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What version of the Classic Trilogy would you buy on DVD?
Sure, we've hashed this one out before, but I don't think we ever polled everybody on it.
Here's what we "know."
The Orginal Trilogy (OT) as first released, can be transfered onto DVD's and put out immediately if George wanted to.
The Special Editions as released in 1997 could be transfered onto DVD's and put out immediately if George wanted to.
There is a ton of expanded footage from the Insider's Guide and Behind the Magic CD-Roms, and more that's already prepped to be put on DVD's as bonus material, and it would take less time to re-use that, to add some selling value to 'the first version' of the OT on DVD.
George wants to go back to the OT in 2006 and do some more work on it.
Things like the 'bad Jabba CGI-work' are rumored to be fixed, so Jabba will look right, and the scene stays in.
Things like adding a scene with Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa on Alderaan right before the Death Star shoots, are less credible rumors.
Things like more exterior shots of the Falcon battling TIE Fighters in the Death Star Escape could be representative of cool added footage that doesn't really change the original film, but improves it.
Everyone in the whole world except George likes Han shooting Greedo in cold blood. He was threatening Solo's life, or at the very least mugging him, so Greedo got what he deserved, and Han kept the edge on himself a little while longer.
There are a lot of possibilities here, but let's keep the poll simple.
What version of the Classic Trilogy would you buy on DVD?
I want BOTH in ONE package!
Simply put, I want BOTH in ONE package!
The way I see it, this should be technically easy to do.
Each scene is recorded as a "chapter", so some chapters would have two versions plus some new SE chapters.
You then select which version you want, and the DVD player then plays the appropriate chapters and chapter versions.
Sounds simple, right? Should be, shouldn't it?
Now, space may be an issue - having these extra chapters, plus multilingual tracks, commentaries, etc.
If so, Lucas can just go the route of the Lord of the Rings SE - that is split it up on two discs.
Sure, means you have to get up to change the disc. But on the positive side, think of all the extra stuff they can jam on to a disc that only has to cover half the movie!
Now I understand Lucas, as a creative artist, wanting to go back and improve on things or do things that he may not have been able to do. Or tweak the story to better tie into the prequels. All this is valid. And personally, I think it's great to see what he would do differently 30 years later.
That said, why does his original masterpiece have to be lost in the process? Why can't he also please all his fans, instead of inexplicably wanting to seemingly banish his original versions to the dustbins of movie history?
George, you can have your cake and eat it too! Just put BOTH versions on the same disc(s)! Where's the problem?
And how about some respect for the "original" Special Edition?
Along the same lines of my earlier post, if by using alternate chapters, you can get both the OT and new 2006 SE, then why not the "original" SE as well?
The way I see it, DVD is a great format for preserving all of Star Wars history. It should be technically feasible that viewers can sit down and choose one of not two but THREE different versions of each movie.
Why you ask? Well, why not! I mean books will always say what "edition" they are, so people who are interested can track and study the different versions.
Now I'm not planning to "study" Star Wars (though I'm sure future film students will). But just as a fan, it's interesting and fun.
Say Lucas wants to redo Jaba as complete up-to-date CGI - say scraping SE ANH and OT ROJ versions. If he puts three film versions on, you will be able to compare Jabba as a work in progress over the years. Say watching OT ROJ, then SE ANH then 2006 SE ANH/ROJ. To me losing that history is a shame.
And in the end of the day, if the technology can do it, then Lucas
should do it!
