Schmoes Know… Funny movie reviews from people like you!
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By Captain Dan
STAR WARS EPISODE I-VI: A BLU HOPE
If you don’t like them, don’t buy them. It’s been pointed out to me, that George makes these changes so people who own the movies will buy them again. Not saying a man with enough money to spend in 10 lifetimes, doesn’t like having more, but I really don’t think that’s the case here. People would buy this new set just because it’s STAR WARS on Blu Ray. George tinkers because that’s what he does. The technology has finally caught up with his imagination.
I won’t get deep into the changes because this is about how beautiful I think these movies look on the best home theater tech ever invented… so far.
First of all 99% of the changes have no effect on the story. Which to me, is the most important and best part of WARS. The one change that does affect it, is Greedo shooting first. This is the one travesty I am in total agreement on with everyone. Luke maybe the hero of this story, but Han Solo is quite obviously the coolest. Taking away his edge hurt that coolness a bit and takes away from the journey he goes on from shifty smuggler to lovable rouge to Hero of the Rebellion. I also am not a fan of him changing dialogue. But the beautiful skies of Bespin come to life like never before and the celebration of the Emperor’s demise has a little more significance when we see more worlds celebrating his downfall.
The Blu Ray set highlights these and many other scenes. The sound and picture quality are near flawless. You can never say that Lucas and co. don’t give it their all when they release these things. The Prequels pop like so bright you may need sunglasses. Some people have been saying it’s jarring, I find it adds depth to the Senate Hall, the bright lights of Courscant, and majesty to the Gungan’s underwater city as well as their surface dwelling allies city of Theed. MENACE and CLONES may not look quite as good as SITH, but both movie’s Saber duels benefit from the pic and sound upgrade, especially the sound. The Saber’s crackle and sizzle in 6.1 DTS is so real, you may just duck out of pure instinct. The digital Yoda is also most welcomed in MENACE. The puppet they used in Ep. I was a sad imitation of the lovable Muppet that first appeared in 1980. SITH’s final hour is my favorite part of the Prequels and it does not disappoint here. I rewound the Yoda/Emperor Anakin/Obi Wan fight three times. I also rewound the Darth Maul battle twice.
The Original Trilogy is what makes throwing down the 70 or so bucks it costs worth every penny. They look gorgeous. They sound even more wonderful than waking up to sound of raindrops on a day you can sleep in and just listen. In fact, one thing that would make this set that much better would be a music and sound effects only track. I don’t think I have been this thrilled watching STAR WARS since the first time I saw RETURN OF THE JEDI(I say EMPIRE is my favorite, but I secretly agree with Randall from CLERKS, JEDI is the best) on the big screen. The only one I got to see on the at the cinema. But I saw it four times, and three more upon it’s rerelease in 1987. When it finally arrived on Video, my mom drove me to the store to buy my copy and complete my VHS set of the STAR WARS Trilogy. That feeling that I had when I realized my dream of watching all three WARS anytime I wanted, I also felt that day I stepped out of Best Buy with my STAR WARS SAGA Blu Ray collection.
The extras were fun. The ones on the DVD release were a little more in depth, but there is some real fun stuff here. The extra scenes from the Prequels are pretty worthless but the Original ones are so fun. You can definitely tell why they got cut, but it’s such a thrill to see Ford, Hamill and Fisher in never before seen moments.
George Lucas once said that special effect without a story is pointless. Don’t snicker, because if you pay attention, nothing he does in these movies is half ass. A special effect isn’t just there to be there, every thing he puts in the movie has it’s own story. Need further proof, there is a great little snippet on one of the discs that has George explaining the nature of the Force to the CLONE WARS cartoon series writers. Number 1, it’s awesome to see these writers listening intently to the man who probably inspired them to do what they do. Number 2, George knows his creation as well as Michael Jackson knows his music. He may not be able to direct Human beings but he knows how to tell a story.
I was Luke Skywalker Halloween 1983-1987(the last year I dressed up for Halloween), I own two Replica lightsabers(Got them both for 15 bucks, thank you Borders((R.I.P.)) merch card and DVD 40% off sale coupon), I have read over 35 novels, countless comic books, all the video games, STAR WARS is in my soul. STAR WARS is what started my dreams and is still why I will one day make those dreams come true.
EMPIRE is the better film, but JEDI was my movie. 6 years old, sitting in a movie theater, watching a spectacle unlike anything I had ever seen or even seen since. While I can’t speak for anyone else, nothing George does or will do to these movies will change what it means to me. Because it’s bigger than him. He created this world and invited us to play in it. Thank him for that and keep it your own. That’s what I did.
May the Force be with you, always.
