How I Fell in Love With Star Wars All Over Again!
May 5, 2014 by warzan
I'll be honest, I was really starting to struggle with Star Wars. I bought the Blu Ray releases of the OT (Original Trilogy) a few weeks back and I have been gradually introducing them to my little girl, and boy was I looking forward to all their HD Glory.
But something is just not the same, I hate to say it, but it started with the prequels, and as I discovered over the weekend, cumulated in the special editions. Even though Lucasfilm went to great lengths to add stuff to the OT, however they managed it, I felt there was something missing. My enjoyment of 'A New Hope' was kinda gone, and I couldn't explain why, sure it had all the extra wizzy bits (that in general I'm not opposed to!) but on the whole the movie no longer felt the same.
I thought I had out grown it... I'm delighted to say was wrong!
During the comments in 'The Weekender XLBS' @chillreaper (who I owe eternal thanks to!) made a strange reference to 'fan edit of A New Hope: Revisited' by someone called 'Adywan'.
Old news to many of you I'm sure, but I had never heard of this and when he said... 'I refuse to watch the Special Edition now because his version is sooooo good' something clicked in me and I had to have a look.
I thought i was going in search of one of those ropey low res re-cuts, where most of Luke Skywalker's scenes had been removed from the movie...
... I couldn't have been more wrong!
It's been out for some time now, and requires you to go hunting around the torrents or Usenet to find a copy (and please if you do download it make sure you have an original copy of the DVD or Blu-ray, to try and at least bring some shred of legitimacy to the act of downloading it!), and while I may be waaay behind the times in knowing about it, there must be others out there in the same boat as me who need this movie (or version of) in their lives.
Let me show you just a hand full of the HUNDREDS of changes made.
Having watched it all I can say is WOW, my love for the movie is back and stronger than ever. (We hope to expect the same treatment for Empire Strikes Back this year!)
So why is this so much better?
That's a difficult one to answer, for me its a darker and grittier film, closer to the original cut, storm troopers get shot in the face and had shoots first. It also loses the unnecessary slapstick, and add-ons for the sake of add-ons, that rather than add to my enjoyment, kept punching me out of the zone.
I think most of all, it was a joy to watch something that was worked on by someone who clearly loves the movie, the colour correction and remixed audio is outstanding, and his attention to little details (the number of moons around Tatooine, the number of markings on an X-Wing and the positioning of the rebel planet in the final battle scenes etc) just made it something very very special.
So I've had a wonderful Star Wars weekend (i'm happy like a room without a roof!), made all the richer by a magician called Adywan, check out more at these links:
Haven’t actually watched it myself yet, ill have to have a hunt about.
Don’t suppose you could share the link to download, all I’m finding are reviews. PS I’m a torrent virgin.
I think it has to be remembered that providing a link would be legally dubious. Sites that you could get a torrent like this from, like Pirate Bay have been blocked by ISP’s due to a court ruling.
Now you may well simply be able to Google “Pirate Bay Proxy”, then search Adywan to get a magnetic link that’ll work in software such as µTorrent but aside from being morally ambiguous, it’s certainly something I, nor this site, couldn’t condone.
It was fun to watch the trilogy as a kid, but it’s not enjoyable to watch as an adult because it’s utterly lacking in substance. Good science fiction recontextualizes issues and world events, but Star Wars doesn’t. It’s an unambitious white hats versus black hats power fantasy. On top of that it’s heavily derivative. It’s Flash Gordon, Dambusters, and Kurosawa samurai films tossed into a blender. This could be forgiven if it had strong characters, but it doesn’t. Luke is more of a plot device with legs than a developed character with a personality and relationships with the other characters.… Read more »
I agree with the first three paragraphs.The last two are a bit harsh. I know some hardcore Star Wars who can cite chapter and verse on the Expanded Universe who aren’t anything like that.
*hardcore Star Wars fans
I never considered Starwars to really be a sci-fi movie. Sure it has spaceships, but story wise it’s much more high fantasy; a princess, fancy swordfighting, excotic locations and a great good vs. evil conflict.
I think you could replace the characters with the Fellowship and it wouldn’t look weird.
I saw the new version, too. But most details I would not even remember if they are new or changed.
I do not understand why everyone is crying “Han shot first”. I still think he is shooting first, the shot of Greebo was only a to late reaction, if not Han would be also dead.
Havnt seen Star Wars in a long time, first saw queuing round the Iveagh cinema in Banbridge in 77 or 78 . there not bad films certainly wouldnt notice any changes if they made any. I didnt even recognise any changes in the new editions that came out some time ago. Have only ever watched half of Attack of the Clones and none of the other new ones. For all that they were films of their time and good escapism as films of this mature should be Oh I found this the other day http://youtu.be/_soLH5MWGOg P.S The West End Star… Read more »
Sorry for the crap spelling in the previous post but it wouldnt let me edit it
The Adywan version is pretty good, I have to say. 😀 It doesn’t even feel like it’s been edited to me either. More like a “cleaned up” version for lack of a better term. i.e blue haze gone, lightsabers re-done and a few other touch ups.
@warzan : haha I loved the Happy music video for Star Wars. Maybe somebody should do one for Salute 2015? 😉
If I could sum up Adywan’s version in two words, it would be “Tie Fighters”. That scene still makes me feel like I should go and change my underpants every time I see it.
The Special Editions always remind me of that Jeff Goldblum line from Jurassic Park – you know, the one about the scientists spending so much time thinking about whether they could do it, instead of asking themselves if they should do it.
I know which scene you mean, that was amazing! xD
There are some parts that for some reason they didn’t change. When in the Falcon Luke’s lightsaber looks white/ almost green when it should be blue, don’t know why they didn’t correct this.
I think the problem with Star Wars is that it is old the scripts were weak the second triple was worse it was the action/special effects that got you hooked.
The films coming out now are so much better today but that’s because of films like Star Wars pushing technology so far forward at the time.
I’L never forget the first time I saw the Stardestroyer shooting at the ambassadors’ ship when she moved into view the hole cinema was shaking.
Stuff the films, that music video was great. Loved the song too.
I have a soft spot for the original trilogy (just a soft sport, I’m not a looney fan) hence I have refused to bother with the re-mastered stuff.
I’ll certainly give Adywan’s cut a go.
I have 4 versions of Star Wars… theatrical, LD “special edition” (which mostly matches the Theatrical special edition release), DVD special edition, Blu Ray… Might as well add a good fan edit version.
That block of titles on my media server menu looks crazy. lol
Hi,
just catching up on old BoW posts after a hiatus of sorts. I have not seen this edit yet but will defenitely give it a go.
Another awesome fan edit that I have recently come across is ‘War of the Stars: A New Hope Grindhoused’. Obviously it does not take itself or the movie too seriously but it is a fun watch and I highly recommend to have a look, if only for all the included cut- and behind the scenes footage.
Also – the grindhouse look is just way cool 🙂
Bartender