I grew up watching the Special Edition versions of Star Wars on VHS. That means the version I know best involves, among other things, Greedo firing first, CG, and a lengthy song added to the middle of Return of the Jedi.

And you know what? I think I'm better for it. I never got into those "Who shot first?" debates. I never had to deal with everyone going "Oh, George Lucas is such an asshole!" And I fell in love with the versions I watched.

The ONLY change I noticed when it went to DVD was how they replaced the original actor in "Return of the Jedi" that played Vader with Hayden Christiansen. I'm not here to debate whether or not Hayden is a good actor or not, but I firmly believe that it is downright disrespectful to erase an actor's performance from history.

Oh yeah, and Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast introduced me to online multiplayer for the first time. And I must say, what a perfect way to get introduced to a whole new way of playing.

Grraaargghhh!!

(Probably going to post a more articulate response tomorrow when I'm sober)

Thank you, Lucas, if not for other things (LucasArts) then for giving me that special o.0 moment we all secretly crave for.

Ok. Fun time over. Nerd rage starts after this line. Don't fail me.

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it is?

RAAAAAAAAGE



Anyway, im with you cheesy one, SE on VHS, I still have them but i dont own a VHS player anymore...

I never really got the Greedo/Han shot first stuff, I mean whether Han or Greedo shot first Han still leaves being a bad ass so what exactly is the big deal. Maybe I don't understand because I was not around when the movies first came out but maybe that is for the best sometimes nostalgia makes you think stupid things.

By having Greedo shoot first Han "didn't" shoot him in cold blood, it was more defensive. It made Han look like more of a good guy than he really was.

One of the most noticeable changes to me in the SE versions was Cloud City. Watching that part from ESB in the original again just makes it look lifeless in comparison. So, no, it wasn't all bad.

Still, I'm really hoping they'll have a re-mastered original cut for the blu-ray release this Fall, even if I expect to be disappointed on that front.

Not really, just being ironic. George should stop remastering things.

Until I came upon the "Han shot first" debates I hadn't actually realized that it had changed in the new version. I had just gotten so used Han shooting first, I never really paid attention until someone pointed it out. Although it is not really a big deal for me, I agree with Sielle that it does change Han's character (although I wouldn't say Han shot him in "cold blood" given the fact that Greedo had a blaster on him) - also it makes a bounty hunter a really, really, really bad shot.

However, there are some good things about the new versions: Cloud city exteriors, Han solo's conversation with Jabba in A New Hope, and some other nice touches. Some of it simply seemed to add more background visual noise and changed the pacing, but some of it was also good. I am by no means a purist and still enjoy the new versions. That said it would be nice to get the originals digitized and in a nice format - even just for a comparison.

P.S. Speaking of actors that got replaced: Other than Hayden Christiansen's image replacing the previous Vader, Clive Revill originally played the Emperor in Episode 5, and his conversation with Vader was of course replaced by Ian McDiarmid in the DVD version. Boba Fett's voice was also redone.