Star Wars: The Changes - Part One
Chris Gould has taken on the mammoth task of looking at the changes to the Star Wars trilogy, from 1977 to 2004, beginning with th...
For years now George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy has been undergoing changes, some subtle, others not so subtle. With the recent release of the trilogy on DVD I decided that now was a good time to try and catalogue the evolution of these films from the 1977, 1980 and 1983 releases, to their present day incarnations (including the Blu-ray release). We begin, of course, with the original Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. To illustrate the various alterations I have used screen shots from the original, Special Edition and DVD releases of the films, in that order. We will start by looking at alterations to existing scenes, followed by shots of scenes not included in the original theatrical release. There will also be a short section devoted to some of the audio changes at the end of the article. So, sit back, take a deep breath, and prepare for the first in a series of four articles devoted to these seminal films.


Here we see the original 20th Century Fox logo, as it appeared at the beginning of Star Wars way back in 1977.

For the 1997 Special Edition release of the film onwards, the new shiny new Fox logo is present ahead of the film.

Here is the old Lucas film log, as it was back in the late 1970s. Not particularly exciting, but it gets the job done with the minimum of fuss.

Here’s the Lucasfilm logo as it appears in the Special Editions. He logo now fades up and sparkles, before changing colour. Ooh!

Here is the opening to perhaps the most famous titles sequence of all time, just as it was back in the late 1970s.

Not a lot has changed for the Special Edition release onwards, although the blue is now a bit lighter than before.

Here's the original opening crawl for the film, which was known simply as Star Wars back in 1977.

For the 1981 re-release of the film the subtitle A New Hope was added to the opening crawl, where it remains to this day.

Eagle-eyed viewers might have noticed that the lid of R2-D2 and C3-PO's escape pod was blue in the original release of the film, presumably to accommodate a blue-screen effect.

In 1997 nothing changed for the Special Edition of the film. The lid is still blue (the quality of the capture makes it hard to discern, [/h]but no better source was available).

Here we are with the 2004 release of the film. Yep, you guessed it, the lid of the escape pod is still blue.

Well what do we have here? That looks suspiciously like a grey escape pod lid on the Blu-ray release. Yep, it's one of the minor fixes that have been implemented for the high-definition release.

Here we see poor R2-D2 as he wanders down a lonely canyon on the desert planet of Tatooine. Little does the little astromech unit know the rocks are hiding Jawas, who are in search of droids to salvage.

Here we see the same shot, Special Edition style. Notice that the shot starts on a typical Tatooine sunset, before panning down to our little astromech friend in the canyon below.

The shot is much the same for the 2004 DVD release. The only real difference is in the quality of the image, which has been further refined since the Special Edition.

Nothing much has changed for the film's Blu-ray release, as evidenced by this shot.

In this footage from the original release of the film, the Stormtroopers have just discovered C-3PO and R2-D2’s presence aboard the escape pod. As you can see the background contains a number of static dewbacks, but very little else.

In this footage from the Special Edition release we can see that the scene has been expanded somewhat. The static rubber dewbacks have been replaced with CGI models and more Sormptroopers have been composited into the scene. A shuttle can also be seen leaving the area.

Nothing has changed for the 2004 DVD release of the film, aside from the obvious differences in clarity and colour purity courtesy of the restoration. While this scene does show the Imperial presence to be significantly enhanced, the way in which the CGI Stormtroopers move as they ride the dewbacks is less than convincing. Having said this, I can live with the change.

It's business as usual for the Blu-ray release of the movie, which is the same as the 2004 version.

Amusingly, or annoyingly depending on your point of view, the blue pod lid that was changed to grey earlier in the film on the Blu-ray release is back to blue here. Was anyone in charge of continuity for the HD release?

Here we see the Jawas' Sandcrawler as it approaches the Lars homestead, carrying with it the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. Even back in 1977 the shot gives you a good sense of scale, but George Lucas thought he could do better and…

…in this case I’m inclined to agree with him! While the original shot was acceptable considering the technology available at the time, the Special Edition version of the Sandcrawler is far more impressive. The new footage really helps to sell the vehicle as a viable habitat for the strange little creatures, while retaining the integrity of the scene.

As you can see nothing has changed for the 2004 DVD release, aside from some the added clarity afforded by the restoration work. Notice how crisp the scene is and how pure the sky over Tatooine looks. Wow, a change I’m in favour of - we’re back on track!

Again, not much has changed since 2004 for the Blu-ray release of the film.

Here we have a typical sunset, Tatooine style. This scene appears near the beginning of the film, as Luke Skywalker gazes at the heavens and contemplates his future. Nothing wrong with this you might say, and I’d have to agree with you there.

As part of the restoration work for the Special Edition release, the film was colour corrected. This had a strange effect on some of the scenes, most notably those on Tatooine. As you can see the sky is now a very odd colour and the image is entirely too dark.

For the 2004 DVD release the image has been further enhanced and restored, presenting possibly the best looking version of the sunset to date. It’s another 2004 enhancement thumbs up from me.

Another Blu-ray shot that is identical to the 2004 version.

Here were have a shot of R2-D2 hiding from the Tusken Raiders after Luke Skywalker has been knocked unconscious.

This shot remains the same in the 1997 Special Edition of the feature...

...and in the 2004 version.

Here's the same shot from the Blu-ray release, now with added CGI rocks! If anyone can tell me how R2 was able to squeeze through that tiny gap please don't hesitate to post...

What's worse is that in the next shot, after R2 has come out of hiding, the CGI rocks have mysteriously disappeared! Again, was the continuity person asleep while they were making these changes?

The modest budget of the original Star Wars allowed only for modest locations, as exemplified by this exterior shot of Ben Kenobi’s home. Personally I think this shot suffices for the brief period of time it is on screen, but once again Lucas disagrees.

The Special Edition release of the film added an alternate view of Obi-Wan’s home; one that offers a grandiose view of the rocky terrain of Tatooine. While this shot stands out like a sore thumb when compared to the original footage, it is one of the SE changes that I can live with.

The 2004 DVD release keeps the new footage, but as you can see everything is a lot clearer thanks to the additional restoration work. I’m still not one hundred per cent sure about the shot, but at least it looks nicer!

Guess what? The Blu-ray looks exactly the same as the 2004 release.

Here we see Luke and Ben looking at Mos Eisley from a distance before venturing into the dangerous spaceport. As you can see it’s little more than a static matte painting with very little detail.

The Special Edition release of the film revamps the spaceport considerably. It’s now spread over a larger area and you can just make out traffic flying above the skyline (but only if your eyes are good).

The DVD release keeps the Mos Eisley from the SEs, but as you can see the image is far more detailed than any previous home release format. The colour correction also makes the scene look more consistent with earlier Tatooine footage (the pink tint has gone).

Yawn, yet another Blu-ray shot that's identical to the 2004 release.

Here we have perhaps one of the most obvious special effects in the original release of the film. This landspeeder shot has several problems, most notably the rather fake looking way in which it has been composited into the image. You may also notice that C-3PO’s arm is almost straight in this shot, which is something made impossible by his design. R2 also looks as if he could fall off of the speeder at any moment!

For the Special Edition release Lucas decided to have his team alter and expand the approach to Mos Eisley. You’ll notice that not only has the speeder been radically improved, but the surrounding environment has been given an overhaul as well. Whereas the original release showed only a few outbuildings, this version hints at a much busier spaceport complete with scurrying rodents. Unfortunately the CGI C-3PO still has the ‘straight arm’ problem and also looks entirely too gold for my liking. You may also notice how pink the image looks here.

The 2004 DVD release goes one step further by completely remodelling both the speeder and the droids. C-3PO’s right arm is now noticeably bent (although his left still looks suspiciously straight) and his colour is much improved over the Special Edition. Of course the restoration work also dramatically improves the level of detail in the shot, while the colour correction eradicates that nasty pink tint. Overall I’m in favour of this enhancement.

As you might expect, the shot remains unchanged from 2004 for the film's Blu-ray release.

Here we have a shot of the landspeeder as it makes its way through the ‘bustling’ port of Mos Eisley. As you can see, budgetary constraints had a severe effect on the amount of activity that was seen. In this shot you may also notice the strange orange ‘force field’ below the landspeeder. This is actually Vaseline, which was put on the camera lens to obscure the wheels on the bottom of the speeder!

The Special Edition shot looks livelier, and a CGI beast of burden known as a ronto has been added to the scene. You can also see that the force field has been removed, which looks a lot better than the original shot. Unfortunately the scene still has that strange pink tint to it.

The DVD release has the best of both worlds. Not only do we get the additional creatures and corrected landspeeder, but also a properly colour corrected Mos Eisley. The sky is now blue again, and everything looks more detailed (although still a little blurry).

Yet again the Blu-ray release looks very similar to the 2004 DVD release.

With the limited budget available to him at the time George Lucas had to cut a few corners when creating the aliens that inhabited his world. This is most obvious during the scene in the Mos Eisley cantina, where one of the locals bears a striking resemblance to the Wolfman!

For the Special Edition a new computer-generated character has been inserted into the scene, replacing the old Wolfman mask. This particular alien looks to be some sort of pipe-smoking hippy!

Surprise, surprise, the scene is exactly the same for the 2004 DVD release. As with most other scenes, the only difference is the quality of the image.

You’re probably going to get tired reading this, but the Blu-ray is the same as the 2004 version.

Here’s the same character again, this time engaged in a discussion with another patron. While I never really paid much attention to this character until someone pointed him out I can see why George Lucas wanted to go back and alter him for the Special Edition.

For the Special Edition yet another new computer-generated alien was created and inserted into the scene with the strange appendage-type creature. Will the wonders of ILM ever cease?

When it comes to this scene on the 2004 DVD it’s business as usual. Some of the more observant among you may have spotted a particularly ‘devilish’ alien in the background. This was yet another improvised mask, but unlike the Wolfman it was left in the film. The species even has a name: Devaronian.

The Blu-ray is the same as the 2004 release.

Now we come to perhaps the most contentious change in the history of the trilogy. In the scene above Han Solo, cornered by the bounty hunter Greedo, has little choice other than to shoot first and ask questions later. This scene established Han as an ice-cool space pirate; as someone who walked a fine line between good and evil (thereby making the evolution of his character all the more interesting).

For the Special Edition release of Star Wars George Lucas did the unthinkable - he made Greedo shoot first! Lamented by fans and filmmakers such as Kevin Smith alike, this is perhaps the single most objectionable change in the entire trilogy. Putting aside the fact that it transforms Han Solo from the aforementioned ice-cold space pirate to a lucky son of a bitch, the effects used to bring the new scene to life are simply atrocious. Greedo’s blaster bolt seems to fly off at an angle (even though his gun is pointed directly at Han) and Solo himself jerks his head to one side courtesy of some ropy CGI. The whole thing is absolutely hideous!

Of course it was probably too much to expect Lucas to reverse his decision to turn Han into a bitch, but we lived in hope. Unfortunately the 2004 DVD release shattered any illusions people might have had about Lucas coming to his senses and the dreaded scene appears as in the Special Editions. Well, that’s not quite true, as there have been minor alterations. The CGI has been improved so that the whole of Han’s upper body now moves, albeit in as unnatural a way as the previous ‘head dodge’, and the pair now fire almost simultaneously (I say almost, as Greedo still fires a fraction of a second before Solo).

From this still image it might look like the scene has remained unchanged for the Blu-ray release, but this is not the case. Approximately ten frames have been shaved off of the shot immediately before Greedo fires, making it appears as though Han and the bounty hunter shoot at roughly the same time. It’s still not great but it’s the best version since the original.

Here we see the Millennium Falcon as it blasts away from docking bay ninety four, watched by several Stormtroopers. Owing to the limitations of technology at the time, the Falcon flies in a diagonal line with little or no deviation.

Here we have the Special Edition equivalent. Notice how the angle of the Falcon has changed? A new CGI ship now twists and turns as it flies away from Mos Eisley, which makes for a more exciting spectacle.

Things are much the same as the SE release on the DVDs, aside from the obvious restoration work. As with the SEs, you may also notice how the shot has been reframed slightly from the original (both the Jawa’s body and the Stormtrooper’s legs are now missing).

The BD features another very similar shot to the 2004 release, with only some minor differences in image geometry.

In the image above you can see the aftermath of the Death Star’s attack on the planet of Alderaan. The battlestation’s primary weapon has obliterated the planet, leaving only rocky debris. Although adequate the resulting explosion isn’t as impressive as one might expect.

The Special Edition added a couple of new effects to the scene, most notably the huge shockwave that emanates from the centre of the explosion. Putting aside the improbability of such a shockwave, the explosion itself now looks more ‘convincing’.

As you can see, not much has changed for the DVD release. The intensity of the image looks to have been bumped up a notch by the colour correction, which makes the explosion and the shockwave look more consistent with one another (although it’s a little too orange for my liking).

Slightly better detail and colouring are about the only thing separating the Blu-ray release from the 2004 version.

Here we see Luke Skywalker taking his first step into a larger world aboard the Millennium Falcon. You can see how the colour and density of the lightsaber varies slightly between the original theatrical release and the special editions.

Notice how Luke’s ‘blue’ lightsaber is actually closer to white in both of these shots? There is actually considerable variation in the lightsaber while Luke is training on the Falcon, and closer examination reveals a ‘greenish’ tint to the blade.

For the 2004 DVD releases that ‘greenish’ tint has unfortunately been replaced by, well, green! Whether the result of the restoration work or a genuine effects gaffe, this should have been caught at the quality control stage.

It seems that the years of moaning paid off, as the saber's colour has been (almost) fixed Blu-ray release of A New Hope. Notice how the blade and in fact the entire image has less of a green push? Lucasfilm made a big deal of pointing this particular scene out to journalists during their press events, but unfortunately they didn't show anyone the scenes immediately preceding or following this particular moment. The reason for that was probably because the saber is still green in those shots! Way to go Lucasfilm! You've only had, what, nine years to fix this?

Here's a shot from the 2004 version of the film that clearly shows the lightsaber's green tint.

Here's the same frame from the Blu-ray release. Still looks green to me...

In this scene from the original release of the film, you can see a clear flash as the blaster bolt hits the Imperial officer. However, if we look at the same scene from the Special Edition we can see that…

…the flash has gone! One of the little-known edits to the film included the trimming of a few frames to remove the flashes when the bolts hit the human officers.

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 DVDs. As with the Special Edition, the only evidence of the blaster impact is the smoky residue left behind.

I had hoped that the Blu-ray would restore the blaster impacts, but sadly that’s not the case.

Here we see the original scene in the detention area, as Luke and Han blast everything in sight - including a hapless Imperial! As you can see, the pink impact flash is clearly visible.

Well, now you see it, now you don’t! As before, a few frames have been trimmed to remove the impact flash. Notice the different body position of the guard in this shot?

One again, the DVD release follows the Special Edition very closely. The only difference between the two is the quality of the image, which is greatly improved.

Yet more evidence that the Blu-ray is still censored.

Now things get really weird. Here we have the familiar impact flash as Luke blasts another Imperial officer. Now let’s take a look at the censored Special Edition equivalent.

Wait! What’s this? That’s right - the impact flash is still there! Surely there must be some mistake? This is the ‘kiddie friendly’ version of Star Wars, where all violence towards humans is removed! I bet they fixed it for the DVD release…

Except they didn’t! Of all the changes to the trilogy over the years, this has to rank as one of the strangest and, quite frankly, most ridiculous. Lucas is quite happy to show people having limbs severed or being blown away in the prequels, so why the coyness here? What makes matters worse is that this censorship isn’t even consistent throughout one scene. I was really hoping that this PC nonsense would have disappeared by the time the DVD was released, but I guess it was not to be.

The censorship inconsistency is still an issue on the Blu-ray.

Here we have the scene in which Luke and Han ‘rescue’ Princess Leia from her cell. You may notice that the perspective of the corridor doesn’t look quite right in this shot.

Here’s the same scene from the Special Edition. Nothing has changed, and the perspective is still wrong. It’s worth noting that the corridor is actually nothing more than a matte painting!

Here’s the scene 2004 style. As you can see, the perspective of the matte painting has been corrected, and the corridor now stretches off into the distance in a more convincing manner.

Not a lot has changed from 2004 for the Blu-ray release (again).

Here we have the eye of the hideous Dianogah, the creature that pulls Luke under the filthy water in the trash compactor. I always thought this was perfectly functional.

Here we have the same creature Special Edition style. Nothing has changed, other than the image quality (which is slightly improved).

Here we have the creature from the 2004 DVD release. It’s difficult to tell from the image as everything is so dark, but the eye has been digitally enhanced to make it blink. Again, not a particularly important change, but a change nonetheless.

The Blu-ray Dianogah is the same as the 2004 release.

This is the scene in which Obi-Wan Kenobi deactivates the tractor beam to allow the Millennium Falcon to escape from the Death Star, as seen in the original release.

Here we have the same scene taken from the Special Edition release of the film and as you can see it all looks very similar to the shot above.

Now we come to the scene as it appears in the 2004 DVD release of the film. At first glance it looks very similar to the first two shots, but look again! As you can see, Aurabesh, which is the written form of the ‘basic’ language spoken in the films, has replaced the English language writing. Personally I don’t mind this change, although I feel there were other things more deserving of their attention.

Yes, you guessed it, the Blu-ray shot is mostly the same as the 2004 version.

In this shot from the original release we see Han Solo biting off more than he can chew as he rounds a corner only to be confronted by a group of Imperial Stormtroopers. This is one of those classic Star Wars moments that has stayed with me since childhood and is a good example of how the original films managed to be humorous without resorting to slapstick and fart jokes.

For the Special Edition Lucas had his effects guys add a hanger full of Stormtroopers, all standing around just waiting for the hapless Han Solo to appear. Although I’m not particularly for or against this change I do find it odd that the hanger simply ‘appears’ at the end of a corridor…

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 release. As far as I can tell nothing has changed but you can certainly see the effect of the restoration. The image is far more detailed and both colour and contrast are greatly improved.

It’s 2004 business as usual with the Blu-ray release.

In this shot from the original film we can see that the lightsabers are extremely washed out. Obi-Wan’s saber fairs better than Vader’s, but it’s still not particularly impressive.

Here we are again with the Special Edition version. To my mind, this looks even more washed out than before. Vader’s saber is now almost completely devoid of colour!

Ah, this is more like it! For the DVD release the lightsabers have been enhanced to look a little more like the sabers we’re used to later in the series and in the prequels. Both Obi-Wan and Vader now have vibrant, well-defined blades.

Nothing has changed from 2004 on the Blu-ray.

These shots show just how much variation there has been in saber consistency over the years. This is from the original release.

This shot from the Special Edition looks more pink than red. Here, the core of the saber is missing completely. I never had Darth Vader down as a pink sort of a guy…

Here’s a shot from the new 2004 DVD. As you can see it’s got more in common with the Special Edition than the original, but at least the white core is there. To be fair, this is such a brief shot you could blink and miss it.

Again, there’s no change from 2004 for the Blu-ray release.

You can see how washed out the lightsabers look in the original release of the film. It’s like two people fighting with white sticks!

Again, the Special Edition looks worse than the original release. Vader’s saber is almost completely white in this shot!

Thankfully the DVD release does a decent job of correcting this. Both sabers are coloured, and they both have their white cores.

This is yet another scene in which the Blu-ray mimics the 2004 version.

Here we see Obi-Wan’s lightsaber head-on. Well actually, we see the reflective white stick that was used instead of a lightsaber! This was one of the things that always bothered me in the original release.

Here is the Special Edition version of the shot. The stick is slightly brighter, but no bluer than the first image. I always thought that this should have been corrected in 1997.

Here we are in 2004 and the saber has finally been given a makeover. Sure, it’s still not perfect, but at least some attempt has been made to make it look like a lightsaber rather than a walking stick!

Yes, another 2004/Blu-ray similarity.

Here is yet another look at a dodgy saber effect. As Darth vader walks toward the blast doors we can clearly see that someone forgot to colour in his lightsaber!

This little gaffe went uncorrected for the Special Edition release of the film and Vader’s saber is still without colour.

Thankfully the DVD release has fixed the effects blunder and Vader’s lightsaber is now a vibrant hue of red (just as it always should have been).

Vader’s saber is still coloured red on the Blu-ray.

In this shot from the 1977 version of the film you can see that a portion of the frame is missing on the right-hand side of the screen. The laser blast that the Millennium Falcon has fired at the TIE is cut in half.

The same error is present in the 1997 Special Edition of the movie.

It is also present in the 2004 version of the film.

Thankfully the Blu-ray corrects this long-standing glitch, so that's another positive correction as far as I'm concerned.

Here we see the Millennium Falcon as it approaches the fourth moon of the gas giant Yavin. In this original scene the Falcon flies directly underneath the planet, slowly revealing the moon.

Here we see the same shot from the Special Edition release of the film. In this version the planet Yavin is off to the left and there is more movement as the Falcon slips past the planet to the fourth moon.

The shot is exactly the same on the 2004 DVD release, albeit with enhanced visual quality courtesy of the restoration work.

Here is the same scene Blu-ray style. It looks almost identical to the 2004 DVD release apart from the added detail.

Here we see a Rebel lookout observing the Millennium Falcon as it comes in for a landing on the fourth moon of Yavin. Or do we? In this shot the Falcon is nowhere to be seen, even though the lookout is focussing intently on some distant object!

This time the lookout actually has something to look at! Those of you with keen eyes might be able to spot a small Millennium Falcon in the above image as it swoops down and comes to rest on a landing platform. It is hard to make out due to the size of the image, but it is there!

Once again the 2004 DVD release is the same, but the Flacon is much easier to make out in this image due to the enhanced visual quality.

Once again this Blu-ray shot is very similar to the 2004 DVD version.

The original release of Star Wars depicted the launch of the rebel fleet as a series of bright flashes that ascended rapidly into space. While this did the job at the time, it wasn’t particularly visually impressive.

The Special Edition shot is far more elaborate, with X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters now lifting off in front of the camera before blasting off into space. As you can see, the view of Yavin itself has also been altered. This is one of those SE changes that I’m in favour of.

The 2004 DVD release is almost identical to the Special Edition, although as you can see the overall detail and colour balance has been dramatically enhanced. This looks fantastic on a big screen!

The Blu-ray release is much the same as the 2004 version.

Here we see the rag-tag group of Rebels flying towards the Death Star. This was an impressive shot for its time and it still holds up well today.

The Special Edition radically enhanced the approach to the Death Star. As well as improving the ships by using CGI models the number of vessels was increased and we actually get to look inside of the cockpits at the pilots as they fly by.

Again, there’s nothing different about this shot aside from the dramatically improved visuals. Contrast, colour balance and detail are all significantly better than the SE version of the shot.

The X-Wings look all-but identical to the 2004 versions on the Blu-ray.

In this scene from the 1977 version of the film you can see three Rebel X-Wing fighters as they swoop down towards the surface of the Death Star.

Here’s the shot as it appears in the Special Edition. The X-Wings are now computer-generated and a great deal more manoeuvrable than before! They twist and turn as they head towards the Death Star’s equatorial trench.

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 DVD release of the film. As you can see, nothing has been altered, but the footage is obviously a great deal cleaner than any previous effort.

Here is the same scene Blu-ray style.

In yet another altered scene Biggs is trying to evade the Imperial Tie Fighter that is closely following him. The original shot - as seen here - was quite effective, but ILM could do better!

Although not apparent from this static image this new scene features a rear-angle view of the TIE Fighter tracking Biggs’ X-Wing. This is immediately followed by another new shot of Luke flying to the rescue. All-in-all this is quite a nice addition.

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 DVD release. Nothing has changed bar the visual quality of the shot. This is just one of many enhancements made to the Battle of Yavin, all of which look better in motion.

This is yet another Blu-ray shot that is identical to the 2004 version.

In this shot we see Wedge Antilles coming to Luke Skywalker’s rescue by eliminating a pesky TIE Fighter. Immediately after this shot an explosion can be seen, followed by a reverse angle of Wedge’s X-Wing streaking away.

In this shot the explosion is still visible, but now Wedge’s X-Wing flies directly through the fireball before flying away. It’s quite hard to make out from this shot, but you can just see the nose of his fighter emerging from the conflagration.

Here’s the scene again, 2004 DVD style. Wedge’s X-Wing is much easier to make out in this shot, but as you can see the contrast is slightly off resulting in a less colourful fireball and X-Wing. This is yet another example of the image problems that detract from the overall quality of the transfer.

The Blu-ray release retains the odd contrast issues from the 2004 version.

Here is a shot of Darth Vader leading a couple of TIE Fighters on an attack run over the Death Star in the 1977 version of the film. You can see the garbage mattes surrounding the ships quite clearly.

There's the same shot in the Special Edition of the film. Not much has changed and the garbage mattes are even more visible.

Here's the same shot from 2004 and the garbage mattes look to be much improved. Wait, what's that at the bottom of the frame? It's a technical error that has come to be known as the 'humdinger' glitch/frame. It's present on the digital master used for all 2004 versions of the film, so you'll find it on the DVD and the various HDTV broadcasts.

Thankfully this glitch has been fixed for the Blu-ray release. Yay, another positive!

Here we see the destruction of the Death Star as seen in the original release. To be honest I never really gave this much thought as a child, but when I look at the shot now I do have to admit it’s a bit weak considering a space station the size of a small moon has just exploded.

The Special Edition introduced the ‘Praxis’ effect shockwave, as seen earlier with the destruction of Alderaan. While this does give the explosion some much needed visual impact I’m not particularly fond of the effect (which was stolen from Star Trek to begin with).

The 2004 DVD release is very similar to the SE shot, but as you can see the colour of both the explosion and the shockwave has changed. I’m assuming that this was an intentional shift, rather than an error as in the case of Luke’s lightsaber. The change in colour makes sense if you make the distinction between the organic world of Alderaan and the cold, metallic Death Star, but this theory is somewhat ruined when you see the explosion of the Death Star II in Return of the Jedi (more of that in another article).

Here is the same shot from the Blu-ray release. As you can see it’s very similar to the 2004 version, with one very noticeable exception: the odd blue tint surrounding the explosion has been removed. Wow, a positive fix!

Alterations to Existing Scenes
The Fox Logo

Here we see the original 20th Century Fox logo, as it appeared at the beginning of Star Wars way back in 1977.

For the 1997 Special Edition release of the film onwards, the new shiny new Fox logo is present ahead of the film.
The Lucasfilm Logo

Here is the old Lucas film log, as it was back in the late 1970s. Not particularly exciting, but it gets the job done with the minimum of fuss.

Here’s the Lucasfilm logo as it appears in the Special Editions. He logo now fades up and sparkles, before changing colour. Ooh!
Along Time Ago...

Here is the opening to perhaps the most famous titles sequence of all time, just as it was back in the late 1970s.

Not a lot has changed for the Special Edition release onwards, although the blue is now a bit lighter than before.
The Opening Crawl

Here's the original opening crawl for the film, which was known simply as Star Wars back in 1977.

For the 1981 re-release of the film the subtitle A New Hope was added to the opening crawl, where it remains to this day.
The Escape Pod

Eagle-eyed viewers might have noticed that the lid of R2-D2 and C3-PO's escape pod was blue in the original release of the film, presumably to accommodate a blue-screen effect.

In 1997 nothing changed for the Special Edition of the film. The lid is still blue (the quality of the capture makes it hard to discern, [/h]but no better source was available).

Here we are with the 2004 release of the film. Yep, you guessed it, the lid of the escape pod is still blue.

Well what do we have here? That looks suspiciously like a grey escape pod lid on the Blu-ray release. Yep, it's one of the minor fixes that have been implemented for the high-definition release.
The Canyon

Here we see poor R2-D2 as he wanders down a lonely canyon on the desert planet of Tatooine. Little does the little astromech unit know the rocks are hiding Jawas, who are in search of droids to salvage.

Here we see the same shot, Special Edition style. Notice that the shot starts on a typical Tatooine sunset, before panning down to our little astromech friend in the canyon below.

The shot is much the same for the 2004 DVD release. The only real difference is in the quality of the image, which has been further refined since the Special Edition.

Nothing much has changed for the film's Blu-ray release, as evidenced by this shot.
’Look sir, droids!’

In this footage from the original release of the film, the Stormtroopers have just discovered C-3PO and R2-D2’s presence aboard the escape pod. As you can see the background contains a number of static dewbacks, but very little else.

In this footage from the Special Edition release we can see that the scene has been expanded somewhat. The static rubber dewbacks have been replaced with CGI models and more Sormptroopers have been composited into the scene. A shuttle can also be seen leaving the area.

Nothing has changed for the 2004 DVD release of the film, aside from the obvious differences in clarity and colour purity courtesy of the restoration. While this scene does show the Imperial presence to be significantly enhanced, the way in which the CGI Stormtroopers move as they ride the dewbacks is less than convincing. Having said this, I can live with the change.

It's business as usual for the Blu-ray release of the movie, which is the same as the 2004 version.

Amusingly, or annoyingly depending on your point of view, the blue pod lid that was changed to grey earlier in the film on the Blu-ray release is back to blue here. Was anyone in charge of continuity for the HD release?
The Sandcrawler

Here we see the Jawas' Sandcrawler as it approaches the Lars homestead, carrying with it the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. Even back in 1977 the shot gives you a good sense of scale, but George Lucas thought he could do better and…

…in this case I’m inclined to agree with him! While the original shot was acceptable considering the technology available at the time, the Special Edition version of the Sandcrawler is far more impressive. The new footage really helps to sell the vehicle as a viable habitat for the strange little creatures, while retaining the integrity of the scene.

As you can see nothing has changed for the 2004 DVD release, aside from some the added clarity afforded by the restoration work. Notice how crisp the scene is and how pure the sky over Tatooine looks. Wow, a change I’m in favour of - we’re back on track!

Again, not much has changed since 2004 for the Blu-ray release of the film.
The Binary Sunset

Here we have a typical sunset, Tatooine style. This scene appears near the beginning of the film, as Luke Skywalker gazes at the heavens and contemplates his future. Nothing wrong with this you might say, and I’d have to agree with you there.

As part of the restoration work for the Special Edition release, the film was colour corrected. This had a strange effect on some of the scenes, most notably those on Tatooine. As you can see the sky is now a very odd colour and the image is entirely too dark.

For the 2004 DVD release the image has been further enhanced and restored, presenting possibly the best looking version of the sunset to date. It’s another 2004 enhancement thumbs up from me.

Another Blu-ray shot that is identical to the 2004 version.
R2 Hides

Here were have a shot of R2-D2 hiding from the Tusken Raiders after Luke Skywalker has been knocked unconscious.

This shot remains the same in the 1997 Special Edition of the feature...

...and in the 2004 version.

Here's the same shot from the Blu-ray release, now with added CGI rocks! If anyone can tell me how R2 was able to squeeze through that tiny gap please don't hesitate to post...

What's worse is that in the next shot, after R2 has come out of hiding, the CGI rocks have mysteriously disappeared! Again, was the continuity person asleep while they were making these changes?
Ben Kenobi's Home

The modest budget of the original Star Wars allowed only for modest locations, as exemplified by this exterior shot of Ben Kenobi’s home. Personally I think this shot suffices for the brief period of time it is on screen, but once again Lucas disagrees.

The Special Edition release of the film added an alternate view of Obi-Wan’s home; one that offers a grandiose view of the rocky terrain of Tatooine. While this shot stands out like a sore thumb when compared to the original footage, it is one of the SE changes that I can live with.

The 2004 DVD release keeps the new footage, but as you can see everything is a lot clearer thanks to the additional restoration work. I’m still not one hundred per cent sure about the shot, but at least it looks nicer!

Guess what? The Blu-ray looks exactly the same as the 2004 release.
Overlooking Mos Eisley

Here we see Luke and Ben looking at Mos Eisley from a distance before venturing into the dangerous spaceport. As you can see it’s little more than a static matte painting with very little detail.

The Special Edition release of the film revamps the spaceport considerably. It’s now spread over a larger area and you can just make out traffic flying above the skyline (but only if your eyes are good).

The DVD release keeps the Mos Eisley from the SEs, but as you can see the image is far more detailed than any previous home release format. The colour correction also makes the scene look more consistent with earlier Tatooine footage (the pink tint has gone).

Yawn, yet another Blu-ray shot that's identical to the 2004 release.
The Landspeeder

Here we have perhaps one of the most obvious special effects in the original release of the film. This landspeeder shot has several problems, most notably the rather fake looking way in which it has been composited into the image. You may also notice that C-3PO’s arm is almost straight in this shot, which is something made impossible by his design. R2 also looks as if he could fall off of the speeder at any moment!

For the Special Edition release Lucas decided to have his team alter and expand the approach to Mos Eisley. You’ll notice that not only has the speeder been radically improved, but the surrounding environment has been given an overhaul as well. Whereas the original release showed only a few outbuildings, this version hints at a much busier spaceport complete with scurrying rodents. Unfortunately the CGI C-3PO still has the ‘straight arm’ problem and also looks entirely too gold for my liking. You may also notice how pink the image looks here.

The 2004 DVD release goes one step further by completely remodelling both the speeder and the droids. C-3PO’s right arm is now noticeably bent (although his left still looks suspiciously straight) and his colour is much improved over the Special Edition. Of course the restoration work also dramatically improves the level of detail in the shot, while the colour correction eradicates that nasty pink tint. Overall I’m in favour of this enhancement.

As you might expect, the shot remains unchanged from 2004 for the film's Blu-ray release.
Mos Eisley Spaceport

Here we have a shot of the landspeeder as it makes its way through the ‘bustling’ port of Mos Eisley. As you can see, budgetary constraints had a severe effect on the amount of activity that was seen. In this shot you may also notice the strange orange ‘force field’ below the landspeeder. This is actually Vaseline, which was put on the camera lens to obscure the wheels on the bottom of the speeder!

The Special Edition shot looks livelier, and a CGI beast of burden known as a ronto has been added to the scene. You can also see that the force field has been removed, which looks a lot better than the original shot. Unfortunately the scene still has that strange pink tint to it.

The DVD release has the best of both worlds. Not only do we get the additional creatures and corrected landspeeder, but also a properly colour corrected Mos Eisley. The sky is now blue again, and everything looks more detailed (although still a little blurry).

Yet again the Blu-ray release looks very similar to the 2004 DVD release.
Mos Eisley Cantina

With the limited budget available to him at the time George Lucas had to cut a few corners when creating the aliens that inhabited his world. This is most obvious during the scene in the Mos Eisley cantina, where one of the locals bears a striking resemblance to the Wolfman!

For the Special Edition a new computer-generated character has been inserted into the scene, replacing the old Wolfman mask. This particular alien looks to be some sort of pipe-smoking hippy!

Surprise, surprise, the scene is exactly the same for the 2004 DVD release. As with most other scenes, the only difference is the quality of the image.

You’re probably going to get tired reading this, but the Blu-ray is the same as the 2004 version.

Here’s the same character again, this time engaged in a discussion with another patron. While I never really paid much attention to this character until someone pointed him out I can see why George Lucas wanted to go back and alter him for the Special Edition.

For the Special Edition yet another new computer-generated alien was created and inserted into the scene with the strange appendage-type creature. Will the wonders of ILM ever cease?

When it comes to this scene on the 2004 DVD it’s business as usual. Some of the more observant among you may have spotted a particularly ‘devilish’ alien in the background. This was yet another improvised mask, but unlike the Wolfman it was left in the film. The species even has a name: Devaronian.

The Blu-ray is the same as the 2004 release.
Greedo

Now we come to perhaps the most contentious change in the history of the trilogy. In the scene above Han Solo, cornered by the bounty hunter Greedo, has little choice other than to shoot first and ask questions later. This scene established Han as an ice-cool space pirate; as someone who walked a fine line between good and evil (thereby making the evolution of his character all the more interesting).

For the Special Edition release of Star Wars George Lucas did the unthinkable - he made Greedo shoot first! Lamented by fans and filmmakers such as Kevin Smith alike, this is perhaps the single most objectionable change in the entire trilogy. Putting aside the fact that it transforms Han Solo from the aforementioned ice-cold space pirate to a lucky son of a bitch, the effects used to bring the new scene to life are simply atrocious. Greedo’s blaster bolt seems to fly off at an angle (even though his gun is pointed directly at Han) and Solo himself jerks his head to one side courtesy of some ropy CGI. The whole thing is absolutely hideous!

Of course it was probably too much to expect Lucas to reverse his decision to turn Han into a bitch, but we lived in hope. Unfortunately the 2004 DVD release shattered any illusions people might have had about Lucas coming to his senses and the dreaded scene appears as in the Special Editions. Well, that’s not quite true, as there have been minor alterations. The CGI has been improved so that the whole of Han’s upper body now moves, albeit in as unnatural a way as the previous ‘head dodge’, and the pair now fire almost simultaneously (I say almost, as Greedo still fires a fraction of a second before Solo).

From this still image it might look like the scene has remained unchanged for the Blu-ray release, but this is not the case. Approximately ten frames have been shaved off of the shot immediately before Greedo fires, making it appears as though Han and the bounty hunter shoot at roughly the same time. It’s still not great but it’s the best version since the original.
The Falcon’s Departure

Here we see the Millennium Falcon as it blasts away from docking bay ninety four, watched by several Stormtroopers. Owing to the limitations of technology at the time, the Falcon flies in a diagonal line with little or no deviation.

Here we have the Special Edition equivalent. Notice how the angle of the Falcon has changed? A new CGI ship now twists and turns as it flies away from Mos Eisley, which makes for a more exciting spectacle.

Things are much the same as the SE release on the DVDs, aside from the obvious restoration work. As with the SEs, you may also notice how the shot has been reframed slightly from the original (both the Jawa’s body and the Stormtrooper’s legs are now missing).

The BD features another very similar shot to the 2004 release, with only some minor differences in image geometry.
The Destruction of Alderaan

In the image above you can see the aftermath of the Death Star’s attack on the planet of Alderaan. The battlestation’s primary weapon has obliterated the planet, leaving only rocky debris. Although adequate the resulting explosion isn’t as impressive as one might expect.

The Special Edition added a couple of new effects to the scene, most notably the huge shockwave that emanates from the centre of the explosion. Putting aside the improbability of such a shockwave, the explosion itself now looks more ‘convincing’.

As you can see, not much has changed for the DVD release. The intensity of the image looks to have been bumped up a notch by the colour correction, which makes the explosion and the shockwave look more consistent with one another (although it’s a little too orange for my liking).

Slightly better detail and colouring are about the only thing separating the Blu-ray release from the 2004 version.
Luke's Lightsaber

Here we see Luke Skywalker taking his first step into a larger world aboard the Millennium Falcon. You can see how the colour and density of the lightsaber varies slightly between the original theatrical release and the special editions.

Notice how Luke’s ‘blue’ lightsaber is actually closer to white in both of these shots? There is actually considerable variation in the lightsaber while Luke is training on the Falcon, and closer examination reveals a ‘greenish’ tint to the blade.

For the 2004 DVD releases that ‘greenish’ tint has unfortunately been replaced by, well, green! Whether the result of the restoration work or a genuine effects gaffe, this should have been caught at the quality control stage.

It seems that the years of moaning paid off, as the saber's colour has been (almost) fixed Blu-ray release of A New Hope. Notice how the blade and in fact the entire image has less of a green push? Lucasfilm made a big deal of pointing this particular scene out to journalists during their press events, but unfortunately they didn't show anyone the scenes immediately preceding or following this particular moment. The reason for that was probably because the saber is still green in those shots! Way to go Lucasfilm! You've only had, what, nine years to fix this?

Here's a shot from the 2004 version of the film that clearly shows the lightsaber's green tint.

Here's the same frame from the Blu-ray release. Still looks green to me...
Censorship!

In this scene from the original release of the film, you can see a clear flash as the blaster bolt hits the Imperial officer. However, if we look at the same scene from the Special Edition we can see that…

…the flash has gone! One of the little-known edits to the film included the trimming of a few frames to remove the flashes when the bolts hit the human officers.

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 DVDs. As with the Special Edition, the only evidence of the blaster impact is the smoky residue left behind.

I had hoped that the Blu-ray would restore the blaster impacts, but sadly that’s not the case.
More Censorship!

Here we see the original scene in the detention area, as Luke and Han blast everything in sight - including a hapless Imperial! As you can see, the pink impact flash is clearly visible.

Well, now you see it, now you don’t! As before, a few frames have been trimmed to remove the impact flash. Notice the different body position of the guard in this shot?

One again, the DVD release follows the Special Edition very closely. The only difference between the two is the quality of the image, which is greatly improved.

Yet more evidence that the Blu-ray is still censored.
No Censorship!

Now things get really weird. Here we have the familiar impact flash as Luke blasts another Imperial officer. Now let’s take a look at the censored Special Edition equivalent.

Wait! What’s this? That’s right - the impact flash is still there! Surely there must be some mistake? This is the ‘kiddie friendly’ version of Star Wars, where all violence towards humans is removed! I bet they fixed it for the DVD release…

Except they didn’t! Of all the changes to the trilogy over the years, this has to rank as one of the strangest and, quite frankly, most ridiculous. Lucas is quite happy to show people having limbs severed or being blown away in the prequels, so why the coyness here? What makes matters worse is that this censorship isn’t even consistent throughout one scene. I was really hoping that this PC nonsense would have disappeared by the time the DVD was released, but I guess it was not to be.

The censorship inconsistency is still an issue on the Blu-ray.
The Cell Block

Here we have the scene in which Luke and Han ‘rescue’ Princess Leia from her cell. You may notice that the perspective of the corridor doesn’t look quite right in this shot.

Here’s the same scene from the Special Edition. Nothing has changed, and the perspective is still wrong. It’s worth noting that the corridor is actually nothing more than a matte painting!

Here’s the scene 2004 style. As you can see, the perspective of the matte painting has been corrected, and the corridor now stretches off into the distance in a more convincing manner.

Not a lot has changed from 2004 for the Blu-ray release (again).
The Dianogah

Here we have the eye of the hideous Dianogah, the creature that pulls Luke under the filthy water in the trash compactor. I always thought this was perfectly functional.

Here we have the same creature Special Edition style. Nothing has changed, other than the image quality (which is slightly improved).

Here we have the creature from the 2004 DVD release. It’s difficult to tell from the image as everything is so dark, but the eye has been digitally enhanced to make it blink. Again, not a particularly important change, but a change nonetheless.

The Blu-ray Dianogah is the same as the 2004 release.
The Tractor Beam

This is the scene in which Obi-Wan Kenobi deactivates the tractor beam to allow the Millennium Falcon to escape from the Death Star, as seen in the original release.

Here we have the same scene taken from the Special Edition release of the film and as you can see it all looks very similar to the shot above.

Now we come to the scene as it appears in the 2004 DVD release of the film. At first glance it looks very similar to the first two shots, but look again! As you can see, Aurabesh, which is the written form of the ‘basic’ language spoken in the films, has replaced the English language writing. Personally I don’t mind this change, although I feel there were other things more deserving of their attention.

Yes, you guessed it, the Blu-ray shot is mostly the same as the 2004 version.
The Stormtroopers

In this shot from the original release we see Han Solo biting off more than he can chew as he rounds a corner only to be confronted by a group of Imperial Stormtroopers. This is one of those classic Star Wars moments that has stayed with me since childhood and is a good example of how the original films managed to be humorous without resorting to slapstick and fart jokes.

For the Special Edition Lucas had his effects guys add a hanger full of Stormtroopers, all standing around just waiting for the hapless Han Solo to appear. Although I’m not particularly for or against this change I do find it odd that the hanger simply ‘appears’ at the end of a corridor…

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 release. As far as I can tell nothing has changed but you can certainly see the effect of the restoration. The image is far more detailed and both colour and contrast are greatly improved.

It’s 2004 business as usual with the Blu-ray release.
Lightsaber Consistency One

In this shot from the original film we can see that the lightsabers are extremely washed out. Obi-Wan’s saber fairs better than Vader’s, but it’s still not particularly impressive.

Here we are again with the Special Edition version. To my mind, this looks even more washed out than before. Vader’s saber is now almost completely devoid of colour!

Ah, this is more like it! For the DVD release the lightsabers have been enhanced to look a little more like the sabers we’re used to later in the series and in the prequels. Both Obi-Wan and Vader now have vibrant, well-defined blades.

Nothing has changed from 2004 on the Blu-ray.
Lightsaber Consistency Two

These shots show just how much variation there has been in saber consistency over the years. This is from the original release.

This shot from the Special Edition looks more pink than red. Here, the core of the saber is missing completely. I never had Darth Vader down as a pink sort of a guy…

Here’s a shot from the new 2004 DVD. As you can see it’s got more in common with the Special Edition than the original, but at least the white core is there. To be fair, this is such a brief shot you could blink and miss it.

Again, there’s no change from 2004 for the Blu-ray release.
Lightsaber Consistency Three

You can see how washed out the lightsabers look in the original release of the film. It’s like two people fighting with white sticks!

Again, the Special Edition looks worse than the original release. Vader’s saber is almost completely white in this shot!

Thankfully the DVD release does a decent job of correcting this. Both sabers are coloured, and they both have their white cores.

This is yet another scene in which the Blu-ray mimics the 2004 version.
Obi-Wan's Lightsaber

Here we see Obi-Wan’s lightsaber head-on. Well actually, we see the reflective white stick that was used instead of a lightsaber! This was one of the things that always bothered me in the original release.

Here is the Special Edition version of the shot. The stick is slightly brighter, but no bluer than the first image. I always thought that this should have been corrected in 1997.

Here we are in 2004 and the saber has finally been given a makeover. Sure, it’s still not perfect, but at least some attempt has been made to make it look like a lightsaber rather than a walking stick!

Yes, another 2004/Blu-ray similarity.
Darth Vader's Lightsaber

Here is yet another look at a dodgy saber effect. As Darth vader walks toward the blast doors we can clearly see that someone forgot to colour in his lightsaber!

This little gaffe went uncorrected for the Special Edition release of the film and Vader’s saber is still without colour.

Thankfully the DVD release has fixed the effects blunder and Vader’s lightsaber is now a vibrant hue of red (just as it always should have been).

Vader’s saber is still coloured red on the Blu-ray.
Missing Laser

In this shot from the 1977 version of the film you can see that a portion of the frame is missing on the right-hand side of the screen. The laser blast that the Millennium Falcon has fired at the TIE is cut in half.

The same error is present in the 1997 Special Edition of the movie.

It is also present in the 2004 version of the film.

Thankfully the Blu-ray corrects this long-standing glitch, so that's another positive correction as far as I'm concerned.
Approaching Yavin

Here we see the Millennium Falcon as it approaches the fourth moon of the gas giant Yavin. In this original scene the Falcon flies directly underneath the planet, slowly revealing the moon.

Here we see the same shot from the Special Edition release of the film. In this version the planet Yavin is off to the left and there is more movement as the Falcon slips past the planet to the fourth moon.

The shot is exactly the same on the 2004 DVD release, albeit with enhanced visual quality courtesy of the restoration work.

Here is the same scene Blu-ray style. It looks almost identical to the 2004 DVD release apart from the added detail.

Here we see a Rebel lookout observing the Millennium Falcon as it comes in for a landing on the fourth moon of Yavin. Or do we? In this shot the Falcon is nowhere to be seen, even though the lookout is focussing intently on some distant object!

This time the lookout actually has something to look at! Those of you with keen eyes might be able to spot a small Millennium Falcon in the above image as it swoops down and comes to rest on a landing platform. It is hard to make out due to the size of the image, but it is there!

Once again the 2004 DVD release is the same, but the Flacon is much easier to make out in this image due to the enhanced visual quality.

Once again this Blu-ray shot is very similar to the 2004 DVD version.
The Launch

The original release of Star Wars depicted the launch of the rebel fleet as a series of bright flashes that ascended rapidly into space. While this did the job at the time, it wasn’t particularly visually impressive.

The Special Edition shot is far more elaborate, with X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters now lifting off in front of the camera before blasting off into space. As you can see, the view of Yavin itself has also been altered. This is one of those SE changes that I’m in favour of.

The 2004 DVD release is almost identical to the Special Edition, although as you can see the overall detail and colour balance has been dramatically enhanced. This looks fantastic on a big screen!

The Blu-ray release is much the same as the 2004 version.
The Rebel Starfighters

Here we see the rag-tag group of Rebels flying towards the Death Star. This was an impressive shot for its time and it still holds up well today.

The Special Edition radically enhanced the approach to the Death Star. As well as improving the ships by using CGI models the number of vessels was increased and we actually get to look inside of the cockpits at the pilots as they fly by.

Again, there’s nothing different about this shot aside from the dramatically improved visuals. Contrast, colour balance and detail are all significantly better than the SE version of the shot.

The X-Wings look all-but identical to the 2004 versions on the Blu-ray.
The Battle of Yavin

In this scene from the 1977 version of the film you can see three Rebel X-Wing fighters as they swoop down towards the surface of the Death Star.

Here’s the shot as it appears in the Special Edition. The X-Wings are now computer-generated and a great deal more manoeuvrable than before! They twist and turn as they head towards the Death Star’s equatorial trench.

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 DVD release of the film. As you can see, nothing has been altered, but the footage is obviously a great deal cleaner than any previous effort.

Here is the same scene Blu-ray style.

In yet another altered scene Biggs is trying to evade the Imperial Tie Fighter that is closely following him. The original shot - as seen here - was quite effective, but ILM could do better!

Although not apparent from this static image this new scene features a rear-angle view of the TIE Fighter tracking Biggs’ X-Wing. This is immediately followed by another new shot of Luke flying to the rescue. All-in-all this is quite a nice addition.

Here’s the same scene from the 2004 DVD release. Nothing has changed bar the visual quality of the shot. This is just one of many enhancements made to the Battle of Yavin, all of which look better in motion.

This is yet another Blu-ray shot that is identical to the 2004 version.

In this shot we see Wedge Antilles coming to Luke Skywalker’s rescue by eliminating a pesky TIE Fighter. Immediately after this shot an explosion can be seen, followed by a reverse angle of Wedge’s X-Wing streaking away.

In this shot the explosion is still visible, but now Wedge’s X-Wing flies directly through the fireball before flying away. It’s quite hard to make out from this shot, but you can just see the nose of his fighter emerging from the conflagration.

Here’s the scene again, 2004 DVD style. Wedge’s X-Wing is much easier to make out in this shot, but as you can see the contrast is slightly off resulting in a less colourful fireball and X-Wing. This is yet another example of the image problems that detract from the overall quality of the transfer.

The Blu-ray release retains the odd contrast issues from the 2004 version.
The 'Humdinger' Glitch

Here is a shot of Darth Vader leading a couple of TIE Fighters on an attack run over the Death Star in the 1977 version of the film. You can see the garbage mattes surrounding the ships quite clearly.

There's the same shot in the Special Edition of the film. Not much has changed and the garbage mattes are even more visible.

Here's the same shot from 2004 and the garbage mattes look to be much improved. Wait, what's that at the bottom of the frame? It's a technical error that has come to be known as the 'humdinger' glitch/frame. It's present on the digital master used for all 2004 versions of the film, so you'll find it on the DVD and the various HDTV broadcasts.

Thankfully this glitch has been fixed for the Blu-ray release. Yay, another positive!
The Destruction of the Death Star

Here we see the destruction of the Death Star as seen in the original release. To be honest I never really gave this much thought as a child, but when I look at the shot now I do have to admit it’s a bit weak considering a space station the size of a small moon has just exploded.

The Special Edition introduced the ‘Praxis’ effect shockwave, as seen earlier with the destruction of Alderaan. While this does give the explosion some much needed visual impact I’m not particularly fond of the effect (which was stolen from Star Trek to begin with).

The 2004 DVD release is very similar to the SE shot, but as you can see the colour of both the explosion and the shockwave has changed. I’m assuming that this was an intentional shift, rather than an error as in the case of Luke’s lightsaber. The change in colour makes sense if you make the distinction between the organic world of Alderaan and the cold, metallic Death Star, but this theory is somewhat ruined when you see the explosion of the Death Star II in Return of the Jedi (more of that in another article).

Here is the same shot from the Blu-ray release. As you can see it’s very similar to the 2004 version, with one very noticeable exception: the odd blue tint surrounding the explosion has been removed. Wow, a positive fix!
New Scenes
Expanded Mos Eisley

Here’s one of the extended shots added for the Special Edition DVD release (and unaltered for the DVD/BD releases). As you can see, Mos Eisley is now a bustling spaceport, complete with ships and droids. Unfortunately, Lucas decided to introduce some Jar Jar style ‘comedy’ into the scenes…

Here we see an even wider shot of Mos Eisley, which really helps to set the scale of the spaceport. The more observant among you may have noticed Luke’s speeder, not to mention Dash Rendar’s Outrider ship (which features in the Shadows of the Empire video game and novel).

The expanded spaceport scenes continue with yet another angle, featuring new buildings, a speeder bike and a ronto being ridden by a group of Jawas. Watch the ‘hilarious’ consequences as the ronto is startled by the speeder bike…

Here we see the final approach to the Mos Eisley cantina. As you can see, there are many more people going about their business, while giant rontos, dewbacks, buildings and derelict spacecraft litter the surrounding area. On the whole these shots aren’t too bad. The CGI does look a little too obvious at times and I could have done without the slapstick humour, but they do lend the spaceport a sense of scale that was lacking before. Then again, this is a barren, desert planet…
Jabba the Hutt's Introduction

Ah, it goes from bad to worse! For the Special Edition release of Star Wars, Lucas felt the need to restore a scene in which Han Solo encounters Jabba the Hutt after his meeting with Greedo. The scene was originally filmed with a human actor, who Lucas intended to replace with a stop-motion creature. However, due to budgetary and/or time constraints, this never happened, and we were first introduced to Jabba via the fantastic puppet in Return of the Jedi. The very presence of this scene is unnecessary as we learn nothing more than we already know from the Han/Greedo confrontation. It also spoils Jabba’s appearance in Return of the Jedi, not to mention the Millennium Falcon’s big reveal.

Here we have the same scene from the 2004 DVD release. I think it’s fairly safe to say that the CGI Jabba has been significantly improved since 1997, but there are still big problems (see below).
Jabba the Hutt and Han Solo

When the scene was restored for the Special Edition, Lucas had a team of animators create a CGI Jabba (some would argue that this was done to test the viability of an all-CGI character for The Phantom Menace) to cover up the human actor. I feel the result speaks for itself. The manner in which Han and Jabba interact is completely unrealistic, and includes several instances where Han’s body occupies space that should belong to Jabba. Add to this that fact that the CGI model looks nothing like the puppet it is supposed to represent, and you have what is probably the worst moment in the entire trilogy.

Here is the 2004 version of the scene. Firstly, as you can see, Jabba looks nothing like either the Return of the Jedi puppet, or the CGI creature from The Phantom Menace. His colouration is way off (he was never that dark), and his eyes are yellow instead of orange. It’s almost as if no one bothered to check for consistency. What isn’t apparent from this picture is just how ‘plastic’ the CGI model looks, which doesn’t help it blend in with the surrounding live elements.
Jabba the Hutt's Tail

Now we know that the CGI Jabba bears no resemblance to the puppet, looking instead like some hideous reject from a PlayStation 2 cut-scene, but bigger problems were yet to come. At one point in their conversation, Han Solo walked around the human actor, something that would be impossible with the puppet/CGI Jabba (because of his tail). Never fear - the ILM animation department is here! To get around this tricky moment the animators simply had Han step on the crime-lord’s tail in a ‘hilarious’ moment of ‘comedy’ genius!

Here’s the same scene from the DVD release. I have to admit that it looks a lot better, but the scene should still be lying on the cutting room floor where it belongs (if Jabba puts a price on Solo’s head for dumping a spice shipment, imagine what he’d do to him for standing on his tail). I had hoped that this scene would be removed for the Blu-ray release, but it remains and looks identical to the 2004 version. They could at least have upgraded the CGI Jabba. Better yet they could have made Jabba appear as a hologram, thereby removing the need for Solo to step on his tail at all...
The Falcon Takes Off

Here’s a new shot added for the Special Edition and included in the 2004 DVD release. Immediately before taking off, a group of Stormtroopers blast the Falcon as it attempts to depart.

As you can see from this image, the Stormtroopers continue to fire on the ship even after it is airborne. Obviously this is a new CGI model of the Millennium Falcon, but on the whole I think they did a very good job with this brief addition (which is also present on the BD).
Biggs Darklighter

The Special Edition restored a scene featuring Luke’s old friend, Biggs Darklighter (Red Three). Biggs was previously mentioned early on in the film at the Lars homestead, but in the original release he appeared in the final battle without so much as an introduction. This scene allows Luke to briefly catch up with his old friend before they depart Yavin 4 to attack the Death Star. Those of you who have seen the deleted Tatooine footage on the Internet - in which Biggs tells Luke he’s going to join the Rebellion - will get more out of this scene than most.
Audio Changes
When it comes to differences in the audio things start to get even more complicated. There were a number of different mixes created for the theatrical release of Star Wars, which has led to some confusion over the years. What’s more, the latest DVD releases have combined elements from a lot of the previous releases, creating yet more subtle differences. Here are some of the more obvious audio changes you’ll find throughout the film.
'Tell your uncle...'

In most versions of the film when the Jawas arrive at the Lars homestead Aunt Beru tells Luke to remind uncle to get a translator that speaks bocce. For the Blu-ray release the line has been subtly changed to 'remind your uncle, as heard here.
'We’ve stopped!'

When R2 and 3PO are on their way to the Lars homestead aboard the Jawa Sandcrawler, the original release sounded like this. However, 3PO always appeared to say something else immediately before this, so it made perfect sense to alter the dialogue for the 2004 DVD release. You can listen to the new line of dialogue by clicking here. The Blu-ray release retains the line.
Old Ben’s Call

When he first appears, Ben Kenobi supposedly imitates the fearsome krayt dragon to scare the Tusken Raiders away. However, this call always sounded suspiciously like that of a dewback (the creatures ridden by the Stormtroopers). You can hear the original call here. For the 2004 DVD release the call has been replaced with this new sound. For the Blu-ray release of the film the call has been altered again to this. I’ll let you be the judge of which is better…
'There’s no one here.'

When checking the Millennium Falcon for signs of life, the Stormtroopers pause for a moment before departing the ship. In the original release there is no dialogue during this scene, as evidenced by this clip. In the new DVD release a line of dialogue has been added, confirming that the Stormtroopers have found nothing during their brief visual sweep. You can hear the new dialogue by clicking here. The Blu-ray release retains the line.
'TK-421, why aren’t you at your post?'

When Luke and Han have ‘liberated’ the Stormtrooper uniforms, an officer queries the whereabouts of the troops. You can hear original dialogue by clicking here. For the 2004 DVD release, the sound of Luke tapping his helmet has been added to the scene, thereby clarifying the officer’s line about a ‘bad transmitter’. You can hear the new effect by clicking here, but it is very hard to make out. The Blu-ray release retains the new effect.
The Tractor Beam

Some home video releases of the film omitted a line that was apparently present in the theatrical version (or so I’m told). When C-3PO tells our heroes that R2 has found the main controls to the tractor beam, certain versions of the film sounded like this. However, other releases - including the Special Edition and DVD - contain another line, which can be heard here. The Blu-ray release retains the line.
Clunk!

When the Stormtroopers enter the control room where the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are hiding, one of them accidentally hits his head on the blast door. This has been a favourite blooper for many years, appearing in magazines and trivia quizzes alike. Since Lucas decided to acknowledge this blooper in Attack of the Clones, it was probably inevitable that he would revisit the original film to add a little ‘oomph’ to the original effect. Click here for the scene as it originally sounded, and here for the updated 2004 DVD version. The Blu-ray release retains the effect.
'I think we took a wrong turn!'

While running from Stormtroopers aboard the Death Star, Luke and Leia take a very dangerous wrong turn—right into an impassable chasm! In the original release an echo effect was added to their voices in order to lend the Death Star a sense of scale, but as most of you will know this wasn’t the most convincing of effects. You can find the original dialogue here. For the 2004 DVD releases, this artificial effect has been replaced with one that is much closer to a how a true echo sounds. You can hear the new echo by clicking this link, and I believe this change is actually an improvement over the original. The Blu-ray release retains the effect.
'They’re coming through!'

Immediately after blasting the door lock, thereby rendering the bridge inoperable, there’s are more lines of dialogue that illustrate the differences between the old and new echo effects. Click here for the old echo, and here for the new. As with the previous alteration, I believe this to be an improvement over the old effect. Once again the Blu-ray release retains the effect.
The .44 Magnum Blaster

Another audio change that might have gone unnoticed by all but the most ardent fans was that of the sound of Princess Leia’s blaster. As she covers Luke while he attempts to use his grappling hook to bring them to safety, Leia’s blaster makes the distinctive ‘bang’ normally associated with handguns. The Special Edition used a different mix to the original release, and sounded like this. On the 2004 DVD the mix sounds as it did for the original release of the film, as you can hear by clicking on this link. As expected the Blu-ray sounds like the 2004 version.
'Close the blast doors!'

While fleeing from a group of Stormtroopers, Han Solo and Chewbacca escape through a set of blast doors leaving the pursuing Imperials attempting to open the doors in frustration. This sequence actually omits a line of dialogue that was present in the original theatrical release. You can hear the pursuit by clicking on this link. For the special edition and 2004 DVD releases the missing line of dialogue has been reinstated, and actually makes the whole scene more amusing (it was the Stormtroopers’ fault that Han and Chewie escaped). Just click here to listen to the scene with the dialogue reinstated. The Blu-ray release retains the line.
'He’s on your tail!'

The Special Edition release of the film includes a line of dialogue that does not appear in either the original film or the 2004 DVDs. Just after Red Leader makes his unsuccessful run through the Death Star’s polar trench, he is pursued, and ultimately destroyed by Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter. You can hear the line by clicking on this link. If you’d like to hear the scene without dialogue, click here. The line is not present in the Blu-ray version.
The Force Fanfare

Here we come to one of the more contentious issues surrounding the DVD release of A New Hope. During the Rebel attack on the Death Star, just as the X-Wings swoop down to attack the trench, a triumphant statement of the Force theme can be heard. You can listen to this by clicking here. The DVD release of the film buries this music so far down in the mix that it is virtually inaudible, as demonstrated by this clip. This exemplifies the problems with the audio on this DVD release of A New Hope. However, Lucasfilm issued the following statement to reassure everyone that there was nothing wrong:
"We are always impressed with how closely fans listen to the many different sound mixes we have made for the Star Wars movies over the years. It is flattering to know that, indeed, the audience is listening. Consequently, each mix comes out differently and any changes that you hear on the all-new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX tracks on the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set are deliberate creative decisions. We can confirm that there are no technical glitches as has been reported."
Well, thank goodness for that then. There’s obviously nothing wrong with the release, and the reported inconsistent dialogue levels, reversed stereo score and missing music are all ‘deliberate creative decisions’. Phew! However, it was nice of Lucusfilm to make the creative decision to give French speaking people the chance to view the DVD with the Force theme intact, as evidenced by this clip. So, it’s a deliberate creative decision? Yeah right—mind tricks only work on the weak-minded!
To further reinforce how the above was bull the Blu-ray release of the film has restored the Force Fanfare to its former glory. Not all of the audio errors have been fixed mind you, but that's a story for another time...
Conclusions
It should be apparent to everyone that there have been a lot of changes to the trilogy over the years, some good, others bad. While this list should in no way be taken as the definitive comparison of the different versions I hope it will serve as a good starting point for those curious about the changes. This comparison will never be truly ‘finished’ as long as Lucas continues to make alterations to the movies, but hopefully I’ve covered the majority of serious changes for the time being. If you think I’ve missed anything that warrants inclusion in this comparison please post a comment below and I’ll consider adding it. That’s all for this comparison, but stay tuned for the next article in which I tackle the changes to the second instalment in the trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back.
You can read the second, third and fourth instalments of the guide by clicking here, here and here.
Editorial by Chris Gould
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Existing Posts
Hey Chris,
I just watched the theatrical version on a huge screen and noticed for the first time that, during the medal ceremony at the end, the troops in the foreground are matte paintings and look like cardboard cutouts! This was fixed in later versions. Check out these two pics below:
Original: http://fusionanomaly.net/starwarsmedalceremonyb...
Blu-Ray: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb201212272200...
I just watched the theatrical version on a huge screen and noticed for the first time that, during the medal ceremony at the end, the troops in the foreground are matte paintings and look like cardboard cutouts! This was fixed in later versions. Check out these two pics below:
Original: http://fusionanomaly.net/starwarsmedalceremonyb...
Blu-Ray: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb201212272200...
She's beautiful: So's Life!
I can categorically state that this line WAS in the original theatrical release: I saw it 3 times in '77 and this was a stand out line for me.
Not sure how 'definitive' that makes the laser disc version?
Not sure how 'definitive' that makes the laser disc version?
Lucas definitely tinkered with the colour timing (for the worse in some cases). It was done for the HD masters in 2004, long before Blu-ray.
Fascinating stuff.
I've just watched the 2011 BluRay saga. And have owned VHS and DVD versions in the past. I was aware that there was changes. Some of the CGI is unmissable.
I think some of your points on detail and colour temperature were just symptoms of the restrictive past technology though. Rather than deliberate changes. Bluray is much more advanced than DVD and in turn DVD allows much more control than VHS. So as the technology moved on I think Lucasfilms could represent the movies much more faithfully.
But great work. *****
I've just watched the 2011 BluRay saga. And have owned VHS and DVD versions in the past. I was aware that there was changes. Some of the CGI is unmissable.
I think some of your points on detail and colour temperature were just symptoms of the restrictive past technology though. Rather than deliberate changes. Bluray is much more advanced than DVD and in turn DVD allows much more control than VHS. So as the technology moved on I think Lucasfilms could represent the movies much more faithfully.
But great work. *****
Signed up today just to say how thrilled I was to find that these reviews are not only still up, but that they have been updated for the Blu-Ray release.
Thanks, Chris! I know it may have been tedious to keep writing "Nothing's changed for the Blu-Ray version," but these comparisons are first rate & very informative. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Chris! I know it may have been tedious to keep writing "Nothing's changed for the Blu-Ray version," but these comparisons are first rate & very informative. Keep up the good work!
It was missing from certain theatrical versions of the film depending on which of the mixes were used, and it was also absent from VHS releases.
Re: "Close the blast doors!" scene
> This sequence actually omits a line of dialogue that was present in the
> original theatrical release
Which version omits the line, if it was present in the TC and the SE and DVD releases?
> This sequence actually omits a line of dialogue that was present in the
> original theatrical release
Which version omits the line, if it was present in the TC and the SE and DVD releases?
Those aren't rumours...
Another Blu-ray audio change added (Aunt Beru to Luke), as discovered by Matthew Marino.
Another Blu-ray audio change added (Aunt Beru to Luke), as discovered by Matthew Marino.
Cripes Chris, didn't you realise that R2D2 is a secret transformer that can generate his own CGI rock forcefield??? 
Heaven help us if Lucas converts these to 3D next year like the rumours suggest.....

Heaven help us if Lucas converts these to 3D next year like the rumours suggest.....
George Lucas is the biggest idiot in cinema second to Michael Bay. I don't understand why he has to change the films again when he's going to wind up re-releasing the films on Blu-Ray to their original format and spend more money in the process. Same with the Extended Editions of "LOtR." Why did the studio spend more money to release the Theatrical/Extended separate when they couldn't fit them both on ONE Blu-Ray disc? Blows my mind.
You forgot in the opening the word rebel was spelled "rebel" but later changed to Rebel with a cap R
So wonderful to see that this series got updated for the Blu-ray! I was always inspired by this, so I thought I'd share what it wrought last year:
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/StarWar...
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/EmpireS...
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/JediSpe...
Thanks to a lot of help, I managed to compile nearly every shot that was changed in any version of the Special Edition and compare them at a glance. We also have figured out how and some of the why in some of the changes.
I started my own Blu-ray changes area, which I will eventually copy into the existing comparisons.
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/StarWar...
A lot left to find, I feel. Just yesterday someone found that R2's jump cut as he's about to roll away from 3PO after receiving his message from Leia is fixed in the BD!
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/StarWar...
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/EmpireS...
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/JediSpe...
Thanks to a lot of help, I managed to compile nearly every shot that was changed in any version of the Special Edition and compare them at a glance. We also have figured out how and some of the why in some of the changes.
I started my own Blu-ray changes area, which I will eventually copy into the existing comparisons.
http://picasaweb.google.com/doubleofive/StarWar...
A lot left to find, I feel. Just yesterday someone found that R2's jump cut as he's about to roll away from 3PO after receiving his message from Leia is fixed in the BD!
What an absolutely outstanding and informative feature. Thanks for that. Now to read the others...
Chris Gould wrote: All in good time.
Our ever-cautious webmster has asked that all references to the Blu-ray are removed until lunch date just in case Lucasfilm take exception. Never fear, they will return!
i will then look forward to lunch.
just teasin....but since you guys have it released monday i look forward to reading the reviews before i receive my copy. i'm in canada so we get it friday and since i pre-ordered, probably wont receive it til next monday or tuesday.
after reading all 4 sections though, its funny how they went out of their way to fix the Jedi Vader Sabers but barely touched the Empire one. it almost seems like they thought "they b***hed about jedi so we fixed it, screw the rest" lol
Our ever-cautious webmster has asked that all references to the Blu-ray are removed until lunch date just in case Lucasfilm take exception. Never fear, they will return!
i will then look forward to lunch.

just teasin....but since you guys have it released monday i look forward to reading the reviews before i receive my copy. i'm in canada so we get it friday and since i pre-ordered, probably wont receive it til next monday or tuesday.

after reading all 4 sections though, its funny how they went out of their way to fix the Jedi Vader Sabers but barely touched the Empire one. it almost seems like they thought "they b***hed about jedi so we fixed it, screw the rest" lol
All in good time.
Our ever-cautious webmster has asked that all references to the Blu-ray are removed until lunch date just in case Lucasfilm take exception. Never fear, they will return!
Our ever-cautious webmster has asked that all references to the Blu-ray are removed until lunch date just in case Lucasfilm take exception. Never fear, they will return!
Chris,
What is your opinion of the Picture quality of the blu-rays.
What is your opinion of the Picture quality of the blu-rays.
I am slowly adding the new additions (or lack thereof) from the Blu-ray release. Please have patience while I go through them, as matching the captures takes a considerable amount of time.
Great article! It is an impressive work, and you really have a new perspective on this masterpiece of a movie after reading this artcle. What inspired you to write it?
Cheers Tanja
We have a shop in Denmark where we sell toys (<a href="http://www.uni-flex.biz">legetøj online</a>
and we are interested in finding a supplier of Star Wars. Do you know any one supplier that we can use?
Cheers Tanja
Cheers Tanja
We have a shop in Denmark where we sell toys (<a href="http://www.uni-flex.biz">legetøj online</a>

Cheers Tanja
I do like the sound of the Magnum 44 blaster when the princess takes a few pot shots at the stormtroopers in the 1997 theatrical and THX laserdisc release.
It has bit more punch in the mid bass I think.
Looking at the screen shot captures I think Lucas needs to seen an industrial Light Optician. I think the guys vision is impaired!
I will never ever buy Star Wars on bluray because I know for fact it won’t contain the original. Yes lets look at that word ORIGINAL shall we.
It means original and not some tampered with picture and sound version that doesn’t even match up to the original in any form what so ever.
I’m done collecting Star Wars on DVD because we all know it was HUGE RIP OFF! I took my copy of Star Wars limited edition straight back to where I brought it from, on the same day! I changed it for another DVD. Lucas you lose!
It took me less than 10 seconds to suss it was the THX laserdisc definitive collection and I was mad as hell. How dare does Lucas scam us all! He is slyest moviemaker in Hollywood…I mean Skywalker Ranch!
It has bit more punch in the mid bass I think.
Looking at the screen shot captures I think Lucas needs to seen an industrial Light Optician. I think the guys vision is impaired!
I will never ever buy Star Wars on bluray because I know for fact it won’t contain the original. Yes lets look at that word ORIGINAL shall we.
It means original and not some tampered with picture and sound version that doesn’t even match up to the original in any form what so ever.
I’m done collecting Star Wars on DVD because we all know it was HUGE RIP OFF! I took my copy of Star Wars limited edition straight back to where I brought it from, on the same day! I changed it for another DVD. Lucas you lose!
It took me less than 10 seconds to suss it was the THX laserdisc definitive collection and I was mad as hell. How dare does Lucas scam us all! He is slyest moviemaker in Hollywood…I mean Skywalker Ranch!
Kudos on a very thorough article.
I have to ask, though - the question is still 'Why?' Lucas professes to admire Kurosawa - a filmmaker we don't see going back to change Toshiro Mifune's acting forty years later.
It unfortunately smacks of a lack of imagination, an inability to move on. Let's see something new, for god's sake. Can this man go down in history as a great filmmaker with this sort of CG noodling as his legacy?
I have to ask, though - the question is still 'Why?' Lucas professes to admire Kurosawa - a filmmaker we don't see going back to change Toshiro Mifune's acting forty years later.
It unfortunately smacks of a lack of imagination, an inability to move on. Let's see something new, for god's sake. Can this man go down in history as a great filmmaker with this sort of CG noodling as his legacy?
I like the article and i find that unlike others it goes more in depth, including the audio it is unlike any others.good job.
unfortunatally since this is an online newsletter i dont think you should have put your opinions on it. your opinions are not the opinions of others, therefore you have no right to say anything that could change a persons veiw on a film like this very one.these people worked hard on this film and although you have the right to express your self it is wrong to be disrespectful to another mans hard work. NEXT PLEASE KEEP YOUR OPINIONS TO YOURSELF!
unfortunatally since this is an online newsletter i dont think you should have put your opinions on it. your opinions are not the opinions of others, therefore you have no right to say anything that could change a persons veiw on a film like this very one.these people worked hard on this film and although you have the right to express your self it is wrong to be disrespectful to another mans hard work. NEXT PLEASE KEEP YOUR OPINIONS TO YOURSELF!
Chris Gould? i don't know if this is pointless to ask or not but i'm curious. Why didn't you make any mention of the Luke and Biggs scenes on Tatoonie?? I know they exist if as nothing "deleted scenes" i Have them on the "Star Wars: Behind The Magic" CDs. a video game store had a brand new copy of them they never sold....you should have seen the amount of dust on it. the package looked more grey than blue. but heck he only charged me 10 dollars for it.
Tractor beam message
Thought I'd just clarify something regarding the alleged censorship of the laser impacts during the Death Star scenes. I do not believe these to be an attempt to make the film "safe" or what have you; as you point out, not all of the scenes are re-edited in this way, and Lucas even added some violence (the new shot of the Wampa with its severed arm) and has no compunction about showing Darth Maul being bifurcated or Anakin getting burned alive. In both of the recut shots, the officer taking the hit was rather delayed in responding to the impact. This is especially true of the guard shot in the control room; note in the original cut how he is shot, then bodily flings himself across the room a second later. Both shots have been trimmed so that now there is no delayed reaction. I'm a professional editor myself, and I certainly see the point of the recut (even when I was a kid, that first shot looked pretty staged to me).
I'd also like to point out that the CG Jabba used in the DVD release IS the one made for Phantom Menace, your contention that he "looks nothing like it" notwithstanding. As to the scene's relative pointlessness, I can't really argue. After they decided to cut the Jabba scene the first time around, they reshot the Greedo scene and transferred all of Jabba's dialogue there, meaning that after they put the Jabba scene back, they had the same scene twice in a row.
I'm a little curious, though, as to how you see "several" static dewbacks in the background of the original film when the stormtroopers find the droids.
The "new" C-3PO line describing the tractor beam wasn't actually new. It was in the original theatrical release, though it disappeared from all but the laserdisc releases after the film hit the home video market. This is also true of several other lines, including the "close the blast doors" bit. I have an ancient camera copy of the film from back in the '70s, and these lines are present in that version. It also has a few other differences of note: there are some different sound effects, Aunt Beru wasn't overdubbed, and Luke exclaims "Blast it WEDGE, where are you?" during the final fight; why they changed it to "Biggs," I really don't know. The modulation of the pilot's voices and the "Death Star will be in range" announcer's voice also wasn't in the first cut.
I'd also like to point out that the CG Jabba used in the DVD release IS the one made for Phantom Menace, your contention that he "looks nothing like it" notwithstanding. As to the scene's relative pointlessness, I can't really argue. After they decided to cut the Jabba scene the first time around, they reshot the Greedo scene and transferred all of Jabba's dialogue there, meaning that after they put the Jabba scene back, they had the same scene twice in a row.
I'm a little curious, though, as to how you see "several" static dewbacks in the background of the original film when the stormtroopers find the droids.
The "new" C-3PO line describing the tractor beam wasn't actually new. It was in the original theatrical release, though it disappeared from all but the laserdisc releases after the film hit the home video market. This is also true of several other lines, including the "close the blast doors" bit. I have an ancient camera copy of the film from back in the '70s, and these lines are present in that version. It also has a few other differences of note: there are some different sound effects, Aunt Beru wasn't overdubbed, and Luke exclaims "Blast it WEDGE, where are you?" during the final fight; why they changed it to "Biggs," I really don't know. The modulation of the pilot's voices and the "Death Star will be in range" announcer's voice also wasn't in the first cut.
this isn't a hugeee deal.
like i wouldn't lose sleep over it.
but why.
whyyyyyyy, can't you just leave it alone.
i just don't think messing with something made years ago is right.
like i wouldn't lose sleep over it.
but why.
whyyyyyyy, can't you just leave it alone.
i just don't think messing with something made years ago is right.
What about the changes in Vader's voice?
What about the changes to the studio logos and the opening crawl changes?
I dunno if it's already been mentioned elsewhere, but I'm assuming that you'll be updating "The Changes" with the new DVD release? I'm looking forward to you adding one more frame to each section and part of the OT on here (well, where it's needed anyway, IE light sabers and CGI absences).
I havn't seen the new ones yet, but I have a feeling some of it's going to still disappoint. I just want a DVD set that has minor fixes that are good and needed, CGI additions that improve the quality of scenes (like replacing the wolf man), redoing ALL the light saber effects, and simply take out all the extra c**p that Lucas thought was needed or would be "cool".
One scene I do wish they changed, but never did, though, was in A New Hope where Obi-Wan cut off the arm and it was laying there with a hole and blood. I wouldn't of minded them getting rid of the blood and making it look like a cleaned burned cut. Er, well, as long as it looked ok. ILM is great and all, but some stuff they do is realy sketchy.
I havn't seen the new ones yet, but I have a feeling some of it's going to still disappoint. I just want a DVD set that has minor fixes that are good and needed, CGI additions that improve the quality of scenes (like replacing the wolf man), redoing ALL the light saber effects, and simply take out all the extra c**p that Lucas thought was needed or would be "cool".
One scene I do wish they changed, but never did, though, was in A New Hope where Obi-Wan cut off the arm and it was laying there with a hole and blood. I wouldn't of minded them getting rid of the blood and making it look like a cleaned burned cut. Er, well, as long as it looked ok. ILM is great and all, but some stuff they do is realy sketchy.
Great work Chris! I love how you detailed everything. Also, I believe you're missing how much the 20th Century FOX logo, Lucasfilm LTD. logo and the title crawls have changed over the years.
http://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/release/vide...
Lucasfilm's pathetic attempt of a rip off of these brilliant articles (and the perfect way to boast such horrendous quality in comparison to the remastered ones). These articles are the definitive articles for all of the changes in the Star Wars films.
I recall your saying that you will update the articles with the new releases. Looking forward to that.
Lucasfilm's pathetic attempt of a rip off of these brilliant articles (and the perfect way to boast such horrendous quality in comparison to the remastered ones). These articles are the definitive articles for all of the changes in the Star Wars films.
I recall your saying that you will update the articles with the new releases. Looking forward to that.
I dunno if this has been covered in one of the comments (there's no WAY I'm reading through 85 comments!) but what about perhaps the biggest change to the film and the saga as a whole (after Greedo shooting first of course)? That is, the change from 'Star Wars' at the start of the film in 1977 to 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.' Surely a big change. And apparently there were one or two minor changes to the opening crawl as well.
the claw guy
the guy who's claw was cut off was not the ugly looking human dude but the insect looking friend that threatens luke first in the cantina.
These are not the DVDs you're looking for...
Great article - but i personally think it just underlines the fact that the tinkering has gone too far!!!
*** If anyone else released a movie with a changed ending without clearly labelling it "Director's Cut - Alternate Ending" there'd be absolute uproar. Think about it. "Gone With The Wind" gets released without the "Frankly my dear..." line - EVERYONE would demand a refund. So why does Lucas get away with it? No fair! ***
To label these DVDs on the packaging and advertising campaign as "the original trilogy - for the first time ever on DVD" is a travesty.
These movies bear no resemblance to the films we saw as kids in the cinema and on video all those years ago - sure, the remastering process has ironed out a lot of little wrinkles, but it is the endless tweaking, tampering and CGI-reduxing that really grates.
Do we really need to hear Boba Fett dubbed into Kiwi? Do we really need Clive Revill as The Emperor replaced by Ian McDiarmid? Okay, i'll give you those George, but Greedo shooting first as Han dodges his laser blast in a so-ludicrous-it-is-comical new "tweak" that should surely result in outrage from the Actor's unions via Mr Harrison Ford... well the mind boggles.
And the final disappointment of Sebastian Shaw being unceremoniously wiped away from the closing scene of Return of the Jedi, with a maniacally glowering Hadyn Christensen superimposed over the top of him? They've all gone mad at the ranch, that's the only explanation for it.
Instead of Luke looking over warmly at the "Force ghosts" i expected him to exclaim, "Who the hell is that nasty looking kid?" - this was certainly the reaction from myself and my friends as we watched the horror unfold.
Nope, i've sold my box set on Ebay as i felt i was duped by the advertising and packaging into believing these are the "original trilogy - on dvd for the first time ever!"
Alas that'll never happen it seems, even though the fans are screaming for an historical DVD release of the original theatrical versions.
Surely an opportunity for more "kerrr-ching?" Just a thought George...
*** If anyone else released a movie with a changed ending without clearly labelling it "Director's Cut - Alternate Ending" there'd be absolute uproar. Think about it. "Gone With The Wind" gets released without the "Frankly my dear..." line - EVERYONE would demand a refund. So why does Lucas get away with it? No fair! ***
To label these DVDs on the packaging and advertising campaign as "the original trilogy - for the first time ever on DVD" is a travesty.
These movies bear no resemblance to the films we saw as kids in the cinema and on video all those years ago - sure, the remastering process has ironed out a lot of little wrinkles, but it is the endless tweaking, tampering and CGI-reduxing that really grates.
Do we really need to hear Boba Fett dubbed into Kiwi? Do we really need Clive Revill as The Emperor replaced by Ian McDiarmid? Okay, i'll give you those George, but Greedo shooting first as Han dodges his laser blast in a so-ludicrous-it-is-comical new "tweak" that should surely result in outrage from the Actor's unions via Mr Harrison Ford... well the mind boggles.
And the final disappointment of Sebastian Shaw being unceremoniously wiped away from the closing scene of Return of the Jedi, with a maniacally glowering Hadyn Christensen superimposed over the top of him? They've all gone mad at the ranch, that's the only explanation for it.
Instead of Luke looking over warmly at the "Force ghosts" i expected him to exclaim, "Who the hell is that nasty looking kid?" - this was certainly the reaction from myself and my friends as we watched the horror unfold.
Nope, i've sold my box set on Ebay as i felt i was duped by the advertising and packaging into believing these are the "original trilogy - on dvd for the first time ever!"
Alas that'll never happen it seems, even though the fans are screaming for an historical DVD release of the original theatrical versions.
Surely an opportunity for more "kerrr-ching?" Just a thought George...
New versions in the "Saga" box-set ?
It seems there will be a "The Saga Is Complete" boxed set of all six movies coming out in 2007.
(Except, it won't really be complete, will it ? You'll have to watch the TV show to find out the important plot points between "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope", and you'll have to read the new series of books to find out the completion of the storyline that was supposed to be included in Episodes VII to IX.)
Be that as it may, is anyone taking any bets on how many changes there will be in any or all of the six films for the boxed set ? Other deleted scenes being included ?
Or will there be a "This Time It REALLY Is Complete !" re-release somewhere around 2010 ?!
(Except, it won't really be complete, will it ? You'll have to watch the TV show to find out the important plot points between "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope", and you'll have to read the new series of books to find out the completion of the storyline that was supposed to be included in Episodes VII to IX.)
Be that as it may, is anyone taking any bets on how many changes there will be in any or all of the six films for the boxed set ? Other deleted scenes being included ?
Or will there be a "This Time It REALLY Is Complete !" re-release somewhere around 2010 ?!
Amazing Article
I love referring to this article while watching the new DVDs, versus my old VHSs of the movie. I noticed a little flaw in Lucas's new cantina scene. In the opening shot in the upper left corner, note the characters conversing. One of them is the 'wolfman' character Lucas attempted to rid of for the rest of the cantina scene. Odd, isn't it? Check it out.
Mind Trick scene
One of my least favorite changes in the Special Edition of Star Wars is during the mind trick scene.
The original scene shows Obi-Wan uses mind control on stormtroopers in order to escape from them. It is a scene which conveys gravity and concentration.
In the revised version of the scene, an Imperial probe flies by distractingly, right in the middle of the dialogue. It's terrible.
The original scene shows Obi-Wan uses mind control on stormtroopers in order to escape from them. It is a scene which conveys gravity and concentration.
In the revised version of the scene, an Imperial probe flies by distractingly, right in the middle of the dialogue. It's terrible.
Some more changes
I've been told these things also changed, but i can't check the first releases, nor the SE version, only the DVD.
1. (Obvious) Movie Title Change, Episode IV
2. The sky that appears after the jawas capture R2, now has stars in it, it didn't in the original. It's been there since SE. (00:13:09
2.5. An enhanced scene, when the sandcrawler is approaching the moisture farm, but still at night (00:15:03)
3. Not only was the scene with the troopers searching for the droids, ehnanced to have Dewbacks, but it also features a couple of new shots. So it is an extended scene.
4. Leia's hologram as been somehow enhanced.
5. When Luke uses his binoculars, something has changed from the original release.
6. When the X-Wings open their wings, this shot has been remade for the SE. (01:45:42)
7. James Earl Jones is added to the end Credits as Darth's voice, along with the team that worked on the SE.
Again as i can't compare, i'm not 100% sure on these. Whoever can, please do so.
1. (Obvious) Movie Title Change, Episode IV
2. The sky that appears after the jawas capture R2, now has stars in it, it didn't in the original. It's been there since SE. (00:13:09
2.5. An enhanced scene, when the sandcrawler is approaching the moisture farm, but still at night (00:15:03)
3. Not only was the scene with the troopers searching for the droids, ehnanced to have Dewbacks, but it also features a couple of new shots. So it is an extended scene.
4. Leia's hologram as been somehow enhanced.
5. When Luke uses his binoculars, something has changed from the original release.
6. When the X-Wings open their wings, this shot has been remade for the SE. (01:45:42)
7. James Earl Jones is added to the end Credits as Darth's voice, along with the team that worked on the SE.
Again as i can't compare, i'm not 100% sure on these. Whoever can, please do so.
Episode IV: A New Hope
Great article! Many differences I would never have noticed in a million years.
However, you have missed probably the most important difference of all - The film's title. It was changed from "Star Wars" to "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" with the 1980 re-release.
One of the touching moments of the documentary on the extras DVD is the shot of the original scroll up without the "Episode IV: A New Hope".
See link for original scroll-up:
This was a critical change that turned Star Wars from a stand alone movie into part of an ongoing serial. However, there is a generation of fans to whom the film will always simply be "Star Wars"
However, you have missed probably the most important difference of all - The film's title. It was changed from "Star Wars" to "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" with the 1980 re-release.
One of the touching moments of the documentary on the extras DVD is the shot of the original scroll up without the "Episode IV: A New Hope".
See link for original scroll-up:
This was a critical change that turned Star Wars from a stand alone movie into part of an ongoing serial. However, there is a generation of fans to whom the film will always simply be "Star Wars"

audio change in the Greedo scene
There is also a change to the audio in the Greedo scene just before the shooting. In the original Han's line is "Yes, I'll bet you have!", but in the SE they removed the audio for the word yes so the line is then just "I'll bet you have!". The really odd thing is that they only took out the audio and you still see Han mouth the word yes. This has (thankfully) been restored in the 2004 DVD.
Also, in the originals, anytime you see a shot of R2 in space all of his blue parts are black (I assume due to the use of blue screen) but in the SE versions of ESB and ROTJ they digitally turned them the correct blue (ANH remained unchanged). The 2004 DVD version of ANH also has this change.
Great work! I've been waiting for somehting like these.
Also, in the originals, anytime you see a shot of R2 in space all of his blue parts are black (I assume due to the use of blue screen) but in the SE versions of ESB and ROTJ they digitally turned them the correct blue (ANH remained unchanged). The 2004 DVD version of ANH also has this change.
Great work! I've been waiting for somehting like these.
GREAT WORK VERY HELPFUL
Thank you for taking the time to put together this peice on the differences between the different Star Wars. Your work was very helpful in my decision if I should spen the 50 dollars on the box set. After reading all three of your pieces, I have no real problem with many of the changes except for them changing the scene when han shoots Greedo.
again, Thank you
again, Thank you
Biggs
Great article, Chris- however I note that you said that the scene where Luke is re-united with Biggs (before they go to attack the Death Star) was seen for the first time on the '97 edition. Actually when the film was first screened in Hong Kong (in '76 or '77) that re-union scene was included in the film release. I saw that first release when I was about 10 and I remember being surprised on later seeing the video release where that scene had disappeared. In fact I got to the stage over the years that I thought I must have imagined seeing that scene, until the '97 release, where it popped up again - and I was so happy to see it! Anyone else have that happen to them?
Quote: Originally posted by Chris Gould
'Dianoga was written for the scene where Luke is nearly killed by a beast inhabiting the garbage room, but it was decided that the sequence played better with no scoring (for the Special Edition, however, a portion of this cue underscores the establishing shots of Mos Eisley spaceport).'[/b]
Interesting, this must be the explanation. Perhaps I should mention that the Laserdiscs i have contain only the german dub from 1978. They must have forgotten to remove the music from this scene in this release, since the german dub remixes from the SE and the DVD release don´t have it. I´m getting the feeling that some more elements apart from the addition of "EPISODE IV" in the text crawl have been changed prior to the release of the SE, because in the scene where Luke and 3PO are looking for R2 using the speeder, on my (unfortunately lost) old VHS tape made from a 1990 broadcast you can clearly see a horrible "wobbling" effect under the landspeeder caused by the Vaseline, while the 1995 THX Laserdisc looks almost as the SE (identical to your pictures).
'Dianoga was written for the scene where Luke is nearly killed by a beast inhabiting the garbage room, but it was decided that the sequence played better with no scoring (for the Special Edition, however, a portion of this cue underscores the establishing shots of Mos Eisley spaceport).'[/b]
Interesting, this must be the explanation. Perhaps I should mention that the Laserdiscs i have contain only the german dub from 1978. They must have forgotten to remove the music from this scene in this release, since the german dub remixes from the SE and the DVD release don´t have it. I´m getting the feeling that some more elements apart from the addition of "EPISODE IV" in the text crawl have been changed prior to the release of the SE, because in the scene where Luke and 3PO are looking for R2 using the speeder, on my (unfortunately lost) old VHS tape made from a 1990 broadcast you can clearly see a horrible "wobbling" effect under the landspeeder caused by the Vaseline, while the 1995 THX Laserdisc looks almost as the SE (identical to your pictures).
If you can send through a clip that would enable me to make a comparison. I have the '93 laserdiscs and there is no music during the part of the scene you mention.
From the sleeve notes of the soundtrack album:
'Dianoga was written for the scene where Luke is nearly killed by a beast inhabiting the garbage room, but it was decided that the sequence played better with no scoring (for the Special Edition, however, a portion of this cue underscores the establishing shots of Mos Eisley spaceport).'
From the sleeve notes of the soundtrack album:
'Dianoga was written for the scene where Luke is nearly killed by a beast inhabiting the garbage room, but it was decided that the sequence played better with no scoring (for the Special Edition, however, a portion of this cue underscores the establishing shots of Mos Eisley spaceport).'
I was viewing the 1995 THX laserdisc release of the original trilogy. I can give you a sound example if you like. After the dialogue line from Leia: "It could be worse", the music starts. It continues right until the close-up of the communicator, which C3PO grabs later.
I don't know what laserdisc version you're watching, but there's no music at all during that particular bit of the scene on mine.
Hi, I´d really like to make a (for me) significant addition to your excellent article.
During the scene in the trash compator, when the eye comes out of the water, in the original release you hear a little joyful tune in the background. In the SE and the DVD releases, you only hear the SFX and the ambient noise. Check it out, since this change makes a really significant modification to the mood of the scene.
EDIT: after having re-connected my laserdisc player to verify my statement, i found out it´s even worse: nearly the whole background music from the whole trash compactor scene is missing in the SE/DVD release!
During the scene in the trash compator, when the eye comes out of the water, in the original release you hear a little joyful tune in the background. In the SE and the DVD releases, you only hear the SFX and the ambient noise. Check it out, since this change makes a really significant modification to the mood of the scene.
EDIT: after having re-connected my laserdisc player to verify my statement, i found out it´s even worse: nearly the whole background music from the whole trash compactor scene is missing in the SE/DVD release!
Great article, I just have some small additions:
In "The Canyon" sequence from the article, the first shot of the jawa sandcrawler (when the jawas are carrying R2 to it) has had the sky replaced in the SEs, to match the dusk/night setting of the opening shot. The original sky is a light blue afternoon, while the SE sky is a sunset pink fading into a very dark night blue with stars.
In "Mos Eisley Spaceport", the Ronto added in the SEs can also be seen walking in front of the camera briefly just before they are stopped by the stormtroopers. Then a small flying robot can be seen next to the stormtrooper questioning Obi-wan, and the Ronto can be seen again in the distance as the speeder starts moving again (right before and after the noted 'vaseline' scene).
In a scene just a bit later showing the exterior of the Cantina, a tiny flying spaceship has been added, along with a couple of people walking in, and a more active Dewback.
A later shot of R2 and C3PO waiting outside the cantina (right after Obiwan cuts off the bully's arm) add a stormtrooper on a Dewback.
After Han shoots first, stormtroopers are shown looking for the droids. The SEs add a floating robot alongside the troopers.
The next shot of Luke and Obi-wan walking through Mos Eisley adds some tiny spaceships visible through the windows.
When the Millenium Falcon is pulled into the Death Star, the wide shot showing both in-frame with the Falcon moving away from the camera, was re-done to make it move faster and become smaller.
In the "Approaching Yavin" segment, after the Falcon lands, the shot of the large stone temple/base has been redone for the SEs to add more detail and a small vehicle.
There are also numerous additional space scenes in the attack on the Death Star that were redone.
And a possible reason for some of the odd choices in changes/additions/cuts... Most of the smaller alterations were done while trying to reduce the workload by not altering the lengths of the scenes (probably to avoid losing sync with the audio mix).
In "The Canyon" sequence from the article, the first shot of the jawa sandcrawler (when the jawas are carrying R2 to it) has had the sky replaced in the SEs, to match the dusk/night setting of the opening shot. The original sky is a light blue afternoon, while the SE sky is a sunset pink fading into a very dark night blue with stars.
In "Mos Eisley Spaceport", the Ronto added in the SEs can also be seen walking in front of the camera briefly just before they are stopped by the stormtroopers. Then a small flying robot can be seen next to the stormtrooper questioning Obi-wan, and the Ronto can be seen again in the distance as the speeder starts moving again (right before and after the noted 'vaseline' scene).
In a scene just a bit later showing the exterior of the Cantina, a tiny flying spaceship has been added, along with a couple of people walking in, and a more active Dewback.
A later shot of R2 and C3PO waiting outside the cantina (right after Obiwan cuts off the bully's arm) add a stormtrooper on a Dewback.
After Han shoots first, stormtroopers are shown looking for the droids. The SEs add a floating robot alongside the troopers.
The next shot of Luke and Obi-wan walking through Mos Eisley adds some tiny spaceships visible through the windows.
When the Millenium Falcon is pulled into the Death Star, the wide shot showing both in-frame with the Falcon moving away from the camera, was re-done to make it move faster and become smaller.
In the "Approaching Yavin" segment, after the Falcon lands, the shot of the large stone temple/base has been redone for the SEs to add more detail and a small vehicle.
There are also numerous additional space scenes in the attack on the Death Star that were redone.
And a possible reason for some of the odd choices in changes/additions/cuts... Most of the smaller alterations were done while trying to reduce the workload by not altering the lengths of the scenes (probably to avoid losing sync with the audio mix).
V & VI updated too?
i hope you update Empire and Jedi,
Hopefully we'll see some of the Hoth battle you forgot to mention in the original article.
....and the rancor in VI too.
Hopefully we'll see some of the Hoth battle you forgot to mention in the original article.
....and the rancor in VI too.
Great, great work Mr. Gould. This is terrific, re-reading your analyisis
Read the comments people, everything will be revealed

Why is this back up?
GREAt work!
I would upgrade from the widescreen 'original' versions on VHS I have (for obvious reasons) but some of the silly additions and CGI crud that has been shoved in (like in the space port with those comical creatures!) just annoys me too much to bother.
I would upgrade from the widescreen 'original' versions on VHS I have (for obvious reasons) but some of the silly additions and CGI crud that has been shoved in (like in the space port with those comical creatures!) just annoys me too much to bother.
Magnificent article. I loved how you showed all the changes. I agreed with most of them, the Jabba one really annoyed me.
If you'd read the comments I made not two posts ago you'd know. It's not a review either, it's merely an exploration of Lucas' continual revisions.
So what's been added to this review?
Great Review Chris! It's amazing seeing the changes. Like you said, lots of changes over the years, some good, others not necessary. Overall, it's amazing seeing how technology can change the way we look at movies.
It must have took you many nights to do this article, but it was worth it. May the force be with you!
It must have took you many nights to do this article, but it was worth it. May the force be with you!
Article updated with the canyon scene, the wolfman in the Mos Eisley cantina, the approach to Yavin IV and select scenes from the Battle of Yavin.
No rebel hanger?
Great work, although there was another new change for the DVD you forgot to mention, the rebel hanger's matte painting was cleaned up and stretched out to make it more realistic, just like the death star corridor that you mentioned.
The punishment for inserting Wooden Cringensen in "Return..." should be severe.
The opening title crawl is a total redo on the DVD with entirely different CG stars in the backgorund.
Hey, finally someone else who remembers the'
She's beautiful'
So's life kid'
She's rich...
I have been bitching about that change for ages, only for everyone to tell me it didn't exist. It was definately there in the 1977 theatre release - it was my favourite line (I'm also glad to find out I'm not mad.
Hey, finally someone else who remembers the'
She's beautiful'
So's life kid'
She's rich...
I have been bitching about that change for ages, only for everyone to tell me it didn't exist. It was definately there in the 1977 theatre release - it was my favourite line (I'm also glad to find out I'm not mad.
I've never been entirely convinced he yelled 'Carrie'. He's denied it in several interviews, and it's so indistinct that it could easily be 'hey you'. I'll check it out when I have time.
"Carrie" flub..
After the destruction of the death star, you always heard Luke yelling "Carrie" when reunited with Leia. On the new DVD edition he now yells something to the effect of "hey, you."
did they catch this one?
Did they fix the famous "Carrie" line that Luke says after the Deathstar battle?
That's my favorite blooper
That's my favorite blooper
Repeated dialogue
Great article. Another thing I hate about the inserted Jabba scene is the repeated dialogue from the Cantina scene:
Cantina:
Greedo: Jabba's through with you. He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an imperial cruiser.
Han: Even I get boarded sometimes. You think I had a choice?
About 2 minutes later at the Falcon:
Jabba: What if everyone who smuggled for me dropped their cargo at the first sign of an imperial starship? It's not good business.
Han: Look Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes. You think I had a choice?
It's just to similar and I cringe when I hear it. It's just bad, bad, bad.
Cantina:
Greedo: Jabba's through with you. He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an imperial cruiser.
Han: Even I get boarded sometimes. You think I had a choice?
About 2 minutes later at the Falcon:
Jabba: What if everyone who smuggled for me dropped their cargo at the first sign of an imperial starship? It's not good business.
Han: Look Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes. You think I had a choice?
It's just to similar and I cringe when I hear it. It's just bad, bad, bad.
More Precisely
Chris, thanks for the quick responce.
I could finally trace back to the special edition.
And DVD is redone at the shot I pointed out.
The hanging devices above fighters are now slowly decsending.
I understand you could not put everything in time and appreciate all of your discoveries.
Hope mine would be of some help.
I could finally trace back to the special edition.
And DVD is redone at the shot I pointed out.
The hanging devices above fighters are now slowly decsending.
I understand you could not put everything in time and appreciate all of your discoveries.
Hope mine would be of some help.
Audio Change
First, Chris, all three articles were great. Thanks for the hard work you put into them. The Star Wars Behind the Magic CD-ROM states that all exisiting incarnations of A New Hope have a different actress voicing over Shelagh Fraser, who played Aunt Beru. Shelagh Fraser's voice was used in the original theatrical release only. All subsequent releases were dubbed. So none of the home video versions contain her original voice.
You are correct. It was altered for the SE. Unfortunately the timeframe I allowed myself for the articles meant that I wasn't able to included everything first time around. I will be going back and adding stuff as and when I have time (I also need to include the enhanced Battle of Yavin).
Another Change
Great job. I found three to four differences that I had not done by myself.
At the Masassi Temple fighter bay, look down shot of assembling X and Y-Wing fighters is changed from clumsy patch work of live action footage to something beautiful and credible. I guess this is the bonus for the DVD. or was it from 97?
At the Masassi Temple fighter bay, look down shot of assembling X and Y-Wing fighters is changed from clumsy patch work of live action footage to something beautiful and credible. I guess this is the bonus for the DVD. or was it from 97?
Star Destroyer in opening battle
There has been much effort to change the famous giant ship from the opening battle so that it looks more than its (larger model) cousins in ETSB. In the original version there was only a small model with reduced details on the upper hull and some other features that would differ from the Star Destroyer-design in ETSB and ROTJ. So they superimposed the upper part of the ETSB-SD-hull (or changed that by CGI supposedly) over the original hull when we see the SD from the front.
A small detail, but maybe you can use it.
A small detail, but maybe you can use it.
Overlooking Mos Eisley
I recognized the picture from a vacation I just took to Death Valley. The photo of the scene from the DVD is taken from a place called Dante's View on Dante's Peak, CA, which overlooks the salt flats in Death Valley. I have a photo of it with almost the exact same angle and you can definately see the similar landmark features in both.
If you're interested, my photo can be seen at:
Link
If you're interested, my photo can be seen at:
Link
C3PO tractor beam dialog & "she's beautiful"
I can't prove this (and anything anyone heard or read about the making of these movies more than a year or two ago is immediately suspect since Lucas constantly revises his own history) but I remember once reading that the C3PO tractor beam lines were added for the first US TV broadcast to make sense of the scene and to fill in dead air. I don't know for sure. Those lines are in every video version I ever owned except the Definitive Laserdisc.
And I think I remember hearing the "she's beautiful / so's life" exchange in the radio version. Can't swear to it though.
And I think I remember hearing the "she's beautiful / so's life" exchange in the radio version. Can't swear to it though.
Trash compactor scene
Take another look at the trash compactor scene, at the point where Luke gets pulled under, then Han shouts "Luke!", then Leia shouts "Luke!!"
Originally, you could see Ford and Fisher shouting at almost the same moment, but you heard them separately. The result was you saw Fisher shout noticeably before you heard her voice.
With the DVD release her physical actions are now in sync with her voice.
The reason it's weird is because if you look at her gown, it's drifting back and forth both before and after she shouts in a very unnatural manner, like they had to figure out what to do with the extra time so they animated her weaving side to side. Or maybe there's a breeze in there now, I dunno.
Whatever the reasoning, it looks kinda freaky. Necessary? Well it cleans up a 25 year old blooper and from an anal retentive stand point maybe that's good, but you could argue it was a waste of time and resources to fix something like this. It further drains the movie of some of its original charm.
Originally, you could see Ford and Fisher shouting at almost the same moment, but you heard them separately. The result was you saw Fisher shout noticeably before you heard her voice.
With the DVD release her physical actions are now in sync with her voice.
The reason it's weird is because if you look at her gown, it's drifting back and forth both before and after she shouts in a very unnatural manner, like they had to figure out what to do with the extra time so they animated her weaving side to side. Or maybe there's a breeze in there now, I dunno.
Whatever the reasoning, it looks kinda freaky. Necessary? Well it cleans up a 25 year old blooper and from an anal retentive stand point maybe that's good, but you could argue it was a waste of time and resources to fix something like this. It further drains the movie of some of its original charm.
In The Begining... Episode Numbers
I think you might have missed the very first change to the Star Wars films... literally.
I believe that when ANH was orignally released in theaters there was no Episode Number included in the opening scroll. This was added for a later theatrical rerelease to better fit in with the coming sequels.
-Rude
I believe that when ANH was orignally released in theaters there was no Episode Number included in the opening scroll. This was added for a later theatrical rerelease to better fit in with the coming sequels.
-Rude
I don't remember hearing that line in any release I've ever owned, including the 1993 definitive laserdisc edition of the original theatrical release.
Another missing line
Hi,
I remember from the original theatrical release of ANH, in the Death Star scene where Luke is trying to persuade Han to help rescue the Princess, He first tempts him with "She's Beautiful", to which Han replies "Yeah so's life". Then he changes his approach with "She's rich".
The former lines seem to have been omitted from both the SE and DVD releases.
Regards, Ade
I remember from the original theatrical release of ANH, in the Death Star scene where Luke is trying to persuade Han to help rescue the Princess, He first tempts him with "She's Beautiful", to which Han replies "Yeah so's life". Then he changes his approach with "She's rich".
The former lines seem to have been omitted from both the SE and DVD releases.
Regards, Ade
More missing details
Hi, Chris. Great article. Just wanted to point out some more things you've overlooked.
Although not technically a "change", it's worth noting the "Episode IV: A New Hope" to the crawl, although it was for a pre-Empire theatrical re-release. Also, the new Lucasfilm logo replaces the old pre-SE bare-bones text.
The dusk sky above R2 when he enters the Jawa canyon was an SE change, and the wide shot of the Sandcrawler as the Jawas carry R2 towards it was likewise tweaked (stars now visible in the SE). The whole scene seems to be color-timed darker, as well. (Or at least, it does when compared to my venerable pre-SE VHS tapes!)
Kenny Baker's momentarily visible face behind the R2 "Eye" was blanked.
When you see the Lars homestead in the SE when the Jawas are unloading the auction droids, in long shot it seems a lot of moisture vaporators have been digitally added for the SE (which inexplicably then aren't there in the matching wide angle several shots later, when Owen and Luke go up to inspect the droid line!)
The Tusken Raiders' P.O.V. of Luke's landspeeder seems amended for the SE. (Actually, I'm not sure about this one, so feel free to refute it!)
As Chris Flora noted, the Cantina creature smoking a pipe and wearing a "beret" is a new addition, replacing the old off-the-shelf Rick Baker "Wolfman" mask. (which, actually, I prefer!)
When Luke sells his speeder, through the archway in the background, a CG flying creature of some sort was added for the SE.
Flying Imperial spy probots added to the Mos Eisley streets.
A tiny thing...but if you still frame the explosion of Alderaan, there appears to be a "planetary shield" effect just before the new explosion. It's very subtle.
I've a feeling the first wide shot of the Falcon docked in the Death Star's bay 327 was reworked for the SE with a new digital matte painting, but I'm not too sure. The later shot where Leia looks through the window slot ("You came in that thing"?) is definitely a new SE shot, because the original lighting slot patterns on the "elevator pit" have been completely changed.
The Falcon's approach to Yavin boasts some rejigged more dynamic CG shots for the SE. Also, the new landing maneouver that the Falcon makes as it comes into the jungle is new.
Don't forget too, that the exterior of the Massassi Temple is a new digital matte for the SE.
Lots and lots of changes in the Death Star battle, of course...far too many to list! One good one, though, is the addition of the Falcon banking away right after Han turns up and saves Luke's bacon.
A really fun thing to note is in the new SE footage of Biggs on Yavin IV: there's a CG person added to the shot walking across frame, to momentarily mask dialogue originally shot, in which Red Leader tells Luke he once knew Luke's father...which, as his father is Vader, is of course a Lucas faux pas he's now covered up!
I'm sure there's still way-more little tweaks that are yet to be revealed...
Although not technically a "change", it's worth noting the "Episode IV: A New Hope" to the crawl, although it was for a pre-Empire theatrical re-release. Also, the new Lucasfilm logo replaces the old pre-SE bare-bones text.
The dusk sky above R2 when he enters the Jawa canyon was an SE change, and the wide shot of the Sandcrawler as the Jawas carry R2 towards it was likewise tweaked (stars now visible in the SE). The whole scene seems to be color-timed darker, as well. (Or at least, it does when compared to my venerable pre-SE VHS tapes!)
Kenny Baker's momentarily visible face behind the R2 "Eye" was blanked.
When you see the Lars homestead in the SE when the Jawas are unloading the auction droids, in long shot it seems a lot of moisture vaporators have been digitally added for the SE (which inexplicably then aren't there in the matching wide angle several shots later, when Owen and Luke go up to inspect the droid line!)
The Tusken Raiders' P.O.V. of Luke's landspeeder seems amended for the SE. (Actually, I'm not sure about this one, so feel free to refute it!)
As Chris Flora noted, the Cantina creature smoking a pipe and wearing a "beret" is a new addition, replacing the old off-the-shelf Rick Baker "Wolfman" mask. (which, actually, I prefer!)
When Luke sells his speeder, through the archway in the background, a CG flying creature of some sort was added for the SE.
Flying Imperial spy probots added to the Mos Eisley streets.
A tiny thing...but if you still frame the explosion of Alderaan, there appears to be a "planetary shield" effect just before the new explosion. It's very subtle.
I've a feeling the first wide shot of the Falcon docked in the Death Star's bay 327 was reworked for the SE with a new digital matte painting, but I'm not too sure. The later shot where Leia looks through the window slot ("You came in that thing"?) is definitely a new SE shot, because the original lighting slot patterns on the "elevator pit" have been completely changed.
The Falcon's approach to Yavin boasts some rejigged more dynamic CG shots for the SE. Also, the new landing maneouver that the Falcon makes as it comes into the jungle is new.
Don't forget too, that the exterior of the Massassi Temple is a new digital matte for the SE.
Lots and lots of changes in the Death Star battle, of course...far too many to list! One good one, though, is the addition of the Falcon banking away right after Han turns up and saves Luke's bacon.
A really fun thing to note is in the new SE footage of Biggs on Yavin IV: there's a CG person added to the shot walking across frame, to momentarily mask dialogue originally shot, in which Red Leader tells Luke he once knew Luke's father...which, as his father is Vader, is of course a Lucas faux pas he's now covered up!
I'm sure there's still way-more little tweaks that are yet to be revealed...
A couple of updates - Overlooking Mos Eisley and the missing tractor beam line. I have been told that this was in the theatrical release, and was lost on some home video copies in a similar fashion to the blast doors line. Unfortunately I have no way of confirming that.
Omitting every little change was a deliberate creative decision
I've said that the new Mos Eisley footage contains various droids, dewbacks, rontos and the like, so I'm not going to add more images to an already image-intensive article!

Other scenes...
Chris,
Fantastic work! You pointed out quite a few things that I did not notice on my own (and probably wouldn't have). But I wanted to mention that you missed a few things in the cantina scene. Particularly the Patrol Dewback outside of the Cantina as Luke, Ben, C-3PO walk in. Also...if memory serves there was a characer inside that he removed and replaced with something else (I could be wrong about that though).
Also, I find it interesting to note that the original Theatrical Release did not have "A New Hope" in the openening Prolgue...that was added some time later...pre-special edition I believe.
Again, great work...thanks for taking the time to do it.
Fantastic work! You pointed out quite a few things that I did not notice on my own (and probably wouldn't have). But I wanted to mention that you missed a few things in the cantina scene. Particularly the Patrol Dewback outside of the Cantina as Luke, Ben, C-3PO walk in. Also...if memory serves there was a characer inside that he removed and replaced with something else (I could be wrong about that though).
Also, I find it interesting to note that the original Theatrical Release did not have "A New Hope" in the openening Prolgue...that was added some time later...pre-special edition I believe.
Again, great work...thanks for taking the time to do it.
What about the cgi dewback in mos eisley?
Vader's breathing and TK-421
Excellent job on the article. You mentioned the "deliberate creative decisions" in relation to the audio flubs. Here's another one that I believe I heard. In the end of the Death Star trench battle in ANH, right after Vader collides with the other Tie Fighter, you hear his breathing. Listen to it with the English tracks and then listen to it on the French 2.0 track. Part of his breathing is missing on the English track.
With respect to the "TK-421, why aren't you at your post" scene on the Death Star, I don't believe that is static. If you listen closely, I hear nothing more than the sound of Luke tapping his helmet.
With respect to the "TK-421, why aren't you at your post" scene on the Death Star, I don't believe that is static. If you listen closely, I hear nothing more than the sound of Luke tapping his helmet.
I will be attempting an update of both this and the Empire article over the next few days, so if people have anything else that they'd like included (aside from what's already been suggested) then please post it here.
Excellent Article
I've been looking for something like this since I bought the new DVDs. I admire what hard work this must be.
It's nice to see what has changed (especially between the SE and the DVD, I honestly don't remember Jabba the Hutt looking that bad).
It's nice to see what has changed (especially between the SE and the DVD, I honestly don't remember Jabba the Hutt looking that bad).
Great article - looking forward to the rest...
No mention of C3PO tractor beam dialog
While the article is thoroughly comprehensive, it seems to have missed the new C3PO tractor beam dialog that was introduced with the Special Edition release.
The original release had a brief mention that R2 would show the location of the tractor beam controls on the monitor. The Special Edition expanded this dialog to explain what was being shown - wholly unnecessary, in my opinion, and the shift in voice timbre is immediately obvious.
The original release had a brief mention that R2 would show the location of the tractor beam controls on the monitor. The Special Edition expanded this dialog to explain what was being shown - wholly unnecessary, in my opinion, and the shift in voice timbre is immediately obvious.
Quote: Originally posted by David Beamish
Great work Chris. A very in depth piece. No caps from the scene when Jabba was a fat man then?
I wonder how long it will be before the magazines and other websites pick up on this and attempt to copy your work!
Again.. well done. Must have taken a long time.
I ran across another site that listed changes in all three films but it only listed the major changes and it was not as in depth.
I thought this article was great. EXCELLENT JOB! I look forward to the next two articles.
I have yet to watch any of the DVDs and I bought it the day after it came out. I've just not had the time. I do know what's in store for me at the end of Jedi though. :-p
Great work Chris. A very in depth piece. No caps from the scene when Jabba was a fat man then?
I wonder how long it will be before the magazines and other websites pick up on this and attempt to copy your work!
Again.. well done. Must have taken a long time.
I ran across another site that listed changes in all three films but it only listed the major changes and it was not as in depth.
I thought this article was great. EXCELLENT JOB! I look forward to the next two articles.
I have yet to watch any of the DVDs and I bought it the day after it came out. I've just not had the time. I do know what's in store for me at the end of Jedi though. :-p
Part two is well under way, and I'm hoping to have it done by the middle of this week.
Part 2?
When will we see Part 2? This was such a great article i can hardly wait to see the others.
Article updated with Stormtroopers on Tatooine and teh missing Force Fanfare at the end. More updates to follow soon, such as the gunshot sound for the lasers, and the Stormtrooper hiting his head.
The article has now been restored to its original form. We're sorry for the rather unattractive one the past couple of days, but the article attracted rather a lot of attention in one go! Thanks for understanding
More please...
This was a wonderful article...
I can't wait for the remaining parts of this topic.
Bring it on!!!
I can't wait for the remaining parts of this topic.
Bring it on!!!
great changes
i think the changes are great not also the movies look soooo good u think they were just made in the 90's dam computers can do anything now
Has anyone else noticed that most if not all of the explosions in the DVD set have had their color changed to some extent? I've noticed a lot of green in the explosions myself.
Brilliant article, although you've missed out the extended "look sir droids" scene on tatooine which was extended for the Special Edition, other than that great article and I look forward to your empire strikes back one!
Great work Chris. A very in depth piece. No caps from the scene when Jabba was a fat man then?
I wonder how long it will be before the magazines and other websites pick up on this and attempt to copy your work!
Again.. well done. Must have taken a long time.
I wonder how long it will be before the magazines and other websites pick up on this and attempt to copy your work!
Again.. well done. Must have taken a long time.
Great Job!
Really brilliant stuff Mr. Gould.
This article is the most in depth look at the changes of these films ever. When can we expect "Empire"'s exposé?
This article is the most in depth look at the changes of these films ever. When can we expect "Empire"'s exposé?
Could they have made Jabba look any uglier?
Quote: Originally posted by Tyler Foster
Also something of note, whether you need to add it to the article or not, is that Lucas has left the arm of the guy in the cantina bloody, and in the later films, lightsabers cauterize wounds. Yet another little glaring thing they left in, that screams, "I'll fix that later!"
What's more, the guy who's arm was cut off didn't have claws.
Also something of note, whether you need to add it to the article or not, is that Lucas has left the arm of the guy in the cantina bloody, and in the later films, lightsabers cauterize wounds. Yet another little glaring thing they left in, that screams, "I'll fix that later!"
What's more, the guy who's arm was cut off didn't have claws.
Severed Arm?
Also something of note, whether you need to add it to the article or not, is that Lucas has left the arm of the guy in the cantina bloody, and in the later films, lightsabers cauterize wounds. Yet another little glaring thing they left in, that screams, "I'll fix that later!"
I'm not sure what happened with the 'On Your tail' mp3s. They were ok before I uploaded them, but it's possible I renamed one by mistake and upload two idential mp3s. I'll sort it out later tonight. The switched insignias appear in Empire.
I also considered adding the new effect for the Stormtrooper whacking his head, but decided against it. However, as it's been requested I'll add it to the comparison.
I also considered adding the new effect for the Stormtrooper whacking his head, but decided against it. However, as it's been requested I'll add it to the comparison.
"he's on your tail!"
great article, Chris!
one thing I noticed: the very last sound comparison seams to link to the same audio clip twice. although the file names are different, both mp3s are exactly the same size and there's no dialogue in either of them.
oh, and I heard that the rank insignia on some of the Imperial Officers' uniforms have been "corrected". they were on the wrong side in the original version, because those shots had been flipped. but I'm not sure if that's in ANH or one of the other two films.
looking forward to the other two comparisons!
Tom
one thing I noticed: the very last sound comparison seams to link to the same audio clip twice. although the file names are different, both mp3s are exactly the same size and there's no dialogue in either of them.
oh, and I heard that the rank insignia on some of the Imperial Officers' uniforms have been "corrected". they were on the wrong side in the original version, because those shots had been flipped. but I'm not sure if that's in ANH or one of the other two films.
looking forward to the other two comparisons!
Tom
Nit
Nice piece of writing! I only missed one minor detail in the sound department. You know the well-known nit where the stormtrooper hits his head on the door (in the scene where C3PO and R2D2 are in the control room)? They knew they couldn't delete this scene, so they probably decided to do something funny with it, so they put a bonking sound under it! It's very clearly audible!
A very thorough analysis. I have seen only the 2004 A New Hope so far & have noted the subtle diferences. I patiently await the Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi comparisons in due time.
May The Force Be With You!!!
May The Force Be With You!!!
Fantastic article Chris, though I would mention a point I last week : when Han gets off the speeder after arriving at the rebel base in ANH, the film is reversed : his gun's clearly on his left left leg; and the next scene where R2 is plugged in is also reversed. This was eveident in the original videos, the Special Editions and still there on the DVD's.
Fascinating reading, Chris and looking forward to Parts 2 and 3. I never got to see the original editions which makes this all the more interesting for me.
Tops work Chris!
I spose we all need to remember that they are starting to do this with other films to an extent - the re-author of Alien 3 for the Quadrilogy edition comes to mind....
Again this sort of thing may be ground breaking for what will happen in the future especially as computer generated characters get better and one day we will not be able to pick the difference between a live actor and a CG actor, giving new possibilites to enhancing (or destoring( a story....
Again this sort of thing may be ground breaking for what will happen in the future especially as computer generated characters get better and one day we will not be able to pick the difference between a live actor and a CG actor, giving new possibilites to enhancing (or destoring( a story....
...
Excellent article Chris, look forward to ESB and ROTJ.
Chris, what are you doing? You are not writing right now!! Come on, lazy f***, I need my dope ^_^ !
AMAZING WORK!! MORE!! MORE!!
AMAZING WORK!! MORE!! MORE!!
Nice work Chris
Look forward to your ESB article
DC
Look forward to your ESB article
DC
Great article on one of my favorite movies of all time. Wow I cant believe you got so many of the changes and problems with the new DVD box set, it would take some one forever to write an article on everything wrong and new about it.
Chris,
Great article chronicaling the changes over the years. WHile I don't agree with all of your opinions on them, I respect the amount of work that went into this. I can't wait to read the other two.
Great article chronicaling the changes over the years. WHile I don't agree with all of your opinions on them, I respect the amount of work that went into this. I can't wait to read the other two.
Jabba
The ANH 2004 Jabba model is the exact same CGI model from The Phantom Menace, with improved bump-mapping and darker lighting due to the hangar.
impressive...
Thats a lot of work chris, good job!
I just want to point out leia's dirty harry blaster is gone now and there is an absense of blaster sounds when the falcon evades the imperials from tatoonine (i think).
Plus there is the whole 5.1 creative choice thing.
On the video, there are chroma boxes around a few sequences toward the end of the movie that shouldnt be there, and lots of blue and purple bleed, in the cockpits of the fighters and as you can see in that deathstar explosion.
I just want to point out leia's dirty harry blaster is gone now and there is an absense of blaster sounds when the falcon evades the imperials from tatoonine (i think).
Plus there is the whole 5.1 creative choice thing.
On the video, there are chroma boxes around a few sequences toward the end of the movie that shouldnt be there, and lots of blue and purple bleed, in the cockpits of the fighters and as you can see in that deathstar explosion.
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