left me feeling fairly ambivalent about Star Wars.

I'll admit, I've been somewhat optimistic about these Blu-rays after attending the Lucasfilm preview. And I'm still looking forward to the discs. On a positive note, it sounds like the A/V quality of these discs is excellent on the whole (at least according to the guys in Europe and China who have apparently gotten their hands on factory-leaked discs. We wouldn't know - it'll probably be week or more before we get to see them.) As expected, numerous (though not all) picture and sound defects in these films have apparently been corrected. But while it's three steps forward in quality, it may be two and a half back for more changes. As for me, I'm just going to try to enjoy the films for what there are, as opposed to what they aren't at this point. The deleted scene material is the real draw for me in this Blu-ray release anyway.

Regardless, a lot of Bits readers have been e-mailing today me expecting me to react with the same sort of outrage they're experiencing right now. Been there. Done that. I wish I could tell you that I still share your pain, but believe me I certainly understand it. The thing is, this is just the reality of Star Wars in the 21st Century. We go through this like every 5 or 6 years. Despite past experience, fans continue to expect miracles... and every time, the curtain gets pulled back and we see the guy yanking on the levers again. For better or worse. And you know, I don't hate him for it. Hell... when I was ten back in 1977 and my folks were going through an ugly divorce, I saw Star Wars one afternoon and suddenly life was pretty good. So you know, I really can't get tweaked about this stuff anymore. Maybe it's reaching middle age, but I'm just like... whatever. Life goes on. George has been fiddling with these films for 34 years now. It's probably not going to change. Fans really need to come to grips with it at long last. Hell, maybe the 501st Legion can start up a worldwide support group - a 12 Step Star Wars Recovery Plan.

Anyway, to paraphrase a wise old wizard: Maybe these aren't the droids you're looking for anymore...

We'll be sure to post our full - and fair - review of the set as soon as we get the discs. Meanwhile, I find a good walk out in the fresh air helps restore your sense of perspective in times like these. Courage, friends!

By the way, this gave me a big laugh today: Lionsgate just sent over another well-timed press release for their 10/25 DVD release of The People vs. George Lucas documentary. From the text: "With all the recent uproar over the news of further changes to the original films in this new set, fans will feel in good company as the film devotes an entire section to the changes made to the 1997 re-releases, making this the perfect compliment to the Blu-ray Discs. But the film isn't all about the changes – it also features the fans and media expressing their love and admiration of him as well." Well played, Lionsgate. Well played.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.