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Watching the OT with fresh eyes

Discussion in 'Original Trilogy' started by Chairman Kaga, Dec 19, 2014.

  1. Chairman Kaga

    Chairman Kaga Rebel Official

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    I finally got around to watching the entire OT (Despecialized Edition) with my 4-year old daughter. Star Wars came out on my second birthday, and I've seen it probably 500+ times over the following 39 years. Understandably, I'd become so familiar with it that I sort of took it for granted. The good... and the bad.

    The single most noteworthy observation - ESB looks completely different from ANH. The shot composition is far more sophisticated, the editing less frenetic. The best acting performance from the entire cast. I think a lot of people say it's the best of the OT because of the climactic reveal, the AT-AT attach, the asteroid field... but in all honesty it's the best because it's the best in terms of filmmaking. Full stop.

    Alright. So fresh eyes. Original cut. No Special edition nonsense. It holds up. There's plenty to look at, plenty to observe, but it's not overwhelming to the point of distraction. Look! There's Han welding on top of the Falcon as Leia gives the briefing prior to the AT-AT attack. The Tyderium in the distant background as the rebel commandos make their way through the forest. Jawas sleeping against the side of buildings in Mos Eisley. It all congeals into a sense of being real places with stuff going on. Very neat.

    I still get stuck on retcon though. Why would Obi Wan say, "That boy is our last hope" when he knows full well that Leia is his sister? How did Luke train to become a Jedi in the amount of time it took the Falcon to get to Bespin (granted, without hyperdrive that could have taken months, I suppose)? Why is Luke's reveal to Leia that Vader is his father and she is his sister so perfunctory and artless? There were so many neat ways that could have been accomplished...

    Regardless, I actually think Star Wars (ANH) is far more subversively artistic than its given credit for being. The fact it became a pop culture phenomenon tinged its artistic credibility, along with the fact that for so many it was a children's movie, but I really do think that what Lucas was doing, both with regard to story and film making, was groundbreaking, weird, unpretentious, and straight from the gut. It's art.

    And my daughter LOVES it. "There is another," indeed!

    So, when was the last time you sat down and REALLY watched these movies? Not just had them on in the background or caught a few scenes while it played on cable. I mean REALLy watched them? Yes, having kids helps.
     
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  2. Cole

    Cole Force Sensitive

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    It's been years for me. I've seen them so many times, I can still pretty much just watch them in my mind though, haha! I'm still praying for the original cut on Blue-ray before I watch again though. The Special Editions just bug me. I watched the originals so many times that even the tiniest changes pull me out of the movie. But I guess thats just a personal problem. I might just have to bust out the ol' VCR.

    Ever since the news about Ep. 7 started getting good, I've been getting this hardcore urge to watch the OT...Even the PT!

    I love everything about the OT even the dumb stuff (clumsy Leia/sister patch job, and the like).
    To me, A New Hope is Punk Rock, and Empire is a symphony.
     
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  3. Chairman Kaga

    Chairman Kaga Rebel Official

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    Try to track down a bootleg of Harmy's Despecialized Edition.
     
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  4. ZebroGodilla

    ZebroGodilla Darklighter Ace

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    I actually support the new digital edits of Star Wars, not going to lie. But I have seen the Harmy Despecialized Editions, and man, even without the digital edits, the film quality blows my Blu-Ray out of the water. This is what Star Wars looks like, and officially needs to look like once again :)
     
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  5. Emperor Abrams

    Emperor Abrams Rebel General

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    Watched the OT twice this year, and I'm amazed at how fluent it is and equal in quality. One really can't exist without the film that came before it, I consider them one big movie, really. Even Return Of The Jedi, with the Luke/Leia siblings twist, is still excellent and on par with the rest for me.

    I even rewatched the prequels a couple weeks ago, and while I don't consider them on par with the original films, and I do wish they tailored their story to be more in line with the OT, independently speaking, Anakin Skywalker is a very well developed and written character, very believable to me, all of the threads and setup is there. My biggest gripe with those films is that they don't line up with the OT completely storywise, and that I wish they had tailored them to meet the OT instead of changing the OT to accommodate the prequels, but viewed independently, the prequels are very even, measured, and consistent in what they do, it's like looking at a painting where you know one artist drew everything, and I can appreciate them in that regard. The Palpatine arc is phenomenal, the Emperor is easily my favorite character of the prequels. Ian McDiarmid is absolutely fantastic.


    That said though, nothing will EVER touch the OT, not just for me, but objectively speaking. I already know that no matter how good The Force Awakens may or may not be, I've already seen the BEST Star Wars movies. :)


    One thing you said though that I have always loved about the original Star Wars trilogy, and that is how non pretentious it is. That seems to be missing with The Force Awakens stuff, I have to say, and I'm hoping it's just because that's the style of how all trailers/movies are marketed now where everything must seem like "the second coming" and all the characters are ludicrously self serious/self important, but it wouldn't surprise me if the film ends up being that way too, unfortunately. :(
     
    #5 Emperor Abrams, Nov 9, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2015
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  6. Darth Sidious

    Darth Sidious Rebel Official

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    And this is an element of the prequels that fits the original trilogy perfectly.
     
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  7. Emperor Abrams

    Emperor Abrams Rebel General

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    I agree -- and I'm sure that is part of why I liked it so much.
     
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  8. stencil

    stencil Rebel Official

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    I watched the OT last Christmas with my then 4 1/2 year old son, so I had a chance to see it through a fresh pair of eyes. What a great experience! My boy loved Luke just like I did. Han appeals to older people who understand complexity and conflict, but Luke is pure and wants to do the right thing which appeals to many kids. And my son isn't influenced by the constantly repeated mantras of fan boys. The Empire Strikes Back was probably his least favorite because it was the saddest. And he LOVES the Ewoks because they're cute and they fight the stormtroopers. It made me remember what a good movie ROTJ is, despite complaints of many fans. In many ways it is a better movie than ESB since it provides such a satisfying conclusion to both Luke and Vader's story arcs. The throne room scene was really expertly done.
     
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  9. Jedi77-83

    Jedi77-83 Force Sensitive

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    I have a ritual of watching the OT movies on holiday 3 day weekends when I'm off from work (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving weekend, etc).

    When I watch, I truly sit back and watch as they arent background music to something I'm doing.

    The beauty this year is I'm watching in a new context thinking about TFA and the ST. And it will be even more surreal when I watch the OT during Christmas/New Years Weekend after TFA and all of the new speculation of Episode 8 & 9.
     
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  10. WeWhoSurvived

    WeWhoSurvived Rebel Commander

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    Where'd you get the despecialized edition? And was it in HD?
     
  11. Jedi77-83

    Jedi77-83 Force Sensitive

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    And what is the sound on those disks?

    5.1 Dolby Digital?

    7.1 DTS?

    2.0 Dolby Surround?
     
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  12. Get In Gear

    Get In Gear Force Sensitive

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    TRACK 1) 5.1 DTS-HD-MA [English] (1977 70mm six track mix)

    TRACK 2) 2.0 DTS-HD-MA [English] (1977 35mm stereo mix)

    TRACK 3) 1.0 DTS-HD-MA [English] (1977 35mm mono mix)

    TRACK 4) 2.0 Dolby Digital [English] (1985 Laserdisc mix)

    TRACK 5) 2.0 Dolby Digital [English] (1993 Laserdisc mix)

    TRACK 6) 2.0 Dolby Digital [German] (1978 dub reconstruction)

    TRACK 7) 2.0 Dolby Digital [French] (1977 dub)

    TRACK 8) 2.0 Dolby Digital [Spanish] (1977 Castilian dub)

    TRACK 9) 1.0 Dolby Digital [Spanish] (1980 Latino dub)

    TRACK 10) 1.0 Dolby Digital [Portuguese] (1980s Brazilian dub)

    TRACK 11) 2.0 Dolby Digital [Japanese] (1978 Dub)

    TRACK 12) 2.0 Dolby Digital [Italian] (1977 dub)

    TRACK 13) 2.0 Dolby Digital [Polish] (1995 Voiceover)

    TRACK 14) 2.0 Dolby Digital [Czech] (1992 dub)

    TRACK 15) 2.0 Dolby Digital [Hungarian] (1984 dub)

    TRACK 16) 2.0 Dolby Digital [English] (1993 LD Audio Commentary - silence filled with 1993 LD 2.0)

    TRACK 17) 2.0 Dolby Digital [English] (2004 DVD Audio Commentary - recut to fit this release)

    TRACK 18) 2.0 Dolby Digital [English] (2004 starwars.com Audio Commentary - recut to fit this release)

    TRACK 19) 2.0 Dolby Digital [English] (2011 BD Archival Interviews Audio Commentary - recut to fit this release)

    TRACK 20) 2.0 Dolby Digital [Isolated Score] (Compiled by hairy_hen)

    TRACK 21) 2.0 Dolby Digital [English] (Commentary For Visually Impaired)
     
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