The film thread.

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Just ploughing through the original Star Wars trilogy - reminded me of this, mixing up footage with Withnail quotes - the language is definitely cert 18:

View: https://youtu.be/e3EVuoOo3kA?list=PLFtLWdCwYqgdM6tQdbiDi8tppim7Uh22l

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Having finished the original three:

1) Why did Lucas add the rubbishy special effects? They aren't very good and just jar.
2) The Ewoks. Just Why?
3) Overwriting bits so that they wouldn't clash with the prequels, such as having Hayden Christiansen/Christian Heydensen appear at the very end of Jedi? Every time one of us who grew up with the originals sees these parts, they just drag us out of the film and make us realise how wrong Lucas's priorities were.

 

[davidf]

Having finished the original three:

1) Why did Lucas add the rubbishy special effects? They aren't very good and just jar.

1) because he thought it'd look better.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

1) because he thought it'd look better.

That's the thing though - if you look at the stormtroopers' mounts in Mos Eisley, for example, they look pants. It's one thing to try something expecting improvements, but surely someone in the editing suite had eyes?!

 

[davidf]

That's the thing though - if you look at the stormtroopers' mounts in Mos Eisley, for example, they look pants. It's one thing to try something expecting improvements, but surely someone in the editing suite had eyes?!

I haven't watched them for a long time, as I've been waiting for the unadulterated originals to be released, despite picking up the 4K Bluray box set - even though I'm not really much of a fan.

I guess Lucas just thought some CGI to replace puppets would appeal to a wider audience. I get it, I know young people who laugh at the effects in The Exorcist, and the rubber shark in Jaws. They're not the target audience though, and for me, the above are still the two best examples of their sub genre to date.

I'm a great believer in leaving things "as is". A historic film isn't made better by visual improvements. Cleaning up a damaged print, fair enough, but not messing with the effects. It'd be like remastering all the Ray Harryhausen films with CGI monsters and creatures (which would make it look more like the remake, which was pants) - it'd look stupid, and then you piss off all the fans. Leave films with the limitations of their eras, they'll still be appreciated by those who love them.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I guess Lucas just thought some CGI to replace puppets would appeal to a wider audience.

Definitely agree with your gist - though the example I quote they're just added in - they don't replace anything. I'd certainly replace 4 and 6 if there were unadulterated versions.