cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/11492759
The original trilogy of Star Wars films, spearheaded by George Lucas were critical and commercial successes. However, in 1997 Lucas released the “Special Edition” of the films for the trilogy’s 20th anniversary, which featured extensive changes to the original theatrical cuts.
The original cuts have since become scarce. However, a group of Star Wars fans, known as Team Negative One have reportedly almost completely digitally restored the original cuts in 4K using 35-millimeter prints of the original trilogy.
The project is headed by Robert Williams, who along with his team have spent almost a decade restoring the films.
“They’re not really upset that he made the changes, because some of them are pretty cool and actually make the films better. They’re really upset that he didn’t also release the original version alongside it. Just put two discs in the box. We’d have been happy.”
Williams made the above statement to The New York Times, explaining the motivation behind preserving the original cuts of the trilogy. However, the publication also noted that Team Negative One’s activities were not authorized as they worked with film reels meant to be destroyed or returned. Hence, the legality of Team Negative One’s restored versions of the original trilogy is questionable.
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Given Lucas’ strong feelings about the Special Editions, it is evident that the filmmaker would be unhappy with fans trying to preserve the original cuts, which he referred to as “rough drafts” in the past.
According to reports, Lucas allegedly voiced his disappointment with fans demanding a high-resolution release of the original cuts in the following words:
“Grow up. These are my movies, not yours.”
Similarly, when the National Film Registry aimed to preserve 1977’s Star Wars (later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope), Lucas reportedly refused to provide them with a copy of the original theatrical release.
Lucas stated that he would no longer authorize the original version’s release, reaffirming that he did not intend for the audience to view the theatrical cuts. After Disney acquired the franchise, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy also stated that Lucas’s changes to the theatrical cuts would remain untouched. Hence, it is safe to say that Lucas would certainly be unhappy with fans still trying to preserve the original cuts.
I appreciate that he created the movies, and he has the right to his opinions. I also have the right to my opinions, one of which is that these movies are not his movies. They belong to everyone, and it’s noble to try to preserve the originals. I think someone needs to grow up, and it isn’t the preservationists.
He didn’t even direct two of them. Buggered off to do Indiana Jones and when he came back they’d overspent and made Empire Strikes Back.
He also wasn’t the only person involved that made the films successful. This is the same narcissistic nonsense we see from tech CEO’s and shitty managers that take credit for everything their subordinates accomplish.
Fun story: George Lucas’s ex-wife had a huge hand in writing a lot of the original blockbuster trilogy.
There were some odd choices in some of the early drafts; Han Solo was at one point a weird fishy creature, there was a malevolent energy called “The Bogan” that served as a counterpart to the force, Ben Kenobi was called “Owen,” and the dialogue was straight-up odd.
Luke is attacked by Tusken raiders just before he meets Ben; they leave him handcuffed to a giant spinning wheel. Kenobi approaches with a “good morning!”
“What do you mean, ‘good morning’?” Luke responds. “Do you mean that it is a good morning for you, or do you wish me a good morning, although it is obvious I’m not having one, or do you find that mornings in general are good?”
“All of them at once,” replies Kenobi.
It’s a great laugh line. It is also lifted, word for word, from “The Hobbit.” J. R. R. Tolkien’s work was so widely read by the 1970s that Lucas could never have gotten away with the theft; it vanishes in the fourth draft.
So, there was always this sort of hidden uncertainty about, how much of the undeniable quality of the final script came from George Lucas and how much came from his wife.
Until we got the prequels, and found out the answer.
(More about the weird stuff in the drafts)
So they are, apparently, not really his movies.
Star Wars was famously saved in the edit too.
George Lucas had a great vision and was strong on the technical side but the OT’s success is because it was a group effort.
This couldn’t be more obvious comparing them to the PT - Lucas had an almost completely free hand and it shows. There are countless things that needed someone to step in and go “George, perhaps we should do it this way”.
Makes you think how many of those terrible post-Star Wars movies could have been beloved classics with the right editor
George…growp up…
Uh, didn’t he sell these movies?
The quote is from before he sold the movies. The story is that he was interacting with fans who were saying that they didn’t mind the edits, but they would like high resolution copies of the originals. He then told them to grow up.
Ah, that makes more sense. I’m continuing the grand transition of commenting on articles I didn’t read!
