Lucasfilm Confirms STAR WARS Blu-ray Changes
Expect saga when it is released on Blu-Ray on 13th September to be completely different to how you remember it.
Similar to the news of Michael Jacksons death, I think most Star Wars fans can remember where they were when they first heard of devilish changes to their beloved franchise. Who can forget Luke screaming as he falls down the shaft in The Empire Strikes Back (as in 1997s special editions), or Hayden Christensens inclusion at the end of Return of the Jedi (in 2004s DVD release)? If this Star Wars-obsessed reporter can be subjective for a moment, I have never had as much qualms with the changes as I know others and despite how daft some of them clearly are Ive been happy with the majority of them (the music now in place at the end of Return of the Jedi is a damn-sight more emotionally inducing than the Ewok Yub-Nub, non?). Saying this, I know I am completely in the minority and it's becoming obvious now as early word on the new boxset are making the rounds that the tinkerman George Lucas has delivered even more changes to the Star Wars saga that is released on Blu-Ray later this month. Lets explore what we have in store for us this September ...
1) Blinking Ewoks:
Clearly Lucas had many sleepless nights regarding this highly important issue that must have been bothering him for decades. In Return of the Jedi we can now expect an added level of realism to the Ewok race, as the audience will now see this furry-race flap their eyelids. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRejStaN3q4&2) Obi-Wans new Krayt Dragon Call
This scene was tinkered with once before in the 2004 Star Wars trilogy release. In A New Hope as Luke lays unconscious a group of Tusken Raiders scavenge his land speeder and begin to break it apart, when the Tusken Raiders are scared-off by a hooded figure approaching them wailing a vicious cry. This said cry is what has changed, and now harbours layers of startling tones and noises and adds a new level of uneasiness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0EUjobdavw3) Greedo (still) shoots first
But this time the action happens a split second faster, disguising the jolted look that was so distracting first time around.
4) Episode Is Yoda puppet replaced by CGI version
This is a change that I feel wont disturb too many, mainly because the original Yoda puppet was really ineffective (also the fact that this is a change made to The Phantom Menace.) A shiny-new CGI Yoda now replaces the original Yoda puppet in all scenes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOjvNeRq8bM5) Vader screams Nooo! in Return of the Jedi
In Return of the Jedis arguably most important scene the one that the entire saga leads up to Darth Vader now audibly shouts Nooo!; a change that, by far, is receiving the most criticism. In the scene, Vader watches as the Emperor slowly begins to electrocute Luke Skywalker, killing him. Vader, although silent, is clearly conflicted as he has an important decision to make. What does he do; let his master continue or save his son? Its a very powerful and memorable scene, one which sees Vader pick up the Emperor and launches him down a shaft-mine, becoming fatally wounding in the process. In the 2011 version Vader now shouts the ever-common-in-Star-Wars Noooooo as he stops his master from killing his only son, thus ending Palpatine's reign of terror and restoring peace to the galaxy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGaSxSuB2vY These 5 examples are probably only a few of the changes as Lucasfilms Matthew Wood explains in an interview to IGN;Every time we watch the movies got something he wants to change. And so there's obviously changes done to the films, visually as well as audio-wise. So there are some changes in the Blu-ray version that you'll have to find. That's always fun. It's funny because we meticulously put it all together like, 'Here's where it was.' And then he'll update it." "I mean we're talking super subtle like a footstep here and there or a couple of lines of dialogue,One can search for hours on YouTube and view many videos claiming to be genuine changes to the saga. Whilst we can possibly expect more changes, we cannot be sure of anything until we get our hands on a copy of the Blu-Ray. Star Wars the complete saga is released in the UK September 13th 2011.