Surpised I haven’t seen this anywhere else yet but all the major online outlets are now accepting preorders for the four disc DVD set of the original Star Wars Trilogy. Discs one through three include the Special Edition versions of the films – Lucas refuses to let anyone see the films as they were originally released ever again for any reason and is thus now commonly known as a dink – with the fourth disc to be filled with a slate of yet to be announced Special Features. The prequel Triology will never darken my door, but I’ll have these on day one … I’d prefer the originals but since that’s never going to happen these’ll do …
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I was a huge starwars fan as a kid and early teens i still like starwars but not as mad about it.but this new dvd box set is crap to be honest i regret buying it and theyve also changed the film in certain areas boyond the first remaster of the film and its just rong they have added characters (meaning actors) from the new films and pasted them into the old it is just shit if anyone knows where i can get the old films in divx that are realy good quality please email me
i own all the originals on tape so im legaly aloud and besides i think ive given george lucas enough of my money and hese alsomilked the name of starwars to much
nice site i really like it
I don’t really care so much about Jedi, and the special edition of ESB is fine but I object to a few things in Star Wars special edition.
Here they are:
Greedo shooting first(already explained).
The Jabba scene. I won’t go into detail but why does George introduce Jabba and Boba Fett in one lame scene. One of the nice things about the original trilogy are the new characters that are introduced in each new film. Ok maybe I will go into detail. Also highly sucky, Han walking on Jabba’s tail and the utter crap of the Jabba’s cgi.
ahhh, there’s more but I’m sounding too obsessed.
Like you said Bubba; I don’t mind the Special Editions either, but I don’t want them on my shelf. The originals were in several ways groundbreaking movie history that deserves to preserved. It’s a bit like touching up Mona Lisa’s smile. Sure, it could be done better, but the original is still the original.
As for what’s new: VFXHQ.com.
I’ll never forgive The Dink for the plastic 3D Jabba. He’s got no screen presence whatsoever.
The Greedo thing didnt bother me that much, seeing as how I always viewed Han as being the type who would shoot you if he felt like it.
Of course neither editions corrected the horrible malformed muppet that only vaguely represents Greedo the single frame before he explodes. I found it funny that Han’s pistol can cause spontaneous combustion of Rodians but only leaves a nasty burn on humans. Stormtroopers should have had guns like Han. Would have changed everything.
I either heard or read somewhere that the ‘Han shooting first’ will be put back to the original, given the outcry by fans when the SE’s were released and how it changed the character of their beloved rogue smuggler.
The special editions feature a complete overhaul of the effects (generally for the better, yes) and the insertion of some scenes (the jabba one is the major example) and some re-editing. There are some story and character changes along the way, the one drawing the most fan ire being that in the special edition Cantina sequence Greedo shoots at Han first, rather than Han shooting him in cold blood.
I have no problem with Lucas making these editions available or stating that they are his preferred version … where I take issue, and this seems to be the case with most, is with his utter refusal to release the originals in any form. Sure, the effects don’t look as nice, but the originals are the ones implanted in my memories from childhood …
Not being a huge Star Wars fan (meerly a passing observer) I do not know the differences between the original and the new edits. I have seen both versions, but with about 10-years in between. Are there story changes? Bits cut-out? I know Jabba the Hut was added into a scene which previously he wasnt (the scene I think with Hans Solo getting of the ship). If it is just mere technical enhasments then surely it can only be for the good of the films? Please explain?
Well, I’m saving my money too. I’ll probably make a DVD backup of my VHS tapes unless I can find the laser discs. Tell everyone you know to sign up at OriginalTrilogy.com. Pure cash might sway The Dink back to the light side, but I’m too disillutioned to bet any money.
Was that the same fest that did the century of cinema? I heard of one that did a retrospective of 100 years of amercian cinema. One film per decade starting with D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation.
When they got to the 70s they approached Lucasfilm with their intentions and that rat bastard Lucas would only release the 90s special ed. Having come out in the 90s of course the festival had to find another film for the 70s decade.
Rat bastard indeed.
Don’t hold your breath for the originals … he won’t even release archival copies … some university out west was doing a vintage film fest with all the movies nominated for best film in that year and Lucas flat out refused to make a copy available. He’d make a bunch of money if he released them, but I just don’t see him doing it after refusing for so long and insisting that the special ed’s are the ‘definitive’ versions … of course, rumor is that he’s tinkered with his ‘definitive’ ones since they’ve been in theaters so what you’ll get on disc here won’t even be the same as what was on screen then …
I don’t know why but I’ve got a feeling George aka the dink will eventually put out the original trilogy original versions on dvd.
I’m saving my money in the mean time.