SO, I rented the first Star Wars (now called Episode IV in its title) which just came out on DVD. (It was sorta hard to resist the *buy it now* ad campaign, so I compromised) I always thought it was great 27 years ago at the Beacon theater. What a bonding experience to have with the Bear, who is about at the age to maybe enjoy it.
The tweaks for the 20th anniversary were stupid but mostly innocuous. The latest DVD is worse. It seems like things have been re-edited, especially the last fight sequence – not simple inserts of crap, but a reordering. the final battle is now linear and boring, where before it seemed wonderfully chaotic.
Or maybe my job of taking isolated facts and distilling a coherent story makes me incapable of still enjoying the frenetic seemingly convoluted pace for what it is (or seemingly was).
Anyway, all of the extra footage is unhelpful at best. I like (as a monument to ego and abject stupidity) the extra scene where computer-generated Jabba has the same conversation with Han that Greedo had in the earlier cantina scene . I also like the fact that Greedo is in the added (*restored*) scene, which, in story time, occurs minutes AFTER Greedo was shot. Way to fight the pain, dude.
Finally, WTF is with manipulating the special effects so that Greedo shoots first. I always like the “Oh, you’re going to shoot ME now?” Blam. “Guess not” And WTF? The giant worm will send an assassin to kill you, but get in a room with the worm AND the assassin and he’ll let you off with a verbal promise to pay at some indeterminate point in the future? Please. I wish my credit card company worked like that (the taking a promise to pay instead of $$ part).
Anyway, this rant about the 1997 tweaks says it better than I feel like doing.
Now playing: Genesis – Throwing It All Away
Now playing: Guns N’ Roses – Civil War
I’m pretty disappointed with the re-editing as well – useless additions to what was, in the case of the first one, a great movie. But, like George says, it’s his movie and he’ll do what he wants with it. Nanny Nanny Boo Boo.
I’m still able, though, to get the warm fuzzies when I watch it, punctuated with the occasional WTF feeling. The most egregious sin is committed at the end of the last one. If you haven’t seen it, then I won’t ruin it for you. Don’t kill the TV when you see it.
I know they replace one of the ghosts with one of the plastic disposable, unsympathetic people from one of the prequels. Is it that or something else? # 3/VI is BF stupid, so it’s no great loss. I only saw #2 (V) once so I wouldn’t notice the stupid gratuitous tweaks.
(Star Trek > Star Wars, because the bonus scenes add flavor, not distraction. Maybe too, because it is character driven, plus doodads, where SW is all about the merchandise)
What I think it is, really, is that George W. Luke-ass has to say everything important at least twice.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this” coming up on the Death Star (the 1st one); trash compactor, pre-worm
“Jabba has no patience for smugglers who drop their cargo at the first sign of Imperial…” – Greedo
“I have no patience for smugglers who drop their cargo at the first sign of Imperial…” – Jabba, 5 minutes later.
“Princess Leia doen’t wear a bra” – R2D2 on the Millenium Falcon
“Princess Leia doen’t wear a bra” – R2D2 looking down from above before the last battle