Okay, Now I'm Offended

[filkertom]

Rather pissed off, actually. After years of Lucas blathering about how the Special Edition of the original Star Wars trilogy was the "real" version, they're releasing the OT on DVD. We covered that earlier this week. (I didn't mention -- thanks to Anne for tipping me off.)

I'm ticked that they're going to package it with the fuckin' Special Edition we already bought because you said you weren't going to release the OT ever never nope nope nope. But I can understand Captain Greed-Boy wanting every dollar he can get. Fine. Fine. Just gimme the goddamn movies, George.

But now... this. A commemorative "Han Shot First" shirt.

As if Lucasfilms were the ones demanding it all this time.

Where the hell do you get off with a "Han Shot First" shirt!?

Never mind PVP's way classier one, a few years old now.

All we wanted was the original trilogy of films that changed our lives, you stupid greedy motherfucker.

Now I'm not even sure I'm gonna buy 'em. Maybe I'll download 'em. Or digitize my VHSs. That's legal, asshole.

Oh, and, George? All the money you didn't spend on people who might've told you your prequel trilogy sucked? Well, if you spent it on the guy who designed that butt-ugly shirt, you got hosed, my man.

But, then, you've been hosing us for years.

If I ever get like this... well, no. No. Anne and Leslie won't let me get like this. But, if I ever do? Whomp me in the head.

Lucas, you asshole.

Comments

[twfarlan.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if you'd seen La Kurtz's protest shirt from back when Lucas made Greedo fire first. I prefer his later shirt, the declaration that he had turned from the Force down the dark path of the 'Verse.

Firefly had more style, anyway.

[annathepiper]

Oh, for... never mind the annoyance factor of trying to make a buck off annoyed fan reactions to his own stupid decision. The ugly T-shirt alone galls me. You'd think they could come up with something better looking for an official starwars.com T-shirt.

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

I have an unopened, virgin VHS copy of the original trilogy. I think that I just might digitize it into my very own DVD and blow loud raspberries at Georgie boy.

I don't have the "Special Edition" on DVD, because I've been holding out for the Original Edition.

Meh. I feel your anger.

[jenrose]

I think I'm missing something here.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Very simple, really. Once upon a time, there were these three (well, two and a half) really great movies made. And everybody wanted them on DVD. Thing is, the creator had tweaked the hell out of 'em -- which is fine, it's his right and prerogative -- but he insisted that his newly modified creations were "better" than what we had all fallen in love with, and he refused to give us just the original versions, but kept shoving the "better" versions at us.

We all bought the "better" versions, thinking that this was the only way we'd get the films at all.

Now, a year later, oh! He's decided to sell us the original versions anyway. Snarl. Grumble. But, again, his right and prerogative.

However.

He has taken it one step further, attempting to co-opt the battle cry of fans of the original trilogy, who focused on one telling, vital character moment (i.e., Han shooting before Greedo had the chance to do jack because Han is not to be fucked with, capish?) and made "Han Shot First!" a rallying point.

He's selling shirts with that slogan, as if he's the one who was demanding the original trilogy all these years. (Cross-reference Harvey Korman sucking up to Mel Brooks at the end of High Anxiety.)

And it's a really ugly shirt.

[ravenclaw-eric.livejournal.com]

Don't get mad.

Get even.

Write songs about it.

BTW---what's the ETA on the _Girl Genius_ musical?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Patience, Iago, patience. It'll be awhile. I'd hoped to have it written and possibly even recorded by now, but that was when I thought The Last Hero On Earth would be off to the duplicator in time for last year's DragonCon. I have to write it, I have to get it approved. I promise, I won't keep it secret.

[ravenclaw-eric.livejournal.com]

Make Lucas remember the SCA wisdom: "Do not annoy or p*ss off the bards---for your name is silly and scans well to _Greensleeves."_

[daundelyon.livejournal.com]

The shirt is hideous, and I for one don't want the special edition, I just want the originals. The man has finally flipped. *hugs VHS copies*

[shaharazad.livejournal.com]

Well, there are those of us who didn't buy them the first time around, so I'm going to feel slightly less ripped off if I do buy them this time, but I do see your point.

-Rick

[partiallyclips.livejournal.com]

Save some money for THIS shirt, though. From the webcomic, "Sore Thumbs":

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

I still have my VHS of the original movie. I refused to buy special edition DVDs. Han shot first, dammit.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

That SCA wisdom is not infallible. I sat down for a half-hour this evening, and I tried. Sometimes I can feel a song wanting to gel, and when I keep at it it happens... and sometimes it just ain't there. Which, in this case, it wasn't.

What I really wish is for fandom, collectively, to say "Fuck you" to George. And that might even happen. I suspect this whole mess might be what finally shreds what little cred he has left. I suspect he doesn't realize he's blown his cred.

On the other hand, maybe I'm wrong, and he's rightly revered as the man-god he is. Shrug.

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

*shrug* I have no intentions of giving Lucas another nickle. I remember how the movie was, and I'm content to enjoy that memory, unspoiled by marketing. I have the revised ones (fixing that ONE scene back would make me happier about it) and I've bought two of the three overworked canvases he called eps 1 through 3.

And that's all my hard-earned moola that he's agonna get!

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

*ROFL*

Only problem is, if I bought it, nobody would get it...

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm just not geeky enough. Not only did I not buy the "Special" Strategic Defense Initiative Trilogy DVDs, but when I saw how bad The Phantom Menace sucked, I cheerfully avoided the other two prequel movies, and didn't even give them a second thought.

In fact, but for not getting the inside gag lines of a few filks, I wouldn't even have missed it.

When I want to wear a T-shirt, I'll choose tie dye.

Star Trek or Star Wars, I'll always chose Trek.

[gypsy1969.livejournal.com]

His cred was blown with me when he first took so long to do the first three movies and then when he said he wouldn't ever do the last three.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have the PVP shirt, and it's much classier.

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased to say that I have never bought any DVD version of the SW movies, awaiting a release of the original (or a burn of the laserdisc, which a friend of mine has, but doesn't have the player working). So *sigh* yeah, I'll buy the original versions, safe in the knowledge that it'll be the first (only?) money of mine Darth Lucas gets.

Showings of the trilogy at my place will, of course, cease when Ewoks first appear.

(for the record--I don't 'get' Joss Whedon. I don't dislike his work; it just doesn't do it for me like it seems to for everyone else I know. Can I get a Joe Straczynski Is My Master Now shirt instead?)

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

I was this close to taking a sip of my drink when I saw this. One second later and I'd've had to bill you for a monitor... ;)

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

The downside here is that if the real versions flop in the marketplace, Lucas will take that as affirmation that the sucked-up versions are actually better, and nobody really wanted the real ones. Even if 50 million people totally agree with you and don't buy the real versions because they're honked off about him trying to coopt their rallying cry, he just won't get it.

If this "limited" release bombs, it really will be the last the the real versions of these films are seen in the market. If they sell well, they'll probably continue to be available in the future. 50 years from now, how well this release does in the marketplace will influence which version college students watch in cinema studies.

So, don't buy the shirt, and scorn anyone who does. But if you were going to buy the DVDs anyway, maybe you shouldn't let this stop you.

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

It won't. I have a VHS set of the trilogy in a cardboard slipcase given me by a friend who didn't understand what the fuss was about....
What I want to know is whether they'll be totally unscrewed or (since the whole Ep IV title business may be irreversable) whether the Palpatine /Vader actors are original or the Ep 1 - 3 variants.
If anyone really hates the EpIV titles....the 8mm release (which I also have) didn't have 'em.

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

Bless you. I've had people tell me "but it *always* had Episode IV on the screen". *sigh*

Yeah, like "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" always had that "II" on the screen right after "Trek"...

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

TheJoeStore on Cafepress would probably do one.

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

Um. I went to see it in 1977 in Exeter. It did say Episode IV. I remember vividly boggling. (I do boggle vividly. People have commented.)

Maybe it was just the British prints...

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

Well, he's not getting any more of my money, but only because I have the films already and the revisions just don't make that much difference to me. Guess I'm just not that big on people who shoot first...:)

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

After its initial popularity, it was given a re-release in the States where the Episode IV was tacked onto it. IIRC, that was still in '77. But I did see it in original release, and no - no "Episode IV" on it. Lucas was testing the waters before he admitted it was part of a grander scheme.

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

I have the same 3pack on VHS. I might consider a DVD version purchased on discount in a few years just so I can dump my VCR.

Re: I have the original on my hard drive, I think

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

We'll talk.

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

Of course the 8mm release was only 400 ft long....
but in the days when I did Christmas film shows for my sisters schoolkids (gave the teachers a break, the kids a treat and gave me an excuse to buy cartoons!) it ALWAYS went down a storm.

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

2 movies I saw about 6 times each in '77....The Rescuers and Star Wars. Still got the ticket stub from the Odeon Leicester Sq...saw it at the Dominion Tottenham Court Road too (yes, Virginia, it wasn't always a theatre) got the 2 LP music soundtrack and the LP "The Story of Star Wars"...soundtrack and narration. Oh yes, I was confoundedly bit.

Re: I have the original on my hard drive, I think

[iii-demon.livejournal.com]

www.myspleen.net

the best source i've found for every single bit of semi-legal starwars video material you may ever want. a zillion different fan-made cuts of the movies, and lots of extras, including stuff you cant buy. yay for bittorrent.