Actually there are 8 regions in total. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are on the ground. 7 is “reserved” I think for the US Military. And region 8 is for the movies you see on airplanes, cruise ships and so forth.
Thanks, I’d forgotten the “in-flight” region. It’s still not five, though, and no reputable body would ever claim it was.
Star Wars was something VERY special back in 77 - but it’s faded with almost every sequel (tho Empire was OK).
Lucas needs to realise that the original film MADE him and it should be released in it’s original format for those of us tho made him the man he is to enjoy.
He could have waited until the tech. came along to ‘do it properly’ but then he wouldn’t be where he is now and I think he needs to remember that.
The Spec Eds are like those commercials with Marilym Monroe in em - just not ‘the real deal’.
TTFN
JP
There have been previous threads. I know, since I started one 
And just for fun, I started a petition to try and change Mr. Lucas’ mind (yeah right :dubious: ). I know I got about a million to go before I could even consider sending it to him, but I gotta try something!
From the petition at Petition Online - Petition Online has been retired :
I meant that I didn’t find any threads in reference to this specific pronouncement from Lucas. I remember the threads from before, but back then there was just “evidence”. This was a flat out “I’m only releasing the special editions on DVD” statement.
In a sense, you are correct. But look at it another way: Lucas owes his immense success to every individual who bought a ticket, who paid for an action figure, who attended conventions, who read his books, who participated in the phenomenon. Lucas would be nowhere if it weren’t for the people who loved the movies, saw them as children, remember them fondly, and today (now that they’re all grown up with jobs) continue to pass their disposable income along to Lucas.
Today, we fans are begging Lucas to allow us to give him money. We’re asking for something that is easily within his power and ability to give. And, he’s refusing.
That’s really what’s most galling about the whole thing: he’s refusing for reasons that aren’t easily (or at all, really) fathomable. “The special editions are the versions I always wanted to make, but didn’t have the money or the time.” Well, for 20 long years, the original, unaltered version was apparently good enough; having it out for all that time didn’t seem to hurt his pride any. Is he suddenly ashamed of the original trilogy, despite its incredible popularity and nigh-universal acclaim?
And of course there’s the issue of going back and digitally altering films in the first place, which, oy, don’t get me started.
Anyway. It appears that the question on the floor is, “Does a successful artist owe anything to the fans who made him a success in the first place?” My answer is yes.
Digitally altering past works doesn’t bother me in the least if it’s the original artists do the altering. If you don’t like it, don’t see the movie or buy the dvd.
I am one of those fans who would willingly give the man some of my hard earned cash for the original trilogy, but I’m not deluding myself into believing that because I want something he has, that creates any obligation on his part to make it available to me. I find the reasoning frustratingly unsound also.
But he doesn’t owe me anything new, or even anything old in a new format. I got all the benefit I was entitled to from my movie tickets and vhs tape purchases.
Of course he does. He owes them the things they purchased from him–movies, concerts, books, toys. Does he owe them anything new? Does he owe them new releases on new formats? My answer is no.
Pardon me if the following questions expose too much ignorance. The SDMB is my major source of Star Wars rumors and has not mentioned these things that I know of.
Why doesn’t FOX own “Star Wars” the movie?
Who exactly owns it? I know Lucas owns it but not personally rather through some company, right? Is it Lucasfilm?
Is that company a publicly traded company?
If us fans got together and bought as much stock as possible could we nab majority control?
Could we use that to force changes?
If we can could one of you organize that to get it done by 2005? Although '04 would be great too.
Sonuvagun…
There are Star Wars DVD’s out there, aren’t there?
I THINK FOX gave up some rights to the original Star Wars (aka Episode IV - A new Hope) in order to be the distributor for Episode I
. I THINK GL has the most of the rights for Empire and RotJ.
Episode I and II are on DVD. What people are clamoring for is the original trilogy (Eps IV, V, and VI). In thier original form.
The original triliogy (in original from) is/was available on laserdisc.
Brian