George Lucas Doubles Down on a Major Star Wars Mistake 

I'm still seething over "Bring my shuttle..." being removed. Never forgiven George for it. That line and its delivery were perfect. EDIT: I know it's Empire, I'm just triggered.

I actually got a hold of the actual theatrical widescreen release on VHS back in 1993. I still have it sitting on my shelf, collecting dust, and losing magnetic resonance day after day. Unfortunately, I haven't owned a working VHS player for over 20 years 8(. But I have the damn tape!

No one else does this? Ridley Scott is equally pigheaded. I love the original theatrical version of Blade Runner (1982) but it’s become scarce. Yes, I have the blu-ray 5 disc pack that includes the OG. But I want a theatrical re-release of Blade Runner and Star Wars (1977).

Offer a separate product of the original theatrical release and let people pay for it, if they want it. If Lucas wants a "canon" edition, that's fine. Seeing the exact movie I saw when I was four in the drive-in might mean something.

There are fan remasters out there of the uncut versions, in 4k too. As usual the fans (the real ones) pick up the ball when the suits drop it

I view Lucas' progression of film adaptations as akin to Claude Monet series of Rouen Cathedral paintings, which show the face of the Cathedral under a variety of lighting conditions. It's the progression that makes it stand out in the world of art!

100% agree with you. It’s a shame. The theatrical release is a piece of not just cinematic history, but cultural history as well.

Worst thing about the special editions was the band in Jedi. The original song was really cool - alien sounding. The newer version ' Jedi Rocks' really sucks like a cheezy pop tune. I do however prefer the end celebration music in the special edition.

Kubrick did this all the time. He would continue cutting a film even after it had been released and was in theaters. He would have the studios send the theaters new, additional reels and order them to show the new recut film rather than the previous one. He did this with the Shining. As a movie goer you might see one version of his film opening night, then go back the next week and see a different version of the same film. Of course though, George Lucas is no Stanley Kubrick.

What if Spielberg? Jaws may have gotten away. But Spielberg did pop in the walkie-talkies for guns in ET: the Extraterrestrial. Guns bad or chasing down kids with extreme sanction ... not a major edit, but a significant context swing.

Totally agree with you Elaine! I want to see the movies I saw when I was a kid!!

Certain adaptations of other films have been changed or lost due to the original studio replacing them in later releases. Studio Ghibli movies come to mind, with the FOX english adaptation of My Neighbor Totoro being superceded by the Disney one later, and also the current English version of Kiki's Delivery service is ALSO altered from the original English release in removing some of Phil Hartman's lines and also changing the score/removing some songs from the original English release. While I'm sure the creators have the right to make these changes and abandon previous versions, I DO treasure my "Theatrical version" copies of Star Wars and my older FOX version of Totoro and 90's version of Kiki's Delivery service.

Actually Stallone changed Rocky 4 and Cappola changed GodFather 3. Not sure if u can buy the old versions still.

Love you, Elaine. When i was a kid in England, it never said Ep 1V. Never happened. I'm from the 70s, trust me, didn't happen

It is his right .As a creative person no one has the right to tell me what i see as the final creation is the wrong one.If we respect creative rights. Then we should respect GL rights as a creative person.

I managed to find and still have all 3 films first releases on vhs so the org theatrical vers. Still have a player too that somehow works. Han shot first lol.

Star Wars (oiriginal cut) is in the National Archives. Only scholars can access the print and it can't be made comercially available.

I would agree that it is a mistake to hold back the original release of Star Wars. I grew up watching the original movies in their original Theatrical cut over and over again. Playing with my toys while my favorite movies played. While the updates and remasters can be enjoyable. It's missing the charm and imperfections that the originals. Separating them from the memory of watching them as a kid. In a way, all the updates made to the original movies make it feel like a cheap copy because of the disconnect from the time I originally enjoyed them. Maybe it's just because I reached the age where I have come to appreciate the way things were. Learning from my mistake of chasing after the new thing and not appreciate what I had. I can appreciate George's desire to improve on his work. When a work is released and enjoyed and inspired a generation. It's something sacred and should be honored and remembered. It's not like the original cut was destroyed to create the updated movies. I think it's completely possible to have your cake and eat it too in this case. You can have both the original cuts and the updated cuts.

You’re absolutely right

George Lucas once testified to Congress against the alteration of films; it's an interesting read. He was mainly talking about colorization of black & white films, but he repeatedly emphasized how films are part of our "cultural heritage". It's completely hypocritical for him to turn around and claim altering films is okay so long as it's "his" films. Lucas also goes on about the "rights of the artist", but arrogantly disregards the talented artists who worked on "his" films.

I agree. I would love to have the original originals.

These are great Elaine! Thank you 🙏

I think the hardest and last lesson any creator learns is that his work is NOT solely his own. In creation yes but in experience when something is as beloved and cherished world wide as Star Wars the hopes and perspective of the people you touched becomes important too. This is the last great act of fiction the complete immersion where story integrity is balanced with fan appreciation.

I totally agree.

Oooo good point, love your comments

Thanks Elaine and nick

The one thing I absolutely disagree with George Lucas on is the ending to Return of the Jedi. I was introduced to Star Wars on VHS with the 'making of' the Special Edition playing before each film. Changing Darth Vader to fit in with the prequels is NOT OKAY.

It was still his creation at the end of the day. I would rather him make edits than Disney make edits.

With all due respect to Lucas, the reason the LaserDisc releases don’t look good is because the picture quality wasn’t restored properly, not because the content was bad. It’s an entirely false argument. Also, I have no problem with the Special Editions existing, but I’m not okay with Lucas’s attempts at erasing the original versions. I understand his reasons and that he had every legal right to do so, but I strongly disagree with it. I’m very grateful for the Despecialised Editions.

George Lucas not releasing original cuts is just bad no matter how you look at it.

Absolutely agree

I think we get different cuts here in England. Aka, uncut

Agreed, what if Ed Wood released a juiced up version of Plan 9 from Outer Space cause the original was so wonky. OG Star Wars benefits historically from its rough edges.

in the remastered Star Wars, they really did Jabba The Hutt wrong! The CGI additions were terrible!

Ounce he dies and if Disney loses enough money they will re-release the OG trilogy. Till then you can still watch the OG trilogy on DVD as it was released in the first ever DVD release of Star Wars in 2004, it's in the special features. You just have to find that version....or sail the high seas🤷‍♂️

He doesn’t want Marcia to get any residuals. Simple as that.

No matter what people won’t let it go away

I have heard the reason could be something to do with not having to pay his ex-wife. As in the special editions are different enough to legally be a different entity. No idea if this is true, anyone have any more information?

I watched the 90's remastered trilogy in the cinemas, on 70mm just like every single film, ..and everyone looked at each other and said the same thing.....episod 4 ? Wtf ?

#CANCELDISNEYPLUS

People need to understand that the films as they remember them arent live-action. Not in the traditional sense, its a bunch of overlayed assest. The work to recreate a "despecialized" would be a task to move difficult than the first time around. And all for a product the director, the creator, wouldn't enjoy making. His work belongs to him, not the history, not to the masses. It was a collaborative effort but the buck must stop somewhere. Art isnt, and shouldn't be a democracy

Just bought the 1995 VHS versions. I refuse to let my wife watch the special editions.

Does disney not own the theatrical releases? Id think they'd totally re-release them for a quick cash grab and to drum up interest in star wars after destroying it for so long. It could be the next "disney vault" release!

Lucas set a precedent for tinkering with his movies, and it has always bothered me that he did that. Yes, they're "his" movies and he can do with them what he wants, but the micro-edits are the first step to undermining canon, and apologies to those who don't like the concept, but canon matters. It's what gives the events of a story their weight. Without it, everything is disposable...including all the special parts of a story that make it uniquely what it is.

People still talk about that 💀

We wanted sci-fi made by a nerd like us. Unfortunately, his unique autism would never just log off the minecraft server lmao construction is never over

If it’s called A New Hope, it’s not the real dope. Star Wars 1977 or nothing

it sounds like his ego talking .

The reason he won’t release the original cut is because he hates his ex-wife Marcia Lucas She was the one who edited mainly the trilogy, although there are other editors, and she is credited with an admitted by both of them making many suggestions His special additions basically removed a lot of her editing, though it couldn’t remove it all and put back in a lot of of his own dumb ideas like that whole singer DOING AN ENTIRE CRINGE SONG at Jarvis Palace of course it wouldn’t have been CGI so maybe it would’ve been cooler if it was a puppet back in 83🤷‍♀️ She did cheat on him though and break his heart But he’s breaking all the fans, hearts It’s also why the prequel sucked because he was unleashed to do the movies however he wanted without any team pushing back

😂😂😂

Fans just don't get it. As a creator we want you to see 'our' full vision of the story. The original is a rough draft or incomplete version to it's creator. It's like people loving the incomplete black and white sketches of my art. No, you're getting the full color version that's complete. That's the one I want you to have. "But we want the 1977 experience again." No.