168 -=The Michigan Daily Weekerd Magazine - Thursday, January 30, 1997
REMASTERED
Continued from Page 3B
when the original was released, due to
either tack of technology or lack of
interest.
With newfound techniques and pas-
sions, "Star Wars" now harbors a scene
in which bulbuous Jabba the Hut, previ-
ously not introduced until the third
installment, confronts wily Han Solo
about his debts.
Digitally created, Jabba slithers
around the docking bay, surrounded by
his goons, including cult hero Boba
Fett. He speaks in his native tongue,
making idle threats as Han literally
walks all over him.
Not only is this scene visually
astounding, but it also adds an air of
freshness to the first half of the film,
making this viewing feel like the first
time.
The second noteworthy restored
scene depicts Luke exchanging sto-
ries of home with old friend Biggs,
as they prepare to do battle with the
Empire.
Though this sequence is not piv-
otal to the plot or all that memorable,
the 1ifteraction fleshes out Luke's
motives and allows for more sympa-
thy when Biggs goes down in battle.
Other than those two sequences, most
of the changes are rather blink-and-
you'll-miss-them subtle -a skeleton in
the desert, more creatures and buildings
in Mos Eisley, more mobile animals,
greater topography on planets, an entire
army of stormtroopers confronting Han
and so on.
The true highlights of "The Special
Edition," aside from the witty one-
liners and that tense garbage com-
pactor scene, are the rousing Death
Star battle scenes, which are ear-
marked by remastered sound effects
and more state-of-the-art back-
grounds and visuals.
Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Ben Kenobi (Alec Guiness), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) Chewbacca the Wookie encounter the huge Death
Special Edition."
Star in the "Star Wars: The
Astounding and in-your-face exciting,
the new high-tech battle scenes strap you
right into Luke's X-Wing fighter, as he
evades Darth Vader and annihilates the
Death Star, not letting you go until you
reach the medal ceremony.
Groundbreaking, earth-shattering,
sweeping, romantic and enormously,
fun, "Star Wars: The Special Edition"
allows audiences to remember why they
go to the movies in the first place - to
escape to another world. And the myth-
ical galaxy of "Star Wars" is so full of
life, history, romance and intrigue that
you tend to forget all the planets, wook-
ies, X-wings and stormtroopers are all
but one man's vision.
Beware of Sandpeople don't kiss
Princess Leia and don't think Darth
Vader is dead. Just indulge yourself
in the regressive futuristic master-
piece that is "Star Wars," and see
why Homer has nothing on George
Lucas.
m
dise
LUCAS
Continued from Page 3B3
old Nick Nolte as Luke Skywalker.
Lucas cast unknown Mark Hamill as
Luke, erstwhile carpenter Harrison
Ford as dashing Han Solo and sassy
Debbie Reynolds offspring Carrie
Fisher as spunky Princess Leia, this
month's Details magazine reported.
Landing living legend Sir Alec
Guiness to play the pivotal role of wise
old Obi-Wan Kenobi, "Star Wars" was
set for production in March 1976.
Alternately shooting in the deserts of
Tunisia and on soundstages in London,
Lucas faced unforgiving weather, disre-
spectful British crews and the tribula-
tions of creating another world from
only scattered images and sketches.
Basing Wookie Chewbacca on his
wife's malamute and droid C-3PO on
Fritz Lang's "Metropolis," Lucas suc-
ceeded at bringing most of his visions
to life, relying heavily on the use of
models, puppets and prototypical blue-
screen technology.
Plagued by technological limitations,
Hamill's severe automobile accident,
extensive re-shoots and the trouble with
Fisher's too-large chest, "Star Wars"
was released originally on 32 screens
on a Wednesday and expanded to more
than 1,000 on the following Friday.
Met with unbridled enthusiasm and
box office lines stretching for miles.
George Lucas' "60 out of 100 percent"
vision of "Star Wars" went on to become
the greatest force in pop culture of the
past 20 years, creating the largest multi-
media marketing empire in history, win-
ning three Academy Awards and becom-
ing a film industry milestone.
The film was reserved as a film of
"historical, cultural and aesthetic signifi-
cance" by an act of Congress in 1989.
But the power of the "Star Wars" trilogy
still resonates today - action figures,
books, CD-ROMs, videocassettes and
even entire episodes of "Friends" feature
the eternal influence of Lucas' vision.
Nowhere is Lucas' vision better rep-
resented than in the "100-percent"
restoration of the trilogy to be released
in the coming weeks and in the plans
for the "Star Wars" of the future.
The second "Star Wars" trilogy, for
which Lucas is presently finishing the
screenplays and reportedly considering
such diverse talents as Kenneth
Branagh, Samuel L. Jackson and
Minnie Driver,,is slated for release in
1999, 2001 and 2003. It will concern
the rise and fall of Luke's father and his
relationships with Jedi master Yoda and
a galactic queen.
As the subject of a Smithsonian
exhibit this fall and undoubtedly inces-
sant media hype, the "Star Wars" saga,
both onscreen and off, will likely con-
tinue well into the next century.
I
Ground Floor of the Michigan Union
L.
id