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The thing I find baffling is according to the Secret History of Star Wars website, when the Blu-Ray mastered they were done so at 1920x1080 at the same time Citizen Kane was being archived at 8k!
Are you guys familiar at all with the Despecialised Editions? It's a fan edit where the Blu-Rays have been restored as much as possible to the original release with some crazy VFX work involved to hide the changes.
The thing I find baffling is according to the Secret History of Star Wars website, when the Blu-Ray mastered they were done so at 1920x1080 at the same time Citizen Kane was being archived at 8k!
Are you guys familiar at all with the Despecialised Editions? It's a fan edit where the Blu-Rays have been restored as much as possible to the original release with some crazy VFX work involved to hide the changes.
I don't know how a fan can truly enjoy any version now, as it just becomes an exercise in spot-the-change. You're not watching the movie, you're just going 'that's new, that's original, that's changed back again, that's different, they still need to fix that, don't remember that change, could have improved that, the special edition was better there, the original was better there, the score isn't right that that change, the colour is different there, that sound effect seems odd", and so on. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Let that be a lesson for future film-makers - don't fuck with classics, always offer the original if you do make changes, and listen to the fans.
Last edited by avatar (2013-11-18 15:43:22)
+2 
I believe the Despecialised Editions are the best currently out there, and I would highly recommend them to most people (especially over the awful official versions that LFL put out a few years back as an 'extra').
Regarding the special, I could only bare to watch the first few minutes before running for the hills. One might think that the prequels are the worst thing to happen to Star Wars but... the Holiday Special really is that bad.
I saw the Despecialised Editions a while back, but that was prior to the blu-ray release. I'm quite tempted to check out the newer version.
I'm quite tempted to check out the newer version.
I'm partial to Adywan's fan edits myself. If you're going to fuck around with the originals, at least do changes that make the movies better, not worse.
But ya, I'd love to see the original theatrical edits in a blu-ray format at some point, since I literally have no memory of them at this point, my only exposure being the VHS release when I was like 5.
Watching all the work that went into that Despecialized Edition just makes me furious at George all over again. Look at all the work these people are doing! Look at how much they clearly love the original version! And instead of just being a mature person and admitting that you were wrong, you had to keep giving the people who provided you with your fortune the middle finger.
Last edited by Abbie (2013-11-18 21:50:40)
I can imagine that in 10 years time there'll be a program that lets you play Star Wars with what elements you like from what versions. There'll be a menu and you can select which opening scrawl, which audio track, what special edition scenes (if any), what fan edit additions or subtractions, matte lines fixed or not, models or CGI Battle of Yavin, new Kenobi wail from the BR box set, what colour lightsabers, etc. The combinations and permutations will be infinite. Everyone can have their own customized version of Star Wars.
Last edited by avatar (2013-11-19 01:45:49)
+2
Okay, sorry, just trying to tease this out...
So Fox has theatrical and home video rights on A New Hope forever and on Episodes 1,2,3,5, & 6 until 2020. So let's say in 2020 Disney wanted to put out high-def versions of the OT... they couldn't include A New Hope without cutting a deal with with Fox (which, okay, let's say they do exactly that), but they would also need those negs. Which George has publicly claimed do not exist in their original form. And if they do exist (and of course they do), would Disney own them? Or would George still own his negs? Or is that question moot since, even if Disney has ownership, isn't the whole situation still predicated on whether or not George will hand over pristine negs—something he's claimed it isn't possible for him to do?
This is what I mean. It seems like such a sloppy, bad lie, but it's been quite effective.
Okay, sorry, just trying to tease this out...
So Fox has theatrical and home video rights on A New Hope forever and on Episodes 1,2,3,5, & 6 until 2020.
I hadn't realized they still have temporary rights to the other films. In that case, would it make sense for Fox to try to obtain the negatives and try to do a box set now, getting as much profit as possible before Disney takes ownership?
I liked Adywan's A New Hope, for the most part, but seeing what he's putting together for ESB just has me scratching his head. At this point it's like he's planning shot for shot remakes of the FX and adding whatever he likes. I saw miniatures of an asteroid set last week.
Most of the people who would even sort of care about that are nearing retirement age now
Can I just say that I care, I'm 27, and have no idea when/if I'll retire? Cool, thanks.
You know what the word "most" means, right? Cool, thanks. 
Rob wrote:Okay, sorry, just trying to tease this out...
So Fox has theatrical and home video rights on A New Hope forever and on Episodes 1,2,3,5, & 6 until 2020.
I hadn't realized they still have temporary rights to the other films. In that case, would it make sense for Fox to try to obtain the negatives and try to do a box set now, getting as much profit as possible before Disney takes ownership?
I would think so. Again I wonder about actual ownership of the negs. Even if they were included in the Disney deal and Disney owns them, George can't turn over something (that he claims) was irreversibly altered and thus doesn't exist. Unless he wants to. Disney might be in the same position we're in: George claimed those negs don't exist, and what can you do? Hook him up to a polygraph? It could be that he said the negs were fucked, and they bought his company anyway. Or, he could have retained control of the negs as part of the deal, just as he retained some involvement in upcoming films (he's going to be a producer, right?).
Invid wrote:2. It's actually public domain now.
lolno
Nothing ever becomes public domain anymore -- incidentally, due to heavy political influence from Disney.
OK, what has to happen to make something Public Domain? I watched the Rifftrax VOD for Planet of the Dinosaurs tonight, and they referenced in the riff that this 1978 film was, indeed, PD. The Holiday Special is from the same year. Given how abandoned this is, do we know it's not possible? Although, I like the idea of it in fact being super copyrighted even more than Star Wars, just to keep it from seeing the light of day again 
The general rule of thumb is that if it was made after Steamboat Willie, it'll never be in the public domain because Disney keeps getting copyright extended.
(I'm not sure that that's entirely accurate but it's a decent generalization to go with, at least.)
Google-fu gives me the impression that Planet of Dinosaurs falls into a weird loophole regarding its copyright notice. However, further research shows a copyright notice filed in '78 that would make it copyrighted, not in the public domain.
So, uh. Who knows?
Modern works can fall into public domain if there's no one who can make a legitimate claim to them - due to neglect or lack of heirs, or sometimes even just a screwup. For example, for bizarre arcane legal reasons some episodes of the Dick Van Dyke Show are public domain but most aren't. Night of the Living Dead is public domain because they didn't put a copyright notice in the credits (the law at the time, but not any more). It's a Wonderful Life is sorta half-public-domain (but not entirely because the story it's based on is still under copyright.)
On the other hand, Disney (and most conglomerates) not only carefully maintains their copyrights but as said above, have won legal battles to extend copyright on their valuable properties far past their original expiration dates.
btw, I just filed the copyright papers for Return of Pink Five Volume Three yesterday - so it's my death +70 years before any of youse can get your meathooks on it. Ha HA.
Modern works can fall into public domain if there's no one who can make a legitimate claim to them - due to neglect or lack of heirs, or sometimes even just a screwup. For example, for bizarre arcane legal reasons some episodes of the Dick Van Dyke Show are public domain but most aren't. Night of the Living Dead is public domain because they didn't put a copyright notice in the credits (the law at the time, but not any more). It's a Wonderful Life is sorta half-public-domain (but not entirely because the story it's based on is still under copyright.)
On the other hand, Disney (and most conglomerates) not only carefully maintains their copyrights but as said above, have won legal battles to extend copyright on their valuable properties far past their original expiration dates.
btw, I just filed the copyright papers for Return of Pink Five Volume Three yesterday - so it's my death +70 years before any of youse can get your meathooks on it. Ha HA.
Also, I still have VHS copies of the OT. So, I'm thinking of digitizing them myself and that way at least have some copy that isn't reedited.
Not that I care about the reedits. They can do that until the banthas come home. It has no impact on my original feelings as a child. I'm not trying to sound snooty or what-not, but the originals will always be just that to me.
+1
Star Wars Down Under - An Aussie Star Wars fan film
Disney, on the other hand, is a corporation that will happily sell anything to the public if the public will buy it.
I want a 4K restoration of the Holiday Special, complete with commentary track from a coked up Carrie Fisher. I will buy it and cherish it forever.
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