New Star Wars DVDs

[Booyakasha]

I was hanging around in Suncoast yesterday, and they were showing the new DVD of 'Empire Strikes Back'; specifically, the fight between Luke and Vader on Cloud City, after which Luke lets go of the platform, choosing to die rather than join Vader.

Now, as you're all no doubt aware, the 'Special Edition', released several years ago in theatres, made several noteworthy changes to the original films. Many of the changes were good, many mediocre, and some downright evil. Among these last was the addition of a scream as Luke fell from the platform; what had originally seemed like a courageous act of defiance seemed a lot more spazzy and weenie-ish.

Anyway, I'm watching what's clearly the Special Edition cut of the film (all the exterior CGI-riffic shots of Cloud City established this pretty clearly), and, after the fight with Vader, Luke lets go, and he doesn't scream. No pants-wetting wail of terror; he drops stoically, just like in the old days. The Special Edition has, it seems, been revised.

So, at long last, my question to anyone who has the new set--did they undo any of the other stupid changes they put in the Special Edition? For instance, Greedo shooting first in the cantina, or the retarded new musical number in Jabba's palace?

[Parrakarry]

Don't know -- I'm not paying $70 for three DVDs. I think that's what it costs, anyway. Oh well. I'll get them for my birthday or something.

[JoeTheSnifit]

I have the set, but I haven't watched any of them yet. I hope they get rid of that scream though.

[HaloMaster123]

Like, Star Wars is for nerds and ****, yah!

[CaptHayfever]

No, dressing up like Star Wars characters and camping outside of the video store is for nerds.
Just liking the movies is for everyone.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[imported_Andrew]

So, I got my trilogy and it didn't come with the fully functional lightsaber I was promised... WTF?!


Anyway, I haven't watched them yet either, but I heard there were several changes from the rerelases in the special edition, including more Jabba dialogue somewhere or rather.

[Booyakasha]

Well, looky here. Did m'self some diggin' over at the Eye Emm Dee Bee, and I done found out about some of the new revisions.

Star Wars:

a new version of Jabba the Hutt, looking more like he did in Episode I;
in the cantina, Greedo and Han Solo now shoot almost simultaneously;
the Death Star control panels are changed from English to alien language;
during the Vader-Kenobi duel, all visible swords are colored in as lightsabers

Empire:

Ian McDiarmid replaces Clive Revill as the Emperor, with new dialogue added;
Temeura Morrison provides the voice for Boba Fett

(in addition to the aforementioned sissy-scream-ectomy)

Jedi:

The 2004 DVD release has the ending celebration altered slightly. A CGI shot of the planet Naboo, from the prequel trrilogy, has been inserted in between the 1997 Special Edition shots of Tatooine and Coruscant.

In the 2004 DVD release of Return of the Jedi, the ghostly image of Sebastian Shaw as Anakin Skywalker is replaced with Hayden Christensen.

So, that's the dilly, yo; some mistakes left in, some taken care of or lessened, and some all-new mistakes for us to gnash our teeth over (I, for one, can't fathom the logic of replacing Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen in the last shot. Anakin's an old fart at the end of 'Jedi'; putting in the young version of him is incongruous at best. (That is, unless Lucas used his ILM powers to age Hayden Christensen some thirty-odd years.))