Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › *** Official Discussion Thread: Star Wars Trilogy - September 21, 2004
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

*** Official Discussion Thread: Star Wars Trilogy - September 21, 2004  

post #1 of 7742
2/9/04 at 10:51pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, indeed it is official. It can't come soon enough, and as stuff leaks out about what is on this set and makes up that doc, I'll be here every step of the way.
post #2 of 7742
2/9/04 at 10:55pm

It's Official...star Wars Trilogy: Se On Dvd 9/21/04!!!!!!!!!!

Hello:

Just came across this "little piece of news" on the web tonight, thought some of you might be interested...

Let the party begin!!!!!!

-Samuel

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._is_with_dvd_1

Entertainment - Variety

Force finally is with DVD

Mon Feb 9, 7:00 PM ET


SCOTT HETTRICK

(Variety) The last big franchise holdouts are finally making their DVD bows Sept. 21, when Lucasfilm and Fox release the original "Star Wars Trilogy."

"The timing is right since there is tremendous pent-up demand and DVD is now in more than 50 million households," Fox Video president Mike Dunn said.


The four-disc set is being timed to begin rebuilding interest in the "Star Wars" series in advance of next year's theatrical release of "Star Wars: Episode III."


Jim Ward, Lucasfilm VP of marketing and distribution and exec producer of the DVD, would not comment on what kind of sneak peeks or promotional tie-in for the theatrical release of "Episode III" may accompany the DVD set.


Similar to the "Indiana Jones" set introduced last year by Paramount, the digitally restored and remastered "Star Wars" movies will be sold only as a complete four-disc set. Special-edition versions of each movie will be featured on separate discs: "Star Wars: Episode IV--- A New Hope," "Episode V --- The Empire Strikes Back" and "Episode VI --- Return of the Jedi." Fourth disc is reserved for bonus features including never-before-seen footage from the making of each film.


Pricing and bonus features are being worked out, but Ward said the collection probably will be priced about $50 (similar to the "Indiana Jones" collection), and each film will include an audio commentary by a collection of cast and crew, including George Lucas (news).


"Star Wars" is the biggest homevideo franchise in the world, with more than 115 million copies sold worldwide on cassette, according to Fox. The videocassette versions of the first three films, released separately and together in various incarnations from the 1980s through '97, sold more than 70 million copies worldwide.


Ward said Lucasfilm wants to refresh the memories of previous fans and introduce new ones to the story of the movies that will be directly set up by the conclusion of "Episode III."


Previous laserdisc and videocassette editions and TV programs included behind-the-scenes material, but Ward said it has yet to be determined how much of that will be repurposed on these discs. The original versions of the movies will not be included.
post #3 of 7742
2/9/04 at 10:59pm
So it's an SE-only release?

Let the wailing and the gnashing of teeth begin

Me, I'm gonna celebrate!!! SE or not, Star Wars is officially on the way!!!!!!
post #4 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:00pm
Thread Starter 
There are these threads popping up all over the place and I know they'll be merged together sooner or later.


I'm fine with the SE's, but Lucasfilm seemed to take a hardline stance on them being the SE's. I probably would've been a bit more diplomatic than Jim Ward.
post #5 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:01pm
Wow, audio commentaries. I didnt expect that. Well I´m a "happy camper" for now.
Lets just hope the mastering goes well and we dont have to relive the EE disaster called TPM.
post #6 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:04pm
Thread Starter 
In all the stories I've seen on this, and there's been at least 3 or 4 that I've already read, this was the first I noticed to mention audio commentaries. I am happy that we're getting them for these films.

If its $50, it will be the happiest $50 I'll spend all year I'm sure.
post #7 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:04pm
I'm not overtly thrilled--but I'll hold out hope for the 07 boxset that apparently doesn't exist in anyone's mind yet

I'll get this, but my fastforward button will get more exercise than it might have. Or maybe not. at this point I've seen these movies so many times I pretty much only put them in to watch certain scenes at certain times, anyway.

I have my LD transfers, I guess.
post #8 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:08pm
GREAT news!! Calendar marked.

Disappointing about no theatrical versions but that was expected. Hell didn't freeze over yet so no original versions.
post #9 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:08pm
Thread Starter 
As someone that only had the SE's on VHS, I will be happy to no longer have to revive the VCR.

I feel a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing in a way, because perhaps I hyped myself up too much, or perhaps it was because of all the rumors talking about a six disc set, in a way it seems a bit anticlimactic, and this was the very thing I was hoping not to feel.

On the other hand...OT in 2004 woohoo!!!

I'm not sure about an ultimate archival edition I think we might see another release with more material, but if Jim Ward is to be believed then this is the version that Lucas wants on DVD, so my response is that he'd better not try and pawn something new on me down the line, I won't forget that quote.

No I have an idea as to why the OT theatrical people feel the way they do I think they're just tired of his constant flip flopping.
post #10 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:09pm
To repeat what I said in another thread:

"So it's an SE-only release?

Let the wailing and the gnashing of teeth begin

Me, I'm gonna celebrate!!! SE or not, Star Wars is officially on the way!!!!!! "

*dancing and having a beer*
post #11 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:12pm
Commentaries, now thats a really good news. Lets hope the extras keep some quality and most important let the A/V be topnotch...
post #12 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:16pm
STAR WARS on dvd!!!!!!!!
post #13 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:19pm
Thread Starter 
Heh, I say this only for historical purposes, as I imagine that this won't last long, but right now you basically have 3 different threads taking place on this subject each taking their turn at the top of the HT Film and documentary forum.

You've got the 1 started last year, this one, and 1 started just a few seconds after this one.

It won't last long, but I wanted to historically note it. I just thought it was interesting is all.
post #14 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:25pm
Some day, years from now, I will sit with my son watching SW: A New Hope and bow my head to his ear and counsel him sagely, "Remember my son, despite what you see here, Han shot first."
post #15 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:26pm
Looks like I'll have to do some extra hoping that my new used Pioneer 704 don't crap out on me - at least not until I can transfer my Definitive Edition LD's to DVD.

I just can't see myself buying this unless the original versions are there too.

Joel
post #16 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Some day, years from now, I will sit with my son watching SW: A New Hope and bow my head to his ear and counsel him sagely, "Remember my son, despite what
you see here, Han shot first."

I wonder, if George Lucas will give his reasons for this change in the commentary for the DVD, or if he will just gloss over it completely. Sure, we all know what his reason is, but I wonder if he'll face up to the backlash against it, and try to sneak in 1 more defense in that commentary.
post #17 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:37pm
Hello:

Robert, no worries man...its all good. I'd like to think we both can share in annoucing this monumental news to everyone here.

But it seems like your thread is gettin' more hits, so who knows...but I'm glad you found the Variety article insightful that I posted, it was just pure luck on my part as I was doing a random news search on Yahoo News earlier and figured what the heck, let me see if any word leaked out on the eve of the release and sure enough there it was!

Hopefully they can get our two threads merged here soon enough, with you and I both getting credit for this one somehow!

-Samuel
post #18 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:38pm
Lucas will probably say in the commentary that there was a big uproar over this change but that greedo always shot first, I just made it more clear.

Personally I won't be buying these. I've got the SEs in widescreen on VHS if I need to see them, and I just saw them all again on the big screen. I'd buy the original trilogy, but too bad it's not coming to DVD.

That said the changes are mostly minor but extremely annoying at the way they fundamentally alter the mood and tone of most of the scenes/characters. Jabbas a pissy little nothing in A new Hope, The wampa's a cute drooling mongrel in Empire. and the singers in jedi are just wrong (not to mention they took out my f*ckin yubdub song, dammit!).

The originals are better movies, so while I completely respect GLs right to f*ck history all he wants so that he can control every aspect, I'm personally not interested in seeing his new vision. Good for him for doing what he did, but I'll stick with the originals--a personal preference. :p

Adam
post #19 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:41pm
This is great news. I can't believe the SW franchise is only being served with ONE bonus disc though (think of the 12 -- maybe more -- discs that the LOTR EE trilogy will combine for). I had hoped for an 8-disc set, but this will do for now.
post #20 of 7742
2/9/04 at 11:43pm
Quote:
The originals are better movies, so while I completely respect GLs right to f*ck history all he wants so that he can control every aspect, I'm personally not interested in seeing his new vision. Good for him for doing what he did, but I'll stick with the originals--a personal preference. :p

Ditto. I've never owned the SEs and I never will. I'll stick with my LDs until 2007 and hope the man comes to his senses by then.
post #21 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:01am
I had hoped for 8 discs, but I've been waiting for so long, you're not gonna hear complaints from me. If audio commentaries happen, that is just icing!
post #22 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:19am
This is great news! I'd prefer the original OT of course, but the SEs will do.
post #23 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:20am
Quote:
I had hoped for 8 discs
i dont see why. these movies were made many years before dvd was around. special features were not specifically recorded in order to load up on a dvd. on the other hand, it is easy for the lotr movies to have special and even the extended editions that are out now. when movies come out on dvd 25+ years after they were released, i dont know where all this bonus material is supposed to come from.

and i find it ironic how many people will complain that lucas is 'tampering' with the movies, even though they are his own creation...but these same people will demand OAR when released on dvd. why not respect lucas' intent on these films?

CJ
post #24 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:22am
Quote:
Originally posted by DVDFile.com
So what are the faithful to do if they don't want to watch the altered 1997 editions of the trilogy? Either give in, or don't buy. "We realize there's a lot of debate out there," says Ward. "But this is not a democracy. We love our fans, but this is about art and filmmaking. [George] has decided that the sole version he wants available is this one."
...and the disappointment continues. Pardon me while I look for some rat poison.
post #25 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:23am
It's official- no original versions, no sale!!
post #26 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:29am
Can't wait for Sept. 21!
post #27 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:34am
Quote:
Wow, audio commentaries. I didnt expect that.


Why didn't you expect it? There were commentaries for TPM and AotC.

Anyway - to having Star Wars on DVD!
post #28 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:36am
I can't wait for the proper laser equipment to come out so we can make our own pristine "dual-layer asparagus cans" instead of this SE garbage that Lucas is forcibly [jamming] down our throats.

Content edited by Moderator. A bit much, don't you think svenge? --Jay
post #29 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:40am
Quote:
and i find it ironic how many people will complain that lucas is 'tampering' with the movies, even though they are his own creation...but these same people will demand OAR when released on dvd. why not respect lucas' intent on these films?

Because the DVD technology allows him to offer both versions of the films without having to increase the number of discs in the set(which would result in a higher price).

James Cameron openly admits to preferring the SE of Aliens, but allowed the theatrical cut to be included in the Alien Quadrilogy. Steven Spielberg prefers the PC CGI'd 2002 version of E.T., but offered fans the choice of watching that or the 1982 cut. In fact, he went so far as to force Universal at the last minute to add that version to the regular 2-disc release. Ridley Scott included multiple cuts of Alien and Legend in their recent 2-disc SEs. And if Blade Runner ever gets out of legal rights hell, one assumes the theatrical version of that movie would finally see the light of day on DVD. Peter Jackson gives fans the choice with the LOTR films. Hell, Robert Zemeckis is so hellbent on preserving the theatrical cuts of his films that he removed the "To Be Continued" from the first Back to the Future film for its DVD release.

You see what I'm getting at here. It's not so much that SEs of classic films are a bad thing or that fans disapprove of any alterations. Just don't make these revised versions the only ones available. The days of VHS and Laserdisc are far behind us. With seamless branching and DVD-18s being so prevelant, the option is there to give the viewer a choice. This simply comes down to George Lucas telling the fans they'll take what he gives them and to just deal with it. That line from Jim Ward about it not being a democracy is just a euphamistic way of stating it.
post #30 of 7742
2/10/04 at 12:48am
I don't know which thread will survive, so I'll post in both! Great news, wish it had been the originals, but I can live with it. I wonder how long it'll be before we discover what if anything has changed from the '97 prints.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DVD
This thread is locked  
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › *** Official Discussion Thread: Star Wars Trilogy - September 21, 2004