Amazing fan edit of ANH

[Kurgan]

Chewie's medal looks utterly fake. What, it sticks to his fur or something?
Not to mention the notion of it is retarded.

Regardless, I'm sure Lucasfilm will shoot the whole thing down in flames once they get wind of it.

There are hundreds of fan edits out there. Lucasfilm can't really do anything about it as long as nobody is making money off it.

They could still order C&D on any of them if they chose.

But anyway, the medal makes perfect sense to me. It's on a cloth loop like the other two, and last I checked, Chewie had a neck. If you're just going by this one small screenshot I can see your confusion, his neck fur is just covering part of the loop, as it would in real life.

Watch the scene again.

[Galvatron]

I just finished it myself. I loved most of the changes, including the musical changes. They actually managed to incorporate the Imperial march into the movie without overusing it or making it sound out of place.

The Battle of Yavin was SIGNIFICANTLY improved, IMO, as is the Falcon's fight against the sentry TIEs.

[Kurgan]

Agreed. I'm an originals purist, but I can still appreciate this for what it is... a fan's "better special edition" (and it is that)!

[Darth Onasi]

But anyway, the medal makes perfect sense to me. It's on a cloth loop like the other two, and last I checked, Chewie had a neck. If you're just going by this one small screenshot I can see your confusion, his neck fur is just covering part of the loop, as it would in real life.

Watch the scene again.

Small screenshot or not it's at an odd angle that makes it look like it's pinned to his fur.
Moreover it doesn't make sense. Chewie is Han's crew. Han is the captain and responsibility with what he does with his ship rests with him, not his co-pilot.
They might as well give R2 a medal.

[Kurgan]

Well I guess all I can say is when you make your edit, you can make that decision.

But actually in the Star Wars universe logic, droids are treated little better than slaves. Chewie is a free sentient, and he was at the controls as much as Han was, so he deserved a medal for his heroic actions at the battle of Yavin. R2 was there, but technically he was out of action. Maybe he deserved a "purple heart" for being wounded, because otherwise we'd need to give Wedge a medal for pulling out and saying "sorry," right?

[Darth Onasi]

Well I guess all I can say is when you make your edit, you can make that decision.

I don't need to be a fan editor to see what's plainly retarded.
It's also hypocritical to bash Lucas for his alterations, the praise these guys for their equally stupid changes.
Cleaning up the SFX, adding things that should've been there, etc. is all fine but changes to the flow and plot elements of the film is stupid no matter who does it.

But actually in the Star Wars universe logic, droids are treated little better than slaves. Chewie is a free sentient, and he was at the controls as much as Han was, so he deserved a medal for his heroic actions at the battle of Yavin. R2 was there, but technically he was out of action. Maybe he deserved a "purple heart" for being wounded, because otherwise we'd need to give Wedge a medal for pulling out and saying "sorry," right?

Chewie never got that much respect as a "free sentient" either.
What did Leia call him? A walking carpet.
As for Wedge. If Chewie got a medal, Wedge certainly should, as should the guy in the Y-Wing. They were there, right? They participated in the suicide mission just as Chewie did.
But again, we see Han and Luke getting medals because they directly caused the destruction of the Death Star, Luke for making the shot and Han for shooting down Vader.
Chewie - at the controls or not - is Han's subordinate and thus the most he deserves is a ribbon that says "Participant".

[TC Pilot]

It's also hypocritical to bash Lucas for his alterations, the praise these guys for their equally stupid changes.
Cleaning up the SFX, adding things that should've been there, etc. is all fine but changes to the flow and plot elements of the film is stupid no matter who does it.

You don't see anything even slightly different between a fan edit and George Lucas constantly revising the movies? Tell me, who made millions off their respective revisions? Who repeatedly denied fans access to releases of the unaltered movies on DVD? Whose revisions are canon?

I guess while we're at it, we should criticize fan fiction writers and game modders.

Chewie - at the controls or not - is Han's subordinate and thus the most he deserves is a ribbon that says "Participant".

Then why did Chewie walk down the main aisle with Luke and Han, only to not recieve a medal at the end of it? Why was he there in the first place?

[Molyneux]

It's also hypocritical to bash Lucas for his alterations, the praise these guys for their equally stupid changes.
Cleaning up the SFX, adding things that should've been there, etc. is all fine but changes to the flow and plot elements of the film is stupid no matter who does it.

You don't see anything even slightly different between a fan edit and George Lucas constantly revising the movies? Tell me, who made millions off their respective revisions? Who repeatedly denied fans access to releases of the unaltered movies on DVD? Whose revisions are canon?

I guess while we're at it, we should criticize fan fiction writers and game modders.

Chewie - at the controls or not - is Han's subordinate and thus the most he deserves is a ribbon that says "Participant".

Then why did Chewie walk down the main aisle with Luke and Han, only to not recieve a medal at the end of it? Why was he there in the first place?

All it would need to make that make sense would be some kind of religious proscription against medals, or something stupid like that. Even a half-assed explanation would have been enough.

I can understand people editing in a medal, given that it's a fairly odd oversight on the part of the filmmakers if it wasn't intentional.

[Darth Onasi]

You don't see anything even slightly different between a fan edit and George Lucas constantly revising the movies? Tell me, who made millions off their respective revisions? Who repeatedly denied fans access to releases of the unaltered movies on DVD? Whose revisions are canon?

I guess while we're at it, we should criticize fan fiction writers and game modders.

So? Just because they're doing it for free they can't be criticised?
If somebody writes half-assed, nonsense fan fiction or a silly game mod, I'll criticise that too.

Then why did Chewie walk down the main aisle with Luke and Han, only to not recieve a medal at the end of it? Why was he there in the first place?

Because he was accompanying Han?
Why were the droids and a bunch of non-descript Rebels standing above Luke & Han for that matter?

[JCady]

Chewie - at the controls or not - is Han's subordinate and thus the most he deserves is a ribbon that says "Participant".

Then why did Chewie walk down the main aisle with Luke and Han, only to not recieve a medal at the end of it? Why was he there in the first place?

The out-of-universe reason was he was supposed to get one, but they cut it out because Carrie Fisher couldn't reach around his neck without looking stupid.

[Crazedwraith]

Chewie - at the controls or not - is Han's subordinate and thus the most he deserves is a ribbon that says "Participant".

Then why did Chewie walk down the main aisle with Luke and Han, only to not recieve a medal at the end of it? Why was he there in the first place?

The out-of-universe reason was he was supposed to get one, but they cut it out because Carrie Fisher couldn't reach around his neck without looking stupid.

Such a reason is also given in-universe in an ANH comic book. (not sure of its canoncity though) It mentioned Chewie would get a medal but would have to put it on himself because 'few space princesses are that tall'

[Darth Onasi]

Then why did Chewie walk down the main aisle with Luke and Han, only to not recieve a medal at the end of it? Why was he there in the first place?

The out-of-universe reason was he was supposed to get one, but they cut it out because Carrie Fisher couldn't reach around his neck without looking stupid.

Such a reason is also given in-universe in an ANH comic book. (not sure of its canoncity though) It mentioned Chewie would get a medal but would have to put it on himself because 'few space princesses are that tall'

That just sounds odd to me. Why couldn't Chewie just kneel?

[JCady]

Then why did Chewie walk down the main aisle with Luke and Han, only to not recieve a medal at the end of it? Why was he there in the first place?

The out-of-universe reason was he was supposed to get one, but they cut it out because Carrie Fisher couldn't reach around his neck without looking stupid.

Such a reason is also given in-universe in an ANH comic book. (not sure of its canoncity though) It mentioned Chewie would get a medal but would have to put it on himself because 'few space princesses are that tall'

The novelization also says he got one.

[DesertFly]

The out-of-universe reason was he was supposed to get one, but they cut it out because Carrie Fisher couldn't reach around his neck without looking stupid.

Such a reason is also given in-universe in an ANH comic book. (not sure of its canoncity though) It mentioned Chewie would get a medal but would have to put it on himself because 'few space princesses are that tall'

That just sounds odd to me. Why couldn't Chewie just kneel?

Yeah, or do what the fan edit does and have him receive it off camera, only to turn around and have it? I had heard somewhere that the reason Chewie never got a medal was because he was the "dog", in fact, I seem to recall some interview with George Lucas where he admitted that Chewie was based on Indiana, his (or Spielburg's) dog.

[Kurgan]

I figured the out of universe reason was that Chewbacca was just a stand in for the Han Solo character's faithful dog (like Lassie or something). But even dogs can get ribbons for heroism...

Chewie is obviously intelligent and brave though, he's not a walking dog. But perhaps at this point in the story, Lucas hadn't though that far ahead and maybe was thinking of him as this barely-sentient over-sized pet creature? Even though the Ewoks were supposedly created partially as a replacement for the formerly "primitive savage" Wookiee image, comical as they are, they still obviously are intelligent beings with their own culture and so forth.


Back to the scene itself (I wish you guys could see it):

If you watch SWR, you'll see that it's done cleverly and subtly so you don't actually see the medal going onto Chewie in frame, but it's suggested. She gets it out and ready, you see his big hairy shape move into the corner of the frame and in the next far shot he's wearing it (it's not pinned to his fur). It's subtle.


Now we just need for the rest of "Red Squadron" to be edited into the roll call...



Incidentally, as both Chewie and Han are at the controls right before Luke's "one in a million" shot, is this G-canon confirmation of the Falcon's "auto turrets" (before Solo could use any of his reward money to beef up the ship's weaponry)?


Edit: Desertfly just beat me to the "dog" theory.

[TC Pilot]

So? Just because they're doing it for free they can't be criticised?
If somebody writes half-assed, nonsense fan fiction or a silly game mod, I'll criticise that too.

Feel free to point to anywhere in this thread people were hypocritically bashing Lucas yet not for this particular fan edit.

You don't like it, we get it already.

Why were the droids and a bunch of non-descript Rebels standing above Luke & Han for that matter?

Yeah, General Dodonna and the base commanders clearly have no place up there.

Maybe you fail to grasp the difference between being present to give out the medals and walking up to recieve them?

[Darth Onasi]

So? Just because they're doing it for free they can't be criticised?
If somebody writes half-assed, nonsense fan fiction or a silly game mod, I'll criticise that too.

Feel free to point to anywhere in this thread people were hypocritically bashing Lucas yet not for this particular fan edit.

You don't like it, we get it already.

I didn't mean to imply that it was people saying that (though it may have sounded that way), merely the attitude of the people who make fan edits like these.

Yeah, General Dodonna and the base commanders clearly have no place up there.

Maybe you fail to grasp the difference between being present to give out the medals and walking up to recieve them?

There's a guy in a jumpsuit and helmet, who looks to be a technician or launch bay worker. What's he the commander of?
Not to mention the droids.

[Meest]

Mix of cheese and goodness, I do like most of the combat changes, in essence they make sense even if some of the CGI was out of place.

[TC Pilot]

I didn't mean to imply that it was people saying that (though it may have sounded that way), merely the attitude of the people who make fan edits like these.

What are you talking about? So now people can't have their own opinions on what is or is not a flaw in the movies and edit them at their own expense?

There's a guy in a jumpsuit and helmet, who looks to be a technician or launch bay worker. What's he the commander of?
Not to mention the droids.

Stop with the strawmanning. It doesn't matter who he is. He's with the people giving them out, a detail you seem intent on ignoring.

[Aquatain]

Just saw it, and i think it's very good.

Only complains i have is the silly electrical current on the interrogation droid´s needle, and the new blaster bolts, the rest i thought was very good.

[Darth Onasi]

I didn't mean to imply that it was people saying that (though it may have sounded that way), merely the attitude of the people who make fan edits like these.

What are you talking about? So now people can't have their own opinions on what is or is not a flaw in the movies and edit them at their own expense?

Sure they can. But I can point out that their changes are just as - if not more - stupid than any stupid change Lucas ever made.

Stop with the strawmanning. It doesn't matter who he is. He's with the people giving them out, a detail you seem intent on ignoring.

No he isn't. He's nowhere near Leia and Dodonna, and is in fact one step behind C3PO. For all we know he's part of the ceremony having received an honour for outstanding canopy maintenance on Luke's X-Wing.
And yet again you seem to ignore the presence of the droids.

[Karmic Knight]

No he isn't. He's nowhere near Leia and Dodonna, and is in fact one step behind C3PO. For all we know he's part of the ceremony having received an honour for outstanding canopy maintenance on Luke's X-Wing.

We know that R2-D2 needed maintenance, so he could be monitoring the droids while they were at the Photo-Op for the Great Rebellion Propaganda Machine.

[TC Pilot]

Sure they can. But I can point out that their changes are just as - if not more - stupid than any stupid change Lucas ever made.

Good for you.

And at this point, I could barely care any less about what your opinion of the changes are.

No he isn't. He's nowhere near Leia and Dodonna, and is in fact one step behind C3PO. For all we know he's part of the ceremony having received an honour for outstanding canopy maintenance on Luke's X-Wing.

Or maybe he's a hired assassin preparing to shoot Han in the back of the head to avenge the death of Greedo.

Are you being deliberately obtuse, or is this a recurring problem?

And yet again you seem to ignore the presence of the droids.

I haven't ignored their presence at all. It simply doesn't matter whether or not they're up there. They didn't stroll up the main aisle in front of hundreds of rebel personnel alongside two people that recieved medals. Again, stop strawmanning.

[Darth Onasi]

Good for you.

And at this point, I could barely care any less about what your opinion of the changes are.

So why argue about it?

Or maybe he's a hired assassin preparing to shoot Han in the back of the head to avenge the death of Greedo.

Are you being deliberately obtuse, or is this a recurring problem?

My point is we don't know what he's there for, and he isn't so easy to dismiss as part of the medal commitee or whatever.

I haven't ignored their presence at all. It simply doesn't matter whether or not they're up there. They didn't stroll up the main aisle in front of hundreds of rebel personnel alongside two people that recieved medals. Again, stop strawmanning.

They're occupying a prominent position on the steps in front of the entire crowd and you think it doesn't matter?
Yet Chewie does? Even though his position indicates he's at Han's side?
He's there because Han's there. He's a sidekick, and sidekicks don't get medals. Get over it.

[Molyneux]

Good for you.

And at this point, I could barely care any less about what your opinion of the changes are.

So why argue about it?

Or maybe he's a hired assassin preparing to shoot Han in the back of the head to avenge the death of Greedo.

Are you being deliberately obtuse, or is this a recurring problem?

My point is we don't know what he's there for, and he isn't so easy to dismiss as part of the medal commitee or whatever.

I haven't ignored their presence at all. It simply doesn't matter whether or not they're up there. They didn't stroll up the main aisle in front of hundreds of rebel personnel alongside two people that recieved medals. Again, stop strawmanning.

They're occupying a prominent position on the steps in front of the entire crowd and you think it doesn't matter?
Yet Chewie does? Even though his position indicates he's at Han's side?
He's there because Han's there. He's a sidekick, and sidekicks don't get medals. Get over it.

Could we get a screenshot or something here, for those people without the film handy?

Maybe the guy's the Y-wing pilot, if he's wearing a helmet.