From this link: http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1240379/george_lucas_greedo_was_always_supposed_to_shoot_first.html

Anyone else detecting steaming piles of Bantha poodoo?

Lucas can kiss my a**!!
I only watch the original cuts of the original trilogy.
The new trilogy (episodes 1-3) sucks IMO.

im probably gonna be one of the few people here who likes the new trilogy..

Just rewatched Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) [8763-85] for the first time in years and Han definitely shoots first.

I just watched the same disc yesterday, kinda hard to tell as the angle is close up. But still very odd that Lucas is suddenly saying this after all these years.

I think I'm the only person alive who didn't mind the changes to Star Wars. George Lucas is the creator of the series, so if he says Greedo shot first, then Greedo shot first, damn it!!

I wasnt crazy about the update to ET because ET's reactions were too animated and cartoon like for my taste, but the radio thing makes sense because it makes no sense for police to be holding guns when it's a group of kids and their alien (especially in a movie aimed at children). I think the Han shot First rage is stemming from people's memories of first seeing Star Wars and wanting to see it how it originally was.

I saw star wars in the movie theater in 1977 and I can say without a doubt Han Shot first! Lol

1) Han Solo fired first.
2) The removal of the firearms from E.T. is some commie, pinko, liberal b******t!
3) I am a political moderate and hold these (1) fact and (2) opinion so don't accuse me of being some right-wing nut job...
4) STOP ALTERING FILMS!
End rant...

Rant away ohreally.
With you on the changes to episodes IV - VI
Out of principle I refused to see the modified trilogy.
Just liked the movies as they were first presented.
Over the years many said "oh how great they are now" or "Geez,they are so much better,you should give it a try..."
Nope.Not for this devotee....
Han beat Greedo to the punch and just "Gunned him down" and kindly threw the barkeep some coins for the "trouble" Ie MESS !
To each their own though......
I will second your point four : " stop altering films "
And unless your Tim Burton, stop re-making them as well.
Dream up some original stories and stop making money off other peoples brain-children....

Thanks for this thread hippiedalek ! Yup..Bantha poodoo back peddling, smells like someone stepped in it ......

During a special 30th anniversary screening with Spielberg and Harrison Ford, Spielberg asked the crowd if when the ET blu-ray comes out we wanted to have just the original film or both it and the new version. We all yelled original only and he seemed pleased. He said he regretted making the decision in the first place as it ruined the experience for the people who saw it in the theater. After the applause calmed down a guy sitting a few rows behind me yelled, "Tell George that", and Spielberg laughed again.

Greedo shooting first changes the character of Han Solo. I don't care what anyone says. Han shot first and established he was a bad a**. It not only showed his ruthless side but also that he will do anything to save his butt. This makes the surprise at the ending realistic. After shooting Greedo first he just may take the reward and high tail it back to Jabba. Without shooting first he has no redemption as a character.

Also, saying you want to go back and make changes because, "we didn't have enough money to do it right", is B.S. Sorry, most artists, filmmakers, whatever have to compromise in some way. What makes you a great artist is when you can overcome those compromises to make a great film. Watch a classic film made between 1935-1967. The Hays code restricted what could be said and done on the screen, it didn't stop Hitchcock, John Ford, Billy Wilder, or others from making great sexy, violent, or disturbing films because they knew how to get around those limitations.

Personally, I would love to own the blu-rays just for the bonus features, but with all his mucking about with the films I just cannot support it. If my friends or family buy it for me, I'll welcome it into my home, but I have given enough to Lucas over the years and I won't keep paying him to rewrite film history.
OK, rant over, you may continue.

Ron

The first one just felt wrong for some reason. I enjoyed the other two, but after watching the RedLetterMedia videos on youtube, (the best film criticism ever, by the way), I just can't sit through them without laughing.

Ron

Thanks for mentioning the Hays code as it jogged my memory!
There are three sets of films on DVD released by TCM that are pre-Hays code called 'Forbidden Hollywood'. Yes they are very tame by today's standards but it is good to be able to view them as they are pretty good films and you get a good 1st amendment feeling watching them. I especially enjoy "Red Headed Woman" starring Jean Harlow.
Also a big shout out to Mae West!!

Back to the original point; Lucas can kiss my grits for f***ing up Star Wars!

That's the difference between Lucas and Spielberg; both E.T. and Close Encounters have both had releases that include all versions of his films, same with Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, and in the days of seamless branching that's the way it should be. Spielberg even tried a form of seamless branching on the Criterion release of Close Encounters on laserdisc. Saying that when Spielberg was given the chance to resubmit Temple of Doom to the UK ratings board to repeal the cuts it had made he declined saying he regretted making it so gory so to this day you still can't get the uncut version of the film here. Saying that I can't stand the film so I'm not that upset about it.

I've also read accounts of Spielberg and Lucas arguing about how to film the new Indiana Jones; Lucas wanted digital while Spielberg preferred the look and feel of film. Lucas apparently told him he could just film it digitally and add film grain later, to which Spielberg replied "what's the point?"

If people complain that the digital version isn't on the blu-ray when it comes out I just may loose it.

Ron

I love the Pre-code films. They may be tame, but if your not familiar with them they can still shock sometimes. The Forbidden Hollywood set came out on laserdisc and there are a couple of 2-disc sets that have the Forbidden Hollywood stamp on them too.

Ron

Whilst I agree that Lucas may have gone too far adjusting the original trilogy, what do you guys think of the update to THX 1138? I actually thought he did a great job updating that. Everything he touched seemed to enhance and even improve that film.

micsmith,thanks for the THX-1138 reference.
Going to check that updated version out down the road.
Really loved the original !

The post-code Gable/Crawford film Strange Cargo gets by with quite a bit like the gay love affair between two of the escapees...especially the one's statement that he wants the kind of relationship with his male partner that Gable and Crawford have. I can't imagine how that slipped by... And it's done so tenderly too.

I've never actually seen THX 1138 in any form. Why? Because I want to see the film the way it was originally released before I see the enhanced version. As Lucas has made this such a difficult task I've still yet to see the film.

Understandable. I have the LD copy on my wishlist, because even though I enjoy the new version I wouldn't mind having the original as well.