5 questions with George Lucas...

[Bryancd]

In the original cut of the film, Greedo NEVER fires! Have you ever seen the original?

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I have actually seen the original movie.  Old VHS stored in our house somewhere on a shelf. 

Original scene VIA YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YGpuM_VJDQ4#!

I look at the scene and I can't tell who shot first.  They easily could have shot at the same time too I might add, as the improved scene shows. 

'Greedo Shoots First' from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (Blu-Ray Clip)

But its just my 2 cents, I don't care who shot first, never really did, it wasn't important to Han's character either way.  Even if he did shoot first, it was in defense of himself considering that greedo had pulled the gun first.  This whole "It shows that he was cold/calculating" BS is just that, BS.  He defended himself and it just showed how good he was at doing it.

King

[Rico]

I do disagree with the 99.9% figure you quote, Rico.  It seems like almost every big budget movie made nowadays has a "special edition" or "director's cut" eventually released on home video.

Joby - do you realize how many films are made in a year?  I'm talking worldwide.  I watch a fair amount of niche and foreign stuff.  Hardly anyone goes back - ever and recuts a film.  And they certainly don't do it ten plus times!  The only time it's done is if they see money in a new edition for home DVD or Blu-Ray.  And like Bryan and others have said, you still get the original in just about every one of those cases.  Maybe it's isn't 99.9%, so I'll drop it to 99%.  :)

[Bryancd]

Tim, you have to be kidding me. There is no laser bolt coming from Greedo's gun, no blaster mark on the wall behind Han, nothing at all to indicate he fired. There is just the blaster explosion on Greedo. How is that still vague to you?

[Meds]

I'll add as well.

From the novel which i hold in my hand published in 1977... it states that 'light and noise filled the little corner of the cantina and when it had faded, all that remained of the unctuous alien was a smoking slimy spot on the stone floor. Solo brought his hand and the smoking weapon it held out from beneath the table.

So he actually does more than a little laser zap lol. Also the script says this

                                            HAN
                         Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you
                         think I had a choice?

               Han Solo slowly reaches for his gun under the table.

                                     GREEDO
                         You can tell that to Jabba. He may
                         only take your ship.

                                     HAN
                         Over my dead body.

                                     GREEDO
                         That's the idea. I've been looking
                         forward to killing you for a long
                         time.

                                     HAN
                         Yes, I'll bet you have.

               Suddenly the slimy alien disappears in a blinding flash of
               light. Han pulls his smoking gun from beneath the table as
               the other patron look on in bemused amazement. Han gets up
               and starts out of the cantina, flipping the bartender some
               coins as he leaves.

Enough said really.

[Bryancd]

Well, to be fair Meds, that was written by Alan Dean Foster, same chap who wrote the ALIEN novelization. GL got story credit but didn't write the novel.

[Meds]

Oh yeah but what i'm pointing out is that this is from 1977 and wrote from the original script  no where does it say Greedo (who is not named) shot first.

I had to google Alan Dean Foster by the way (sorry Bry, don;t take my geek card away)

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Fine, but does it really matter if Han shot first?

King

[Meds]

Yes because in that action is defines the character. Han is a swindler, a space pirate it breaks the mould of having a major character  on the good side being very rough around the edges. He starts off from being rough and selfish to caring about his friends. Its good character building something that all writers need to do.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Yes because in that action is defines the character. Han is a swindler, a space pirate it breaks the mould of having a major character  on the good side being very rough around the edges. He starts off from being rough and selfish to caring about his friends. Its good character building something that all writers need to do.

Except I view it as self defense, so I don't see how that defines his character.

King

[Meds]

Really? hmm maybe thats the writer in me then.

[X]

Yes because in that action is defines the character. Han is a swindler, a space pirate it breaks the mould of having a major character  on the good side being very rough around the edges. He starts off from being rough and selfish to caring about his friends. Its good character building something that all writers need to do.

Except I view it as self defense, so I don't see how that defines his character.

King

You're totally missing the point Tim. It matters because no one likes being lied to. Greedo didn't shoot first. He didn't even shoot. For GL to tell us that this was ALWAYS the intent implies that we're f-ing morons. If he had said "I changed my mind, Greedo shot first." then it wouldn't matter, but that's not what happened. It's pretty damned insulting when you think about it even briefly.

If he wants to change it, that's his right, but the technology wasn't there to fulfill his vision is a crap excuse. It's also revisionist history at the extreme. My issue has never been solely with the change, but the change and the revisionist history that implies none of us have eyes to see or a brain to think about what occurred on screen.

This revisionist crap also applies to the Yoda scenes in Ep 1. How is it hard to do Yoda in CGI when everything else is done in CGI? It's bull. He had a better idea later then decides that he always had that idea and technology was just wrong.

[jedijeff]

I have to say, that the scene really set the tone of Han Solo for me. I am not sure if I would have thought the same of him, if the scene was like the changes George made after. For the most part, I have been ok with the changes George has made to the movies, but that was the one I always wished he never changed. I am not sure how many times when I was a kid, that I played out that scene with toys or friends.

Actually it reminded me of the old commercial for the creature cantina, where Han is shooting up the place. So they sort of play off that scene in the marketting back in the day.

Star Wars Vintage KENNER Commercial - Creature Cantina

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Yes because in that action is defines the character. Han is a swindler, a space pirate it breaks the mould of having a major character  on the good side being very rough around the edges. He starts off from being rough and selfish to caring about his friends. Its good character building something that all writers need to do.

Except I view it as self defense, so I don't see how that defines his character.

King

You're totally missing the point Tim. It matters because no one likes being lied to. Greedo didn't shoot first. He didn't even shoot. For GL to tell us that this was ALWAYS the intent implies that we're f-ing morons. If he had said "I changed my mind, Greedo shot first." then it wouldn't matter, but that's not what happened. It's pretty damned insulting when you think about it even briefly.

If he wants to change it, that's his right, but the technology wasn't there to fulfill his vision is a crap excuse. It's also revisionist history at the extreme. My issue has never been solely with the change, but the change and the revisionist history that implies none of us have eyes to see or a brain to think about what occurred on screen.

This revisionist crap also applies to the Yoda scenes in Ep 1. How is it hard to do Yoda in CGI when everything else is done in CGI? It's bull. He had a better idea later then decides that he always had that idea and technology was just wrong.

Fine, if its the being lied to issue, fine.   Whatever.  But if we all hate being lied to so much, why do we keep buying the movies.  Anyway, I'm retracting myself from the argument.  I don't care one way or the other. 

King

[Bryancd]

Tim, you really are lost in the weeds on this one. And it's a question ofbeing lied to. George is welcome to alter his art as much as he wants. But to say the original scene was different when it wasn't makes me raise theBS flag. I just honestly think GL has combined his current vision with what he had in 1976 while filming and is confusing them. I'm fine with this, I don't hate the man and still respect his work. My Dad says silly stuff sometimes but I don't always take it seriously.