Do the Changes to the Special Editions of the Original Star Wars Trilogy Make it Bad?

[Frustration]

There were lots of famous effects problems that the re-releases didn't fix, which I found obnoxious at best. Yes, many of them weren't noticeable by viewers the first time they saw the movie - a lot's going on all the time - but many were easy to pick up on during second or further viewings, and some of them are very difficult NOT to see once they're noticed.

I agree that seamless changes which add to scenes tend not to be easily noticed, but there were far fewer of those than I would have liked. And one change which muddles major character arcs outweighs dozens of minor alterations that would usually go unnoticed.

[sayla0079]

The only change I didn't like was changing the Ewok song for some reason I liked the original version better than the instrumental ver used in the special edition.

[Riedquat]

The minor changes, as mentioned, generally good. Didn't really need doing but the films are better with them. The obvious ones are almost all negative.

[Nealithi]

The only change I didn't like was changing the Ewok song for some reason I liked the original version better than the instrumental ver used in the special edition.

My mother is right there with you. After watching the Special Edition DvD the first time I had to go put in my VHS of Return of the Jedi for her.


As for the changes. . . Most felt unnecessary. Expanded Mos Eisely. Changing the intercom call to a moving wall so someone could come in and report to Moff Tarkin. But still sounded like they were on an intercom.
I also agree with Chuck, the reinserted Jabba scene was a repeat of Greedo. And yes the computer effects are not aging as well as the practical effects. Now for the but. But, they do not detract from the story itself. So they do not make the trilogy 'bad', but I think they do not add anything meaningful to improve them.

[Riedquat]

... Now for the but. But, they do not detract from the story itself. So they do not make the trilogy 'bad', but I think they do not add anything meaningful to improve them.

Generally not, although there was one (and IIRC Chuck brought it up too) in Empire, where for some reason they decided to show Vader returning to his ship. Not only was it unnecessary (showing the mundane routine, in this case a shuttle trip), but it completely and utterly broke the flow of the scene it was inserted in, several seconds of change of pace and tone.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

My age when the special edition came out, I was super into editing and general productive creativity with art. Any movie that involved superimposing on pre-rendered film was fascinating to me. Seeing the original trilogy rereleased in theaters was pretty much a brand new experience from before and it was specifically for the edits.

[Frustration]

I would argue that a change that doesn't improve the film is itself bad, even if there's no particular negative effect directly; changes that detract from the film are extra-bad.

[clearspira]

Han deliberately walking on Jabba's tail is the equivalent of deliberately stepping on Don Corleone's foot. The latter would kill you for that blatant insult and makes Jabba look weak in comparison.

[Frustration]

Not to mention that moving Jabba looks less realistic, and less revolting, than the practical effects, nearly sessile Jabba.

So it's a failure of effects, a failure of characterization, and a failure of cinematography - I can remember how excited I was upon first viewing the film when I realized I was finally going to find out what this "Jabba" person was. It's a form of suspense that encompasses all three films, and putting Jabba in the first ruins it.

[McAvoy]

The minor changes, as mentioned, generally good. Didn't really need doing but the films are better with them. The obvious ones are almost all negative.

That's me too. The Jabba and Greedo scenes are the biggest ones that should not have been done and to me brings it down.

Should it have been done? Probably not. At best, you fix some things like artifacts, matt lines, the lightsabers etc.

We all know why it was done. Combination of Lucas messing around with it especially the one he directed, testing the SFX of the time and lastly gauging/testing the audience on Star Wars interest.