Original/Unaltered "Star Wars" Trilogy on Blu-Ray in 2017

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Bowie Fett, Feb 23, 2017.

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  1. How foxy, to hold onto the distribution rights!

    [​IMG] but suddenly I wonder how much Warner paid to Fox for the films to the old "Batman" series? Although that'd be it's own thread, I'm certain, as it should be!
     
  2. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    Merchandising was a major factor of the franchise before the Ewoks. I was a kid between 1977 and 1983, and I couldn't get enough of those toys. Those action figures, ships and sets were flying off the shelves.

    Return of the Jedi is not a movie to sell teddy bears, and the Ewoks were not inserted into the film to sell toys. Lucas was already doing a stellar and unprecedented job of that. Lucas worked on Apocalypse Now before leaving the project and was fascinated by the idea of a technologically inferior army defeating a technologically superior army on the technologically inferior army's home turf. The United States military was defeated by the technologically inferior North Vietnamese, because the war was taking place on the North Vietnamese's home turf. They had the home field advantage. They knew the terrain, and the United States military underestimated them. Lucas created an allegory based on the Vietnam War and set it on Endor. He needed a technologically inferior army that the Empire would underestimate. The Wookies wouldn't have worked, as they were technologically adept. Enter the Ewoks.

    Contrary to some criticisms of the Ewoks' role in defeating the Empire, the Ewoks did not single-handedly defeat the Empire. The Rebels defeated the Empire. The Ewoks assisted them, using their intimate knowledge of the terrain to distract the Empire. It was the Rebels that destroyed the shield generator.
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2017
  3. ggg71

    ggg71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Everything you say makes perfect sense, and I don't doubt the validity of it. However, it's the blundering/cutesy/comic relief aspect of them that I can't stand. They are like mini Jar-Jar's. Obnoxious. If they had been serious in defending their homeland, it might have been different.
     
  4. Agisthos

    Agisthos Active Member

    Location:
    Australia
    Merchandising was also a major factor as to why the 1-2-3 trilogy was such a disaster. They were intent on making kids films, and selling associated toys, so as to maximize revenue.

    They could have released more adult inclined films and still pulled in over 1 billion for each release, there was no need to do Episode 1 the way they did.
     
    Lost In The Flood likes this.
  5. Bowie Fett

    Bowie Fett Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Rumor: Disney is in talks to buy 20th Century Fox. That’ll speed up the process.
     
  6. Jerry Horne

    Jerry Horne WYWH (1975-2025)

    Location:
    NW
    From The Digital Bits:

    Finally today, here’s some very big industry news: 21st Century Fox has been in on again/off again talks with Disney about the latter purchasing most of Fox’s entertainment operation, including Fox Studios. That would not include the Fox TV network, TV affiliates, or their news or business operations. But this would certainly solve Disney’s Star Wars ownership issue (Fox owns the original Star Wars outright and the distribution rights to the other five of the first six films until May 2019). It would also bring The X-Men and Fantastic Four back into the official Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is NOT a done deal, and (in fact) it appears that the talks are currently off again, BUT… the fact that this deal has even been considered is rather extraordinary. Going forward, if the Murdoch family does decide that they’re in the mood to sell their film and entertainment decisions, Disney is the logical choice of buyer. We’ll have to watch these developments closely.
     
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  7. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    An entertainment park taking over movies was never a great idea.
     
  8. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    Obviously, it's all conjecture at this point, but the possibility exists that, if this deal were to go through and Disney were to release the original theatrical versions at some point, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi would retain the Fox fanfare.
     
  9. balzac

    balzac Senior Member

    Uggh, it isn't worth getting the original theatrical version of Star Wars released if it means Disney owns almost literally EVERYTHING.

    Not a fan of the Fox corporation (or Disney for that matter), but jeez, we have to keep what little diversification remains of the big movie studios.

    Disney owning yet *another* major movie studio is a bad, bad, bad idea.

    Disappointed (but not surprised) that so many articles and sites reporting this new today are just covering how exciting it would be to see Iron Man and X-Men in the same movie, not realizing the much larger ramifications of this.

    I really hope this *doesn't* happen. If Fox wants to divest their movie studio division and all of those assets, I hope someone else, anybody else (other than another major studio), can gather enough money to do it.
     
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  10. Bryan

    Bryan Starman Jr.

    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    That was my first thought as well: too much consolidation.
     
  11. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    The only change to the logo (music aside) is Disney using their NEW castle logo instead of their old one.

    Original: Pixar lamp logo, Disney castle logo, movie starts.

    Blu-ray: Pixar lamp logo, NEW Disney castle logo (with their generic, new music), movie starts.

    Makes no sense.
     
    Lost In The Flood likes this.
  12. Song4U

    Song4U Senior Member

    Location:
    South Florida
  13. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    My guess: Lawyers. Sadly, lawyers often trump common sense and creativity, especially in filmmaking.
     
  14. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    Getting closer....

     
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  15. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    It's so lame fans even have to do this.
     
    bferr1 and Encuentro like this.
  16. daca

    daca Currently on Double Secret Probation

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I'm GLAD that there are fans that do this. I have neither the time, talent nor resources to see the original, unadulterated movies in Blu-Ray or UHD/4K format. In fact, the only versions of the OT I watch are fan made "edits." For all of you Fox/Diznee Execs, you can keep your crappy Blu-Ray box sets. I will not pay one penny nor one pence for it. However, you release the original '77, '80, and '83 movies, and I will be glad to purchase it. In fact, I would most likely purchase two.

    And if there are any of you out there working on the silver screen editions or despecializing Lucas' crap, I say "Thank You." Your efforts are much appreciated.
     
  17. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Maybe my intention was not captured in my post. I'm glad fans do this, too. I only watch Harmy's Despecialized versions. I'm saying it's lame fans HAVE TO do this, meaning Disney/Lucasfilm should release them themselves in the best quality possible.
     
  18. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    It’s free to boot, though the editors “require” fans to own the Blu-rays before downloading, using the honor system of course.

    In a way, Lucasfilm has given these editors a license by turning a blind eye to it. They’re certainly aware of these restorations and edits and have yet to take any kind of legal action.
     
    bru87tr likes this.
  19. daca

    daca Currently on Double Secret Probation

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I’m no copyright lawyer, but regardless of whether you own the actual Blu-Rays (or any other medium) it has no bearing on the legality of these edits. By the letter of the law, they are illegal. And Lucasfilm has not granted anyone associated with these projects a license, explicit or implicit.

    Bottom line, yes Lucasfilm is aware of the edits, but good luck trying to track down all of the actual persons involved, and proving it in a court of law. Furthermore, the negative publicity that a lawsuit would generate would add a ton of gasoline onto an already burning dumpster fire of not releasing the original movies.

    And Lucasfilm, I own the SS’s and harmy’s edits.

    I also bought VHS after VHS, a copy of the OT laser discs, and several DVDs. This is on top on seeing the movies in the theatres so many times I can’t even count them all. Furthermore, I have spent the equivalent of a years GDP of a small country on merchandising over my lifetime. If you want to sue me, go for it.

    Again, a huge thanks to everyone involved in these projects, they are phenomenal. I look forward to the upcoming UHD or 4K or HDR or DolbyVision or whatever version is next.
     
  20. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    That's a hilariously ignorant way to put it. I suggest you read and educate yourself on Disney's history.
     
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  21. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    My reference to owning the Blu-rays had nothing to do with the legality of the edits. It was in reference to the downloads being free. The editors kindly ask those who download these edits to purchase the Blu-rays first if they haven’t already.

    I didn’t suggest that Lucasfilm is literally giving a license to these editors. They are figuratively giving them a license by turning a blind eye to the edits.
     
    Lost In The Flood likes this.
  22. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    Nah, its not really a big deal to me. Seems to me Disney's actions speaks for itself.
     
  23. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    What's interesting is that the reason why Disney is looking into buying Fox has nothing to do with Star Wars. It has everything to do with the new Disney streaming service, which could put a huge dent into the success of Netflix. If everything Disney controls (Lucasfilm, Pixar, Muppets, Marvel, Disney) and everything Fox owns is only available on the Disney streaming service, that's a big problem. And I also think you have to consider the theme park potential for Lucasfilm and Marvel, particularly if they can use virtually all the characters all the time.

    Netflix Is the Reason Behind the Disney, Fox Acquisition Talks


    I wouldn't be surprised if this is the reason why Disney hasn't yet offered to pay Fox hundreds of millions of dollars for all the home video rights to the rest of the Star Wars films. If they decide to just buy the company outright for $50 billion, they get it all as part of the package.

    BTW, note that Fox is worth about $55B, Disney is worth $156B, but Apple Inc. is worth $897 billion dollars. Just sayin'. To put this in perspective: I think Apple could buy Ford, General Motors, two movie studios and a network and still have half their money left.
     
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  24. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    I think what speaks to your negative bias is the fact that you boil down nearly 100 years of an animation studio turned media empire to an amusement park.
     
  25. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    Nah, I just think they stamp everything they touch with the $ sign.
     
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