In an interview with Ain't It Cool News, Steven Spielberg confirmed that work on the Blu-ray edition of his 1975 thriller Jaws has already begun.
When asked if a Jaws Blu-ray was on the horizon, the director responded, "Yes, there is. Yes, there is. I've already seen some of it. I don't have a date yet, but there's a Blu-ray absolutely in the works."
While it could have been predicted that Universal is prepping the Blu-ray of such an iconic film, Spielberg's reversal on his stance towards digital alterations to his past work comes as more of a surprise. According to the interview, Spielberg stated:
"(In the future) there's going to be no more digital enhancements or digital additions to anything based on any film I direct. I'm not going to do any corrections digitally to even wires that show... If 1941 comes on Blu-ray I'm not going to go back and take the wires out because the Blu-ray will bring the wires out that are guiding the airplane down Hollywood Blvd. At this point right now I think letting movies exist in the era, with all the flaws and all of the flourishes, is a wonderful way to mark time and mark history."
This news, in addition to reports that Universal is also preparing Jurassic Park for Blu-ray, should give Spielberg fans plenty to look forward to.
Of all the things that were wrong with 1941, "Wires on airplanes" don't immediately spring to mind...
But it's nice to know that Steve's on the side of preservationism.
I'm of two minds with SS's comments...because on The Exorcist, seeing the wires on Regan Macneil's levitation took me out of the film, at such a crucial moment in the film.
Also, does Spielberg's attitude towards leaving his films the way they are mean that E.T. will get a Blu-ray release of the original cut? I wouldn't mind a set containing both the original along with the 20th Anniversary Special Edition.
Wow, such awesome words. And what a different guy from Lucas, yet they're such great friends. Very admirable. I can't wait for Jaws. Please bring on Jurassic and E.T.!
I'm a big fan of Spielberg and agree with his statement on "altering" classic films. It's interesting that he feels strongly about digital enhancements now considering he replaced the guns in E.T. - anyway, Jaws is a must have and Jurassic too.
I wish SS was more like GL.
Jaws is a great movie, but I am not into Horror flicks. I was afraid of the open water for years after watching this film. JP and E.T. are two movies I eagerly want, and of course the IJ trilogy!
This should be great news folks. We've been asking for this ever since the launch of Bluray and yet were proclaiming other Spielberg titles? Lets be conformist for now Geee!
I'm glad we won't see any more updated versions of films, but I think not removing wires/things that aren't meant to be seen may be going a bit too far in the other direction.
That's exactly how a filmmaker should respond. Let films exist in the era they were created, the way people first fell in love with them. It's respectful towards those who watched the movies, those that helped make them and to film history, of which they are apart.
Can't wait for Jaws, Jurassic Park and all the rest of his films on Blu-ray.
I love Jaws so this is great news.
On the topic of digitally removing mistakes, does this mean he will put the reflection of the cobra back in Raiders if it ever makes it to Blu?
My biggest Spielberg wishlist item is Schindler's List, but ANY word from Universal on bringing Spielberg classics to BDs is most welcome--especially as a double-whammy (Jaws *AND* Jurassic Park!) Universal is the worst of the studios at bringing their catalog to BD; perhaps they're still pouting that HD DVD didn't make it.
And though I might not mind digitally removing wires & other things not originally meant to be seen, I definitely agree with Spielberg more than Lucas. Don't use today's technology to replace your classic films with de facto remakes; just make them look the way they did in theaters back in the day. As Grover Crisp said, the Columbia logo on Taxi Driver looks grainy because it *IS* grainy.
"...there's going to be no more digital enhancements or digital additions to anything based on any film I direct." Let's hope so. I (and quite a few others that love film as it was intended) would love to see that he keeps to his word, and doesn'r alter any of his works. It'll be tough to do so on those he wasn't solely responsible for, but even then, if he can assist in wanning some of those other directors (Lucas stop it!) toward the lightside, praise be to cinematic history!
No one likes "digital enhancements" simply because of George Lucas. He's soured the world b/c we now link digital enhancements to changing storylines, effects, etc.
However...
Dude, remove the wires! No one wants to see that shit, movies are an escapism. We appreciate not wanting to tamper with our memories and original prints but digital enhancements should be exactly that -- removing wires and things that shoulda been hidden in the first place. Replacing walkie-talkies for guns is something different altogether. Get rid of the wires, that's the whole point of remastering for HD.
Some people are never happy on this board by the comments I see here. People also have to realize that studios are not dumb. You can only release so many big movies without flooding the market. Even if they are rival studios. On that note, it is great to see a classic like Jaws coming to Blu.
@ Bluyoda what do you mean you wish he was more like GL? GL is a tool that keeps ruining his only good product. WT SS for not screwing with your film and realizing that films belong to the era that they were released. Can't wait for this!!!! Now lets get E.T. and Schindlers List out there..
I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I would be more than happy to drop some extra cash to get a 2 disc set where one disc is the original unaltered film & the other has a CGI enhanced shark in it. (like E.T. with the guns/walkie Talkies).
Regardless I can't wait. It's definitely one of my favorite movies of all time.
For the record I do fall in the boat wishing that GL would release the original unaltered SWs as well....
don't mind removing the wires - they weren't meant to be seen in the first place. do mind altering the scenes the way lucas did and spielberg did with other movies.
one wonders though what will happen with indy. sure, he directed them, but lucasfilm owns them. i can see some arguments over digital alterations ;>)
I hope this means E.T. will be released in it's original theatrical version ONLY. I did not like the digital enhancements at all. I think it took the emotion out of E.T. and the movie. By trying to give E.T. "more" emotion by enhancing his features, they ended up making him look like an animated character and it just ruined it for me. Digitally replacing the guns with walkie-talkies is unnecessary PC censorship. If E.T. was made in 2002, would E.T. have been CG? Yes. In fact the film would probably look similar to the 2002 version. But it wasn't made in 2002, it was made in 1982... 20 year difference, and therefore should be preserved in the original time it was made like Steven Spielberg says now.
I also don't mind using enhancements to remove things from the film that were never supposed to be there. Like Matte lines and wires that are visible. Maybe even parts where film equipment is seen in a film like a cord or boom mic. In fact I didn't mind in the original star wars trilogy when Lucas made enhancements to the lasers and took out the matte lines. This was long before they added CG characters. I also don't mind them adding back in deleted scenes and calling it a "director's cut", as long as they do it with original materials. If they never shot the actual scene with the character (like the bathroom scene in E.T., or the Jabba Scene in the first Star Wars), then they should leave it out since it doesn't fit. But yea, if a scene was filmed and completed, I have no problem with them editing it back in. I also feel that we should always be offered both versions of a films. Theatrical and Director's cuts. Most people were satisfied with The Lord of the Rings Extended versions because those were actually the original versions... the Theatrical versions were the altered versions in order to cut down the run time for movie theaters. They were always supposed to have those "extra" scenes in them. E.T. and Star wars altered versions don't really count as those because the changes were made 20 years later and required special effects that were not originally done.
I just gained a little more respect for Steve and I agree: Leave the wires in. But didn't he change the gunshot sound effect at the climax of "Jaws" to remove the bogus ricochet sound? (Which was actually an improvement.)
Also, "E.T." should be restored to its original unaltered cut (even though I have no desire to ever watch it again).
And what a dandy passive/aggressive slap in the face to his pal Lucas! Ha!
LOTR theatrical cuts are the preferred versions "PretyHateMachin". The Extended Editions were offered because they shot more footage from the novels they were based on. Peter Jackson has stated this many times: he had final cut of the theatricals and feels they flow better that way.
I do wish they could remove the wires: a lot of times they are not visible theatrically due to the different contrast of projected film prints vs. home media which is a closer step to the orignal negative. With the exception of TEAM AMERICA, I can't think of a filmmaker (or their effects crew) who want audiences to see the wires. Same with blue spill or matte lines or optical errors: sometimes these can take you out of the movie. It's distracting in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS or BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES when Heston is waving an object and it disappears or turns into a blue blur because of optical composite errors.
I am very glad to hear JAWS is on the way and that Spielberg is monitoring its progress. When it comes out on Blu-ray nobody will be able to say that it doesn't look like what the director intended it to!
this is one movie ive been waiting for. this movie rank's no 1 with me i seen this movie when i was 10 year's old and have probaly seen it 100 plus time's it will alway's be the no 1 blockbuster of all time . i have the 25th and 30th edition's and i will be waiting for this on bluray !!!!!!!
I anticipate, or at least hope, for all possible cuts of SS flicks to be included on the BD. Just like Close Encounters. With seamless branching, why not? Then everyone is happy.
Also, can't wait for Jaws! Then Indy, sir Spielberg. I'm really happy that they'll be unaltered. I was fearing Lucas was gonna start having fun with them. Even with Lucasfilm's hold on them, Spielberg should have the most control.
I'm a BIG Spielberg fan, and although I do want me some 1941, E.T., INDIANA JONES TRILOGY, JAWS, JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD, SCHINDLER'S LIST... Don't underestimate his other titles... ALWAYS, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, HOOK, and MUNICH.
So have we all jump of our sanity - Surely we like the films because when we first see them they have a great story and are filmed well.For us to say we would prefer to see a film on HD, showing all the floors of wires etc just shows Insanity and a cost saving to the already greedy directors and film studios.Come on people think for yourselves ---DAAAAAAA
If we wish to continue to keep films as first shown keep with Video Tapes , Dvd or Cinema Reels or realise that when trying to earn more money from an old film you also Improve the watching quality.
I for one is seeing a few films lately being released which are just as good as the Dvd played via ps3 etc - This is just greed for multi releases down the line.
Sweet this and the rest of hois movies would be awesome . plus if he wanted he could release on a blu ray disc both version the unrestored and the new restored version therefore he can't be mad about it .
oh my god, if only his friend Lucas would read Speilbergs statements.
"I'm of two minds with SS's comments...because on The Exorcist, seeing the wires on Regan Macneil's levitation took me out of the film, at such a crucial moment in the film."
You can see wires? I've seen the film a hundred times and never noticed.. maybe because the film is so great I can see past them as I am focusing on the film.
@PeterTHX - Regardless of what Peter Jackson prefers, the Extended editions of the LotR trilogy are definitely the "preferred versions" by the majority of fans. Look how many were upset when they just released the Theatrical versions of the trilogy on Blu-ray at first! But anyways, that was not my point. My point was that Peter Jackson had always intended to release the extended versions. It wasn't like he released the originals and then altered them later on down the road like with the Star Wars Trilogy or E.T. 20th anniversary edition. And unlike Lucas with Star Wars, and Spielberg with E.T.(although E.T. theatrical version WAS released on DVD in the ultimate edition, but quickly went out of print and remains unavailable fro purchase to this day), both versions are available to fans. And I don't always agree with the director on which version is better. If they release 2 versions, that is for me to decide which is the "preferred version". And for me the extended editions of LotR is my "preferred version", I don't care what Peter Jackson says!
Yey, I look forward to this. I remember waiting for the DVD to come out just so I could get excited about 5.1 Jaws music. Yet another day one purchase I think. Hmmm more blu-rays, We're going to need a bigger boat.... I mean shelf.
The only thing that has bothered me on the video releases of "Jaws", has been the scene where the shark hits the underwater cage with Hooper in it causing him to drop the dart, and the shark swims away. There are two large, long black vertical lines that appear on the left hand of the screen. The footage is of a real shark. I hope that this is fixed with the restoration.
a big thank you to Spielberg for not "removing" anny wires or whatever that shows on the screen in this digital era....i'm verry happy to hear this and i'm sure millions of others!
unlike George Lucas who ruined the whole Star Wars ...with his removing,altering and whatever....this will be on pre order the moment i can...unlike the original Star Wars movies wich i now cannot buy since that set does not include the unaltered versions,cheers Steven Spielberg,i do hope George reads your interview and wakes up eventually...
Great news, although it'd be nice if George Lucas wasn't compared to a serial killer once in a while. Star Wars is Star Wars, the plot remains the same. The essence of the movies is still there, even though many of the changes are seen as unecessary. At least, that's how I see it. As for Jaws, I can't wait, and respect Spielberg's stance on digital alterations.
While I applaud Speilberg on his views on revisionism, I personally think that Ridley Scott got it just about perfect on the Blade Runner BD release. He restored the picture without removing grain, and he removed the wires from the rising spinner scene. The only time he did a Lucas was to improve a badly shot scene: Zhora's death - by insterting the original actress Joanna Cassidy into the scene in place of the originally badly filmed stuntwoman. The truth of these things is as always somewhere in the middle.
Then how come Spielberg altered the crap out of ET: The Extraterrestrial in the DVD remake? Took the gun out of the cop's hands and put in walkie-talkies. And several other 'changes'. Sounds hypocritical to me.
Guess the audience doesn't approve of polishing old movies...So the filmmaker bends to their will. Personally it would be cool to have the original versions and the polished versions IMHO.
Jaws is certainly a film I've been looking to acquire on blu-ray. It's nice to see work is progressing on it. It should be a fine release, especially if Spielberg himself is involved. Hopefully other films Spielberg directed for release by Universal will not be far behind. Jurassic Park, yes. But also Schindler's List, Duel and E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial and even The Sugarland Express and 1941 (this last one I'd never even heard of until I read this article).
Down the line, Universal could do a very nice box set of the Spielberg films in its library, like the first-rate job it did with Alfred Hitchcock on DVD a few years ago or like Warner has recently done with Stanley Kubrick and Clint Eastwood or Fox did with Mel Brooks on blu and John Ford on DVD. Universal could even license a few films from other studios to include in such a big box. Just a thought. Steven Spielberg's work is extensive and eminently collectible.
Words can't describe how happy I am to read this news. I assume we'll be getting Jurassic Park before Christmas and Jaws hopefully by the 2nd quarter of 2012. Give me Indiana Jones by the 4th quarter and I won't have to say another word. The fact that Spielberg won't allow a single one of his films to be released with any digital enhancements is the best news of it all. WAY TO GO!
This is great news Jaws finally coming to blu-ray disc next year. It will be finally nice to see the film in 1080p HD and hear it in loss-less DTS HD Master Audio. I also hope the original 1975 theatrical audio mix in on the blu-ray in DTS HD Master Audio 2.0
