Jay G.

I'm not sure there's anyone saying that all the changes are bad. There may be some that would prefer to see the film as it originally was because of purist or historical reasons, but that's not because they don't think the changes are good, but rather because they don't want any changes.

However, I think most people are fine with a lot of the small fixes, but object to the changes that become editorial, that affect characterization, emotion, or story, such as Greedo shooting first (or indeed, at all). In this case, the people asking for the original cuts are doing so because they'd rather live with the original flaws than endure the horrible changes.

And neither are suggesting the Altered Editions can't exist. They just want the original versions as an option.

Class316

Personally I'd like to have the original with the edits/fixes that improve the movie. I suppose that will never happen though.

Mike86

Some of the stuff I don't necessarily mind such as cleaned up effects and making things like the star fields look better. Overall most of the added stuff is shit though. The biggest reason to hate the special editions is the fact that Lucas wants people to accept those versions as definitive and won't give the option of viewing the original films in decent quality. Like mentioned if the original versions of the films were available along with the new versions I wouldn't care as much.

rocket1312

Making the star fields look better? The whacked contrast and overzealous automated clean-up apparent on the blu-rays have completely ruined a lot of the star fields.

Mike86

I haven't seen the Blu-ray versions but that's one of the fixes that was done at one point I thought looked okay.

Jay G.

There's some fan edits that do that. ADigitalMan's for example.

Class316

This is one of his changes:

Really? He removes that scene? Like it or not that scene is part of the movie.

rocket1312

Kind of like how all of those old special effects are part of the movie?

Class316

There's a HUGE difference between updating effects and removing an entire scene.

rocket1312

Not really. They're both revisionism. The film is the film. Just let it be.

Spiderbite

I would rather they remove all the sister bullshit from Return Of The Jedi.

Obi-Wanma

We talking the kiss in Star Wars or Empire? Because the kiss in Star Wars is nothing, a peck, and if it bothers anyone, they're ones with the problem. The kiss in Empire is pretty creepy in retrospect, doesn't mean I would take it out of the movie though.

Josh Z

No, it's not, because neither one of them knew they were related at the time.

Obi-Wanma

Not saying it's creepy for the characters at that point in time. It's a little creepy to watch as someone who knows how it plays out. Again, it doesn't really bother me much and I don't want it out of the movie though.

Was really just curious which kiss he was referring to, or if he removed both of them.

Jay G.

It's the one in Empire
http://fanedit.org/ifdb/component/co...pecial-edition

This is an issue with fan-edits: you may not agree with every change they make.


I once had the idea for a Blu-ray/DVD feature where with films with multiple edits on the disc, there could be a menu to create your own edit, with a checklist of scenes to include/exclude or switch between. I'm not sure how technically feasible it'd be, or if there'd be a director that'd allow it, but it'd be interesting.

Spiderbite

Neither did Lucas.

Bob_Bobbson

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lQDvsf5lAp0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Spiderbite

^

Mike86

I'd love to see a complete restoration with no changes but the cosmetic stuff really doesn't bother me that much. Adding extra scenes that don't fit or cramming extra creatures and aliens in scenes just for the sake of doing so are much more annoying.

Bob_Bobbson

So stuff like cleaning up crappy mattes and fixing the lightsaber colors in scenes where they're wrong?

I'd be fine with that.

stvn1974

Luke and Leia's kiss in Empire is still more romantic than anything we got between Anakin and Padme.

Class316

I don't think correcting errors is the same as adding or removing scenes. Cleaning up effects or fixing continuity errors is an improvement.

On another note, I am shocked by how many people are under the impression that you need to go back to VHS or laserdisc to get the unedited originals. They were released on DVD via the 2006 double packs. Granted not enhanced, but beats laserdisc or VHS

Mike86

Yeah basically stuff that serves a purpose of making stuff that didn't look so great initially look better I'm okay with.

They were but the way the originals were released on those DVDs was a joke. They weren't even anamorphic which was more than commonplace by the time those sets were released. They were done as "extra features" and in a way that most people who wanted them wouldn't be happy with.

rocket1312

But where does one draw the line? Everyone has a different interpretation of what is or isn't an error or what is and isn't a bad effect. Someone has to be the ultimate arbiter and inevitably you can't please everyone. Besides, just about every movie ever made is filled with mistakes and compromises of some sort. I don't understand why there's this obsession with "fixing" these movies.

E Unit

Then what would we all bitch about?