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.
…
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 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.
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.
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”.
Preach
This is why it’s actually a little unsafe to have two people flying an airplane where one is way more senior than the other. Because the guy with only 1,000 hours of experience or whatever will hesitate to say “Hey I think you’re bein a moron, we need to do X Y Z instead,” and there’s not a person on earth who’s exempt from being a moron sometimes.
You need multiple perspectives
Makes you think how many of those terrible post-Star Wars movies could have been beloved classics with the right editor
Love the idea of bogans being the ultimate evil in the Star Wars galaxy, driving clapped-out space utes around in their flannel shirts.
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!
I can’t knock you, we have to keep the tradition alive. I only read the article to make sure I was right before finishing the reply to you.
Since the headline said he “won’t be happy” instead of “isn’t happy”, I guessed the writer was just bringing up some old stuff to stir things up and make the article more dramatic.
Harmy’s Despecialized Edition original trilogy, it’s the ultimate OG viewing experience.
Anyone happen to know if Harmy is working with this Team Negative One?
Harmy’s versions aren’t anywhere near as good as TN1’s (which have existed for years, none of this is news).
Oof, dating myself I suppose…going to have to check these out!
No. But thanks for letting me know that you don’t like it that I’m sharing the originals.
BTW, good essay on the value and detriment of director’s cuts by hbomberguy:
Thanks for sharing!
Art belongs to its audience.
That’s what the money was for.
No George, you piece of shit, the films belong to the Public Domain and we’re graciously allowing you to profit from them for a bit. If you’re gonna bitch about it we can revoke your privilege!
They’re a few decades or centuries off from public domain.
All works are inherently public domain: copyright isn’t property, which is why it expiring isn’t an unconstitutional “taking.” Congress merely chooses to temporarily remove it from the public domain and grant control back to the Creator for a while, as an incentive to create more works. It’s a power Congress has, not an obligation: they don’t have to do it, and if they didn’t, all works would be public domain from day 1.
It’s ironic: publishers claim copies are “licensed, not sold,” but that’s a lie; individual copies are property, and are sold. The real “licensed, not sold” is Congress granting the temporary monopoly privilege itself.
what the fuck are you smoking
The same thing Thomas Jefferson smoked, I guess? I’m not saying anything much different than what he wrote in this letter explaining his philosophical underpinning of the Copyright (and Patent) Clause. I won’t quote all the relevant parts for reasons of brevity, but here’s the most important bit:
It has been pretended by some (and in England especially) that inventors have a natural and exclusive right to their inventions; & not merely for their own lives, but inheritable to their heirs. but while it is a moot question whether the origin of any kind of property is derived from nature at all, it would be singular to admit a natural, and even an hereditary right to inventions. it is agreed by those who have seriously considered the subject, that no individual has, of natural right, a separate property in an acre of land, for instance. by an universal law indeed, whatever, whether fixed or moveable, belongs to all men equally and in common, is the property, for the moment, of him who occupies it; but when he relinquishes the occupation the property goes with it. stable ownership is the gift of social law, and is given late in the progress of society. it would be curious then if an idea, the fugitive fermentation of an individual brain, could, of natural right, be claimed in exclusive and stable property. if nature has made any one thing less susceptible, than all others, of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an Idea; which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself; but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of every one, and the reciever cannot dispossess himself of it. it’s peculiar character too is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. he who recieves an idea from me, recieves instruction himself, without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, recieves light without darkening me.
I would pay good money to have the original trilogy owned digitally and in 4k so I can have it forever.
It is still jarring to me today to watch the movie and see the changes, they’re not the films I grew up watching over and over on VHS.
Too bad!
I have the Despecialized Editions (very similar project to Team Negative One, creating a digital version of the theatrical versions.) Whenever a friend has a kid, I throw the Despecialized trilogy on a drive and give it to them for the future. No child should grow up watching the Special Editions.
