I find 'A New Hope' hard to watch nowadays

[suarezguy]

I started watching the "Despecialized Edition" of Star Wars and am shocked at how happy it makes me.

I do like having the Episode IV: A New Hope in the opening titles, though not there initially it is entertaining the thought that this was meant to be starting in the middle of a before-unseen story and series.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The shot of Luke's fighter behind chased over the Death star after "I can't shake him" because it has maybe 30% the speed an energy of the admittedly not perfect original

Oh, hell, yes! I was also going to mention that specific shot for just that reason of lacking the energy of the original, except that I was specifically tying into how the new VFX shots are worse at conveying plot points. But, the point that Luke is in trouble seems to be represented much better by the original, so there's that....

 

[J.T.B.]

I used to find the early scenes on Tatooine after the films opening a bit slow when I was kid, now, I think they're just magical and among the best scenes in the film.

Yeah, they work really well. Everything is warm and earth-tones, the technology is a little clunky and worn, the costumes are homey, the music is often light. A big contrast to the cool grays and stiffness of the Imperials.

and you also have the MF inserted into the shot of the sentry tracking something unseen with his sidearm, which was really cool.

Whoa, it took me a second to get that reference. I never got that it was a gun, I always thought it was a hand-held rangefinder or sensor or something like that.

Shared before, but this really illustrates why the cut stuff needed to be cut:

That's a great video. It also reminds me of something else I've noticed: Without someone to rein him in, Lucas seems to put non-serious or jokey stuff where things should stay serious. In the first deleted Luke scene, the treadwell robot comically "overloads" or whatever, undermining Luke's urgency, the mood from the previous fighting and the cut back to the stormtroopers mopping up. The scene with Biggs on the roof is mostly (just) OK, but the "Listen how quiet I am, you can barely hear me" part sounds like the high school kids from American Graffiti. This tendency gets more noticeable in ROTJ, then the special editions. I am not that familiar with the special editions, but the Jawa slapstick right after Ben's serious Mos Eisley warning is an affront to the whole tone of the movie.

Also, the Tosche station dialogue was terrible, and the actors did not help it.

The CGI X-Wings mess up the wing markings. Luke's Red 5 should have 5 short lines on each wing (as can be seen in the shot when he gets hit just before he says "I'm hit but not bad") but in the CGI shots most of the X-Wings appear to have Red 2's wing markings, including in the shot mentioned in 2.

Whoa again, I never noticed the markings.

That reminds me of something I always wondered about as a kid: "The markings match those of a ship that blasted its way out of Mos Eisley." What markings, some patches of faded paint?

I do like having the Episode IV: A New Hope in the opening titles, though not there initially it is entertaining the thought that this was meant to be starting in the middle of a before-unseen story and series.

Which fits with the Flash Gordon serials it was lifted from (or is an homage to).

 

[fireproof78]

That reminds me of something I always wondered about as a kid: "The markings match those of a ship that blasted its way out of Mos Eisley." What markings, some patches of faded paint?

According to the Incredible Cross-Section for the OT the Falcon has markings across the top of the cockpit for identification purposes.

 

[Tallguy]

I watched this video yesterday, amazing what the editors (and Lucas himself) were able to do with that rough cut to transform it into the film that we all know and love.

Lucas herself. Marcia has an Oscar. George doesn't.

I used to be fairly indifferent about Episode IV until I realized that it messes up the music. (Without it there's a big musical crash when you see Tatooine.)

 

[Push The Button]

Lucas herself. Marcia has an Oscar. George doesn't.

I used to be fairly indifferent about Episode IV until I realized that it messes up the music. (Without it there's a big musical crash when you see Tatooine.)

I know Marcia was one of the editing team, but the video suggests that George helped also.

 

[J.T.B.]

According to the Incredible Cross-Section for the OT the Falcon has markings across the top of the cockpit for identification purposes.

Is it something visible in the movie?

Lucas herself. Marcia has an Oscar. George doesn't.

To be fair, George made the final call to axe the early Luke scenes and the Jabba scene. Marcia wanted to keep them.

 

[Mudd]

I do like having the Episode IV: A New Hope in the opening titles, though not there initially it is entertaining the thought that this was meant to be starting in the middle of a before-unseen story and series.

Yeah, I hate having that title there.

 

[fireproof78]

Is it something visible in the movie?

Yes, technically. It's right in the center of the cockpit, right behind the window. But, it's not a big mark so its easy to miss.

 

[Maurice]

Yes, technically. It's right in the center of the cockpit, right behind the window. But, it's not a big mark so its easy to miss.

It’s a Highway 1 sign in an arrow. Lol

 

[Maurice]

The editors on Star Wars were Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas and Richard Chew. George did edit a bit as well but mostly it was those three under his direction. Hirsch’s new book has an extensive chapter on the film and the editing challenges and even some happy accidents (e.g. the “These aren’t the droids we’re looking for,” Stormtrooper’s lines are 8 frames late from where intended which creates this little hesitation as if the Force is acting on him).

 

[CorporalCaptain]

you also have the MF inserted into the shot of the sentry tracking something unseen with his sidearm

Whoa, it took me a second to get that reference. I never got that it was a gun, I always thought it was a hand-held rangefinder or sensor or something like that.

I just rewatched the scene last night, I think you're right, actually.

I watched it so many times without the new VFX insert (not to mention under TV conditions notably inferior to those we have today), with the Rebel taking a read on nothing (and therefore without any clear intent as to what was supposed to be happening) that I registered it as gun like prop, ergo gun. Now with the VFX insert it seems clear that it is probably as you say, a scanner hand-held by a pistol grip.

 

[J.T.B.]

^But you were right the first time!

EXT. MASSASSI OUTPOST

An alert guard, his laser gun in hand, scans the countryside. He sets the gun down and looks toward the temple, barely visible in the foliage.
​

https://www.starwarz.com/starkiller/star-wars-public-version-of-fourth-draft/

 

[CorporalCaptain]

^But you were right the first time!

EXT. MASSASSI OUTPOST

An alert guard, his laser gun in hand, scans the countryside. He sets the gun down and looks toward the temple, barely visible in the foliage.
​

https://www.starwarz.com/starkiller/star-wars-public-version-of-fourth-draft/

Thank you!