Archive for September, 2006


Edit: This is the one thing that I was looking for on the original theatrical release. Theoretically, this now proves that the current theatrical release isn’t the one that I saw opening weekend in L.A. That being said… a good strong search of the web has told me a few things.
1) I didn’t imagine this scene
2) This scene was only shown in a few preview theatres before the major release… so it is understandable if its not considered part of the original widespread release
3) No one has been able to post an actual copy of the scene or photos of it which means.. Even Lucas may not have it anymore.

Here’s what I found
End of recent edit

From the site:
http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/star-wars-lost-footage.html

From ely2b@aol.com:

….An entirely different group of people seem to recall seeing Luke at the chasm throw his grappling hook and miss the first time, then throw it again before swinging across with Leia.

And from the site:
http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/star-wars.html

One persistent rumor is that the Star Wars CED contains a scene where Luke misses with the grappling hook the first time he throws it across the chasm in the Death Star and has to throw it a second time. I’ve checked about a dozen Star Wars CED’s for this scene and haven’t seen it, although you may want to check your copy (the grappling hook scene is 25 minutes into Side 2). This missing footage may have been present only in the 70mm theatrical print shown in nine theaters during the original May 25, 1977 release. More information on this is available in the Star Wars Compendium of Lost Footage.

Edit: and also from the site:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/7908/lost_scenes.txt

Subtle changes to the film since the initial 70mm New York (Loew’s Astor Plaza) and Los Angeles (Gramann’s Chinese Theater) showings… (I must point out that these are from memory, and I have only been able to verify them by asking the people whom I attending my first showing of the film with, and they have concurred…)

1) When Luke threw the grappling hook, he missed the first time and had to try again.

Dearest diary.. 13th of September, in the year of their lord 2006. Day 10 of my captivity.

The drums.. the drums!

My dearest schnookiemuffin asked me yesterday how things were having a child.

To answer this I need to roll back to about 2 years ago. A co-worker asked, “How are you enjoying being married?” I considered it and realized… I’ve lived with her for over a year and always enjoy her company… it really doesn’t feel any different. I just get to spend lots of time with one of my favourite people in the world.

So… how are things with the baby?

It’s a little surreal. Yes… I admit… watching the henson-eque visual effect of my son emerging out of the body of my love was one of the most emotional experiences of my life. After a few days of the amusement… I got over the feeling of, “So… they’re not going to take this away.”

Now… this wasn’t a feeling that I really wanted them to take him away. More along the lines of for the first few days he felt like ‘a loaner.’ Yeah, Andrei… we know you’re gonna have a kid so… here’s one to play with for a while… Try to actually get used to it so you’re ready.

Only thing is… this was the real thing and he’s not a loaner.

But it’s no less surreal. See… we’re in the reallllllly early stages. We have ‘baby’. Like the ones you NEVER see on TV or in the movies. There’s very little acknowledgment of the universe around him at this point. I have flashes of Dr. Keller wondering if he’s blind and deaf the way his head and eyes tend to lol (sic) around. (I’ve always wanted to use ‘lol’ as a verb, mind you. Even if I’ve spelled it wrong.) shimmeringjemmy assures me that he’s neither blind nor deaf and it’s just a lack of muscular control. I am the dad… so this means, “Okay… un-huh… you sure?”

So now we are into day 10. Yes… tomorrow he will be unable to count the days of his life on his hands. Unlike the past 10 days where he’s been unable to control them much at all. (No, sea_gaagii. No boxing gloves)

His regimen is pretty much what you’d expect. Sleep, Breast, Soil… lather, rinse, repeat. occasionally there is fidgeting and crying when we can’t quite figure out which of the above he wants or is transitioning between.

I’m trying to keep busy while being attentive. It’s amazing how I’ve transitioned from active to passive in this thing. I really can’t feed him (without help) and H spends a lot of time co-sleeping with him.

Amusingly, every-time I look at him. That internal neuron in my brain fires off and he’s the cutest thing in the world that I must protect with my life. Which of course has added some severely bizarre and sometimes annoyingly bothersome dreams.

I think we spent so much time anthropomorphizing him in the womb, that I expected a slightly higher level of sentience. But none the less, I can pick up an arm while he sleeps and it falls like a rag doll. A breathing, quivering rag doll. (Oh.. I’m going to give myself another nightmare at this rate)

I want to do more with him. Unfortunately, at this point.. the biggest game we have is, okay..let’s not look like drunk baby. Time to play strengthen that neck muscle.

It’s not bad. Really it isn’t. I’m crazy about him. Even when he makes a grimace that looks exactly like my dad having gas.

It’s just weird… and different… and glorious… and I look forward to when I can share this all with him on a level he’ll get. (and this thought is making me all misty eyed and sh&#)

I’m a dad. Who’d have thunk.

Final reaction…

Today I bought the new release of the old Star Wars trilogy.

I’d been joking for a while that I was looking forwards to the class action suit of geeks around the world.

I went to see Star Wars on opening weekend. I was 9 years old. Yes, kids.. I am that old.

I saw it on Twentieth Century Fox’s (few at the time remaining) silver screens in Los Angeles. (The family had taken a vacation there from where we were living in suburban eastern PA)

I remember the movie as if it were 29 days ago let alone 29 years. There was one thing I remember above all else. And it isn’t ingrained because of that watching but because of Empire three years later.

I remember going to see empire and seeing, “Part V, The Empire Strikes Back.” My friends and I sat there thinking, “5? What happened to 2, 3, and 4” We got a copy of the Betamax tape (Yes, kids…I am that old) of Star Wars and watched it. “Chapter IV… A New Hope.” New Hope? What the hell was New Hope? My friends and I knew damned well, that it wasn’t called New Hope when we first saw it. Hell, we lived in a town in Pennsylvania called “Yardley” which was the next town south of “New Hope”… We would’ve noticed.

But 25 years later… I’ve been told be mannnnny people… that it’s always said “Chapter IV”

Well, I’m here to tell you.. if you want to see the REAL “Star Wars”… The original… Without Chapter IV… Without Jabba… and there is no question of “Who Shot First”… Because only one person shot… And that Scoundrel was Han…

The trilogy is worth it. The original is unedited as I remember it. (Well, the scenes I watched)… There is one whole in my memory which I still debate… but since the film is “Star Wars” I’m going to have guess my memory on the other issue… may have been wrong.

Star Wars is in the original Dolby 2.0 (No… they didn’t have 5.x back then)

But it’s the movie from my youth and makes me happy.

The commentary on the main disc even starts with Lucas explaining about why IV was added.

So… to me… the new trilogy are the Star Wars discs I’ve wanted. Lucas’ new flashy versions complete with my treasured memories.

Wooot!

Many people complain that LJ is “Bad”

It is a place where the average person forgets that there is any form of social procedure and drops anything from personal tragedy to rumour mongering to unsupported character assassination.

But it’s also a place where friends separated by thousands of miles can share the birth of a child. It’s a place where a new job after a year of searching can be happily proclaimed. It’s a place where the answer to your long sought question can be answered.

LJ is a tool. No more and no less. How each person chooses to use that tool separates the man that builds a log cabin from Tobe Hooper.

Today I read a piece of stirring commentary. It is very well written. It has a strong political bias… but the bias is not from rote as so many people suffer it today. This bias is based in the person’s experience. The experience is captivating and justifies the opinion. (At least in my own). It’s a long and at times difficult read… but worth it.

Personally I’m glad for LiveJournal because it affords me links like this one.

Credit to shimmeringjemmy who pointed me there.

I can’t help myself

Aiden’s post