[[File:Harmy's Despecialized Edition.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Blu-ray cover]]
'''''Star Wars: The Despecialized Edition''''', also known as '''''Harmy's Despecialized Edition''''', is a [[Fan edit|fan-created]] [[film preservation]] of the [[Star Wars original trilogy|original ''Star Wars'' trilogy]] films: ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977), ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980), and ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (1983). It is a high-quality [[replica]] of the out-of-print theatrical versions, created by a team of ''Star Wars'' fans with the intention of preserving the films, culturally and historically. The project was led by Petr Harmáček, then an English teacher, from [[Plzeň]], [[Czech Republic]], under the online alias ''Harmy''.
The original ''Star Wars'' trilogy was created by [[George Lucas]] and released theatrically between 1977 and 1983. For the franchise's 20th anniversary in 1997, Lucas introduced noticeable [[Changes in Star Wars re-releases|changes]] within the films]] to address his dissatisfaction with the original cuts. These versions, promoted as the "Special Edition,", included additional scenes, different dialogue, new [[sound- effects]], and [[computer-generated imagery]]. These changes, along with more changes added in 2004 and 2011, were carried over into subsequent home video releases. {{As of|20232025}}, the original theatrical releases are not commercially available, and have never been officially released in [[High-definition video|high definition]].
The new changes were met with a mixed to negative response from some critics and fans. Harmáček felt that changing the films in this way constituted "an act of cultural vandalism.".<ref name=Hosie/> In 2010, he began to create a high -definition reconstruction of the films' theatrical versions. He and a team of eight other fans used the 2011 [[Blu-ray]] releases for the majority of material, the lower-definition 1993 [[LaserDisc]] releases as a guide to the original version, and various other sources. The first version was published online in 2011, and updated versions have been released since.
As a [[derivative work]], ''Harmy's Despecialized Edition'' cannot be legally bought or sold in the United States and other countries with treaties respecting US copyrights, and is "to be shared among legal owners of the officially available releases only.".<ref>{{citeCite web |title=The Ultimate Introductory Guide to Harmy's Star Wars Trilogy Despecialized Editions |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yLsvexWBVM8IYSGopKuSfsGk5YIgCwQWd23bqb5ryD4/pub |website=docs.google.com |accessurl-datestatus=20 May 2020 |archive-date=22 February 2017live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222122728/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yLsvexWBVM8IYSGopKuSfsGk5YIgCwQWd23bqb5ryD4/pub |urlarchive-statusdate=live2017-02-22 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=docs.google.com}}</ref> Consequently, the films are mainly available via various file sharing methods. Reaction to the project has been mostly positive, with critics generally praising the quality and [[aesthetics]] of the work.
==Background==
{{Further|Changes in Star Wars re-releases}}
{{stack|[[File:Star Wars Logo.svg|thumb|''Star Wars'' logo|alt=The words "STAR WARS" written in a large, yellow, outline font against a black background]]}}
The original ''Star Wars'' trilogy was a Lucasfilm production released theatrically by [[20th Century Fox]] between 1977 and 1983, and was subsequently released on home media during the 1980s and 1990s. The films were distributed by [[CBS/Fox Video]] on several formats, such as [[VHS]], [[Betamax]], and LaserDisc.<ref name=Goldberg/> In 1997, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of ''Star Wars'', Lucas re-released new cuts of the trilogy to theaters, naming them the "Special Editions". The purpose of this release was to change the films to meet Lucas' ideal vision that he could not achieve during their original productions. A number of changes to the original releases included additions of enhanced digital effects, previously unreleased scenes, altered dialogue, unreleased and newly recorded music by [[John Williams]], updated sound-effects by [[THX]] and [[Skywalker Sound]], and entirely new CGI sequences from [[Industrial Light & Magic]].<ref name=Miller/>
Reactions to the "Special Edition" versions remain controversial, with some commentators praising the picture and sound restoration, but criticising unnecessary additions such as computer-generated characters, creatures, and vehicles as well as alterations to the essential story;<ref name=Gordon/> most notably a short scene involving the bounty hunter [[Han shot first|Greedo shooting at Han Solo]] from the first film drew significant ire.<ref name="NYTimes2024" /><ref name=Hutchinson/> Further changes to the series were added to the [[DVD]] release in 2004 to establish continuity with the [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|prequel trilogy]] and to the Blu-ray releases from 2011. The final release of the theatrical cuts was in 2006, when unrestored masters used for the 1993 "Definitive Collection" trilogy on LaserDisc were added as a DVD bonus feature to a limited run – some fans pejoratively termed this release "George's Original Unaltered Trilogy" (GOUT).<ref name=Smith/>
Despite a high demand and many online fan petitions, Lucasfilm has refused to release the theatrical versions of ''Star Wars'' in HD quality. In 2010, Lucas stated that bringing the original cuts to Blu-ray would be a "very, very expensive" process;<ref name=Brew/> {{As of|20232025|lc=y}}, the films are still only widely available in their altered versions.<ref name="Hutchinson, Lee" />
==Production==
Harmáček edited these sources together using programs such as Avisynth and Adobe After Effects.<ref name=Hosie/>
Harmáček was assisted by a group of like-minded fans from the website OriginalTrilogy.com. In total, they estimated that the project took thousands of hours of work between them.<ref name=Hosie/> In 2011, one year after the project had begun, the first version of ''Harmy's Despecialized Edition'' was published online;<ref name=Gizmodo/> new and updated versions were created regularly in the five years that followed.<ref name=Hutchinson/> {{As of|2021|10}}, the most recent versions of ''Star Wars'', ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'' are v2.7, v2.0 and v2v3.51 respectively.<ref name=Eveleth/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Harmy's RETURN OF THE JEDI Despecialized Edition HD - V2.5 - AVCHD DVD9 & NTSC DVD5 (Released) - Original Trilogy |url=https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Harmys-RETURN-OF-THE-JEDI-Despecialized-Edition-HD-V2-5-AVCHD-DVD9-and-NTSC-DVD5-Released/id/12905 |accessurl-datestatus=2021-10-21|website=originaltrilogy.com|archive-date=2021-10-21live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021182355/https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Harmys-RETURN-OF-THE-JEDI-Despecialized-Edition-HD-V2-5-AVCHD-DVD9-and-NTSC-DVD5-Released/id/12905 |urlarchive-statusdate=live2021-10-21 |access-date=2021-10-21 |website=originaltrilogy.com}}</ref> As a result of the project, Harmáček was able to quit his teaching job and in 2015 was hired by [[UltraFlix]] to prepare and restore a library of 4K-encoded films for sale and rent. He has since joined UPP, a Prague-based VFX house, as a 2D digital compositor and worked on such projects as ''[[Blade Runner 2049]]'', ''[[Wonder Woman (2017 film)|Wonder Woman]]'', and AMC's ''[[The Terror (TV series)|The Terror]]''.<ref name=Miller/><ref name=Brew/>
===Legality===
The legality of downloading ''Harmy's Despecialized Edition'' is contentious.<ref name=Goldberg/> As a fan edit, the cut cannot be legally bought or sold, and treads a line between [[Fair Use|fair use]] and copyright infringement.<ref name=Broughall/> OriginalTrilogy.com states that the edits are "made for culturally historical and educational purposes" and that they are "to be shared among legal owners of the officially available releases only".<ref name=Brew/> Consequently, the films are only available via various [[BitTorrent]] trackers and through specialized rapid download programs using file sharing sites.<ref name=Gordon/><ref name=Machkovech/> Harmáček himself remarked: "I'm convinced that 99% of people who download this already bought ''Star Wars'' 10 times over on DVD."<ref name=Eveleth/> {{As of|20232025}}, he had received no legal challenge from [[Walt Disney Studios Motion(division)|The PicturesWalt Disney Studios]], the owner of [[Lucasfilm]] and [[20th Century Studios]], over the ''Despecialized Edition''.<ref name=Hosie/>
==Translated versions==
In 2013, Italian blogger "Leo", from the blog DoppiaggiItalioti.it – which discusses Italian adaptations of foreign films, both satirizing dubbing and translation errors and endorsing good dubs – worked on an [[Italian language|Italian-language]] version of ''Harmy's Despecialized Edition'' for the original ''Star Wars'' movie, together with other people, and with Harmáček's permission.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-06-17 |title=Doppiaggi Italioti presenta l'originale Guerre stellari (che non esiste più) |url=https://doppiaggiitalioti.com/2013/06/17/doppiaggi-italioti-introduce-loriginale-guerre-stellari/ |accessurl-datestatus=2021-10-21|website=Doppiaggilive italioti|language=it-IT|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624114021/https://doppiaggiitalioti.com/2013/06/17/doppiaggi-italioti-introduce-loriginale-guerre-stellari/ |urlarchive-statusdate=live2021-06-24 |access-date=2021-10-21 |website=Doppiaggi italioti |language=it-IT}}</ref> He used original 35mm prints of the localized Italian-language edition, as well as a rare 1991 VHS copy, to reproduce the [[Star Wars opening crawl|opening crawl]], subtitles, and end credits (even preserving some typos) of the film, as they were seen in Italian theaters. This version is no longer available, since it is based on an outdated version of Harmáček's work, although an update to the blog post assures that when a "definitive" edition is released, the localization will be adapted to that one. The update also refers to another "multilanguage" version of the ''Despecialized Edition'', featuring several audio tracks – the Italian one is taken from the Italian version of the 2006 limited edition DVD – over the original English-language video.
The project also restored the original Italian trailer for the film, which Leo produced using the video from the original US trailer and audio from low-definition copies, as well as completely remaking the text sections.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-06-29 |title=Trailer dell'edizione despecializzata di Guerre Stellari (1977) |url=https://doppiaggiitalioti.com/2013/06/29/trailer-delledizione-despecializzata-di-guerre-stellari-1977/ |accessurl-date=2021-10-21|websitestatus=Doppiaggilive italioti|language=it-IT|archive-date=2021-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412153653/https://doppiaggiitalioti.com/2013/06/29/trailer-delledizione-despecializzata-di-guerre-stellari-1977/ |urlarchive-statusdate=live2021-04-12 |access-date=2021-10-21 |website=Doppiaggi italioti |language=it-IT}}</ref>
== Team Negative 1, Project 4K77, and subsequent restorations ==
{{Third-party|section|date=November 2023}}
Although Harmy's Despecialized Editions have been widely praised, some have remarked that Harmy's Despecialized Editionsthey are still technically reconstructions using digital effects and upscaling of low quality sources,<ref>{{citeCite AV media |peopleurl=Harmáček,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDz8VMMJU6I&t=767s Petr (Director)|date=2021-03-11|title=Introducing the Despecialized Edition and Its Sources |date=2021-03-11 |type=Motion Picture |language=en |publisher=Harmáček, Petr |place=Czech Republic |access-date=2023-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725204203/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDz8VMMJU6I&t=767s |accessarchive-date=2023-07-25 |___locationurl-status=Czechlive Republic|publisherpeople=Harmáček, Petr (Director)}}</ref> rather than truly unaltered preservations. This led to subsequent effortsattempts to improve onat itimprovement, such as the ''Silver Screen Edition''<ref>{{citeCite web |last=Dreamaster |date=2016-04-22 |title=Info: Improving Silver Screen Edition colors on the cheap |url=https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Info-Improving-Silver-Screen-Edition-colors-on-the-cheap/id/49565 |titleurl-status=Info:live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725204204/https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Info-Improving -Silver -Screen -Edition -colors -on -the -cheap/id/49565 |author=Dreamaster|archive-date=20162023-0407-22|website=Original25 Trilogy.com|access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Original Trilogy.com}}</ref> and ''Skywalker Edition.''<ref>{{citeCite web |last=Collipso |date=2018-09-18 |title=**4K77** - Released - Original Trilogy |url=https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/4K77-Released/id/60815/page/17#1241141 |titleurl-status=**4K77**live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725204203/https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/4K77- Released/id/60815/page/17#1241141 - Original Trilogy|author=Collipso|archive-date=20182023-0907-18|website=Original25 Trilogy.com|access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Original Trilogy.com}}</ref>
One of these efforts, ''Project 4K77,'' is a fan project to scan and restore original 35mm prints of ''Star Wars'' from 1977.<ref name="NYTimes2024" /> The project name refers to the [[4K resolution]] used and the film's release year of 1977.<ref name="NYTimes2024" /> In 2016, a few 35mm prints were located and donated to a group of fans called "Team Negative 1" (TN1), who scanned these prints at 4K resolution. TN1 released the film online in May 2018, first in the form of a 4K UHD file and then a [[1080p]] downscale. According to the ''Project 4K77'' website, 97% of the restored video came from a single print that was dubbed in Spanish, with the remainder from an alternate print and some frames upscaled from the official Lucasfilm Blu-ray.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Project 4K77 {{!}} The Star Wars Trilogy |url=https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/project-4k77/ |accessurl-datestatus=2020-10-04|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-10-28live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028162528/https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/project-4k77/ |urlarchive-statusdate=live2020-10-28 |access-date=2020-10-04 |language=en-US}}</ref>
TN1 followed ''4K77'' with ''Project 4K83'', based on an original 35mm print of ''Return of the Jedi'' (released in 1983) that was discovered and scanned in 4K.<ref name="NYTimes2024" /> According to their website, this print required little cleanup, and the restoration was released in October 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Project 4K83 {{!}} The Star Wars Trilogy |url=https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/project-4k83/ |accessurl-datestatus=2020-10-04|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-10-28live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028162547/https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/project-4k83/ |urlarchive-statusdate=live2020-10-28 |access-date=2020-10-04 |language=en-US}}</ref> TN1 released a subsequent improved V2.0 of this restoration in 2023, which contains more "theatrically accurate" colors due to a technical error when encoding the original release.
''Project 4K80'', a restoration of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980),<ref name="NYTimes2024" /> was begun by TN1 in 2020, reporting that although they have multiple prints, some were faded and they required substantially more cleanup, with a projected two-year time frame to complete.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Project 4K80 {{!}} The Star Wars Trilogy |url=https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/project-4k80/ |accessurl-datestatus=2020-10-04|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-10-01live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001055812/https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/project-4k80/ |urlarchive-statusdate=live2020-10-01 |access-date=2020-10-04 |language=en-US}}</ref> ThisIt iswas becausereleased unlikein 4K77February and2024.<ref>{{Cite 4K83,web which|date=2024-02-12 were|title=4K80 eitherIs primarilyFinally orDone! entirely{{!}} sourcedThe fromStar aWars singleTrilogy print, none of the prints available for 4K80 were complete|url=https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/2024/02/12/4k80-is-finally-done/ Each|access-date=2025-04-05 of the six sources used also had their own unique color timing, meaning additional re|language=en-grading was needed to match each source's colors to one another.US}}</ref>
TN1 has since discovered a complete print of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), in substantially better condition than the sources used up to that point. They have announced intentions to eventually use this as the basis of a V2.0 with more theatrically accurate colors, similar to 4K83's V2.0, and have also announced intentions to do the same for 4K77 using since acquired prints. When discussing TN1's projects, Harmy expressed that he considered them "vastly superior" restorations to the Despecialized Editions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/4K77-Released/id/60815/page/7#1211042|title=**4K77** - Released - Original Trilogy|last=Harmáček|first=Petr|date=2018-08-26|website=Original Trilogy.com|access-date=2023-07-25|quote=I have previously already recommended the SSE over DeEdv2.7 and this one is vastly superior to the SSE, so I’d definitely recommend this as the go to version, at least for now}}</ref>
==Reception==
Reaction to ''Harmy's Despecialized Edition'' has been almost universally positive. Writing for ''[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]]'', Sean Hutchinson placed it at number one on his list of the best ''Star Wars'' fan edits, and described it as "the perfect pre-1997 way to experience the saga."<ref name=Hutchinson/> Whitson Gordon of ''[[Lifehacker]]'' called the edits "the best version of ''Star Wars'' you can watch," and named them "the version of ''Star Wars'' we've all been clamoring for the last 20 years".<ref name=Gordon/> Similarly, Nathan Barry of ''[[Wired (website)|Wired]]'' praised the films as "an absolute joy to watch",<ref name=Wired/> while ''[[Gizmodo]]'' described them as "very, ''very'' good".<ref name=Gizmodo/> In an article listing ''[[Ars Technica]]''{{'}}s favorite ''Star Wars'' items, Sam Machkovech selected ''Harmy's Despecialized Edition'', calling it "a treat."<ref name=Machkovech/>
==References==
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<ref name=Hosie"Hutchinson">{{Cite journalweb |last=Hutchinson |first=Sean |date=January 22, 2016 |title=These Are the 5 Best 'Star Wars' Fan Edits |url=httphttps://motherboardwww.viceinverse.com/readarticle/star10533-warsthese-despecializedare-editionthe-removes5-alterationsbest-tostar-thewars-originalfan-trilogy|title='Staredits Wars: Despecialized Edition' Restores the Original, Unedited Trilogy|last=Hosie|first=Ewen|dateurl-status=Novemberdead 17, 2015|journal=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|___location=New York City|issn=1077-6788|oclc=30856250|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2015111815302320160213060617/httphttps://motherboardwww.viceinverse.com/readarticle/star10533-warsthese-despecializedare-editionthe-removes5-alterationsbest-tostar-thewars-originalfan-trilogyedits |archive-date=NovemberFebruary 1813, 2015|url-status=live2016 |access-date=January 27, 2016 |publisher=[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]] |___location=San Francisco}}</ref>
<ref name="Hutchinson, Lee">{{Cite web |last=Hutchinson |first=Lee |date=May 10, 2014 |title=Could Disney finally give us the remastered, unedited Star Wars we want? |url=https://www.inversearstechnica.com/articlegadgets/105332014/05/could-thesedisney-arefinally-give-us-the-5remastered-bestunedited-star-wars-fanwe-editswant/ |titleurl-status=These Are the 5 Best 'Star Wars' Fan Edits |last=Hutchinson |first=Sean |date=January 22, 2016 |publisher=[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]] |___location=San Franciscolive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2016021306061720140511191954/httpshttp://www.inversearstechnica.com/articlegadgets/2014/05/10533could-thesedisney-arefinally-give-us-the-5remastered-bestunedited-star-wars-fanwe-editswant/ |archive-date=FebruaryMay 1311, 2016 |url-status=dead2014 |access-date=JanuaryApril 2719, 2016 |publisher=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref>
<ref name="Johncock">{{Cite web |last=Johncock |first=Benjamin |date=December 21, 2015 |title=On Star Wars, The Craft of Writing and What Novelists Can Learn From 'The Force Awakens' |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/benjamin-johncock/on-star-wars-the-craft-of_b_8838360.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021214734/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/benjamin-johncock/on-star-wars-the-craft-of_b_8838360.html |archive-date=October 21, 2016 |access-date=January 27, 2016 |website=[[The Huffington Post]]}}</ref>
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<ref name=Johncock"Jun">{{Cite web |urllast=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/benjamin-johncock/on-star-wars-the-craft-of_b_8838360.htmlJun |titlefirst=OnDominik Star|date=November Wars8, 2014 |title=The CraftCzech ofguerilla Writingrestorationist andbattling What Novelists Can Learn Fromto 'Thesave ForceStar AwakensWars' |lasturl=Johncockhttp://www.radio.cz/en/section/special/the-czech-guerilla-restorationist-battling-to-save-star-wars |firsturl-status=Benjamin |date=December 21, 2015 |website=[[The Huffington Post]]live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2016102121473420141113070333/http://www.huffingtonpost.coradio.ukcz/benjamin-johncocken/onsection/special/the-starczech-warsguerilla-therestorationist-battling-to-craftsave-of_b_8838360.htmlstar-wars |archive-date=OctoberNovember 2113, 2016 |url-status=live2014 |access-date=JanuaryApril 2725, 2016 |publisher=[[Radio Prague]] |___location=Prague}}</ref>
<ref name=Jun"Machkovech">{{Cite web |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=November 26, 2015 |title=Star Wars beyond the films: Ars' staff picks its fave games, toys, more |url=httphttps://wwwarstechnica.radio.czcom/enthe-multiverse/section2015/special11/star-wars-beyond-the-czechfilms-guerillaars-restorationiststaff-battlingpicks-toits-savefave-stargames-wars|title=The Czech guerilla restorationisttoys-more/ battling to 'save Star Wars'|lasturl-status=Jun|first=Dominik|date=Novemberlive 8, 2014|publisher=[[Radio Prague]]|___location=Prague|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2014111307033320151129133240/http://radioarstechnica.czcom/enthe-multiverse/section2015/special11/star-wars-beyond-the-czechfilms-guerillaars-restorationiststaff-battlingpicks-toits-savefave-stargames-warstoys-more/ |archive-date=November 1329, 2014|url-status=live2015 |access-date=AprilJanuary 2527, 2016 |publisher=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref>
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<ref name=Wired"NYTimes2024">{{Cite journalnews |last=Deb |first=Sopan |date=May 3, 2024 |title=How Rebel 'Star Wars' Fans Saved the Original Movies |url=https://www.wirednytimes.com/20132024/0205/03/arts/star-wars-fandomfilms-editors/|title=Star Warsgeorge-lucas.html – The Fandom Editors|lasturl-status=Barry|first=Nathan|date=Februarylive 12, 2013|journal=[[Wired (website)|Wired]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2015103116375520240503190135/httphttps://www.wirednytimes.com/20132024/05/03/02arts/star-wars-fandomfilms-editors/george-lucas.html |archive-date=OctoberMay 313, 2015|url-status=live2024 |access-date=JanuaryMay 274, 20162024 |work=[[The New York Times]] |quote=George Lucas wants them to fade into oblivion. But some fans spent more than a decade digitally restoring the original 'Star Wars' trilogy, preserving the movies as they were shown in theaters.}}</ref>
}}
==External links==
*{{YouTube|user=harmacek|Harmy}}
*{{Facebook|despecialized|''Star Wars'' Trilogy Despecialized Edition}}
*[https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Harmys-Despecialized-Star-Wars-1977-Color-Adjustment-Project-for-v27-released/id/48257 ''Star Wars'' 1977 - Despecialized Edition - Latest Changes]
*[https://www.looper.com/211938/why-watching-the-best-version-of-star-wars-is-actually-illegal/ Why watching the best version of Star Wars is actually illegal] via [[Looper (website)|Looper]]
*{{IMDb title|id=5639360|title=Star Wars: Despecialized Edition Remastered V2.5, Introducing the Sources}}
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