Original Trilogy finally coming on DVD!

[Kurgan]

As I've said elsewhere:

 

-About friggin' time.

-Thanks Lucas, you just may have redeemed yourself to many MANY fans.

-So much for "artistic vision" and "these movies don't exist anymore" Hey, for once greed winning out wasn't such a bad thing in the end.. he got the message

-Whining from fans sometimes WORKS! I feel vindicated...

-Don't screw this one up!

 

Hope it's cheap ($90 for the trilogy kinda sucks... especially since you're forced to buy the 2004 editions, which most of us already own)!

 

Can't wait... I've got my laserdisc transfers, but I will gladly support something worthy from Lucas for a change that we've all asked for, and been granted.

[Tokarev]

Too bad I already got the box set back in 2004. Doesn't make sense to have the original then, but oh well. If I had not, I would have majorly considered this instead. I also don't much like the treatment it seems to be getting with only Dolby 2.0 and no enhanced picture.

[Spider AL]

Too late, Darth Lucas! Many people have already obtained the original release editions of Star Wars on DVD, transferred from laserdisc, converted, and proliferated without charge over the internet.

 

Nice try, though.

[Kurgan]

Well now the rumor mongering is already flying out of control on originaltrilogy.com's forums (these guys probably are owed a big thanks for leading the fan charge in demanding the originals from Lucas!). They're speculating that these DVD's are one of two things:

 

1) LaserDisc rips dumped to DVD. This would be aweful, but no worse than any of the fan rips out there. It might also mean the SOURCE MASTER that was used to create the last pre-SE LaserDiscs in 1995, so it might look slightly better than the current fan rips, but not much better.

 

2) By "1993" the SW.com article person meant the source material (which was a "cleaned" original) that was used to make the 1997 Special Editions. This was cleaned manually, before the digital cleaning methods of the 2004 editions (done in 2003). If so, then it would look better than the 1995 THX LaserDiscs. Hopefully that's what they mean... I mean removing the scratches and things are fine, but purists will prefer the film grain over the "video look" in the new ones (which was done to match the last two prequels, which can't even be called "films" anymore, since the movies are shot on digital tape... then again most of us didn't ever see these digital movies, we saw a version that was converted to film to show in the standard movie theaters).

 

Also people are saying that although they're list priced at $30 per movie, the price will probably be sliced for retail at the major chains once it actually comes out. It'll still be more expensive than buying the 4 disc box set, but probably not $90 as originally assumed.

[Darth Groovy]

This set will be worth twice the value if they put the long lost "Toshi Station" scene that was cut out of A New Hope, and the "Sandstorm" scene that was cut out of Return of the Jedi. These scenes were only shown to fans at the Star Wars Celebrations, yet I think we have all earned the right to finally own them. Of Course I will buy this set, because frankly, I am scared to play my old VHS SWOT, for fear of damaging the tapes. Even though I took VERY GOOD care of them, they are such old classics...

[toms]

Insert the tochi station scene in what? the originals, or ANOTHER remixed version?

 

Call me suspicious... but i still reckon these are going to be very average transfers in terms of video and audio quality.

 

I don't know why it is turning out to be so hard to get a GOOD version of some of the biggest and most popular movies of all time.

- The originals need the video, audio and sfx cleaned up.

- The 1993 versions are terrible in every way.

- The 2004 versions have better video, but messed up sound and the annoying "inserts".

 

I want the original cuts.. with a decent DTS mix of the original soundtrack (not the messed up mix from 2004).. with the video cleaned up like the 2004 versions and with the SFX cleaned up to remove the obvious matting and bounding-box flaws.

 

Is that so hard to ask???

[Kurgan]

They've said nothing at all about any "bonus features." In fact, they are billing this set as just another re-release of the 2004 editions, but the "bonus features" ARE the "original versions."

 

So you get the 2004 movie disc, and then a "bonus disc" which is just the 1993 version with 2.0 dolby digital soundtrack and some subtitle options.

 

That's it. I'd love to see other stuff, but frankly it sounds like that's all we're getting. It's only four months away, so they are probably practically finished with the set by now, or putting the finishing touches on it.

 

I'd LOVE for more to be done, but let's not get our hopes up. If any feel like petitioning LucasFilm, go for it. It just seems Lucas takes a long time to change his mind (and won't admit he's wrong, but at least he changes his mind!).

 

I've seen most of the deleted scenes many times (I never went to the Celebrations though), but they're in poor quality. Jerky camera, bad framerates, lots of grain and dirt, faded colors, or even no sound in the case of one scene, which in many fan cuts is modified to use the sound from the Radio Drama of that scene).

 

They could colorize the black and white alternate Cantina scene and add music, that would be kinda cool. I like to hear Greedo speaking english though, that's awesome!

 

Luke is about to leave to go hang out with his friends when his droid breaks down, so he just leaves it to bake in the sun (no sound, sound provided in fan clips from the Radio Drama). This is happening while the Tantive IV is getting captured IIRC. He heads to Toschi Station to talk to Biggs and company and then looks up with his binoculars at a "Battle" this takes place during/after the scene of the stuff happening on the Tantive IV (Biggs says, "That's no battle hot shot, they're just sitting there, probably just a tanker refueling"). Luke and Biggs have a drink together and talk in a scene afterwards (probably after another cut to the Tantive IV with the droids.

 

The Cantina scene is an alternate take of them going into the Cantina and the Greedo scene, ending with "sorry about the mess."

 

There's the alternate Jabba scene with Jabba speaking english as a human.

 

The extra Wampa scenes from ESB I don't know if they still exist, I've never seen clips of them only pictures. The "Threepio ripping the "Danger: Wampas" sign off the door on Hoth" is still there, viewable in the trailers for ESB.

 

The scene of Luke in the bacta tank is followed by a deleted scene of the Droid removing a paper "healing mask" from his face. I've only seen pics, no clip. Also before, Han, Chewie and Threepio walk in, Luke and Leia are about to kiss (their faces get really close to one another, then they break off as the others waltz in and the scene plays out as before with Han's "How ya doing kid?" and Threepio's "Oh it's so nice to see you fully functional again.").

 

The ROTJ Sandstorm I've only seen a one second clip of, and it was horrible quality, just of Luke in a robe and goggles walking towards the Falcon with dirt blowing around. This happens after they blow up the Sail Barge, but before they fly off and go their seperate ways.

 

ROTJ, Luke "force leaps" up to the top of the Rancor cage's grating and climbs hand over hand until some Jawa's stomp on his hands and make him fall. I've seen pics of this but no clip. Happens shortly after he falls in, or maybe after the Guard is eaten.

 

ROTJ, Vader chokes Jerrerod. Shortly before Vader goes to see the Emperor and gets told "I thought I told you to wait on the Command Ship" and he tells the Emperor about sensing Luke, this quick scene shows Jerrerod try to stop Vader from entering. Some Royal guards raise their spears in alarm when he gets choked (he doesn't die, just says the Emperor commanded it, and Vader releases him, then the guards let him pass). Only seen pics, no clip.

 

They could easily splice the new scenes into a cut, and just make it a branching option in the menu, like what was done on the X-Men DVD's. View with or without deleted scenes. Restoring the deleted scenes would take some money obviously, but Lucas has done that with all the Prequel discs, creating entire backgrounds and characters from scratch virtually.

 

Those are the ones I recall. A lot of them are talked about on the 'net and the pics are seen in the "Deleted Magic" special that was fan made. A lot more scenes are shown or hinted at in the screenplays, novels, and comic books, but obviously not all of those were actually filmed.

 

Still, no announcement, I don't expect to see it in this one. :*(

[edlib]

I've also seen some of those clips... I just don't know where.

 

I distinctly remember Luke jumping up during the Rancor scene. I always thought that was part of the original cut, until I didn't see it appear in any of the home video versions. Where and when I could have seen it, I simply don't know...

[Prime]

Too late, Darth Lucas! Many people have already obtained the original release editions of Star Wars on DVD, transferred from laserdisc, converted, and proliferated without charge over the internet.

 

Nice try, though.

Yes, no one will buy these, as there has been no demand since they all obtained their beloved laserdisk rips!

 

Good to see you Al...

[Kurgan]

Ah but there's the rub. So many of us demanded these, and then if we don't buy them, Lucas can claim "See, I told you people prefer the Special Editions."

 

Then again if they do sell well he can claim it was only because they were packed with the Special Editions...

 

Hopefully he won't be that petty though!

[Prime]

Hopefully he won't be that petty though!

Doesn't matter what he does, you will still call him petty!

[Kurgan]

Doesn't matter what he does, you will still call him petty!

 

Going from "These movies don't exist for me anymore, if people fell in love with them for twenty years, too bad, go watch a moth-eaten vhs tape" to "Well okay you can have them but only if you buy another copy of my new versions and pay double what you did before... for a limited time, and no extras" IS something an improvement.

 

Lucas isn't your typical movie mogul guy though, he'll find a way to earn it, I believe in that.

[El Sitherino]

You people whine too much.

 

So it's not cleaned up, wah. He could have left it with only mono mixes like ANH and some cuts of ESB originally had, for that true archive experience.

[Prime]

Look on the bright side. People got what they claimed they wanted. Completely unaltered originals. Why should they be cleaned up and remastered? That would be evil Lucas tampering with them again!

[Samuel Dravis]

Look on the bright side. People got what they claimed they wanted. Completely unaltered originals. Why should they be cleaned up and remastered? That would be evil Lucas tampering with them again!

I think very few people asked for totally untampered originals. They asked for the actual events in the movie to be the same, with no changes other than cosmetic. Is that so hard?

[Kurgan]

Well see that's the thing, we're not totally sure how "unaltered" they are going to be. Will Star Wars have the option to have the original opening crawl from 1977? Will it have the "mono mix" before it was stereo-ized? Aunt Beru's voice before it was redubbed? Those are options I think at least some fans would really want, and it wouldn't take much to add those. Fans have already added them to their own edits (they could still do so with this one, but if they can do it, so can Lucas).

 

The opening crawl they did mention, but then edited it out. So maybe it was in, but not now, or maybe it will be, who knows. They named only one audio track so my guess is the mono-mix idea is out (if they ever considered it to begin with). I'd be overjoyed if we got the original crawl and the mono option, but I won't get my hopes up.

 

The visual quality thing is because the film stock deteriorates over time, and because the film itself is a certain level of "quality" that you'll never be able to duplicate on a compressed home format, but you can always get a little closer to. Without high def, you can still do better on DVD than you could on a Laserdisc due to the higher storage capacity. I'm not saying digitally erase the film grain. But you can get truer colors, and all that. Actually I think the "video look" of the 2004 set goes a bit "too far." It looks great (just like some of the new CG), but it's not quite true to the original (even if the colors weren't messed up in several spots throughout the series).

 

Since we've got two SW OT sets, we have two different "goals" on these two products... one set "unaltered... true to the original theatrical versions" and another set "more true to Lucas' vision as he sees the movies today." I'm not saying make both both almost the same.

 

We may or may not have anything to complain about here. If it's a decent master of the movies (like the 1993 film source used for the Special Editions minus the CG) that's going to be pretty darn good. If it's just going to be a dump of the Laserdisc master that kinda sucks.

 

I mean just because these are old films, doesn't mean we should be getting something that's equivalent to VHS quality. That's what I'm saying. But the article is somewhat ambigious, so we don't really know what we're getting. Until we see actual video footage, it's guesswork at this point, unless they go into painstaking explanation (which a lot of casual fans probably won't understand).

 

Let's face it, nobody needs to argue "oh, you wouldn't really want the original originals, they look and sound terrible" because we already own a copy of the latest, most tweaked 2004 editions. We can compare for ourselves. That's not the point. Yes, a ton of people said that they'd rather have the originals cleaned up visually with good quality sound, but no alterations to the movie itself (that is, no CG, modifications of scenes like inserting Hayden, Jabba, making Greedo shoot first, Naboo, Gungans, etc). That's not hard to understand. Anyway, I've rambled enough, hope that makes sense.

[Kurgan]

Yeah, I think what a lot of people are wishing for is something that looks as good and fresh as when the theatrical versions were brand new, not how they've looked on video tape for a little over decade since they LEFT theaters...

[toms]

Apparently now the word is that they will be non-anamorphic as well...

http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/news/news.asp?Index=11071&Section=3

 

This is getting worse and worse... i might not even bother to be honest...

[Kurgan]

Yikes, maybe they are laser disc rips after all... is Lucas deliberately trying to sabotage these so by hating the originals we'll love his special editions more? What can he be thinking?

 

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocentsa120.html#emp

 

(EARLY UPDATE - 5/17/06 - 1:15 PM PDT)

 

Well... things are a little interesting around here today.

 

We've confirmed something today (directly with both Fox and Lucasfilm) that we'd begun to suspect... and it's probably going to disappoint a lot of you. It certainly disappoints us here at The Bits. Those new DVD editions of the Star Wars films? The original theatrical versions of the films are going to be non-anamorphic (our original post on this indicated otherwise, but we have confirmed that the widescreen versions will be letterboxed only). What this likely means is that Lucasfilm has simply re-purposed the non-anamorphic transfers that were done for previous laserdisc and VHS releases of the "original" versions of the films. And with that, our enthusiasm for this DVD release has just dropped through the floor. Anamorphic-enhanced versions of the theatrical editions, we'd buy in a heartbeat. But what we're going to get instead is little better than a ported-over laserdisc. In this day and age, releasing a widescreen film without anamorphic enhancement on DVD is just unacceptable. Does Lucasfilm really think fans want those versions of the films on DVD so badly that people just won't care? Yes Virginia, they do. How many versions of these films do you suppose Lucasfilm will try to get fans to buy in high-def over the coming years? And think about it... you just know the studio has to be prepping yet another standard DVD release for next year's 30th Anniversary of the original Star Wars. Do you suppose this means that the theatrical editions won't be included in the super-über box set of all six films? Probably. Ugh.

 

Line up like Jersey cows and grease up yer teats, Force fans. Or better yet... run for the south forty as fast as your hooves'll carry you. Stampede!

 

Forget HD... there's nothing stopping Lucas doing this set right except...

[Kurgan]

On the other hand, while this sucks, a DVD being anamorphic will only really matter if you play it on a widescreen display (a widescreen TV or monitor).

 

Since I don't own, and can't really afford such a display (though I see many laptops have them now, I still can't yet afford one), I guess it won't really matter to me.

 

I don't have a 5.1 setup (I just use simulated surround sound through powerdvd on my headphones or two speaker+sub pc setup), so I usually just listen to 2.0 anyway.

 

But nixing those options to "sour the deal" for those with the equipment for them, considering those features are so standard these days for DVD, seems silly of him to do.

 

This semester where I work we had a widescreen plasma HDTV setup for awhile. On the off time I tested out quite a few of my dvd's on it to see how they looked. The TV (like many modern models) had the option to play in 4:3, 16:9, and "zoom." Using the "Zoom" feature you can turn a non-anamorphic "letter box" picture such that it fits the screen borders almost perfectly (or perfectly, depending on the disc) without any black bars. I did this with some of the laserdisc fan edits of the Star Wars movies and they looked pretty darn good. Or you could view them as 4:3 and just have gray bars on the sides (like any "full frame" DVD). If it were 16:9 (anamorphic widescreen) then you could blow it up full size without any (or only minimal) black bars, using the full (or almost full) screen area without any distortion from over zooming.

 

We'll see how they look. I'm sure there will be reviews so we can know what to expect from these new discs. It may not be so bad. I just think it's silly for Lucas to (once again) skimp on features when he could do so much more to do the release justice.

[toms]

Does anyone not have widescreen these days? I have no money and i've had a cheap widescreen tv for about 4 years. Cost me only £250 then, and you could probably get one for under £100 now.. unless you want a LCD. Last time i went into an electrics shop every tv was widescreen.. and all laptops now seem to be widescreen too...

 

 

Thing is, most DVD viewers don't read reviews, don't probably even know what anamorphic is.. so lucas will sell loads of these to clueless fans.. then do a 2007 30th aniversary 6 disc set... then remaster them properly and get money from us all again.. and that is before the HD versions.

 

If these are anamporphic, unrestored, dolby 2.0 then i'm not giving lucas any more of my money (and this tme I DO mean it). I never thought i'd get fed up of starwars.. but i'm getting there...

[Kurgan]

I think I'll definately (but reluctantly) be buying this set to show my support for the originals (Lucas has trapped me, if I don't buy it, he'll claim nobody cared about the originals and only want his souped up versions, and not consider future versions perhaps, blah blah blah... but if I buy it he'll have further proof he can just keep double dipping and milking the cash cow out of us fans forever). Maybe I'll give away my old copies to friends/family, as they always seem to appreciate Star Wars gifts.

[edlib]

Uh... so this is tomorrow, right?

 

Anybody hear anything new about it? It's it worth more of my hard-earned cash to fund the Lucas Super-Empire?

[Commander Obi-Wan]

Yes it is being released tomorrow. And as far as I now it comes with the theatrical releases and the 2004 versions.

 

I intend to purchase this, seeing that I don't own any of the OT movies yet.

[Kurgan]

Ha Uh....I like the Newer versions more, but good it happens. Though, maybe because I have never seen the unaltered version yet.....or that I can remember.

 

 

Haha, I knew it! How can you prefer the Special Editions to the originals, if you've never even SEEN the originals to be able to compare?

 

Exactly.

 

And even though you prefer the SE's (to something you've never seen) you're going to buy this anyway?

 

Oh well, hopefully you will see the light, that the 2004 versions are a bastardization (even if they contain a few genuine "improvements" here and there, the rest is horribly botched or just plain unnecessary)... though it may be harder to appreciate if you've "grown up" with the Special Editions only.

 

You know, if I didn't blow the money for the SE last year (or whenever they came out), I would buy these. I haven't seen the unaltered versions since...the late 80s. Makes me mad though that they didn't release these before now.

 

 

You can always sell your other set on Ebay/Amazon.

 

After all, it was the only way you could get the "bonus disc" and Star Wars fans/collectors will buy ANYTHING.

 

Or you could give it away to a family member/friend as a gift (that's what I sometimes do with old DVDs I no longer want).

 

 

When you buy a pack you will get four things:

 

Disc 1 (the 2004 version of the movie, just like has been released twice on DVD already).

 

Disc 2 (1993 theatrical version of the movie in non-anamorphic widescreen and Dolby 2.0; LEGO Star Wars trailer, LEGO Star Wars Xbox demo)

 

Amazon is selling them cheaper than LucasArts/Film. They will be sold until December 31st (but I bet you there will be copies left over, so don't panic).

 

If you haven't bought Star Wars on DVD yet, now is the time... he should have done this back in 2004, though (and given Lowry Digital another month to finish it up properly, which would also have meant the SWBF/2 people would have had another month to patch their games!).

 

They are also releasing Lego Star Wars II around that time period. In classical Lucas fashion, he will be releasing things yearly to get people to buy anything Star Wars in movie and game form. In recent years, here is how it went down:

 

2004: First DVD trilogy, Star Wars Battlefront

2005: EpIII DVD, Star Wars Battlefront II

2006: Original DVD trilogy, Lego Star Wars II

 

P.S. Here is the link with more info on Lego Star Wars II and the DVD Tril: http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/10868/LEGO-Star-Wars-II-Confirmed-for-Xbox-360-Game-to-Debut-Along-with-Original-Versions-of-the-Star-Wars-Trilogy/

 

Don't forget the ads for Episode I Starfighter on Episode I (plus all the other junky Episode I cash-ins that came out around that time.. though it wasn't quite so blatant as the OT DVD's have been with rushed game cashins!) and Episode III game was also promoted in the OT bonus disc (arggh).

 

 

I bet you anything that they will skew the sales figures for this release again, to make it seem like LEGO Star Wars II is selling better than it is and that more people like the 2004 versions of the movies (with the last releases they combined the figures of SWBF1/2 and the DVD's to make them both look inflated, when the DVDs felt rushed and the games were mediocre and buggy on release).

 

Pff, who cares? Especially since I own the VHS (near) originals. Though this might be worth watching to see the actual originals.

 

'Cause now you'll have a backup when your tapes wear out!

 

The folks with the superior to VHS LaserDisc versions can now experience the convenience of DVD... pity Lucas nixed anamorphic widescreen. That's a standard nowadays. Oh well, you widescreen display users will have to hit the "zoom" button and lose some detail...

 

Does this mean we'll actually get to meet Biggs for who he was supposed to be?

 

Unfortunately not. No "deleted scenes" will be included. Thus Biggs was just some pilot Luke somehow knew, and his only introduction was in the 1997 Special Edition.

 

The Deleted scenes still exist of course and can be viewed on the Behind the Magic (out of print) CD-ROM and on various internet sites (the clips of the scenes he was in).