Films Deserving Of The ‘Special Edition’ Treatment

By Special Edition I am referring to the act of updating a film by altering existing footage and/or adding new footage. The most obvious (and often cited) example would be the Star Wars Special Edition trilogy which debuted in 1997. The films suffered from the additions of pointless scenes, questionable CGI, and ill-conceived changes (Han not shooting first). Spielberg’s E.T. would follow suit a few years later. All of these releases were met with derision from fans.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have other films and TV shows taking a more modest approach in their Special Edition treatment. The original Star Trek series inserted all-new CGI scenes for the spaceship shots, helping the show graduate to HD for the Blu-Ray release. Blade Runner’s Final Cut (2007) also underwent many changes, but mostly cosmetic.

I want to make the argument that a Special Edition treatment can be applied to many films, if done with restraint and a high amount of regard for the original film. For the most part, I just want to address some shortcomings in special effects, which is more apparent in older films.

Here are a list of films that would benefit from CG polish, in no particular order:

1. The Last Starfighter. A great film that featured cutting edge effects back in 1986, and was among the first to use 3D CG graphics extensively. However those same effects are now the film’s Achilles heel. This film can still easily exist in the 80′s, but the space scenes need an overhaul. Like the previously mentioned Star Trek example, all the space battles here could use an update. Also the StarCar landing in a fiery space station parking lot was a clunky shot, and could be re-done.

I wouldn’t prescribe the same treatment for the original TRON, as that is an appropriate snapshot of 80′s technology. Starfighter’s setting being in space warrants a more realistic portrayal.

2. Aliens*. Still a masterpiece, but hear me out: The transport ship crashing down in the background as Ripley and the others flee looks a bit flimsy to me for a few reasons: the composite work looks obvious, and the ship looks like a toy model flying apart at a different frame rate. A few routes for this shot: a) add a camera shake to the shot — there were camera shakes in the film’s climax even b) clean up the composite work, and digitally add a lot of debris flying off the ship to increase its scale, or c) create an all-new crashing ship in CG and drop it in.

The Alien queen also needs a touch up. Her puppetry work shows in a few shots, and her movement seems clunky at times. They used a lot of tricks to help conceal the animatronic team that controlled her, like lens flares, smoke, back-lighting, and smart camera angles. Drop in a CG version for improved fluid movement, especially when it comes to her moving/walking about. Also, a CG Queen would address something that always bugged me: her ability to use an elevator. Instead, I would have her climb the wall to the upper platform to chase Ripley and Newt. These Xenomorphs have already demonstrated an incredible crawling ability, so why not the Queen too? Would help explain her stowaway abilities too.

3. Batman (1989). That animated shot of the Joker falling is terrible. The film asks you to suspend your disbelief yet again here, but it doesn’t work. Probably why they made the scene eye-blink short. Only 4 years later technology was able to catch up **, allowing faces to be superimposed on stunt doubles. Now it would be simple to add Jack Nicholson to a falling double, allowing for a prolonged shot even. This also applies for the early animated shot of Batman from overhead, as he twirls around — this can be filmed.

4. Back to the Future. The shot of Doc and Marty looking back as they stand over the newly-formed fire tracks left by the Delorean. The green screen work here is obvious, and it takes away from the awe of the moment. I believe this can be filmed with stunt doubles standing over a controlled fire, and the actors’ heads can be comp’d in and color corrected to fit.

5. Terminator 1 and 2. Nowadays CG artists can remove a nose (he who shall not be named) or half the face (Dark Knight’s Two Face), which would help Arnold’s half-cyborg face scenes. In the two films makeup was used, and looking straight-on it worked to a degree but it’s still quite apparent. Ideally you want to track the actor during filming to accomplish this kind of effect, but this can be done — though somewhat masochistically. CG was used to achieve the look nicely for Terminator 3.

Also, the shot in T2 of them driving down the road after rescuing Sarah Connor from the Psychiatric Ward is green screen, or film against a projected backdrop. I wish a more seamless background could be inserted.

Note: Obviously a lot of the FX from T1 could be updated (the stop-motion animation especially), but I cannot recall too much from the film. I watched T2 far more than the first Terminator.

6. Equilibrium. There is one complaint I have about this film, and it’s the uneven look. It’s dark and gritty in some parts, very clean and bright in other sections. Much like watching a WWII film inter-cut with a Lady Gaga video. All I want is to see is the ‘clean’ sections a bit desaturated and maybe a touch darker. It would be less jarring methinks. I know there are two factions in this film, and the style may represent their very different cultures, but this change would keep the dreariness intact for the whole film. Dreary is good. Probably not the most extensive Special Edition treatment, but this type of color correction would be an intensive process.

*Aliens got a ‘Special Edition’ release, but it was an extended cut of the film that featured reinstated deleted scenes.

**Jurassic Park, when the double briefly looked into the camera as she was being hoisted up to evade the jumping Raptor, they had to digitally add the girl’s face.