The "New" Star Wars DVD set...

[Allnatural]

I just finished episode IV, and I was pleased at how well most of the effects have held up after all these years, which makes me all the more disappointed with the added CGI. It really stood out.

I'm really ambivalent about the whole set. I'm glad I finally have the films on disk, even in their altered forms. The video and sound have been cleaned up really well, and they're still fun to watch. Some of the changes though...
Much of it is just needless fluff, like an extra CG creature in the background, or an extra droid in a particular scene. That doesn't add anything to the experience. CG never perfectly blends in with live action anyway (to my eyes), but it seems to stand out even more in an older film like this (ie. Han "dodging" Greedo's blaster).

*sigh* they're George's films; he can do what he wants. I kind of feel like a chump for buying them though...

 

[Modem]

If you bought it, that's all Mr. Lucas wants, haha. He's finally been able to make the films as he wanted them to be about 25 years ago. If this is the way he wants it, I definately have no complaints.
- Modem

 

[Stalkid64]

...video and sound have been cleaned up really well, and they're still fun to watch. Some of the changes though...
Much of it is just needless fluff, like an extra CG creature in the background, or an extra droid in a particular scene. That doesn't add anything to the experience. CG never perfectly blends in with live action anyway (to my eyes), but it seems to stand out even more in an older film like this (ie. Han "dodging" Greedo's blaster).

This comes pretty close to the real problem I was questioning. No matter how much producers and reviewers rave about `photo-quality CGI` effects and the like in films - They're NOT. They're jarring and distracting, and this is why they have no place in the films. It's still amazing that when you do go back and watch the pre-SE versions, the effects avoid being distracting, and the whole of the film just seems more fun as a result. They fit, they seem authentic or `natural`. They work. You enjoy the film instead.

As opposed to, say, Greedo shooting first and people rising to their feet screaming at the TV screen shouting "NO! NO! BAD LUCAS! HAN SHOOTS FIRST!"

(Sue me, I had to get HSF in there...)

 

[Allnatural]

As opposed to, say, Greedo shooting first and people rising to their feet screaming at the TV screen shouting "NO! NO! BAD LUCAS! HAN SHOOTS FIRST!"

(Sue me, I had to get HSF in there...)

Thankfully that scene is handled a bit better than in the SE release. A little bit. They shoot at the same time now, and Han does a somewhat more convincing dodge than before. It's still a blatantly obvious CGI effect though.

 

[xamenus]

I think the original "Han shoots first" scene will be restored in the ultimate edition.

Also considering all of the changes, look at this way--100 years from now, people won't know the difference, right?

 

[ScottJC]

100 years... eh..what differences??? *clueless*

 

[vampireuk]

Have you clicked the ads?

 

[Allnatural]

Seemless branching must be expensive to implement; you don't see it used much. I can't remember any major DVD using it since The Abyss: SE. It would be the perfect "please everyone" approach for Star Wars.

Of course, releasing the theatrical cuts at a later date would certainly be more profitable. I'm such a sucker; I'd probably buy them... lain:

 

[DarthDazDC]

I just got the dvds a few hours ago and i think they're amazin, especially the sound and video. I don't really care about who shoots first between han and greedo, i'm glad i've finally got them on dvd

 

[Stalkid64]

Well, Lucas has said that sadly "Han shoots first" will never be reinstated, and that the original versions will never again be released. It's tragic, especially given the huge demand out there (Lucas read: Profits!) for the unaltered versions.
As for seamless branching, well, that'd have been the perfect solution to keep everyone happy. The menu options could simply read;
"Han Shoots First - Classic-Edition" and
"Greedo Shoots First - Lucas-F***ed-With Edition. Now with 25% More Dancing CGI Jawa's!"
Or something... give him time. He just didn't think of it before me.

 

[Stalkid64]

Ah, trust penny-arcade to understand the pain of Bad Star Wars;
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2004-09-22

 

[vampireuk]

If I tell you to get over it do you promise to not dress as a storm trooper and try to kill me?

 

[blizz]

I hate Star Wars. I hadn't seen it since I was a child. Seeing it again destroyed my childhood memories.

I really hate Star Wars, although I still love the Ewoks cartoon. (why isn't that on DVD?)

 

[Hexidecimal]

Never cared if he changed them, there are DVD versions of the original untouched taken from a laserdisc floating around BitTorrent, so I plan to get them, and then buy the box set, and I also have the VHS from 95.

 

[IceWarm]

I like the DVD set, nice to finally see it on DVD. I also have the 1995 VHS set and the 1997 Special Edition on VHS so if I want to watch the earlier versions I can.

 

[Stalkid64]

I hate Star Wars. I hadn't seen it since I was a child. Seeing it again destroyed my childhood memories.

I really hate Star Wars, although I still love the Ewoks cartoon. (why isn't that on DVD?)

Wow, and I thought I was the only one who remembered the Ewoks cartoon... arty:

 

[xamenus]

After watching the trilogy and some of the bonus material disk, I really want to see Episode III now! Check out www.theforce.net; there's a lot of Episode III info there.

 

[Stalkid64]

I may be in danger of `over-geeking` the issue, but if you want info on ep 3 (which to be honest sounds like the most interesting of the prequels by far...), the official forums at forums.starwars.com have an insane amount of speculation coupled with a good dose of hard factual information.
Topics regularly hit several hundred pages long, and if you're quick enough to get things before lucasarts realises they've been posted, usually there's a few spoiler-y pictures around every so often.