Star Wars Despecialized Edition

[Joose]

Whilst we are all on a Star Wars high I thought some of you might be interested in this:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHfLX_TMduY[/youtube]

All the HD versions of the original films that are available to buy have the new "Remastered" stuff, including the CGI fight scenes and the whole "Han shot first" debacle. This annoyed a bunch of film geeks, so they have spent an inordinate amount of time frankensteining their own HD version of the film with none of the changes.

It's extremely well done. Personally, I would have liked a version where they took out any storyline changes (such as the Han bit) and just toned down the CGI additions; keep the CGI'd replacements of things that were already there but remove the added stuff. Its probably unreasonable to ask them to make a new version just for me though.

[Dog Pants]

I think I agree on what should have been left and what should have been cut. I remember being shocked as a kid by Han shooting Greedo - it was something only bad guys would usually do, but Han was clearly a good guy. I think it was my first realisation of an anti-hero. It doesn't help that the new version is so badly done. Similarly, the scene with Jabba is terribly done. The CGI looks awful, Jabba is about a quarter of his later size, he acts far more benevolently than any other point in the series, and all he does is reiterate what Greedo said.

[Joose]

Similarly, the scene with Jabba is terribly done.

Yeah, the Jabba scene is terrible. The bit where they had Han stand on his tail because originally Jabba was hust a dude is so obviously bad it looks like one of those previs things, where they make a crappy mock up of the intended effect to give you an idea of what it will look like. Ive heard that a lot of the issues with the remastered stuff was due to Lucas being surrounded by yes men. This scene really makes me believe that. Someone, some effects guy or something, should have said "We are never going to make this look good and it adds nothing. We should just drop it".

[TezzRexx]

There is a theatrical release that I swept recently which is pretty good. Don't think it's HD but perfectly watchable.

I was interested by the Despecialized edition but I think the theatrical version has done a better job, just needs to be re-released into 1080/4k.

Also, wasn't the scene with Jabba being portrayed by a man, initially an extra scene that never actually made it into the movie? Pretty sure it was only in the 90's release they first included the scene itself, but with a CGI Jabba.

[spoodie]

Also, wasn't the scene with Jabba being portrayed by a man, initially an extra scene that never actually made it into the movie?

This was Jabba as a human (are the humans in Star Wars referred to as human?)

[Joose]

There is a theatrical release that I swept recently which is pretty good. Don't think it's HD but perfectly watchable.

I was interested by the Despecialized edition but I think the theatrical version has done a better job, just needs to be re-released into 1080/4k.

Yeah, this is the problem. Theres theatrical releases available, but not in HD. All the official HD version are, to some extent, dicked around with. For some unfathomable reason Lucas refuses to allow an official theatrical version to be upscaled, cleaned up and released in HD. Christ knows why, but I did hear rumour that the film of the original theatrical release no longer exists, so they have nothing to remaster it *from*, which is fucking bonkers if true.

Also, wasn't the scene with Jabba being portrayed by a man, initially an extra scene that never actually made it into the movie? Pretty sure it was only in the 90's release they first included the scene itself, but with a CGI Jabba.

It never made it to the *theatrical* release, no, but AFAIK it is included in all the versions that have ever been made HD.

[TezzRexx]

Also, wasn't the scene with Jabba being portrayed by a man, initially an extra scene that never actually made it into the movie?

This was Jabba as a human (are the humans in Star Wars referred to as human?)

Yeah that's the scene, but i believe it wasn't included in the cinema release? I think everything that it's been in "officially" has had the CGI Jabba replace the alien-human man thing

[Joose]

Yeah that's the scene, but i believe it wasn't included in the cinema release? I think everything that it's been in "officially" has had the CGI Jabba replace the alien-human man thing

...yes? That's exactly what we are saying. Original release didnt have the scene in at all, newer releases had the scene but replaced man with CGI Jabba. They shouldn't have bothered with the CGI Jabba, because it was shit and the scene added nothing of value to the film.

[spoodie]

I watched the first 30 minutes and it's very good. Knowing what it is I could sometimes detect the imperfections, ie. higher and lower quality sources look slightly different, but not particularly distracting. It's certainly a lot less distracting than seeing a gaggle of new unconvincing CGI creatures added to a scene that's very familiar to you, having grown up with the movie.

I was very bothered by the updated visual effects in the Bluray versions of the original Star Trek series and had to switch it to the old effects. However considering that this version of the movie exists it can't just be me that's bothered by these kind of changes to old material.

[TezzRexx]

Yeah that's the scene, but i believe it wasn't included in the cinema release? I think everything that it's been in "officially" has had the CGI Jabba replace the alien-human man thing

...yes? That's exactly what we are saying.

Sorry, think I missed your post and only saw Spoodie's.

Yeah I've downloaded IV and V, not had a chance to view it yet though.

[Dog Pants]

Every time I see this thread title I read it as Decapitated Edition.

Unrelated: Did they include this scene?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR-ne3lCfSU[/youtube]

[TezzRexx]

Every time I see this thread title I read it as Decapitated Edition.

Unrelated: Did they include this scene?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR-ne3lCfSU[/youtube]

Yes.

[buzzmong]

Well, this is interesting:
http://arstechnica.co.uk/the-multiverse ... ed-online/

Seems some enterprising bunch managed to get their hands on a roll of the original 35mm theatrical version and have been off restoring it. So now on the 'net is something that Lucas claimed was impossible.

[Dog Pants]

Lucas never ceases to astound me (ref his disowning the original edition and the special edition being the definitive version). I'm starting to wonder if this is what fanboys feel like, and that actually the special edition is fine and that I'm insane.

[buzzmong]

To be honest, I'm quite down with the special edition, barring the Han Solo cantina stuff. It's just a shame it was done then, rather than now when the CGI is simply miles better and could be done a lot more subtly as well.