Star Wars OT on DVD - Official - Sept 21st

[Chuey]

"This is not a democracy" - ie, George don't care if that's what you want.  He's gonna release Star Wars the way he wants.

Until one day he decides to do it right and make us all pay for the trilogy again. 

The first part is dead right.

The second part is dead wrong. Do his jackbooted thugs (ex Federal agents fired for brutality, probably) gonna come over and force you to buy the new release?

As to the "democracy" part, if you attended Wondercon 2004 and saw the Star Wars programming, you kind of get a scary glimplse into the decision making process over at LFL and ILM into the making of Star Wars Ep3. One segment showed the character design process for General Grievous. The segment showed a bunch of ILM production assistants who spend feavorish weeks on coming up with various designs to this character. The decision making process essentially came down to George Lucas coming in with a rubber stamp to mark the ones that he liked.

My hat's off to him that not only is Lucas a writer, director and producer, for all of the newer films, but he owns the resource to make them (ILM, Skywalker Sound, etc). However, film making tends to be a collaborative process with the effort and ideas of others even if one person has a vision. With the original films, Lucas had to bounce idea off folks like his ex-wife, Maria, ex-producer, Gary Kurtz and and ex-director Irvin Kershner. Many fans consider Empire Strikes Back the best film. In fact George Lucas got ready of many people who participated in that project after its completion. As he owns the films and the resources to make them, he will release all six of the films as he sees fit.

[Anubis]

I like this piece from the alternate stuff for Ep. 1

A few USC students took the Japanese Laserdisc & made their own edit of the movie, cutting out all scenes featuring Jar-Jar Binks and making many other minor tweaks. It became known as the "Phantom Edit". George Lucas requested to see a copy & then Lucasfilm issued a press release reiterating that it is illegal to copy and/or edit a Lucasfilm property.

Lucas probably realized the movie flowed a lot better withough JarJar screwing it up after seeing his copy. I agree the new trilogy would have been much better served without that character. Especially Ep. 1.

[Blaine23]

"This is not a democracy" - ie, George don't care if that's what you want.  He's gonna release Star Wars the way he wants.

Until one day he decides to do it right and make us all pay for the trilogy again. 

The first part is dead right.

The second part is dead wrong. Do his jackbooted thugs (ex Federal agents fired for brutality, probably) gonna come over and force you to buy the new release?

Y'know what?

Despite my grousing about the lack of a release for the Original Versions of the films on DVD, I actually agree with you somewhat. It IS Lucas' choice and it's not a democracy as to how the films do and don't get rereleased.

And no, no one is coming to my house and forcing me to buy anything Star Wars, thank god. I buy enough crap without anyone's help.

So let's be clear - I don't deny the guy his right to continually cheapen his films - I just disagree with the mentality behind it. That's my opinion.

I think that there a certain "f-you" attitude to movie-goers in general in this strategy of theirs. The original versions stood on their own for decades. People saw them, loved them, etc.

Now Lucas continues to "touch them up" every chance he gets. He's not even satisfied with the crap CGI he added 12 years ago and now he's shoehorning in more out of place technology. And all because "this is now the movie I wanted to make."

If he finally got it to look the way he wanted it, why does he keep changing it? Look at that list of alternate crap... dude, just pick one and stick with it!

I just get the feeling that as soon as someone figures out how to make a realistic CGI urine streams, wacky George is gonna go add a scene of Yoda peeing on Luke and then going, "I was wrong, THIS is the movie I wanted to make! Digital Watersports! Yeah!"

If he wants to screw with his movies, fine by me. But I think most film fans in general would prefer it if he just released the original stuff and let Star Wars obsessive fan boys buy each "new version" he trumpets. Then I could go back to my cave and watch it without groaning or using the dusty VHS player.

That's all I want. Just a good release - hell, no extras, even - of the movies I saw in the theater as a kid. Isn't it weird to have to ask for that?

[Max Jenius]

*yawn* SW is SW. They're all the same in my book. I didn't see them until I was in my teens, so I'm not as nostalgic as the others I've seen on here.

A: Some new SW news came out.

B: OH NOES!!! SW SUCKS NOW!!1! OT>PT!!! JARJAR = teh ghey!! CG KILLED MY MOTHER!!!!

C: YEAH! SW SUCKS BECAUSE GL DOESN'T LISTEN TO NERDS OFF THE INTARNET!

[Agent ONE]

*yawn* SW is SW. They're all the same in my book. I didn't see them until I was in my teens, so I'm not as nostalgic as the others I've seen on here.

A: Some new SW news came out.

B: OH NOES!!! SW SUCKS NOW!!1! OT>PT!!! JARJAR = teh ghey!! CG KILLED MY MOTHER!!!!

C: YEAH! SW SUCKS BECAUSE GL DOESN'T LISTEN TO NERDS OFF THE INTARNET!

HAHAHAHAHAHA

So true...

I stayed out of this thread up to this point in order to avoid exactly what Max described.

[Uxi]

That's all I want. Just a good release - hell, no extras, even - of the movies I saw in the theater as a kid. Isn't it weird to have to ask for that?

Ask for it? Not at all. To expect it or feel entiitled to it? Definately.

Now I'm not saying you feel it's your God Given Right to own a copy of the original trilogy in their original cut. Or that Lucas has a sacred duty to anyone to produce what they want to buy. But there are those who feel that way.

[Ladic]

CD covers

[Ladic]

cd covers 2

[Noriko Takaya]

Over 4 hours of bonus materials? I wonder if the Christmas Special is included...

[zeo-mare]

seems kinda expensive as well,($110.00) most DVD movies cost about $20.00 at most and we are only getting 3 movies ( $60.00) unless all the extra is for the Bonus disc I do not see why we have to pay almost $50.00 for that , it should for the most part be free. It seems like a expensive set, but i guess Lucasfilms knows that it is the first time on DVD that they can probally do this. but a set of this size should not costs this much

Edited June 19, 2004 by zeo-mare

[Ladic]

seems kinda expensive as well,($110.00) most DVD movies cost about $20.00 at most and we are only getting 3 movies ( $60.00) unless all the extra is for the Bonus disc I do not see why we have to pay almost $50.00 for that , it should for the most part be free. It seems like a expensive set, but i guess Lucasfilms knows that it is the first time on DVD that they can probally do this. but a set of this size should not costs this much

Amazon will sell it for $41.99 with free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...&s=dvd&n=507846

[Noriko Takaya]

Yeah, even the Alien Quadrilogy did not cost that much. Friggin Lucas...

[zeo-mare]

Amazon will sell it for $41.99 with free shipping

I wonder how long that will last something tells me that if you are going to preorder it do it now, once the stores start figuring out that Lucasfilms is going to be be charging prices like that I bet you anything that the stores will begin charging the actual value of it, it looks likes store can order it for $99.00 and sell it for $110.00 and make about $10.00 profit off every dvd set sold. I do not know how Amazon is going to pull off selling them for that price unless they are willing to take the hit. and I am almost certain that they wont.

Edited June 19, 2004 by zeo-mare

[Onimusha-shin]

out of curiosity (and laziness to scroll through the previous 5 pages), why didn't Lucas consider making available the option of the originals on this DVD trilogy release? is it difficult to program the menu and the playback sequence to cut the SE scenes and provide the original audio for those altered audio scenes?

sorry, i'm a n00b

^.^

[Ladic]

out of curiosity (and laziness to scroll through the previous 5 pages), why didn't Lucas consider making available the option of the originals on this DVD trilogy release? is it difficult to program the menu and the playback sequence to cut the SE scenes and provide the original audio for those altered audio scenes?

sorry, i'm a n00b

^.^

Because I think he said that these SE are the way SW was always supposed to be, or something like that.

Personally, I Think he just wants to milk the SE enough and maybe like 10 years from now, he will release the the Original version on DVD, so he can milk SW some more.

[LePoseur]

Because he's an ass.

and because the crying fanboys will buy it anyway.

[zeo-mare]

from what I have always understood from George is that this is the way the series was supposed to be and the Original Versions were unfinished due to financial and special effect restraints, he never got a cahnce to finish the original trilogy until he released the Special editions. i know he disliked A NEW HOPE. so i do not think that you will be seeing those (the originals) any time soon.

Edited June 19, 2004 by zeo-mare

[Radd]

from what I have always understood from George is that this is the way the series was supposed to be and the Original Versions were unfinished due to financial and special effect restraints, he never got a cahnce to finish the original trilogy until he released the Special editions. i know he disliked A NEW HOPE. so i do not think that you will be seeing those (the originals) any time soon.

Yeah, he really has been saying that since before the Special Editions were even made.

I honestly think cynicism has gotten the best of most people when it comes to Star Wars. especially the marketing. I don't think Lucas is too discerning when it comes to the toys, the books, and the little specials that come out now and then, but he's been pretty consistent with his treatment of the movies.

I doubt there will be an uncut, original version release of the original trilogy. I won't be surprised if there's an Special-Special-Yet-More-Special Edition released when the prequels come to DVD, but that'sanother beast entirely.

If Lucas really was milking the franchise, we'd have seen an uncut version of the OT released to tape shortly after the Special Editions had all been picked up. Then we would have seen the Special Edition movies released to DVD, years ago, and now we'd be seeing this Special Special Edition that is coming to DVD, and after the prequels had been released to DVD AND a further CGIed release of the OT, then we'd finally see the original uncut OT released to DVD, and shortly after that an uncut OT release with all sorts of extras. After that, we'd see Special Editions of the prequels in which the Gugans shoot first and Darth Maul faces off against Mace Windu in a diner while Obi-Wan is in the can, realesed with an even more redone version of the OT where all the actors have been replaced with CGI models of Burt Renolds, Jackie Chan, and Tom Cruise.

We'd be seeing another release of Star Wars year after year, and there would be people buying them, lining Lucas' pockets far more than we've seen.

I mean, I prefere the uncut OT as much as the next guy, but hey, it is Lucas' baby.

[Ladic]

If Lucas really was milking the franchise, we'd have seen an uncut version of the OT released to tape shortly after the Special Editions had all been picked up.

But less than 2 years before the SE, he released the Original Trilogies on VHS, and it was supposed to be "the last time".

[Gaijin]

Technically, it was the last time...for the original trilogy. Damn George.

[Guppy]

Well I am counting on other pissed off fans to release a bootleg edit with all the bits we don't want removed. Failing that, I will buy a dvd burner along with my copy of the trilogy and edit my own version. George can't stop me!

[Onimusha-shin]

be sure to make it available to us other original SW fans. anyway, i'll be ordering this version from dvdsoon.com with a bunch of other fans. hopefully, it's worth it.

[bsu legato]

Are those prices in dollars...or pesos? I've seen the Trilogy set priced at $80 Canadian, so I don't know where they're getting those prices from. I'd have expected it to be priced similar to the Indy DVDs.

[the white drew carey]

I mean, I prefere the uncut OT as much as the next guy, but hey, it is Lucas' baby.

Yeah, but he's kind of flaking out. I mean, during filiming the whole Cantina Scene was behind budget and several alien costumes weren't finished by the time they needed to film, including the band.

Yet since it eventually became one of the most popular and recognizable scenes in cinema history, you don't see George redoing it for the Special Editions in order to finally visualise how he "really meant it to be."

The Special Editions were nothing more then ILM showing off it's new CGI capabilitites. There's nothing terribly wrong with them except Han shooting first and the exclusion of the 'Nub-nub' Ewok song at the end of RotJ (yes, if you're going to keep the Ewoks in, go all the way).

Part of the problem is that we're so used to CGI now that the new special effects look more dated than the original effects.

[Druna Skass]

Is this only comming out as a box set, or can we get them as singles? All I want it ROTJ...

[zeo-mare]

Are those prices in dollars...or pesos? I've seen the Trilogy set priced at $80 Canadian, so I don't know where they're getting those prices from. I'd have expected it to be priced similar to the Indy DVDs.

this looks like the price that Lucasfilms handed down to the stores, it is in US currencies. it is overpriced to say the least, but that is how lucas is, i mentioned this before, it is the first time on dvd and he can charge whatever he wants for it because he knows the fans are going to buy it, from the looksof things its official US price is $110.00

is this only comming out as a box set, or can we get them as singles? All I want it ROTJ...

unfortunally no. you can not get them as singles it will only be released as a box set

Chris

Edited June 19, 2004 by zeo-mare

[Duke Togo]

It could be worse, he could have digitally added nipples to Darth Vader's outfit.

[Gaijin]

It could be worse, he could have digitally added nipples to Darth Vader's outfit.

lol

[JB0]

If Lucas really was milking the franchise, we'd have seen an uncut version of the OT released to tape shortly after the Special Editions had all been picked up.

But less than 2 years before the SE, he released the Original Trilogies on VHS, and it was supposed to be "the last time".

I have the box. It says for the last time in it's original form.

Perfectly honest bastard.

And honestly, I LIKED some of the changes.

I have 2 big offenses...

1. The infamous Greedo shot. It's sloppy, looks bad, and the timing is such that Han STILL shoots in cold blood, defeating the purpose of the edit(which is to make a hardened criminal like Han Solo into a retard that waits for someone to ACTUALLY try to kill him before he moves to protect himself, rather than act as soon as it is convenient). It also ruins one of favorite lines in the trilogy("I've waited a long time for this, Solo." "Yes, I bet you have!").

2. That damn singer with the tentacle mouth in Jabba's palace. I did NOT need to see a 30-foot-wide alien lips.

I furthermore believe those 2 changes are what most of the world holds against the special edition. They were by far the most offensive moments.

[KingNor]

i'm not getting these. it's totally glaringly bad to see cg mixed in with 70's film, just horrible.

StarWars (just the original, episode 4 ) is such a superb movie in it's original format... the tacked on forshadwoing.. cg.. weird edits.. its just ugly.

sorry i'll pass..

and all this talk about the stories not being finished and all this.. it's bull.

Star Wars. was originally intended to be a single movie. its original theater showing didn't say anything about "episode iv" it was all added later.

the 'oh so famous' Imperial March isn't even in the first movie.

everything past "starwars" i can just given a 'meh'

Edited June 20, 2004 by KingNor

[JB0]

Star Wars. was originally intended to be a single movie. its original theater showing didn't say anything about "episode iv" it was all added later.

I've never seen a version without the Episode 4 in the text scroll.

This includes televisings from before the non-special-edition remaster. The ones that had degraded so badly the sky was orange.

Alas, I'm a tad young to remeber seeing the original in theaters, and the first home version I owned was the remasters(again emphasis is on non-special-edition).

I'm the kid that was mildly shocked to find out the sky wasn't SUPPOSED to be orange.

But personally, I think it was there, and just forgotten untill prequels were started.

I KNOW it wasn't edited into the Special Edition releases like some people claimed.

[Duke Togo]

The original Star Wars release did not contain the "Episode IV" title.

[bandit29]

Are those prices in dollars...or pesos? I've seen the Trilogy set priced at $80 Canadian, so I don't know where they're getting those prices from. I'd have expected it to be priced similar to the Indy DVDs.

Bestprices.com has the set for 50.01 US but I don't think they ship internationally.

http://www.uln.com/cgi-bin/vlink/024543123415IE.html

according to their site retail is 69.98 US

Edited June 20, 2004 by dejr8bud

[zeo-mare]

Bestprices.com has the set for 50.01 US but I don't think they ship internationally.

thats the thing the movie is not out yet it looks like these are early prices that they guessed up. apearntly Lucasfilms has made the $110.00 price the official price, which means that these companies that are chargeing $60.00 may not in the end be able to complete their orders and may ask for additional payment. so i am not sure if these prices are going to hold up in the end, no store is going to charge $60.00 for DVDS that they are spending $100.00 on it would be a massive lost for them.

Edited June 20, 2004 by zeo-mare

[zeo-mare]

I also just clicked on your link dejr8bud it takes us to ebay do you have the real link?