Lucas Defends Star Wars DVD Changes

No real surprise that he’s defending it, but the article (from Sci-Fi Wire) does a good job of summing up the changes.

15 replies on “Lucas Defends Star Wars DVD Changes”

    • Re: Simultaneous shot

      So Greedo and Hans fire at the same time now? What’s the point?

      That’s a way to try to fix the mistake in the Special Editions without coming out and admitting he was wrong.

      • Re: Simultaneous shot

        So Greedo and Hans fire at the same time now? What’s the point?

        That’s a way to try to fix the mistake in the Special Editions without coming
        out and admitting he was wrong.

        I want an official statement on what the HELL is going on with his neck, and
        an
        admission that Boss Nass is based on him!

      • Re: Simultaneous shot

        So Greedo and Hans fire at the same time now? What’s the point?

        That’s a way to try to fix the mistake in the Special Editions without coming
        out and admitting he was wrong.

        Doesn’t fix the fact that Jabba employs bounty hunters that can’t hit a sitting
        target 4 feet away!

        • Re: Simultaneous shot

          Doesn’t fix the fact that Jabba employs bounty hunters that can’t hit a sitting
          target 4 feet away!

          “Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise.”

        • Re: Simultaneous shot

          Doesn’t fix the fact that Jabba employs bounty hunters that can’t hit a sitting
          target 4 feet away!

          Certainly in the Greedo shooting first or simultaneous shots, it doesn’t make sense. In the original, though, the fact that he just got blasted easily explains his lack of blasting ability. Of course, having played many Star Wars games over the years, I’ve learned that inaccurate blasting is just one of those things that they’ve learned to live with in this distant galaxy. Play KOTOR and note that for every combat round you fire multiple shots (without special abilities/modifiers) but only get one hit max. :)

    • Re: Simultaneous shot

      So Greedo and Hans fire at the same time now? What’s the point?

      As Fiziko said, there’s no point except that George is simultaneously admitting he was wrong with the change whilst not having to SAY he was wrong. I think he’s figured out that Han needed to shoot first and that the fans were right, but if he reset it back to the original then he would have admit it flat out. This way, he can claim to simply be appeasing disgruntled fans who hated Greedo shooting first (of which I’m one). I’ll certainly be less bitter about having the “special” editions forced down my greedy DVD gullet since that change was the one I hated most.

      As for the other post-SE changes, I don’t have a problem with the new hologram in ESB (the original was awful) and, despite my distaste for the current trilogy, it’s understandable to want to link the two trilogies with the new spectral image at the end of ROTJ.

      The only other scene which jumps out at me from the SE that I really wish would go away (instead of being updated, as is apparently the case) is that stupid one with Jabba in the docking bay in ANH. All he does is repeat lines that already exist elsewhere and I find that tedious. If I’m lucky, that scene will have a chapter stop right after so that I can skip it easily.

      • Re: Simultaneous shot

        So Greedo and Hans fire at the same time now? What’s the point?

        As Fiziko said, there’s no point except that George is simultaneously admitting he was wrong with the change whilst not having to SAY he was wrong. I think he’s figured out that Han needed to shoot first and that the fans were right, but if he reset it back to the original then he would have admit it flat out. This way, he can claim to simply be appeasing disgruntled fans who hated Greedo shooting first (of which I’m one). I’ll certainly be less bitter about having the “special” editions forced down my greedy DVD gullet since that change was the one I hated most.

        As for the other post-SE changes, I don’t have a problem with the new hologram in ESB (the original was awful) and, despite my distaste for the current trilogy, it’s understandable to want to link the two trilogies with the new spectral image at the end of ROTJ.

        The only other scene which jumps out at me from the SE that I really wish would go away (instead of being updated, as is apparently the case) is that stupid one with Jabba in the docking bay in ANH. All he does is repeat lines that already exist elsewhere and I find that tedious. If I’m lucky, that scene will have a chapter stop right after so that I can skip it easily.

        I actually was really interested in seeing that scene when the SE’s came out. I had the comic book which included that scene as shot with a huminoid type alien playing Jabba, so it was neat to see the actual scene in the movie. Oh, and it didn’t (of course) include Boba Fett, but as for one of my favorite characters getting more screen time that’s Ok.

      • Re: Simultaneous shot

        If I’m lucky, that scene will have a chapter stop right after so that I can skip it easily.

        Two words: rip and burn.

  1. amazing…
    He’s shooting himself in the foot every time he changes the original movies. The original movies are great, not because they are perfect, but because they are simply great. You can’t replace the originals with updates without pissing off people who saw the originals. Right now, that’s a lot of people.

    I’d rather he spent that time focusing on making Ep. 3, 7, 8, & 9 and stop second guessing his stance on 4, 5, & 6.

    I want the original 3 on DVD unchanged, at most remastered, not some hybrid.

    • Re: amazing…

      I want the original 3 on DVD unchanged, at most remastered, not some hybrid.

      You can get them on laserdisc, then transfer them to DVD.

  2. Random thoughts
    I’ll bypass the Han/Greedo thing, as there’s already a good discussion underway.

    Is it just me, or does the new Jabba look more out of place than the old one? The lighting seems wrong or something. Hopefully it will look better in motion.

    Changing the Emperor’s hologram is fine w/ me; however, I’m a bit worried about the dialogue changes. The old dialogue seemed perfect to me, esp. if you’re watching the originals first and don’t want to spoil the surprise…

    I actually like the eyebrow change; it’s subtle, but it greatly enhances the “ruined” look of Vader/Anakin at the end.

    I think changing Anakin’s ghost makes sense from a story perspective. Since he was disfigured in life, he never knew himself as that healthy middle-aged guy we saw before. Assuming that he’s initially disfigured in Ep.III (strongly hinted at), his last “whole” (or Jedi) self-image would be as young Anakin.
    That said, I do worry that first timers (kids) will be confused, since we never see Christiansen in the original trilogy up to that point. Once again I think Lucas is assuming people will watch the movies in Episode order rather than release order; a bad assumption, IMHO.

  3. Lucas senile?
    In his later years Pablo Picasso was NOT allowed to roam art galleries
    unattended. You know why?!? Because Picasso got caught in the act of trying
    to improve on one of his old masterpieces.

    I wish they would restrict George in EXACTLY the same way…

Comments are closed.