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Star Wars Prequels Media Movies

Return of the Jedi DVD Detailed Changes 166

Posted by timothy from the things-that-matter-a-lot dept.
JSDopefish writes "The DVD news site DVDanswers.com is back with its final installment (3 of 3) of the series by Chris Gould showing in detail the changes between some the various iterations of the Star Wars original trilogy movies. Chris has screen captures from the original, the 1997 remaster, and the 2004 DVD versions, plus some audio clips for you to check out. One of the best lists of changes, mostly because of the pictures. Some of the changes listed here are The Sarlacc monster, Lightsaber consistency (again), as well as new things like even more celebrations added to the end, and an appearance by Hayden Christensen. There is an existing Part 1 covering A New Hope, and a Part 2 that covers The Empire Strikes back as well."
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Return of the Jedi DVD Detailed Changes More

Return of the Jedi DVD Detailed Changes

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  • RoTJ v2.0 ?? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Average_Joe_Sixpack ( 534373 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:38AM (#10709979)
    Or is this still a sub-release?

  • To prempt all the "Who shot first" questions... (Score:3, Informative)

    by Viceice ( 462967 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:39AM (#10709982)
    From the article:

    You'll note the use of quotation marks here, and this is because this scene stands alongside Greedo shooting first and Jabba's appearance in A New Hope as one of my hated alterations.


    So there.

  • Return of the Slashdotted Server (Score:3, Funny)

    by castlec ( 546341 ) <castlec.yahoo@com> on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:41AM (#10709993)
    need i say more?????

    • Re:Return of the Slashdotted Server (Score:5, Interesting)

      by onion2k ( 203094 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @11:08AM (#10710199) Homepage
      Not at all. I work with Mal who authors the DVDanswers site. The server is mighty busy at the moment, but hes cleverly made the code automatically switch over to the lower bandwidth, non-dynamic, advert laiden version when the traffic increases beyond a particular threshold.

      When your site gets slashdotted 3 times in a couple of months you're prompted to take such measures.

  • Hated End Part (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:41AM (#10709995)
    The worst change by far is the adding of Hayden Christiansen to the 3 ghosts Luke sees at the end of the movie. Obi Wan didn't look like Ewan McGregor after he died, why did they make Anakin look like Hayden? Awful.

    • Re:Hated End Part (Score:3, Interesting)

      by astrokid ( 779104 )
      I believe the official answer to this is because Lucas wanted to represent the Jedi Spirit as they where when they died. Since Christiansen was young when he went over to the Dark Side the younger version was put in. That's why Obi Wan isn't represented by Ewan McGregor.

    • Re:Hated End Part (Score:5, Insightful)

      by ALeavitt ( 636946 ) * <aleavitt@@@gmail...com> on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:50AM (#10710062)
      Supposedly, the logic behind Anakin looking like Hayden Christiansen rather than Sebastian Shaw (who played the unmasked Anakin) is that the Jedi ghosts would appear as a light Jedi did at death. When Anakin became Darth Vader, the good Jedi who was Anakin was destroyed. Therefore, from a certain point of view, when Anakin "died" he looked like Hayden Christiansen, hence the ghost of Hayden.

    • Re:Hated End Part (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Liselle ( 684663 ) * <slashdot@lisWELTYelle.net minus author> on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @11:31AM (#10710435) Journal
      I usually post this comment as AC whenever /. covers Lucas and his treatment of the original trilogy, but today the mods can spend some points elsewhere. It's a quote from the introduction of Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley:
      "Chronic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment. If you have behaved badly, repent, make what amends you can and address youself to the task of behaving better next time. On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean.


      Art also has its morality, and many of the rules of this morality are the same as, or at least analogous to, the rules of ordinary ethics. Remorse, for example, is as undesirable in relation to our bad art as it is in relation to our bad behaviour. The badness should be hunted out, acknowledged and, if possible, avoided in the future. To pore over the literary shortcomings of twenty years ago, to attempt to patch a faulty work into the perfection it missed at its first execution, to spend one`s middle age in trying to mend the artistic sins committed and bequeathed by that different person who was oneself in youth - all this is surely vain and futile. And that is why this new `Brave New World` is the same as the old one. Its defects as a work of art are considerable; but in order to correct them I should have to rewrite the book - and in the process of rewriting, as an older, other person, I should probably get rid not only of some faults of the story, but also of such merits as it originally possessed. And so, resisting the temptation to wallow in artistic remorse, I prefer to leave both well and ill alone and to think about something else."
      Honestly, it requires no further commentary.
    • You know, I also find all the celebrations pretty retarded. I know, they're not new to these DVDs, but I think they were some of the worst "Special Edition" additions. The Emporer dies, and two seconds later, everyone in the universe is throwing a party? How do they even know so fast? And where are the Imperial generals and soldiers during all this? They're just like, "Oh, well, we're out of jobs and the entire power-structure we're used to which lets us enjoy an elite place in society has gone to hell.

      • Re:Hated End Part (Score:3, Insightful)

        by tuffy ( 10202 )
        The idea's really childish and stupid.

        Yes, but Lucas did say that he was trying to bring the original films more in-line with the prequels. He's just adding consistency by making all of it really childish and stupid.

        • Yes, but Lucas did say that he was trying to bring the original films more in-line with the prequels. He's just adding consistency by making all of it really childish and stupid.

          We are lucky that he didn't dumb down the Ewoks!
  • about all the details? Just enjoy the movie... Writing down all minor details of a movie is like commenting your code, but no one likes the latter.

    • Re:who cares (Score:5, Funny)

      by aacool ( 700143 ) <aamanlamba2gmail...com> on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:59AM (#10710137) Journal
      I wish Kevin Smith would do a DVD on the Star Wars DVD set - his riffs on Star Wars in his films are just marvelous

      I know he's supposed to be making a Star Wars TV Series, but that still won't compare to thoughts on Contract Labor on the Death Star, Silent Bob trying to pick up the tape through the use of the force and so many other references.

      Film-crit is a time-honored tradition - DVD-crit is more recent, and possibly debatable.

      • I know he's supposed to be making a Star Wars TV Series

        Unless you've got some info that I don't, that's all just rumor with no basis in fact. Additionally, after Episode I came out Kevin Smith apparently said that he wouldn't touch Star Wars with a 10-foot pole because he doesn't want to be in the position of millions of rabid fans screaming that he's "raped their childhood," as many have claimed Lucas to be doing.

        So yeah, unless you've got some actual bit of news (which I'd like to hear about, 'cause

      • Leia: "36"
        Han: "Including me?"
        Leia: "37"
        Han: "37? YOU SUCKED 37 DICKS?"
    • about all the details? Just enjoy the movie...
      Generally speaking, it's the details that make movies distinctive and enjoyable.
  • Anyone know if the original un-fucked trilogy will be available on DVD? I don't want George Lucas' afterthoughts and lifelong committment to neverending editing. I don't want to see Hayden whatshisname, I don't want to see Ewan MacGregor. I want the original movies the way they were without the post-release meddling.

    Or at least VHS?

    -Jem

  • Good job (Score:4, Interesting)

    by smooth wombat ( 796938 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:47AM (#10710036) Journal
    A very good job going over each scene, describing the differences and a short opinion as to like/dislike.

    His review should be the first place people go to when deciding whether to buy the 2004 release.

    Of course, I still haven't seen the second prequel but then the ads didn't impress me that much so maybe I'm not missing anything.
    • His review should be the first place people go to when deciding whether to buy the 2004 release.

      Well, the annoying thing to me is that even as a die-hard Star Wars fan who saw all of these movies in the theater when they were first released, the real improvements to the DVD's still make them no-brainers to pick up, even with the awful changes that come along with them. I mean are you really going to give up that obvious and drastic improvement in image quality (apparent in every single screenshot posted
      • I mean are you really going to give up that obvious and drastic improvement in image quality (apparent in every single screenshot posted in these comparisons) because one or two questionable choices were made for each DVD?

        Yes.

  • Another Site... (Score:4, Informative)

    by jmcmunn ( 307798 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:49AM (#10710055)
    In case of Slashdotting, here is another site with all three of the movies and their changes.

    http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews3/starwarscha nges02.html [thedigitalbits.com]

    Want a free Xbox or Slim PS2? Click below.

  • What he doesn't notice. (Score:5, Funny)

    by gowen ( 141411 ) <gwowen@gmail.com> on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:50AM (#10710066) Homepage Journal
    That's quite a good run through but theres one thing he's missed. The reason all the vibrancy has been removed from the lightsabres is for added consistency ... with the dialogue.

  • The biggest change is... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Xpilot ( 117961 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:53AM (#10710093) Homepage
    ...this time, Endor shoots first. Making the whole Rebel attack unnecessary. So to fill in for the gap, Lucas decided to put in an hour of digital dancing Ewoks, to make the film "more in line with the prequels"

  • Steal them... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by wickedj ( 652189 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:54AM (#10710104) Homepage
    Seriously, I have half a mind to buy some bootleg DVDs of the original trilogy out of Hong Kong. If Lucas is intent on stealing my childhood, I might as well steal them back.

    I understand his need for perfection. I like to go back and tweak old code I've written. But not if millions of people are already adore the originals. If I were him, I would have at least left the option to have the original cuts on the DVDs.
    • Seriously, I have half a mind to buy some bootleg DVDs of the original trilogy out of Hong Kong. If Lucas is intent on stealing my childhood, I might as well steal them back.

      If you must get the original films, please support the preservationists and download the free Laserdisc rips. That way the HK bootleggers don't get your money either.

  • The Sarlacc (Score:5, Funny)

    by 10Ghz ( 453478 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:54AM (#10710109)
    "Here we have a shot of Luke Skywalker standing over the Great Pit of Carkoon, nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc. The creature is basically a gigantic mouth, with rows of inwardly facing teeth and a number of sticky tentacles that it uses to snare unsuspecting prey."

    Oh come on! It looks like an anus! You know it, and I know it!
    • Oh come on! It looks like an anus! You know it, and I know it!

      It's like the goatse guy with intestinal parasites. And with reduced aperture, of course ;)

    • "Oh come on! It looks like an anus! You know it, and I know it!" ...and my partner knows it!
    • "Here we have a shot of Luke Skywalker standing over the Great Pit of Carkoon, nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc. The creature is basically a gigantic mouth, with rows of inwardly facing teeth and a number of sticky tentacles that it uses to snare unsuspecting prey."

      Oh come on! It looks like an anus! You know it, and I know it!

      Anus?

      Teeth??

      Tentacles???

      And you think it looks like an anus?! Dude, seek medical help. Like, now.

    • >> ...is basically a gigantic mouth, with rows of inwardly facing teeth and a number of sticky tentacles that it uses to snare unsuspecting prey."

      > Oh come on! It looks like an anus! You know it, and I know it!

      Dude, I don't know who you hang out with, but they have scary ass anuses. That's not natural.

  • Slashdot version? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by lukewarmfusion ( 726141 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @10:55AM (#10710110) Homepage Journal
    Slashdot Version
    Please note this is a heavily cut down version due to heavy load from Slashdot traffic. We have also added extra adverts to cover bandwidth charges. To visit the standard site click HERE.

    Ok.. so you took away some of the content and added more advertisements? That's a great way to STILL GET SLASHDOTTED.

    If your site's dead, you don't get ad revenue.

  • Bush has returned... (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    and now he's a powerful Jedi!

  • WHAT??? (Score:5, Funny)

    by julesh ( 229690 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @11:07AM (#10710187)
    Here it is in all it's glory, complete with Gungans shouting 'Wesa free!'...

    I could just about tolerate everything else he's done to it, but that's the limit.

    • I really couldn't care less about that han-thingy. I was as a teenager fooled into buying the speciel edition-vhs box w/dinosours included. Yes. It's stupid, rediciolous and probably just crummy CGI for the sake of CGI.

      I'll agree that Lucas has lost it, but I still claim the right to call you no-lifes if you think the "han shot first" thing is worth all the fuzz. That being said, I hate jar-jar. I hate him so badly. And adding him anything like him to Return of the Jedi... Well, not even I would buy any

  • ...lucas just adds in his own celebartions? :P
  • ... and tell me what you think the sarlacc [dvdanswers.com] looks like.

    Lucas has some serious, uh, issues.
    • but really, if that's what they've looked like in your experience, you are SERIOUSLY going to the wrong bars to pick up chicks.

      Either that, or you need to get your woman some serious antibiotics! ;)

      ~jaraxle

  • you know you're cool when... (Score:5, Funny)

    by torrents ( 827493 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @11:18AM (#10710288) Homepage
    you participate in the slashdotting of a star wars site...

    what's even worse is if you use that achievement as a pickup line...

  • Ewoks... (Score:2)

    by Malc ( 1751 )
    ... I don't suppose Lucas got rid of them did he? They ruin RotJ! Childish crap! :P

    • Re:Ewoks... (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Flibz ( 716178 )
      Yeah, but ultimately isn't it a kids film?

      That's not a criticism. I've heard some newer films slated for not meeting expectations lately: -

      Alien V Predator - Fun film, no content, no oscar winning performances. Who cares? I, for one, wasn't expecting Shakespearean quality acting and depth of plot.

      Van Helsing - Disappointing because I expected something with more calibre and got appalling dialogue. If I'd been expecting it I wouldn't care. But I wasn't.

      Scooby Doo - appalling film, based on a fairly bad (
      • "Yeah, but ultimately isn't it a kids film?"

        Big kids film? Some of us never grow up!

        There's definitely a downward spiral when it comes to the age that Lucas was obviously trying to target. Its two predecessor's weren't as bad.

        I haven't seen any of those other films you mentioned, probably never will. The film I've enjoyed most in the cinema recently was "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring".

  • The shadows are wrong (Score:5, Funny)

    by Jim Hall ( 2985 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @11:42AM (#10710546) Homepage

    I wish when they re-did ROTJ for the DVD release, someone at ILM noticed that the shadows are completely wrong on the Tatooine segment where Jabba's sail barge moves flys across the dunes.

    Look at this photo [dvdanswers.com]

    Note that on the sail barge, the light source is somewhere forward and to the left.

    Look at the dunes in the background. The light source is clearly somewhere behind and to the left.

    Well, I suppose Tattooine does have two suns. They're special - one sun only illuminates ships, the other only illuminates natural landscapes. :-)

    • "The light source is clearly somewhere behind and to the left."

      That's behind... and to the left.

      Behind... and to the left.

      Behind... and to the left.

      Behind... and to the left.

      ...

    • Look at this photo

      Note that on the sail barge, the light source is somewhere forward and to the left.

      Look at the dunes in the background. The light source is clearly somewhere behind and to the left.

      Yeah, I don't think they really went to Tatooine at all. It was all filmed in a studio in the Nevada desert.

  • I prefer the Yub Yub celebration song at the end of Jedi, as I prefer most of the movies as they were untouched.

    I'm sure Lucas will pander to me and sell an Original theatrical realease of Star Wars on DVD reasonably priced. Bringing the total to what ... 17 releases of the same movie?

  • Did everyone forget the old Jedi Mantra (Score:3, Interesting)

    by R.Caley ( 126968 ) on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @12:05PM (#10710773)
    ``Don't think, feel!!!!''

    What you're supposed to feel is an iresistable desire to run and get your parents to buy you some merchandising.

    If only Lucas hadn't made the mistake of getting a real director to make the second/fifth one, no one would be confused into thinking these were movies rather than adverts.

  • At the beginning of Jedi Rocks you can clearly hear Sy Snootles' voice while her microphone is still being heald at her side! Clearly evidence that she is jaggarm-synching.
    -m
  • Having just watched the newly released "directors cut" of that movie, I was surprised, though I don't know why, that it was also jam-packed with useless additions.

    Mostly completely unwarrented and out of place of course. Little "future" animal scenes added here and there and several obvious added computer graphic scenes that stand out strikingly from the grittier original footage.

    In only one spot did I notice that there was an actual improvement. The second motorcycle crash scene had a strong discontinuit

  • On the so-called "audio change"... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by mark-t ( 151149 ) <markt.nerdflat@com> on Wednesday November 03, 2004 @02:49PM (#10713769) Journal
    During the scene where Han shoots the Sarlacc's tentacle away from Lando, I think there musta been multiple releases of this or something...

    The first time I saw it in the theatre, I most distinctly remember Han saying "trust me" to Lando when he was about to shoot (as Han was recovering from hibernation sickness and was blind up until this point). I remember this because by this time in Harrison Ford's career, that line had become something of a trademark for him (sorta like Schwartzenegger's "I'll be back" line).

    The second time I saw it in the theatre, and in fact every time I saw it in the theatre after that, the line was changed to a not entirely confidence inducing line of "It's all right, I can see a lot better now." Again, this struck me distinctly because of the association I had made with Harrison for to the "Trust me" line.

    When I bought Jedi on VHS, Han said the "I can see a lot better now" line. Yet when I bought the remastered version on VHS (still original), several years later, the line was back to "Trust me".

    Then when I saw saw the "Special edition" in the theatre, the line was again, "Trust me". It was "Trust me" every time I saw it in the theatre.

    When I bought the VHS of the special edition, the line was again, suddenly back to the "I can see a lot better now" version.

    So... I dunno what the heck is going on, and I probably never will... I'll just sit back and enjoy the story anyways.

  • "The Emperor's infamous 'head slugs'are all the more noticeable for this increase."

    Okay I've read a lot about these Emperors slugs, but I've never seen them. Where are they? Somebody got a pic with little arrows?

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