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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Friday, September 10, 2004

Lucas revisits his 'Star Wars' empire for box set

USA Today: "Hayden Christensen was 2 years old when George Lucas released his third Star Wars film, Return of the Jedi, in 1983. Now the actor who would be Darth Vader gets a magical cameo in the DVD version. That's the biggest of several changes found in the movies that make up the Stars Wars Trilogy, available only in a four-disc box set that arrives on DVD Sept. 21 ... an early look at the DVDs reveals Lucas continues to exercise creative power over his Star Wars empire, and in his mind, the original versions are no more. The latest changes in the films — the most requested DVDs since the launch of the format seven years ago — are minor and mostly cosmetic:

Episode IV: A New Hope. Only subtle changes here. The cantina shootout between Han Solo and the green-snouted bounty hunter Greedo is virtually identical, but now it seems their guns fire almost simultaneously. Lucas had changed the original for the 1997 rerelease because it seemed that Han had fired first. Also, Jabba the Hutt has gotten a makeover and looks more realistic in his scene with Han than when it was added in 1997.

Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. In another change for continuity's sake, the Emperor, whose face is seen in a hologram broadcast, goes uncredited, but he sounds and looks like Ian McDiarmid, who played the Emperor in Return of the Jedi and Senator Palpatine in Episodes I and II. (Clive Revill is listed as the Emperor in the Empire credits.)

Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Christensen, who plays Anakin Skywalker in Episode II: Attack of the Clones and in the upcoming Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, now appears at the end of Jedi as Anakin's spirit. He replaces Sebastian Shaw, whose face you still see when Luke Skywalker removes the iconic black Darth Vader mask. (In all three films, David Prowse wore the Vader suit, and James Earl Jones provided the voice.)

The trilogy's major transformation comes from the restoration project that brings the look of the films into the 21st century. Using transfers made from the original films' negatives, the Burbank, Calif., digital restoration house Lowry Digital Images cleaned up the movies so they look fresh."

[ Posted at 5:21 PM | Permalink ]