Old vs New

[djwillweb]

Complete disappointment!!!! I actually sold my VHS copy before I found out that the new version was so badly mangled. Luckily I just bought a brand new VHS copy that I will transfer to DVD. I canâ??t believe that he pulled a Star Wars on this too. Just leave well enough alone and donâ??t tamper with perfection. Minimalism is what made the original so good. All the added color and crap CGI just take away from the ambiance of the original. DAMN YOU MR LUCAS!!!!!

[DM Corleone]

Minimalism is what made the original so good

I agree.  The almost claustrophobic underground society was part of the oppression of THX's world.  The addition of all the "space," while good from a technological point of view, detracts from the feel of the movie.

-Don

[SG]

Yes, it is obvious to some of us that Lucas did not IMPROVE the film - he CHANGED aspects of it.
Lucas does not FINISH his films.  He does not IMPROVE the effects.
He CHANGES things.

Yes, he does improve some aspects here or there.  The improvements to the AT-AT battle in EMPIRE or the fine job with the police building factory in THX as examples.  But he doesn't continue in that vein.  He ADDS things, CHANGES things.
I can't understand why he feels the need to do this.

[Julien Dupire]

The improvements to the AT-AT battle in EMPIRE

There's no change here.
I prefer the Director's Cut to the old version.

[SG]

There's no change here.

The matting was improved for the snow speeder interior shots durning the AT-AT battle.  

Things like that are fine with me.  Adding an entire freeway full of multicolored vehicles and ridiculous high speed manuvering through the traffic in a CGI version of the Lola T70 with phony looking wheels is not called for.  And more importantly - pointless.
I'm not trying to say Lucas is an asshole for doing it.  I just can't comprehend going to such lengths instead of just making the motorcycles a lot cooler looking.

?

[djwillweb]

I have to add that I am glad I bought the directors cut simply for the second disk which has his student film and the documentaries. The original student film (non-doctored) is a work of art and makes it worth investing the $20 just to see the predecessor of a classic.

[SG]

Yes, I agree.  I found the Early Days of American Zoetrope documentary quite inspiring.

[TJO2112]

Before seeing the DirectorÂŽs Cut THX I used to love the old version, but now i donÂŽt think i can live without it.... In fact, i still do like the old fuzzy VHS copy, but cÂŽmon, a few CGI panels of an "wider" subterranean city cannot destroy the claustrophobic thing about it.

If George could have done some better effects with the lame technology available in 1970, you bet that the ÂŽoriginal versionÂŽ wouldnÂŽt have come out as bleak as it did at that time.

[SG]

If George could have done some better effects with the lame technology available in 1970, you bet that the ÂŽoriginal versionÂŽ wouldnÂŽt have come out as bleak as it did at that time.

First off, you and I both know that what Lucas did with the "lame" technology and limited budget is nothing short of genius as it was.
Second, Like you, I really think he did a great job with the robot factory and the accident shots.  I mean - that stuff was really well done from concept to execution.  Also, there are a couple of shots where the escape car bursts through some "no entry" gates that are very nice.

Some of the "expanded world" shots are better than others in my opinion but apparently many ppl think it's all good just because it's cool.  Fair enough.

But that jerk off machine?  That's a bit much.
And how do you defend those silly fake monkey things?  If I want GOULIES, I'll get a copy of GOULIES.
Those freeway shots are awful as well.  They just don't feel real and the continuity from the original to CGI and back is a mess.  How can you deny that?  That's all I want to know.
THX 1138 is absolutely one of the best films ever made in my opinion.  It's so deep.  I really think he cheapened some of it.  You say "lame 1970s technology" but there is nothing lame about the film in it's original version.  Now it's got cool-whiz-bam-look-what-I-can-do-FX and some of them aren't even that hot.  Can you really argue with that?
That's my only point.  I really do prefer this "directors cut" but only to a point.  The movie WAS perfect.  Now it's EVEN BETTER - except for the parts that are fake looking and annoying.

[TJO2112]

Hold there!! I never considered the 1970 version to be lame AT ALL!!! No!!!
I loved it since i first seen it. But iÂŽm a fan of GeorgeÂŽs detail freakness and his lack of fear in this matter.

SG:

And how do you defend those silly fake monkey things?

I gotta agree with you about those monkeys, they donÂŽt even look like a product from the Skywalker ranch, but i liked the new Samos 3 runaway shots. They gave some even more desperate ambience to THXÂŽs need to escape.

I donÂŽt consider the CGI "improvements" absolutely necessary, and i would have gotten the new DVD even if it was just a visually polished old version...but since Lucas did go for the changes...i canÂŽt blame him.

[c011N]

i liked that it finally got released on DVD but i wasn't a huge fan of some of the digital scenes.  
and why must they show how they look like now? they don't look good by any means....leave it to our imagination to what they're doing these days.
i never did like the shell dwellers either.

[IJT-7992]

The AT-AT battle? you can still see through them snowspeeders' cockpits, just like before - take a good look.

The wank-machine? Well, that was actually in the novel, so that's one of the changes that actually doesn't bother me too much. After all, you could see the Powers-That-Be not wanting to waste the, um... 'sample'.  

[SG]

ha, good point about the sample - but i thought the book was written indepentanly, AFTER the film.
?
and still, it needn't have been that obvious - you could milk an elephant with that thing!

[IJT-7992]

True, and tell ya what - if that thing was comin' after me, you can bet I'd be runnin away, screamin'!

But what a conversation piece, huh?

"Hey Bob, what's this curious contraption, over here in the corner?"

"Oh, it's the latest thing! Let me show you how it works. Now, just hold still, and I'll power it up..."

[BET-1888]

AH HAHAHA. I am pretty sure the novel was written after the movie. George Lucas tends to like to write his own stuff. something that makes me respect him more and more. Especially now, when evrymovie is a remake of something. its good someone can think of his own stuff.