Star Wars: Original/Prequel Trilogies & General Thread

[ford]

I’m so excited that we’re fucking talking about this shit again

Did you just stop by to register contempt? Okay...

[domino harvey]

I’m going to bump this thread in two days with my blistering retort

[ford]

I’m going to bump this thread in two days with my blistering retort

[knives]

Man, Disney is good about being evil.

[soundchaser]

Man, Disney is good about being evil.

How can a company purchase assets but not the liabilities that go along with them? I mean, I have no doubt Disney is evil enough to do this, but wouldn't it mean they can get away with not paying royalties on any of their Fox back catalogue?

[knives]

Sounds like it, but Fox can afford to fight back, this one author not so much.

[LordYam]

I rewatched ANH in 2019 and Empire last christmas. I was worried they'd be bad but they held up admirably well for the most part. Hell I actually enjoyed the bits of Luke at home more than the Death Star escape. Luke's kind brave and compassionate, but he also wants to explore the galaxy and go on adventures and is deeply frustrated that he's trapped in the middle of nowhere while his friends are going on to bigger and better things. Even if Luke's a whiner you can sympathize with him and compared to other movies Luke's acting is....decent. Not great but as someone who's seen bad acting it's reasonably passable.

As for the prequels.....I understand what Lucas was trying to do. The problem is that Lucas needs someone to tell him "no" and critique his ideas. It's been a while since ROTJ but there are good parts and bad parts to it. The battle of Endor and Luke's final duel with Vader? Fantastic. The Ewoks? Stupid. Really should have used Wookies. I don't mind the Death Star II because lets be honest, given how inefficient and arrogant REAL fascists are I can easily see them doubling down on the death star rather than admitting it's a flawed idea.

[Orlac]

I was 12 when Phantom Menace came out. I kind of liked it but have never seen it since.

And now I have. Boy, that was awkward. Less then a minute in, and I'm criging over the stupid ethnic stereotypes.

Darth Maul is still cool, though.

[hearthesilence]

Man, Disney is good about being evil.

How can a company purchase assets but not the liabilities that go along with them? I mean, I have no doubt Disney is evil enough to do this, but wouldn't it mean they can get away with not paying royalties on any of their Fox back catalogue?

Other authors have had similar issues, but it looks like Disney is making sure royalties get paid, thanks to the public campaign to do so. In Foster's case, it's a major relief as both he and his wife are battling serious health issues.

[Drucker]

Reddit thread where people are speculating that the original trilogy is undergoing a fresh restoration in time for its 50th release. Mostly based on rumors it seems with no strong indication it'll get a commercial release. But a new hope, indeed.

[beamish14]

Reddit thread where people are speculating that the original trilogy is undergoing a fresh restoration in time for its 50th release. Mostly based on rumors it seems with no strong indication it'll get a commercial release. But a new hope, indeed.

Disney did allow a 70mm print of A New Hope to screen at the Academy Museum, which must have been from the 1985 re-release. 2000 seats and it sold out in a day, I think. They know there is an immense amount of money to be made in the unaltered versions

[aox]

Disney did allow a 70mm print of A New Hope to screen at the Academy Museum, which must have been from the 1985 re-release. 2000 seats and it sold out in a day, I think. They know there is an immense amount of money to be made in the unaltered versions

Wouldn't this presumably have just one change: the adding of "Episode IV" to the top of the opening scroll?

Honestly, I'm quite OK with that since the rest of the film would still be unmolested and be basically the 1977 cut. People can put their finger in the air between their eye and the screen and block out that one change while enjoying the next two hours.

[beamish14]

Disney did allow a 70mm print of A New Hope to screen at the Academy Museum, which must have been from the 1985 re-release. 2000 seats and it sold out in a day, I think. They know there is an immense amount of money to be made in the unaltered versions

Wouldn't this presumably have just one change: the adding of "Episode IV" to the top of the opening scroll?

Honestly, I'm quite OK with that since the rest of the film would still be unmolested and be basically the 1977 cut. People can put their finger in the air between their eye and the screen and block out that one change while enjoying the next two hours.

I’ve always wondered if the 70mm version of Empire Strikes Back could be released, too. There are many alternate shots and bits that are not in any other iteration. Hell, throw Black Angel back onto it. Really make us feel like we’re at opening night of it in the UK

[JamesF]

An original 1977 dye transfer Technicolor IB print also played at the BFI Southbank earlier this year, with one screening introduced by Kathleen Kennedy. (Here's another video from the BFI's YouTube about the print in question - I'm aware of at least one other 35mm print like it existing in another London archive.)

I saw the other screening that day; while the original version is my default option for viewing thanks to the likes of fan efforts such as 4K77 and D+77, I'd never seen the film look as dirty as it did on that print, which was oddly thrilling. Anyway, I'll believe the GOUT is being remastered when I see it, but it's clearly leaving money on the table with the 50th anniversary approaching, especially as they've previously released things like the Ewoks and Droids cartoons on Disney+ under the "Vintage Star Wars" banner.

[Zot!]

Watch Lucas walk it back from a full rescue and introduce some kind of CGI Jawas or something...or even better get it to the finish line....but with a Cameron style AI degraining. So much could still go wrong, I won't hold my breath. I know the word on the street is that Disney owns this outright, but I'd have to guess Lucas has some kind of contractual/shareholder influence yet.

[yoloswegmaster]

It appears that the restoration of the original 1977 version of 'Star Wars' will be screening in theaters on February 19, 2027:

Part of Lucasfilm’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration, a newly restored version of the classic Star Wars (1977) theatrical release — later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope — will play in theaters for a limited time.

[denti alligator]

Huh. Surprising. Would be nice to get a UHD of it, too.

[beamish14]

Huh. Surprising. Would be nice to get a UHD of it, too.

Really hoping for celluloid prints. I would love to finally see the “real”, unmolested trilogy in 70mm

[Maladroit Aggregator]

This is good news, but it remains o be seen how truly accurate this re-re-re-re-release will be to the 1977 original.

As for home media, I'm good with 4K77, et al, thanks anyway George.

[colinr0380]

I'm still wanting an original version of THX-1138

[beamish14]

I'm still wanting an original version of THX-1138

Same. There is a 35mm scan floating around.

Well, it’s Netflix’s now