There has been evidence of this new remastered original trilogy slowly building online over recent months. This is due to the restoration company posting short clips to a quiet unknown YouTube account.
Check out this video on an explanation on what has been happening and a comparison between the new remaster and the current 4K discs.
TLDW: The new remaster looks way better than the current discs.
Then check out this 17 minute compilation of remastered original trilogy clips that have appeared online so far.
Disney gotta make that cash!
Wait… is this a remaster of the original unfucked up version of the movie without his stupid digital additions?
Yes, the original originals from 77, 80 and 83.
Sweet! That I might go see.
Oh heck. I saw the re-runs of the originals in theaters in 94’
What were the stupid digital additions? Now I’m curious
Wikipedia has a list of them (most of them, at least. I can’t speak for its completeness): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changes_in_Star_Wars_re-releases
I think it was the 25th anniversary release where he changed and added stuff. First off, he fixed a lot of the special effects that hadn’t aged well. That was fine, I concede that was an improvement. But then he went through and added silly stuff. He added a blaster shot from Greedo’s gun in the cantina scene because he felt, for some reason, that Han shouldn’t have shot first. Then he added seriously obnoxious stuff like restoring a cut scene of Han and Jabba the Hut at the space port. Jabba was a bad CGI job placed over the scene’s original actor. At one point Han walks over him and Jabba makes this stupid face that I can’t even describe.
Don’t forget about all the busy stuff going on in Mos Eisley surroundings as they travel to the catina. The wider shots of the landspeeder were great, but all the shit that kept forcing its way into the screen ruined the moment.
Rick McCallum: “It’s so dense. Every single image has so many things going on.”
Plinkett: “Fuck you, Rick Berman. You ruined this too? Stop ruining - hey wait, that ain’t Rick Berman. What is it with Ricks?”
The cleaning up of the special effects, that’s a no brainer must have. I didn’t realize they weren’t as good as I remembered in the theater as a 9 year old. Including the Falcon escaping - I thought for sure that was original until I happened across a scene, and it was almost a shock it wasn’t nearly as great.
Yeah the dynamic range on all the CGI additions is really off and ruins the dusty atmosphere that the original film had.
We didn’t need all those huge animals in a place where they have to collect moisture to survive either. It was better sparse.
Also rhe original Jabba the Hut was a himan in a furry jacket, not a giant slug monster. Since Han walks around human Jabba in the scene on flat ground they added the stepping over slug Jabba’s tail with CGI which is why the way Han walks in the clip looks janky as hell.
Didn’t they update that scene twice? The first Special Edition release and then updated the Jabba CGI a second time for another release. (The Blu-ray’s? I’m not sure)
It’s all a bit moot anyway as everything in the “new” Jabba scene is almost a repeat of what was said in the Greedo encounter a few scenes earlier.
And they forced in Boba Fett which was cool at the time but just seems out of place now.
That scene was cut in the original film, Jab a officially didn’t make an appearance until Return.
I’m glad they’re remastering the original versions for those who want that.
As someone who saw the movies when they were relatively new (I mean Star Wars was before my time and I was a baby when Empire came out), I don’t mind the changes. I think it’s cool that George Lucas was able to add the stuff he always wanted to do but didn’t have the budget for at the time. I think if I were someone who watched these movies yearly or more, I’d appreciate the “de-mastered” edition or whatever, but as a more casual enjoyer of the original trilogy… I don’t really care.
The one thing I’m a bit iffy on is Greedo shooting first. In the original, Greedo didn’t shoot. He just pointed the gun at Han. Han shoots Greedo under the table. And the two of them have history that’s never stated. Greedo is a more honest lowlife than Han is. Han is basically trash, but Luke inspires him to be a hero and come back at the end after the Rebellion has paid him. (Also, he’s fallen for Leia.) I think it’s important he goes from a cold-blooded killer to a hero. The change makes him a bit less bad. And I guess that’s because Vader is evil and Luke is good, and Luke can’t be hanging around with guys who exist in shades of grey. I don’t like that change. But I don’t hate Lucas for doing it. I’m also tired of explaining it, how they changed Han’s character essentially. Or explaining how “Han shot first” is wrong. Han was the only shooter in the original scene. Yes, Greedo was going to turn him over to Jabba the Hutt, who was most likely going to kill him. Drop him in the pit with the Rancor.
Yes, Greedo was going to turn him over to Jabba the Hutt, who was most likely going to kill him.
Greedo literally says he’s going to kill Han at that very moment…
Han: Over my dead body.
Greedo: That’s the idea.
We can have sympathy for Han’s situation once we understand the details and the universe he lives in (hell, Cassian is worse, or maybe we just don’t see everything Han’s done for a cause not as great as the rebellion), but it’s necessary to paint Han first as a ruthless asshole whose character changes as he’s exposed to things. It’s funny how Han shooting first gave more depth to him, and Lucas making him more defensive ruined it - not by much, but he shouldn’t start as a good guy. He’s NOT a good guy.
Bro just wrote a thesis on how Han didn’t shoot first and here you go and say it again 🤔
We have Project 4K77 at home.
This rebate looks even better but 4K77 is the best choice for now.
I have the despecialized editions, but yes, agree in sentiment.
50th…christ I remember going to see the 20th anniversary versions in theatres. age…please stop.
I know this is very controversial but my favorite and only addition that I enjoy is the song in Jabba’s palace.
Nostalgia is a helluva drug and that’s the first version I saw.
I guess the sarlac’s beak is cool too, I don’t mind that so much.
I can’t fathom this. It’s my most hated change! Haha
As bad as that scene is at least it didn’t really change the plot or characters in any meaningful way.
That’s true. My second most hated change was Luke screaming while falling down the air shaft in Cloud City. It completely ruined the scene.
Apparently they removed it in later revisions.
Dude, like I so get this logically, but for me it’s just such an earworm!!!
Koo nee tang
Na’ na’ na’ ah lawah
Koo nee tang!
Yeah I find that I tend to stick to the first version I saw syndrome. It’s the one you grow to love first.
The big question for me is if Disney will actually, finally release the original versions on 4K UHD.
Well, when I bought the originals on VHS they promised it was the last time that cut would ever be released. A giant corp. would never lie, would they?
Can they make money on it? There’s your answer.
Not really. Disney doesn’t really release many titles on physical media anymore and were one of the first companies to stop doing so (as compared to Warner Bros., which regularly puts out catalog releases). Lately Disney has released only the biggest brands, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, often in the form of a handful of very expensive SteelBook 4K releases in the case of their TV shows. So they’re not automatically predisposed to release on physical media.
Second, it’s been nearly 30 years since the Star Wars Special Edition was released in theaters and nearly 15 since Disney bought Lucasfilm. Disney could’ve made plenty of money selling the original unaltered trilogy in that time, especially earlier on when physical media was a bigger market. But George Lucas has made it clear that he never wants the original versions released, and at least thus far Disney has honored that.
Sweet, now I can not watch them on the big screen!
