I am still stunned that Lucas doesn't see the power in Vader saying nothing. That really blows my mind. The greatest example of less is more, in cinema history.
Because Lucas is a terrible story teller, don’t forget that the Original Star Wars were not directed by Lucas even though he is the creator of Star Wars, he was not the reason for the great writing and story telling. George Lucas wrote for idiots, and he doubled down in Revenge of the Sith by adding that Nooooo out of pettiness against his critics. Glad Kathy Kennedy ruined his franchise further than what Lucas did.
When i feel like people give George too much grief but this is where i have to agree that Vader saying No was a big mistake. The regular version i felt all of the emotions from Luke being electrocuted to the Emperor's demise. It was such a beatiful scene and as Thrawn says it was artfully done.
@@ADmillionaire I totally agree. I like that the older movies have been updated here and there but whenever I rewatch Return of the Jedi, I cringe when Vader says "Noooooooo!"
@@ADmillionaire Yeah I hate the screaming of "No" it totally takes me out of the scene because it's like a fan fic edit, it aged even more poorly, I wish Disney would do the right thing and remove it.
Adding Vader saying "No. Nooooooo!" before grabbing the Emperor is like having Bruce Willis' wife say "too bad you're dead" just before he picks up his wedding ring.
It's like having Samuel L Jackson say 'You're unbreakable' to Bruce Willis before he figures out how he survived the car crash and the train wreck unscathed.
It's like having Tony Stark saying "And I am Iron Man" just before... Wait no, that scene felt right. This one just feels... oh no... Someone get rid of the "nooooo" 😂
@@blacklivesorblackvotes2985thats not just db its anime in general. The manga for theirs which is comic worldwide is different when adapted to an animated medium. The problem with anime adaptations is they CANT add subtlety in writing and would copy paste the comic including the inner not neccesary monologues
@@Tsuyoshi_Noda Similar deal with the Sin City movies. They are adapted from comics that have a lot of character narration, which isn't necessary in film, but the Sin City films stayed TOO faithful, so there is rarely a second without someone talking endlessly about someone we already understand from visuals and real dialogue.
The moment without the "Noo!" is far more emotionally impactful. In the remastered, Anakin saves his son from the emperor in a moment of impulsive emotion. The "no" makes it seem like he only reacted because he doesnt want Luke to die. However, in the original, its more than that. Vader looks the emperor up and down, and sees how weak he truly is, after forcing Vader to fight for him to get Luke as emotional as possible. Hes watching this weak, frail man, manipulating his son in the same ways he was manipulated. Hes watching the Emperor taking the last thing he has left of his old life, of his family, of the Jedi, again. This moment is not about a father reaching out to save his son, its about Vader finally seeing the dark side for what it is and abandoning it. Its about Anakin saying "enough"
He is certainly saying “enough,” but this is also very much about Luke. He knows the lightning will destroy his apparatus and kill him, but he doesn’t care because he wants Luke to be safe.
I think its a bit of both. After all remember, Luke mentioned the conflict the good in his father. But it's mainly because it's his son , I should know I have two sons id die for both of them ones called Luke lol
Perfectly put. I think it’s both. Vader in that moment when the Emperor is about to kill Luke, finally sees his son as Anakin Skywalker, and his love for his son makes him see the truth and return to the Light Side of the Force.
The way his body lurches back once he decides he's gonna put Palpatine down. It was ALWAYS the ONLY thing we needed to understand Vaders motives. The "noo" was 100% unnecessary and borderline gratuitous
@@excronoI am of this generation and you can find empathy/awareness in many of us. I am of the opinion that this version is the only acceptable version of this scene. Perhaps Lucas added the “no’s” because he believes Star Wars is also for children and it helps communicate the idea more clearly. Just proposing. I don’t actually know why. Nevertheless it’s a change that should not have been.
@@JJ-zo7jv On reflection, I think Lucas added that overdub to Jedi to establish continuity with Revenge, he said it when going into the suit and also said it when being liberated from it. However, he lost his artistic objectivity in terms of how him saying nothing added to the weight of the scene, it subverted the cinematic trope of a hero’s final line. With the final shot of Luke holding his dying father in his arms, again saying nothing but magnifying it.
Yet another piece of cinematic brilliance that is lost in the version where Vader says “NO” - we can’t hear Luke’s last cry of “Father” that is the final catalyst for Anakin to emerge.
It's amazing, I remember seeing this version on VHS, and I forgot how dark it felt. Before all the digital remastering and all the other stuff they added, it feels so much more serious. I love that.
This was the scene that made the original ROTJ my favorite movie of the Original trilogy. Even today, watching this, I still feel the emotional impact of Vader turning suddenly against the Emperor. After making so many mistakes in his own life, he sacrifices himself just to save the life of his son. Thanks for posting this.
I would be happier without “Nooooooo!” really. Because you don’t expect. He dies surprisingly. Problems bout scream: 1. You understand he’ll atack 2. Palpatine wouldn’t ignore that
Except the first No was overlapped by the lightning effects so Palpatine likely didn't hear that and by the time we got to the second no, Vader was already grabbing him so Palpatine wouldn't have had to strike at him if he wanted to. I definitely like the scream better. The scene as it is just feels like its missing something and the scream solved that issue for me. Also, it was meant to tie back to the No in Episode 3, so we have a full circle moment here with it, one to signify a loss and here to signify redemption.
Palpatine had tunnel vision while blasting Luke. He doesn't need to hear anything. He can sense anything vader thinks. For example when Luke takes his lightsaber from Palpatine's chair he doesn't flinch because he's in Vader's head and knows he will protect him. If Vader had thoughts of letting Luke just kill him Palpatine would have picked up on it and defended himself. In that moment Vader was protecting Luke from the Emperor than the other way around.
The "Noooooo" in episode 3 can be excused because it could be explained away is the computer misinterpreting his guttural noises of disappointment as a word after he just learned his wife was dead. Here it was just unexcuseable.
Omg i miss this adding the "nooooo" was so dumb the beauty of the scene is you can see the conflict in Vader's emotionless mask through body language and how the camera frames the scene i feel sorry for kids today who grow up with the butchered Star Wars OT as they'll never know its true glory
@@matthewgaudet4064 yeah but Richard Marquand isn’t with us anymore as he died in 1987, so the next in line to make decisions since at the time George Lucas was the head of Lucasfilm... but you’re right. It shouldn’t have been altered.
This scene is perfect for 3 reasons 1. This is the great balance of both tension and buildup when Luke is being brought to death and Darth Vader saving him and being redeemed. 2. The camera angles does an incredible job of showing Vader conflict unable to decide what to do. 3. Giving the viewer an incredible emotional roller-coaster sad, worried, afraid, crying and being happy all at once.
The way Star Wars was meant to be seen. I love the richer colors, the grain, the audio crackling, no "nooo" anywhere to be found. Just beautiful 1983 Star Wars in its original, nuanced form. As a teen when the Special Editions were first released I foolishly thought it was the best thing to ever happen to Star Wars. Now as a middle-aged adult, I see nothing but beauty & tranquility here. A style of filmmaking long gone, and sorely missed. Thank you so much for posting this!
Listen out at 02:11. Palpatine says - 'Anakin, no!'. He knew that Darth Vader was gone and Anakin Skywalker had returned. Hence the name of the film... Return of the Jedi.
Seeing his son being slowly killed by the same wretch that tricked him so many years ago and made him a slave again in a bionic torturous suit was the catalyst to end Anakin’s lifelong conflict and fulfill his destiny to bring balance back to the Force. His destiny brought him to this very moment to be the chosen one.
And once again, John Williams soundtrack is just....perfect beyond words. The tense, almost screaching soundtrack as Vader looks from the emperor to luke and back again. And then, the sudden and triumphant use of The Force theme. Williams' genius is really hard to put into words sometime.
FUN FACT: When Vader lifts the Emperor and the lightning hits his body, you can see his skeletal frame as an X ray and can actually make out the mechanical additions to his body inside
You know that even black and white films, assuming they were shot on 35mm, are of 4K level quality. The only reason people think otherwise is because for decades, the only time you’d see them was an old, damaged print broadcast on TV or VHS in like 240p quality.
Very surprised to see that the skull projected on Darth Vader‘s helmet was there in the original. I’d always assumed this was something Lucas added later on, when he lost his mind.
2:15. One last normal Darth Vader breath. One last breath to give the audience a chance to know that the haunting black cyborg we’ve feared is still going strong but on our side for one moment. One final moment to put that fear into evil for us before fading back into the light.
I always loved Vader's indecion. Thinking, looking at Palps and switching focus to Luke and then repeats this several times, you can almost "hear" his thoughts! Then comes the decision when he makes his choice and that head tilts back as he moves on Palpatine. Imagine the _shock_ the Emperor must have felt as one of the _few_ unforeseen and unexpected events takes place at the most inopportune juncture in his life!...movie brilliance \m/
Thank you for this. I really mean it. I needed this. I was three years old when I watched this in the movie theater in Westwood, California at the Crest theater. Sadly, my relationship with my father stemmed to a very parallel of what you have posted. Thank you for this. I know it doesn’t mean much. But to me, it means a lot. For whatever is worth. Thank you. 🙏🏻
Another reason why this is superior is because the viewer is left wondering until the last possible moment whether Vader's going to turn on the Emperor. But, in the revised version, the moment you hear the first, quieter "no", the jig is up and the dramatic tension is severely undercut.
Thanks for having this. Im only 30 but this was the version i originally saw as a child. I was so afraid of what would happen and when Vader picked him up, i always imagined he was crushing the hell out of Palpatine before he threw him as payback before he killed him. The sequels are fan fiction
It's interesting in Revenge of the Sith the pivitol moment when Anikin chooses the dark side Anakin looks back and forth between Mace Windu and Palpatine conflicted on what to do to save his loved one Padme. He chooses the dark side, loses his loved one eventually and he loses his soul. In Return Of The Jedi, in this pivitol moment, he looks back and forth between Luke and Palpatine conflicted on what to do. He chooses to come back to the light side, saves his son and redeemes his soul.
*George Lucas calling James Earl Jones with a tape recorder.* George: James can you record some new lines for my remaster of Return of the Jedi? James: No. George: C'mon I really need you just for one scene. James: No! George: That'll work perfect, thanks! *Hangs up.*
The faceless villain lets the audience envision the turmoil inside Darth Vader. This way everyone knows how hes feelings, even if its different. Even for non-perceptive people! The long stares, the quick head movement back and forth, then action! Masterful.
This is by far the best version! Vader's silent decision and determination is powerful. This is also where Palpatine dies- brining him back in the ST does this scene a HUGE disservice.
Thank you for uploading these. I recently watched ROTJ with my girlfriend on Disney+ and I was very put off by the current version where Vader says "Nooooo!" at 2:09 It ruined a otherwise serious and emotionally climactic scene completely.
@@wonderfulwookiee6443 I am glad that I have the DVD version which doesn't feature it. Beside it weakening the scene, it could also have caused Palpatine to turn to Vader being 'what was that?' and killing them both before Anakin had his redemption. The Nooo inclusion was to me more a sin than greedo shooting first.
@@vasiliantonov7484 Then whose idea was it, since George Lucas controlled everything until 2012 and basically decided every single change made to the 6 Star Wars films.
Saw this with family when I was 9 and I was literally on the edge of my seat in the theater. I was like “no they’re gonna kill Luke!” When Vader finally grabs the emperor….haha my brothers and I sat stunned. What a finale to the original movies.
"But. . . but the audience can't understand what's happening unless we ADR Vader's voice pointlessly into the scene. . ." George really had no idea what he was doing. I wish Irvan would have directed this one. . .
Aside from the obvious, the audio in this sounds so crisp and clear, making certain details in the audio more noticeable than they were in the re-releases
I hate that there are entire generations of fans who never or will never see the original theatrical versions of these movies. Vader silently making his choice was soo moving, soooo powerful. The NOOOO just ruins it
Seeing this in the theater on opening day, the emotion of the audience was amazing at this point. Everyone--I mean, everyone--was shouting "Come on!" and "Do it!" Him saying "No" deflates that--without it, we're not sure whats going to happen right up to the instant he takes action. It's like stepping on a laugh in comedy--it deflates, when it should be building the pressure.
I first saw this when I was four or five years old. Even back then, I could tell what Vader was going to do when he started looking back and forth between his son and his master.
Watching it again and knowing what they did on the last trilogy makes me wonder why they felt ruining Darth Vader’s redemption by bringing back Palpatine was a good idea.
I can handle Han not shooting first, the addition of Jedi Rocks, but I can't stand the uneccessary "No!" from Vader in the new cut. It honestly kills the scene for me because the scene is already so powerful without dialogue and here it just feels so needlessly over the top. This is the one change I hate.
I really wish we could get a proper 4K UHD transfer of the Original Trilogy exactly as it appeared in theaters with proper color grading, film grain and without any of the 97' Special Edition changes.
2:15. One last normal Darth Vader breath. One last breath to let the audience know that the haunting black cyborg they’ve feared is still going strong but on their side for one moment. One final moment to put that fear into evil before fading back into the light.
Do we have to freaking wait for George to pass away so that we can finally get the theatrical cuts remastered again?! I wish the guy could see that what he added took away soo much of the impact those movie gave us when we first saw them.
It's SOOOOOO much better this way. Even though the expression on Vader's helmet doesn't change at all, we can tell how he's feeling and thinking by the way he tilts his head and how he looks at the Emperor, then at Luke, then back at the Emperor. Him saying "No" just tells us that he doesn't want the Emperor to kill his son, but it's much more complex than that. When he doesn't speak at all, it tells us exactly what Vader is thinking. What Vader is thinking is "You lied to me about how turning to the dark side will save my wife, you have turned me into this horrible person, and are you really going to do to my son what you've done to me? I DON'T THINK SO!!!"
Gave it a like if nothing else than for the fact it offers the scene without the 'No'. It's a bit silly in Revenge of the Sith but works okay. The retrospective change was baffling. The silence of Vader's decision, his conviction in saving his son from the very evil that originally corrupted him, spoken only through his action alone, was one of my favourite aspects of the entire OT. As much as I consider James Earl Jones as Vader to be the greatest feature of this nearly 45 year old franchise, this is the only time where his silence was preferable for me. Thank you as well for making available the original release to begin with, it is the real special edition to many and very appreciated.
This is the way. The only dialogue I want from this scene after the lightning starts is Luke begging his father, and then Palpatine screaming. Anything beyond that was unnecessary.
This is the true ending of Star Wars. This is the moment Anakin Skywalker finally broke free of the dark side. He finally saw what it was worth. He was not going to let the very last thing of his old life be destroyed by the very thing he let trick him into becoming a slave to the dark side. Anakin Skywalker destroyed the Sith once and for all and brought the Force back into balance. This is where Star Wars ends.
I saw the original in '77 at the theater. Is it just me or does this scene seem excruciatingly longer than the revamped version? Every time I watch the revamp edition I keep thinking it doesn't have the impact. Then, watching this I realize it takes Vader FOREVER to come to his realization. THEN, it seems he has to carry the Emperor for a much longer period of time before he can throw him into the reactor making it much more impactful as to how much damage his body armor has taken just doing the deed. I remember watching it in the theater I seriously thought for a fleeting second that Vader WAS just going to let Luke die. The Emperor seems much more menacing and Vader's agony and everything rushing into his mind was palpable on the screen. The timing and editing was a masterpiece of intensity rushing towards Luke's death. And butchering this scene to make it fit into the hall of shame the next 6 movies inhabit is a travesty.
1st time ever seeing this, grew up only with the digital version, I expected to hear a noooo lol but liked that there wasnt a no. It brings out vaders emotions through his body language. Also, this scene feels way darker, punk, and more "novel" I guess, feels very different with the wider camera angle and the emporer and vader seem way scarier.
The most beautiful and powerful scene in Star Wars history now ruined by George Lucas because of his edits.Thank you for adding this masterpiece,my friend.
Is it just me or are the visuals way better fitting at 2:21 than the new editions? The painted reactor shaft looks incredible and the palpatine falling fx work looks more realistic.
How is it that much more emotional without dialogue! Vaders act of defiance agaist the emporer seems so much more urgent and desperate, it resolves his contemplation so much better everything in the performance already says "no"
You all need to get the Despeicalized edition. It refreshed my fandom for Star Wars as I never have to work about 90's Jabba showing in IV and that "no" is not in the cut.
Adding Vader's "No" to this scene compromises its impact, no different than giving into the dark side of the force as an artist. Anakin's actions are felt by all and don't need to be said, contrasting with the Emperor who relies on vain words. A villain is cast down without a single word said by the hero.
I am still stunned that Lucas doesn't see the power in Vader saying nothing. That really blows my mind. The greatest example of less is more, in cinema history.
Couldn't agree more.
Because Lucas is a terrible story teller, don’t forget that the Original Star Wars were not directed by Lucas even though he is the creator of Star Wars, he was not the reason for the great writing and story telling. George Lucas wrote for idiots, and he doubled down in Revenge of the Sith by adding that Nooooo out of pettiness against his critics. Glad Kathy Kennedy ruined his franchise further than what Lucas did.
@@thereisnopandemic and a reminder that the best Star Wars film wasn’t even directed by Lucas. That speaks volumes. 😂😂😂
@@blacklivesorblackvotes2985crazy how he can create the most interesting stories and characters but has the worst executions ever 💀
Seemed like he added the No out of spite to ruin the scene.
One of the best pop-culture examples of the Kuleshov Effect.
Vader doesn't need to say "No!", because the editing tells us everything.
It's all in his body language. He had already turned to the light back on the moon of Endor when Luke said" Then my father truly is dead."
When i feel like people give George too much grief but this is where i have to agree that Vader saying No was a big mistake. The regular version i felt all of the emotions from Luke being electrocuted to the Emperor's demise. It was such a beatiful scene and as Thrawn says it was artfully done.
@@ADmillionaire I totally agree. I like that the older movies have been updated here and there but whenever I rewatch Return of the Jedi, I cringe when Vader says "Noooooooo!"
@@ADmillionaire Yeah I hate the screaming of "No" it totally takes me out of the scene because it's like a fan fic edit, it aged even more poorly, I wish Disney would do the right thing and remove it.
@@jiminystevens1036 It's great how that very same line was given a lot more weight in the finale of Kenobi too!
You sometimes forget how old Star Wars actually is for how timeless it feels. Those lightning effects look straight from Back to the Future.
Made by the same company, ILM.
Its far older than back to the future
Back to the Future only came out 2 years later
@@Bls-of1ld 2 years is not far older
Adding Vader saying "No. Nooooooo!" before grabbing the Emperor is like having Bruce Willis' wife say "too bad you're dead" just before he picks up his wedding ring.
It's like having Samuel L Jackson say 'You're unbreakable' to Bruce Willis before he figures out how he survived the car crash and the train wreck unscathed.
It's like having Tony Stark saying "And I am Iron Man" just before...
Wait no, that scene felt right. This one just feels... oh no... Someone get rid of the "nooooo" 😂
It’s like Gohan having an inner monologue before going Ssj2 in the American dub. So stupid. Silence speaks a thousand words.
@@blacklivesorblackvotes2985thats not just db its anime in general.
The manga for theirs which is comic worldwide is different when adapted to an animated medium. The problem with anime adaptations is they CANT add subtlety in writing and would copy paste the comic including the inner not neccesary monologues
@@Tsuyoshi_Noda Similar deal with the Sin City movies. They are adapted from comics that have a lot of character narration, which isn't necessary in film, but the Sin City films stayed TOO faithful, so there is rarely a second without someone talking endlessly about someone we already understand from visuals and real dialogue.
The moment without the "Noo!" is far more emotionally impactful. In the remastered, Anakin saves his son from the emperor in a moment of impulsive emotion. The "no" makes it seem like he only reacted because he doesnt want Luke to die. However, in the original, its more than that. Vader looks the emperor up and down, and sees how weak he truly is, after forcing Vader to fight for him to get Luke as emotional as possible. Hes watching this weak, frail man, manipulating his son in the same ways he was manipulated. Hes watching the Emperor taking the last thing he has left of his old life, of his family, of the Jedi, again. This moment is not about a father reaching out to save his son, its about Vader finally seeing the dark side for what it is and abandoning it. Its about Anakin saying "enough"
He is certainly saying “enough,” but this is also very much about Luke. He knows the lightning will destroy his apparatus and kill him, but he doesn’t care because he wants Luke to be safe.
Couldn't disagree more. He reacted 100% because that's his son, had it been anyone else he wouldn't have cared.
I think its a bit of both. After all remember, Luke mentioned the conflict the good in his father. But it's mainly because it's his son , I should know I have two sons id die for both of them ones called Luke lol
@@12classics39 Vader protecting Palpatine from Luke striking him was also to protect Luke from the Dark side
Perfectly put. I think it’s both. Vader in that moment when the Emperor is about to kill Luke, finally sees his son as Anakin Skywalker, and his love for his son makes him see the truth and return to the Light Side of the Force.
Hamill's performance and the prickly sound effects really drive home how painful the Emperor's force lightning was
I think Seth Green did it better. 🙄
The way his body lurches back once he decides he's gonna put Palpatine down. It was ALWAYS the ONLY thing we needed to understand Vaders motives. The "noo" was 100% unnecessary and borderline gratuitous
The “nooo” was added for the idiots who need to be told how to feel.
Not having him say no communicated empathy, something lost on our current generation.
@@excronoI am of this generation and you can find empathy/awareness in many of us. I am of the opinion that this version is the only acceptable version of this scene. Perhaps Lucas added the “no’s” because he believes Star Wars is also for children and it helps communicate the idea more clearly. Just proposing. I don’t actually know why. Nevertheless it’s a change that should not have been.
@@JJ-zo7jva franchise for children lets put leia on a slave costume that covers nothing
Now that's a galaxy brain move🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@JJ-zo7jv On reflection, I think Lucas added that overdub to Jedi to establish continuity with Revenge, he said it when going into the suit and also said it when being liberated from it.
However, he lost his artistic objectivity in terms of how him saying nothing added to the weight of the scene, it subverted the cinematic trope of a hero’s final line. With the final shot of Luke holding his dying father in his arms, again saying nothing but magnifying it.
2:03 Luke can be heard faintly screaming “Father!” Right before Vader makes a decision.
Watched this a thousand times and never heard that until you pointed it out! Vader reacts right away. Awesome
Father or Skywalker? Either way I never noticed that.
That's honestly one of the things that makes this particular version better than the one wth the "NOOO"
Yet another piece of cinematic brilliance that is lost in the version where Vader says “NO” - we can’t hear Luke’s last cry of “Father” that is the final catalyst for Anakin to emerge.
It's amazing, I remember seeing this version on VHS, and I forgot how dark it felt. Before all the digital remastering and all the other stuff they added, it feels so much more serious. I love that.
Agreed. I saw this on theater. Three times, I think. And this is how this scene is meant to be. Today´s cut is a joke.
Certainly is a joke and the way Darth goes NOOOOOO totally ruined it for me in the new cut..
This was the scene that made the original ROTJ my favorite movie of the Original trilogy.
Even today, watching this, I still feel the emotional impact of Vader turning suddenly against the Emperor. After making so many mistakes in his own life, he sacrifices himself just to save the life of his son.
Thanks for posting this.
Agree!! I love this moment in ROTJ!! It's just amazing!!!
same here
I would be happier without “Nooooooo!” really. Because you don’t expect. He dies surprisingly.
Problems bout scream:
1. You understand he’ll atack
2. Palpatine wouldn’t ignore that
Except the first No was overlapped by the lightning effects so Palpatine likely didn't hear that and by the time we got to the second no, Vader was already grabbing him so Palpatine wouldn't have had to strike at him if he wanted to. I definitely like the scream better. The scene as it is just feels like its missing something and the scream solved that issue for me. Also, it was meant to tie back to the No in Episode 3, so we have a full circle moment here with it, one to signify a loss and here to signify redemption.
@@devontehuntley6274 Your opinion is faulty.
Palpatine had tunnel vision while blasting Luke. He doesn't need to hear anything. He can sense anything vader thinks. For example when Luke takes his lightsaber from Palpatine's chair he doesn't flinch because he's in Vader's head and knows he will protect him. If Vader had thoughts of letting Luke just kill him Palpatine would have picked up on it and defended himself. In that moment Vader was protecting Luke from the Emperor than the other way around.
The no makes vader seem more like anakin
@@devontehuntley6274 You're a Millennial, aren't you?
Purple lightning, "NOOOO" from ep 3 removed : perfection.
And no sequal trilogy!
It was not removed because it was never there
The lightning is still purple tho
The "Noooooo" in episode 3 can be excused because it could be explained away is the computer misinterpreting his guttural noises of disappointment as a word after he just learned his wife was dead. Here it was just unexcuseable.
Why did they put in "No!" So unnecessary. This is the best cut, the original!! Thank you!
Omg i miss this adding the "nooooo" was so dumb the beauty of the scene is you can see the conflict in Vader's emotionless mask through body language and how the camera frames the scene i feel sorry for kids today who grow up with the butchered Star Wars OT as they'll never know its true glory
I still have the dvd of return of the Jedi from 2008 (if that’s correct or something) where Darth Vader doesn’t yell nooooooooo.
Calm down, its not « butchered », its just a bit less good.
It wasn't even George Lucas's movie to alter he didn't direct it. He wrote it and produced it. Its Richard Marquand's film.
@@matthewgaudet4064 yeah but Richard Marquand isn’t with us anymore as he died in 1987, so the next in line to make decisions since at the time George Lucas was the head of Lucasfilm... but you’re right. It shouldn’t have been altered.
I'll never understand why Disney just don't have an original version on Disney Plus,
This scene is perfect for 3 reasons
1. This is the great balance of both tension and buildup when Luke is being brought to death and Darth Vader saving him and being redeemed.
2. The camera angles does an incredible job of showing Vader conflict unable to decide what to do.
3. Giving the viewer an incredible emotional roller-coaster sad, worried, afraid, crying and being happy all at once.
And there's no "No!"
2:05 the silence helps me imagine an internal conflict within vader at this moment
Perfection. The defining moment of the saga in its purest form.
I remember watching this in the theater, my heart pounding in my chest, on that sunny, Saturday afternoon,
a long time ago...
This is my favorite scene in all of Star Wars it’s nice to see what it once was
*cough* Despecialized editions *cough*
Something really magical and nostalgic about the 16mm. Thank you
@OrcaBob 4337 exactly
Speech is silver, but silence is golden.
This clip is the best example of it
The way Star Wars was meant to be seen. I love the richer colors, the grain, the audio crackling, no "nooo" anywhere to be found. Just beautiful 1983 Star Wars in its original, nuanced form.
As a teen when the Special Editions were first released I foolishly thought it was the best thing to ever happen to Star Wars. Now as a middle-aged adult, I see nothing but beauty & tranquility here. A style of filmmaking long gone, and sorely missed.
Thank you so much for posting this!
Listen out at 02:11. Palpatine says - 'Anakin, no!'. He knew that Darth Vader was gone and Anakin Skywalker had returned. Hence the name of the film... Return of the Jedi.
No he doesn't. He just screams he doesn't say anything.
I never even realized that
Seeing his son being slowly killed by the same wretch that tricked him so many years ago and made him a slave again in a bionic torturous suit was the catalyst to end Anakin’s lifelong conflict and fulfill his destiny to bring balance back to the Force.
His destiny brought him to this very moment to be the chosen one.
“That was pretty wizard, wasn’t it son?”
I cried so hard when I saw that on the screen. It was just absolutely amazing
I wasn't even alive when this was in theatres but I can practically hear the audience cheering when Vader picks up the Emperor
Such a powerful moment, completely destroyed in the latest Special Edition version.
2006 limited edition bonus dvds my man
Some people can't watch Return of the Jedi anymore because of that change
Until you mess it up more
Made worse by the sequels
Sequels? What sequels? ¯\_༼ •́ ͜ʖ •̀ ༽_/¯
Fun fact: that blue smoke that comes up from the reactor shaft is actually palpatine cloning himself…. Amazing writing
You telling me.. somehow palpatine returned?
And once again, John Williams soundtrack is just....perfect beyond words. The tense, almost screaching soundtrack as Vader looks from the emperor to luke and back again. And then, the sudden and triumphant use of The Force theme. Williams' genius is really hard to put into words sometime.
Exactly, the score is specifically why the “no” doesn’t work imo. Because that dialogue blocks out the most haunting force theme que ever.
FUN FACT: When Vader lifts the Emperor and the lightning hits his body, you can see his skeletal frame as an X ray and can actually make out the mechanical additions to his body inside
Plus his razor sharp teeth!
It's really detailed too, it's a nice touch that they didn't have to make but it's nice that they did
Fun Fact: Everyone who's ever watched the movie for the past 40 years already knew that.
Pure analog goodness. Give me a crusty 16mm print any day of the week over the sterile, clinical look of contemporary cinema.
I can’t agree with you more! Movies are so denoised nowadays that they’ve lost all character.
35mm looks more cinematic.
Get rid of 4k and watch films black and white and never come back
You know that even black and white films, assuming they were shot on 35mm, are of 4K level quality. The only reason people think otherwise is because for decades, the only time you’d see them was an old, damaged print broadcast on TV or VHS in like 240p quality.
Give me good storytelling over however gloriously degraded the physical quality is, any day of the week.
Great example of how showing is better than telling. This gave me freaking chills! The emotional response from Vader feels so palpable!
1:54 Love this shot of Vader. Amazing how in ESB he is the face of coldness and cruelty but here he just looks like a tortured soul.
Very surprised to see that the skull projected on Darth Vader‘s helmet was there in the original. I’d always assumed this was something Lucas added later on, when he lost his mind.
It has symbolic importance.
It was always there even in the original release.
I remember it. Lucas went crazy with detail years later.
Which is the problem with the SEs. It muddies the water on cool stuff that was always in the films.
2:15. One last normal Darth Vader breath. One last breath to give the audience a chance to know that the haunting black cyborg we’ve feared is still going strong but on our side for one moment. One final moment to put that fear into evil for us before fading back into the light.
I always loved Vader's indecion. Thinking, looking at Palps and switching focus to Luke and then repeats this several times, you can almost "hear" his thoughts! Then comes the decision when he makes his choice and that head tilts back as he moves on Palpatine. Imagine the _shock_ the Emperor must have felt as one of the _few_ unforeseen and unexpected events takes place at the most inopportune juncture in his life!...movie brilliance \m/
He wasn’t kidding when he said he could overthrow the Chancellor…
Thank you for this. I really mean it. I needed this. I was three years old when I watched this in the movie theater in Westwood, California at the Crest theater. Sadly, my relationship with my father stemmed to a very parallel of what you have posted. Thank you for this. I know it doesn’t mean much. But to me, it means a lot. For whatever is worth. Thank you. 🙏🏻
One of the most important scenes in all of Star Wars, I really hate the way it was butchered in the new release with the "NOOOOO".
Another reason why this is superior is because the viewer is left wondering until the last possible moment whether Vader's going to turn on the Emperor. But, in the revised version, the moment you hear the first, quieter "no", the jig is up and the dramatic tension is severely undercut.
The screeching sounds and brightness of the lightning is brutal. The original definitely conveys the burning alive feeling!!!
Crazy how this is better than literally anything from the Disney era.
Crazy how that’s not true at all. 💀
@@Godzilla_CheezeIt’s true, all of it
@@Godzilla_CheezeI'm sorry if you think TLJ is the best star wars movie ever or something 💀💀💀
@@Godzilla_CheezeLuke (Jake) said it best “every word of what you just said, is wrong.”
@@Godzilla_Cheezecrazy how you like one glorified political ad of a movie 💀
This is SO much better than the having Vader say "NOOOOOO!" Silence speaks louder than words!
The Emperor yelling and screaming as he was picked up also wasn’t necessary.
Thanks for having this. Im only 30 but this was the version i originally saw as a child. I was so afraid of what would happen and when Vader picked him up, i always imagined he was crushing the hell out of Palpatine before he threw him as payback before he killed him. The sequels are fan fiction
This scene is so powerful and such a more fitting death for Palpatine than what we got in rise of Skywalker
Wow. Brings back memories in the theater. Impressive.
God I would have loved to have seen this in theaters. Must have been amazing
Most impressive.
It's beyond amazing that you can see so much emotion from a man behind a mask in this scene.
This is a tearjerking scene actually.
Very good colours here, considering the print age and 16mm. This is pretty much the colour timing that I remember from the theatre. Bravo.
It's interesting in Revenge of the Sith the pivitol moment when Anikin chooses the dark side Anakin looks back and forth between Mace Windu and Palpatine conflicted on what to do to save his loved one Padme. He chooses the dark side, loses his loved one eventually and he loses his soul.
In Return Of The Jedi, in this pivitol moment, he looks back and forth between Luke and Palpatine conflicted on what to do. He chooses to come back to the light side, saves his son and redeemes his soul.
It's like poetry, it rhymes.
*George Lucas calling James Earl Jones with a tape recorder.*
George: James can you record some new lines for my remaster of Return of the Jedi?
James: No.
George: C'mon I really need you just for one scene.
James: No!
George: That'll work perfect, thanks! *Hangs up.*
The faceless villain lets the audience envision the turmoil inside Darth Vader. This way everyone knows how hes feelings, even if its different. Even for non-perceptive people! The long stares, the quick head movement back and forth, then action! Masterful.
This is by far the best version! Vader's silent decision and determination is powerful. This is also where Palpatine dies- brining him back in the ST does this scene a HUGE disservice.
Thank you for uploading these. I recently watched ROTJ with my girlfriend on Disney+ and I was very put off by the current version where Vader says "Nooooo!" at 2:09
It ruined a otherwise serious and emotionally climactic scene completely.
Is that a new thing then? Was it not already in the special edition?
@@bangerbangerbro it was first introduced in the blu-ray set in 2011
Yeah, you can blame Lucas for that, as well as every other idiotic SE change.
@@wonderfulwookiee6443 I am glad that I have the DVD version which doesn't feature it. Beside it weakening the scene, it could also have caused Palpatine to turn to Vader being 'what was that?' and killing them both before Anakin had his redemption. The Nooo inclusion was to me more a sin than greedo shooting first.
Vader's silence and body language has a greater impact!
I personally didn’t mind that they added “nooooo!” in there. It really brought the Anakin out of Vader.
Darth Vader's silence speaks volumes. I hate the way Lucas murdered this scene with the sound edits in the special editions.
I don’t think that was Lucas’ idea.
@@vasiliantonov7484 Then whose idea was it, since George Lucas controlled everything until 2012 and basically decided every single change made to the 6 Star Wars films.
Saw this with family when I was 9 and I was literally on the edge of my seat in the theater. I was like “no they’re gonna kill Luke!”
When Vader finally grabs the emperor….haha my brothers and I sat stunned. What a finale to the original movies.
"But. . . but the audience can't understand what's happening unless we ADR Vader's voice pointlessly into the scene. . ."
George really had no idea what he was doing. I wish Irvan would have directed this one. . .
The “noooo” was added for the idiots that need to be told how to feel or what to think.
40 years have passed and this scene still is as dramatic and tense as when I first saw it in 1983.
2:08 this part is STILL my all time favorite Star Wars moment!!!
This just might be the most satisfying moment in cinematic history.
Aside from the obvious, the audio in this sounds so crisp and clear, making certain details in the audio more noticeable than they were in the re-releases
I hate that there are entire generations of fans who never or will never see the original theatrical versions of these movies. Vader silently making his choice was soo moving, soooo powerful. The NOOOO just ruins it
Seeing this in the theater on opening day, the emotion of the audience was amazing at this point. Everyone--I mean, everyone--was shouting "Come on!" and "Do it!" Him saying "No" deflates that--without it, we're not sure whats going to happen right up to the instant he takes action.
It's like stepping on a laugh in comedy--it deflates, when it should be building the pressure.
Mannn... I miss this original picture quality 😔
Thank you 🤙🤙🤙
I first saw this when I was four or five years old. Even back then, I could tell what Vader was going to do when he started looking back and forth between his son and his master.
I like to see videos of the original 16mm Star Wars so this is nice to see
i don't mind him quietly saying no once, but him yelling it is absurd
Such an iconic and pivotal moment and then some people had the audacity to ruin this very moment: sOmEhOw pAlPaTiNe rEtUrNeD !
Watching it again and knowing what they did on the last trilogy makes me wonder why they felt ruining Darth Vader’s redemption by bringing back Palpatine was a good idea.
protect this man at all cost he has the original sceene 1983
This is my favorite moment in the entire Star Wars saga. Silent redemption, as it should be.
I can handle Han not shooting first, the addition of Jedi Rocks, but I can't stand the uneccessary "No!" from Vader in the new cut. It honestly kills the scene for me because the scene is already so powerful without dialogue and here it just feels so needlessly over the top. This is the one change I hate.
Agreed. I can live with every other change, but this one. This is unforgivable.
What are Jedi rocks?
I really wish we could get a proper 4K UHD transfer of the Original Trilogy exactly as it appeared in theaters with proper color grading, film grain and without any of the 97' Special Edition changes.
2:15. One last normal Darth Vader breath. One last breath to let the audience know that the haunting black cyborg they’ve feared is still going strong but on their side for one moment. One final moment to put that fear into evil before fading back into the light.
This was better because Vader’s line of saying “No!” out loud was muted.
It wasn't there in the original
Do we have to freaking wait for George to pass away so that we can finally get the theatrical cuts remastered again?! I wish the guy could see that what he added took away soo much of the impact those movie gave us when we first saw them.
It's SOOOOOO much better this way. Even though the expression on Vader's helmet doesn't change at all, we can tell how he's feeling and thinking by the way he tilts his head and how he looks at the Emperor, then at Luke, then back at the Emperor. Him saying "No" just tells us that he doesn't want the Emperor to kill his son, but it's much more complex than that. When he doesn't speak at all, it tells us exactly what Vader is thinking. What Vader is thinking is "You lied to me about how turning to the dark side will save my wife, you have turned me into this horrible person, and are you really going to do to my son what you've done to me? I DON'T THINK SO!!!"
Gave it a like if nothing else than for the fact it offers the scene without the 'No'. It's a bit silly in Revenge of the Sith but works okay. The retrospective change was baffling. The silence of Vader's decision, his conviction in saving his son from the very evil that originally corrupted him, spoken only through his action alone, was one of my favourite aspects of the entire OT. As much as I consider James Earl Jones as Vader to be the greatest feature of this nearly 45 year old franchise, this is the only time where his silence was preferable for me. Thank you as well for making available the original release to begin with, it is the real special edition to many and very appreciated.
Even after he throws Palpatine over, Vader says nothing, Luke says nothing. John Williams’ cue comes in and breaks our hearts.
1:51-2:09. I lost my mother, I lost my mentor (who I killed because of this madness). I lost my wife. I’m not losing my son!
And wife
This is the way. The only dialogue I want from this scene after the lightning starts is Luke begging his father, and then Palpatine screaming. Anything beyond that was unnecessary.
Thank you very much for sharing the excellent classic art
There's something about hearing horns on these older tapes really takes you back.
JPT. Awesome, sound is actually more crisp than the botched releases.
This is the true ending of Star Wars. This is the moment Anakin Skywalker finally broke free of the dark side. He finally saw what it was worth. He was not going to let the very last thing of his old life be destroyed by the very thing he let trick him into becoming a slave to the dark side. Anakin Skywalker destroyed the Sith once and for all and brought the Force back into balance. This is where Star Wars ends.
“You can learn Sith magic to prevent the people you love from dying - or you can just throw me down a reactor shaft. Either works.”
Maybe not the best thing to put your throne room above.
Ahhh, loved this. Thank you.
I saw the original in '77 at the theater. Is it just me or does this scene seem excruciatingly longer than the revamped version? Every time I watch the revamp edition I keep thinking it doesn't have the impact. Then, watching this I realize it takes Vader FOREVER to come to his realization. THEN, it seems he has to carry the Emperor for a much longer period of time before he can throw him into the reactor making it much more impactful as to how much damage his body armor has taken just doing the deed. I remember watching it in the theater I seriously thought for a fleeting second that Vader WAS just going to let Luke die. The Emperor seems much more menacing and Vader's agony and everything rushing into his mind was palpable on the screen. The timing and editing was a masterpiece of intensity rushing towards Luke's death. And butchering this scene to make it fit into the hall of shame the next 6 movies inhabit is a travesty.
At 2:26 You can see palpatine getting teleported to the cash grab trilogy.
This is the true and proper version of this scene, I hate how they added no to Darth Vadar in the enhanced version of this scene.
Go cry about it
1st time ever seeing this, grew up only with the digital version,
I expected to hear a noooo lol but liked that there wasnt a no. It brings out vaders emotions through his body language.
Also, this scene feels way darker, punk, and more "novel" I guess, feels very different with the wider camera angle and the emporer and vader seem way scarier.
Do you have Luke and Vader's final duel from Return of the Jedi? That has always been my number one favorite moment.
I’ll see what I can do :)
There is such a thing as actions speak louder than words. No need for Vader to say a thing. What he did says more than enough.
The most beautiful and powerful scene in Star Wars history now ruined by George Lucas because of his edits.Thank you for adding this masterpiece,my friend.
Is it just me or are the visuals way better fitting at 2:21 than the new editions? The painted reactor shaft looks incredible and the palpatine falling fx work looks more realistic.
I wonder if there's a 16mm version of Predator.
Especially, with an evil laugh so I stick to where Palpatine shock luke before Vader.
How is it that much more emotional without dialogue! Vaders act of defiance agaist the emporer seems so much more urgent and desperate, it resolves his contemplation so much better everything in the performance already says "no"
You all need to get the Despeicalized edition. It refreshed my fandom for Star Wars as I never have to work about 90's Jabba showing in IV and that "no" is not in the cut.
Omg, the purple lightning looks so much better and creepy! Why would they even replace this with the unrealistic looking blue lightning?
The blue lightening was always there. The purple lightning was just a color editing error during the 2004 restoration process.
Adding Vader's "No" to this scene compromises its impact, no different than giving into the dark side of the force as an artist. Anakin's actions are felt by all and don't need to be said, contrasting with the Emperor who relies on vain words.
A villain is cast down without a single word said by the hero.