Star Wars Returns to Theaters for 50th Anniversary
There has been evidence of this new remastered original trilogy slowly building online over recent months. This is due to the restoration company posting short clips to a quiet unknown YouTube account.
Check out this video on an explanation on what has been happening and a comparison between the new remaster and the current 4K discs.
TLDW: The new remaster looks way better than the current discs.
Then check out this 17 minute compilation of remastered original trilogy clips that have appeared online so far.
Wait... is this a remaster of the original unfucked up version of the movie without his stupid digital additions?
Yes, the original originals from 77, 80 and 83.
Sweet! That I might go see.
Oh heck. I saw the re-runs of the originals in theaters in 94'
What were the stupid digital additions? Now I’m curious
I think it was the 25th anniversary release where he changed and added stuff. First off, he fixed a lot of the special effects that hadn't aged well. That was fine, I concede that was an improvement. But then he went through and added silly stuff. He added a blaster shot from Greedo's gun in the cantina scene because he felt, for some reason, that Han shouldn't have shot first. Then he added seriously obnoxious stuff like restoring a cut scene of Han and Jabba the Hut at the space port. Jabba was a bad CGI job placed over the scene's original actor. At one point Han walks over him and Jabba makes this stupid face that I can't even describe.
Also rhe original Jabba the Hut was a himan in a furry jacket, not a giant slug monster. Since Han walks around human Jabba in the scene on flat ground they added the stepping over slug Jabba's tail with CGI which is why the way Han walks in the clip looks janky as hell.
Didn't they update that scene twice? The first Special Edition release and then updated the Jabba CGI a second time for another release. (The Blu-ray's? I'm not sure)
It's all a bit moot anyway as everything in the "new" Jabba scene is almost a repeat of what was said in the Greedo encounter a few scenes earlier.
And they forced in Boba Fett which was cool at the time but just seems out of place now.
Don't forget about all the busy stuff going on in Mos Eisley surroundings as they travel to the catina. The wider shots of the landspeeder were great, but all the shit that kept forcing its way into the screen ruined the moment.
Rick McCallum: "It's so dense. Every single image has so many things going on."
Plinkett: "Fuck you, Rick Berman. You ruined this too? Stop ruining - hey wait, that ain't Rick Berman. What is it with Ricks?"
The cleaning up of the special effects, that's a no brainer must have. I didn't realize they weren't as good as I remembered in the theater as a 9 year old. Including the Falcon escaping - I thought for sure that was original until I happened across a scene, and it was almost a shock it wasn't nearly as great.
Yeah the dynamic range on all the CGI additions is really off and ruins the dusty atmosphere that the original film had.
We didn’t need all those huge animals in a place where they have to collect moisture to survive either. It was better sparse.
Wikipedia has a list of them (most of them, at least. I can't speak for its completeness): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changes_in_Star_Wars_re-releases
HAN SHOT FIRST!
Lousy, rotten, stupid, dumb george lucas tryna wreck everything whyioughta
In the mid-90s, the original trilogy was re-released in theatres with a bunch of extra bullshit added in digitally, as well as some deleted scenes that were best left deleted.
The most egregious from a writing standpoint was having Greedo shoot at Han before Han killed him. In the original, Han killed Greedo, which fit his "scoundrel" character a lot better.
Other notable things were a few deleted scenes, such as Jabba meeting Han in the first film, and that god-awful music number Jabba's Palace in RoTJ.
It also teased some prequel stuff at the end of Jedi with depictions of celebrations of the fall of the Empire in planets from the prequels.
I'm glad they're remastering the original versions for those who want that.
As someone who saw the movies when they were relatively new (I mean Star Wars was before my time and I was a baby when Empire came out), I don't mind the changes. I think it's cool that George Lucas was able to add the stuff he always wanted to do but didn't have the budget for at the time. I think if I were someone who watched these movies yearly or more, I'd appreciate the "de-mastered" edition or whatever, but as a more casual enjoyer of the original trilogy... I don't really care.
The one thing I'm a bit iffy on is Greedo shooting first. In the original, Greedo didn't shoot. He just pointed the gun at Han. Han shoots Greedo under the table. And the two of them have history that's never stated. Greedo is a more honest lowlife than Han is. Han is basically trash, but Luke inspires him to be a hero and come back at the end after the Rebellion has paid him. (Also, he's fallen for Leia.) I think it's important he goes from a cold-blooded killer to a hero. The change makes him a bit less bad. And I guess that's because Vader is evil and Luke is good, and Luke can't be hanging around with guys who exist in shades of grey. I don't like that change. But I don't hate Lucas for doing it. I'm also tired of explaining it, how they changed Han's character essentially. Or explaining how "Han shot first" is wrong. Han was the only shooter in the original scene. Yes, Greedo was going to turn him over to Jabba the Hutt, who was most likely going to kill him. Drop him in the pit with the Rancor.
We can have sympathy for Han's situation once we understand the details and the universe he lives in (hell, Cassian is worse, or maybe we just don't see everything Han's done for a cause not as great as the rebellion), but it's necessary to paint Han first as a ruthless asshole whose character changes as he's exposed to things. It's funny how Han shooting first gave more depth to him, and Lucas making him more defensive ruined it - not by much, but he shouldn't start as a good guy. He's NOT a good guy.
Bro just wrote a thesis on how Han didn't shoot first and here you go and say it again 🤔
Greedo literally says he's going to kill Han at that very moment...
Maybe I'm alone in this, but I took "Han shot first" as a reference to the old expression "shoot first and ask questions later", not implying multiple people fired their blasters.
Honestly the change that bothers me the most is Jabba's appearance in A New Hope. Jabba is just hanging out outside the Millennium Falcon looking for Han. When Han shows up they exchange some words and then Han steps on Jabba's tail, causing him to let out a shriek.
No fucking way does Han Solo get a free pass and step on Jabba's tail. A lower level Hutt? Sure. But Jabba? Absolutely not.
The Jabba we meet in Return of the Jedi is a big scary boss man. He never moves off his little hover platform. Also look at when we were first supposed to meet him canonically in The Phantom Menace, he's the guest of honor at the pod race, that race doesn't start until Jabba is ready (and honestly he doesn't really seem like he cares).
So Jabba is a great Hutt in Phantom Menace. Jabba is a great Hutt in Return of the Jedi. But in A New Hope Han Solo can just step on his tail? Absolutely fucking not.
I'm fine if Han talks to Jabba, he sweet talks him, that's fine. But tail stepping? Ridiculous.
That whole scene was a bit if a gag. And it broke my immersion. Watching the special editions in the 90s when it can't it there was a whole commentary thing in the dvd for it. It's absolutely worth a watch because it shows how much the story changed between a new hope and return. Jabba the hut was originally filmed as just a dude and not the slug we know today. Something about the scene that was shot and how Han walked around him. I'll have to check it out again if I can find it.
In the deleted scene, Han walked around the actor playing the (then human) Jabba. When they put the much larger digital Jabba in, there wasn't room for Han to walk around him, so they did the tail gag.
Right right! Thanks friend!
We have Project 4K77 at home.
This rebate looks even better but 4K77 is the best choice for now.
I have the despecialized editions, but yes, agree in sentiment.
I know this is very controversial but my favorite and only addition that I enjoy is the song in Jabba's palace.
Nostalgia is a helluva drug and that's the first version I saw.
I guess the sarlac's beak is cool too, I don't mind that so much.
Dude, like I so get this logically, but for me it's just such an earworm!!!
Koo nee tang
Na' na' na' ah lawah
Koo nee tang!
As bad as that scene is at least it didn't really change the plot or characters in any meaningful way.
Yeah I find that I tend to stick to the first version I saw syndrome. It's the one you grow to love first.
50th...christ I remember going to see the 20th anniversary versions in theatres. age...please stop.
I saw one of them at a drive-in on release. I'm basically ready to slip into the grave...
Can they make money on it? There's your answer.
Well, when I bought the originals on VHS they promised it was the last time that cut would ever be released. A giant corp. would never lie, would they?
Sweet, now I can not watch them on the big screen!
Disney gotta make that cash!