Spielberg decides upcoming E.T. blu ray will ONLY feature the 1982 cut!

[Jay 37,287]

Great news!

If Spielberg Considers Revisting His Work

Spielberg: That's a little hot topic isn't it? (laughs). Let me put it this way, George does what he does because there's only one George Lucas, and thank god for that. He's the greatest person I've ever worked with as a filmmaker collaborator and he's a conceptual genius. He puts together these amazing stories and he's great at what he does. My feeling is that he can do anything he wants with his movies because they're his movies and we wouldn't have been raised with Star Wars or Indiana Jones had it not been for George.

Speaking for myself, I tried this once and I learned to regret it. Not because of fan outrage, but simply because I was a little disappointed in myself. I got very kind of overly sensitive to some of the criticism E.T. had gotten from parent groups when it was first released in '82. Having to do with Elliot saying penis breath or the guns with the CIA. And also there were some rough around the edges close-ups of E.T. that I had always thought if technology ever evolves to the point where I can do some facial enhancements with E.T. I would like to. So I did an E.T. pass for the third release of the movie and it was okay for a while then I realized that what I had done was I had robbed people who loved E.T. of their memories of E.T. My only contrition that I could possibly do because I feel bad about that, the only contrition that I really performed was when E.T. came out on DVD for the first time. I told Universal, we're going to do this or we're not going to put E.T. on DVD. You have to put two movies in the box and one movie will be the 1982 version and the other will be the digitally enhanced version. What I'd like to ask is this. We'll do a little poll here. I know we're coming out with the Blu-ray of E.T. If I came out with just one E.T. on Blu-ray, the 1982 one, would anybody object to that? (Audience shouts 'No!') Ok, so be it.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=7323

[Red 75]

Spielberg > Lucas

[King Mark 3,625]

Well, this means the DVD with CG changes will become valuable collectors items

And I bet there will be an outraged fan group making a petition to include the 2002 version on the Blu RAy (kids who saw it for the first time in 2002 or DVD will have their childhood raped)

[Jay 37,287]

(OMG, it feels good to be able to use familiar emoticons again!)

[nightscape94 965]

He has chosen.....wisely.

[Incanus 5,713]

I am happy that Spielberg once more started to believe in the power of his original film and unlike Lucas has guts to admit that his CGI tinkerings did not improve the already classic movie.

[Datameister 2,037]

As I said on the temporary board, I'm pleased but not surprised. Spielberg apparently has a much better understanding of what's made his own films work (or not work) than Lucas does.

Incidentally, I caught a bit of E.T. on TV tonight and enjoyed watching the lack of CGI. They really did a phenomenal job with the puppetry (etc.).

[Jeff 10]

As I said on the temporary board, I'm pleased but not surprised. Spielberg apparently has a much better understanding of what's made his own films work (or not work) than Lucas does.

Incidentally, I caught a bit of E.T. on TV tonight and enjoyed watching the lack of CGI. They really did a phenomenal job with the puppetry (etc.).

What name were you posting under over there?

[Jay 37,287]

Dead Data.

[Jeff 10]

Huh, I never noticed that username.

I just looked it up, and Data only made 8 posts on the other board (one of which I now actually remember reading - must not have paid attention to the username). Then I checked my stats and noticed I only posted 4 times. Meh.

In case anyone's interested, the top posters on the temp board were:

Stefan 159 posts

Quint 146

KM 125

[King Mark 3,625]

Most of Quints posts are on how how he hated the place, yet he was the most present

[Jay 37,287]

LOL

[Quintus 5,399]

I never once said I hated the place at all. In fact I remember at one point saying it was pretty good. But after three weeks I began to vocalise how I found the place to be... insufficient. And then it snowballed and I got all Doom of Our Time.

At the very least I kept the back up board ALIVE!

[King Mark 3,625]

I initiated the migration to the temporary board by inciting everyone to join. And started the undead name thing

We'd have been stuck at FSM with the few odd post and LeHah looming over our shoulders otherwise

[Quintus 5,399]

True. I think I followed you over there first, actually.

[Thor 7,465]

As I said at the temp board, I actually think the 2002 SE is fine, although I prefer the original version like most people. But I already have the gift box DVD set that was released some years ago, so I'm not upgrading yet again. Besides, I don't have a bluray player in the first place!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

But what about those kids who grew up with the 2002 version? they now have to miss the E.T. and Elliot bathroom scene?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I'd rather have both. I'm a completist like that.

If they could do it for Blade Runner, why not for E.T.?

[ymenard 54]

I really wonder why nobody asked him his toughts about the CGI scene during the Desert Chase that only aired on the HD telecast, or all the little CGI fixes (boulder pillars, snake reflection, etc..)

[Jilal 569]

Yes! Now i don't have to show my future kids the awful 2002 version.

[tharpdevenport 4]

"George does what he does because there's only one George Lucas, and thank god for that"

The msot true words ever! Probably not what Steven meant, but still...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Spielberg isn't going to twist Lucas' arm to release the original unaltered trilogy, instead he's guilting him into it by leading by example. Hope it works eventually.