February 14, 2004

Original Star Wars Trilogy on DVD: yea or nay? The trilogy currently holds the top three positions on the Amazon.com Most Requested DVD List, and fans are now hearing the good news that episodes IV, V, and VI are finally in the pipeline. Some, however, are irate about the lack of extras and, more significantly, Lucas's decision to only release the snazzed-up special editions but not the originals. "One extra disc and a couple of hours of supplementary material isn't going to cut it. Hundreds of millions of people saw these movies in the '70s and not to make it available...it's as though history has disappeared." Is Lucas really doing the fans a long-awaited favor, or is it a disservice?
posted by Mfpb 2 21 20 years ago
  • I guess Peter Jackson has spoiled everyone. The whole reason Peter Jackson was able to throw down six extra hours of footage, special features, etc. on each film is because he had DVD in mind while he was shooting the films, and had Costa Botes there shooting documentary footage. Who's to say Lucas would not have done the same had the technology been there. Of course, one could make the same argument for Episodes I and II, but let's just forget those exist, shall we? As long as there is commentary and an extra CD of stuff, on Eps 4-6, I'm cool. Watching them on VHS sucks. The special edition re-releases were far superior to the originals and are more true to Lucas' vision. Knowing that, arguing about who shot first, Han or Greedo, is pointless.
  • But that "Who Shot First" question defines most of my Sophomore year...
  • agreed. I personally feel like the purists and fanboys are the only ones who are having major issues here.
  • I'm a purist and a fanboy. Well, not really a purist, but between the Jabba scene that was animated about as well as an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Greedo shooting first, Luke screaming as he fell down the shaft, and dialog changes ("You're lucky you don't taste very good." -> "You're lucky to get out of there."), and the fact that I already have this version on VHS, I'm not particularly interested in giving Mr. Lucas yet more money for this DVD set. Of course, I took down my Star Wars posters and put away my action figures a couple of years ago, so I'm not I'm not going to be jumping up and down screaming about Lucasfilm releasing a product I'm not interested in.
  • The special edition re-releases were far superior to the originals Thats the first comment on here thats actually disgusted me. Saying that is just wrong. Wrong I tell you. Blasphemer! AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH *sobs in anger and frustration, punches wall*
  • *offers dng a shadberry*
  • *hands dng a tissue and an ice pack* i can't get up in arms about lucas not putting the orignal cut on dvd, but i understand where the diehard fans are coming from. just the who shot first issue changes the whole tone of han solo's developement as a character; it diminishes the impact of his return when they need him most and that was a pretty big part of the story for me personally. anyway, waaaay back when i bought 2 of the original trilogy and one's still in the original shrink wrap, so no need for the dvds.
  • One thing to be said in favour of the Episodes I and II DVDs is that the extras are exceptionally good. If Lucas had had a documentary crew following him at every step -- writing, casting, all the way through post -- for the original movies with an eye to making a good doco, rather than, say, a half hour tv "making of", then the the resultant footage would be worth the price of the set alone. For what it's worth, I know that there are good quality rips of the original films from LaserDisc floating around, if you're into that whole downloading scene.
  • Hopefully they get Carrie Fisher to record a commentary track - that would be worth listening too, for sure.
  • So, in order to own the original theatre releases on DVD, I have to buy the freakin' remastered ones again!!??? George, please stop this! I love you man, but makin me buy the same product twice?
  • Double dipping is the bane of the movie collector :(
  • This is more like teabagging than double-dipping, if you ask me. :D
  • *sigh* And will I ask for this for Christmas, even though I already own the damn things on dvd? I will. I even sent my dad a Christmas card saying that last Christmas would be the last one where we'd have to give money to Lucas (my dad knows I'm a crazy completionist, so he got me eps I-III for Christmas... even though I've never watched them. It's the having, not the watching!)
  • Starlords
  • Why, homunculus, that's just plain old pie-eatin ridiculous!
  • /Tommy Lee Jones "I guess I'll have to buy the Beatles White Album again" Disclaimer: No, I've never bought a single SW film, not even back when I was a fan of the original (apart from those huge Walkers, hated Empire Strikes Back). Nor I intend to.
  • that's just plain old pie-eatin ridiculous! A new power is rising! It will bring balance to the force!