*** Official Discussion Thread: Star Wars Trilogy - September 21, 2004 - Page 4  

I'll be pre-ordering these. There's no way in hell I'll be in any of those stores on release day. It'll be like the cabbage patch dolls craze in the 80s. Riots and mobs!!

I think we all have some disappointment that the OT will not be released, but at the very least, most of us have something to look foward to now.

As far as Lucas being greedy, I think it's appropriate to say quite the opposite for the time being: Don't you think we'd be getting both versions if it were about money? This is HIS decision, HIS movies, and HIS work, and all the power to him for sticking to his guns so far.


Bryan

now you did it
Punchbug Hitler!

good thing i wasn't betting- i expected page 7

Hillarious!

You know something. You're right. Most people won't be able to resist the urge to pick up this set when they see it sitting on the shelf. I'm not one of them. And not just because I hate the SEs and refuse to own them. But also because anyone with even a sub-Forrest Gump level IQ can tell that since this is a 4-disc set, another DVD release is inevitable either in 2006 or 2007.

If folks don't mind double-dipping in another couple years, that's fine. If they're cool with owning the SEs only, more power to them. Me personally, I refuse to settle for what Lucas is giving us. Despite what Jim Ward thinks, this IS a democracy. And I'll vote with my wallet to reject these DVDs until they've come up with a multi-disc box set that's worthy of the name "Star Wars".

anybody who looks at the situation and sees greed is misreading it.
it's about narcissism.
"I want My version to be the only one.
the contributions of other filmmakers and artisans whose work may be altered or discarded is irrelevant.
no matter what a sizable % of fans want.
no matter what the 'early adopters' want.
this is what I want.
take it or leave it.

So what if another version comes in a few years?

eBay the copy you have, get the new one. Done.

Mike

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but the Official Star Wars website has posted information on the release of the DVDs.

Personally, I am very excited to have these films on DVD. I'm also very glad that I still have my widescreen VHS titles from 95!

Well i'm disapointed, happy and perplexed all at the same time. I would have liked the OT to have been released as well, but I didn't expect that I fully expected the SE's. I'm really a bit perplexed as to why after 8 years this is only a 4 disc set...this should have been the set that raised the bar. In just 2 movies we've got 6 unique discs of special features for LOTR and those had an 11 month wait not an 8 year wait. Yes I know we all said we'd take a barebones release just to get it ASAP...but jeez that was at least 3 years ago now that I remember signing that petition, I wanted a barebones set years ago at this point why not wait for some kind of uber release. If Peter Jackson can put out the DVD's he did with the schedule he had there's no reason that George couldn't. The prequels have been coming 2-3 years a part and they are a lot shorter then the LOTR films...If Peter could get his uber DVD's out i'm sure George would have had time to make this the end all be all set as well.

All that being said i'm still extremly happy and i'll still be buying this set on the release date, even though i'd rather have some other set with a boatload of special features and the OT's.

Well, I'm not surprised it's just the SEs, but I have to say that I really am disapppointed. I know that Lucas said back in '95 that the originals would not be released again, but since that time, DVD has become something of an archival format in the minds of many film fans. It would have been great to include the original versions, even if it was only for historical purposes. Lucas is so big on film preservation, I thought he would realize that.

I don't despise Lucas, I don't think he's crazy, and I don't think all he thinks about is money (he does have a very good business sense, but there's a difference). And I've heard a lot of people that actually know him call him a pretty nice guy. I also completely respect his right to do whatever he wants to his films (even though he didn't direct Empire or Jedi.

However, I just honestly don't like the SEs. As others have suggested, even though the changes seem minor, they significantly alter the tone of certain scenes, and they actually make the trilogy as a whole seem a little more...well, cheesy. Some of the new effects for the SEs are already dated (although they may be cleaned up for DVD), while the original effects, though low-tech, hold up very well for a film made over a quarter-of-a-century ago.

As I said before, though, it's Lucas's right as a filmmaker to change the films. But because the films were as they were for 20 years, and became classics that way, I just feel that those versions should be preserved as well. And that is the opinion of a great many fans. A "small but vocal" minority it is not. Many "normal" people also much prefer the original versions (I know several of them). And as others have said, James Cameron and Ridley Scott have gone on record saying that they prefer a certain cut of one of their films over another, yet they allow both to remain available.

Once again, Lucas has every right to do what he wants, but it would be awfully nice of him, and it would show a lot of respect to the fans, whom he claims to treasure, if he would allow the versions that the fans made classics to be released.

I'm not disappointed that there is only one disc of extras, or the format in which the films are being released. I just want the original versions.

I probably will buy the DVDs, but I'll have to think about it, and that is what's weird about the whole thing: I never thought I would have to think about whether or not I wanted to buy Star Wars on DVD.

Just my quick 2 cents:

Although I am slightly dissappointed that they won't release the original versions (for now I'm sure), It won't stop me from picking this set up as I like these versions as well.

Come Sept 21st, this set is mine.

I don't have time to read a 100 threads. But, I remember reading that their is word that althought it will be the SE versions of the movies. That the Greedo firing first seen will be restored to the Han firing first. Does anyone know anything about this? This scene is the one scene that irks me the most.

http://starwars.com/episode-iv/news/...s20040210.html


Now it's official

-Bryan

Paul, I think you're flat out wrong about this being about narcissism. This release is not to glorify himself, or if it is I don't see it.


Bryan


PS. I just noticed someone else had already posted the official sites link, sorry!

I think at that point, Fox and Lucas don't really care about real hardcore fan. They want to move some dvd and they'll do it. They gonna sell like crazed in September. You have to remember that it's not everyone, even limited number of people really care for extra feature other than Deleted Scene. It's gonna be cheap (like 50$CAD like Indy) and most of the people that want them will buy this version.

Fox did it with Aliens ... released 1 disc version of each film and then release a 9 disc set. I'am pretty sure Lucas will release a super mega set for fans in the future...

Here's an interesting point that many may be missing right now. The official Star Wars site has added a new "Jedi Council" (Q & A) entry with Rick McCallum:



Maybe I'm just reaching, but it seems to me like this is already the first official hint of a massive and definitive release of all things Star Wars once the prequel trilogy is finished.

Anything's possible, but I sincerely doubt that this will happen. This one scene is probably the epitome of all OT fans' gripes with the SEs. If anything would make the SE DVDs tolerable to purists, it would be a reversal of this scene. George Lucas has demonstrated that he is staying true to his word by releasing only the SEs, so I see no reason for him to change his mind regarding this scene. I'm expecting nothing to change.

Great news.

I am a very casual SW fan, having watched the OT perhaps twice, and never in widescreen... I am truly happy about this release. I am not as familiar about these movies as most of you are, so it will certainly be a new experience for me. I cannot wait to hear John Williams glorious score

In the end, having not expanded my energy all those years yearning for this release, I will probably get more enjoyement from these movies than most of you freaks!

--
H

Well, I know this thread will soon devolve into name-calling and revulsion of the SEs--oh, never mind, it's already happened. It's all well and good for you to wail and gnash your teeth in the digital world, but I really wonder how many of you will actually resist the impulse to buy. I know you'll continue to rant about it here, but I think once the specs, features, extras, and most importantly the list of changes comes out, you'll end up caving, at least on the inside. Personally, I have a LD player and the Definitive Collection, and I'll keep those as well as transfer them onto DVD-R. At the same time, you'll definitely see this set in my collection, as it will be pre-ordered the instant it becomes available.

Re: Greedo shooting first - Lucas may say that he originally wanted it to b e that way, but multiple sources, including the shooting script indicate he changed his mind later on. It's a good bet we'll see Han shoot first again, without that horribly CGId head bob.

EDIT: Accidentally pressed the submit button before the post was complete

When Jar-Jar shows up in A New Hope, you'll be able to hear me laughing from a thousand miles away.

Let's not.

With all due respect...
Coming from the owner of the a forum that prides itself on preserving original theatrical presentations, I find this statement to be extremely distasteful.

I agree. Hell, if we can get a Special Edition version of a troubled film like Alien 3, than anything is possible. I truly hope it does happen someday. Like so many others, there are several problems I have with the SEs. But I will buy them, just like I kept buying all of the differnt Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, etc action figures that were released for each film.

He was referring to the Special Edition of the movies themselves (as opposed to the theatrical versions). It had nothing to do with the box set being the only one that would ever be released.

I respect Lucas's intent, if he wants the SEs to be the only version available that's his call. Its also up to the individual whether or not to buy them. For me personally I would have bought the original versions but am not interested in dropping $50+ on a box set of the SEs.

Each to his own, but you fail to remember that these versions were shown theatrically. Just 20 years later than the versions you prefer. Sorry if I'm splitting hairs but your point seems moot to me.

EDIT: Sorry, I just now realized you qualified the theatrical presentations as 'original.' My bad.

Heh, now that might actually be enough to stop me from buying this release.

actually Bryan, i wasn't being glib with that.
narcissism to an artist or creative person extends to the object they create.

in other words-the original work of Marcia,Gary, Irvin, Richard, Brian, John, and many others is irrelevant in the face of MY vision circa 2004.

I don't think anyone's posted this yet here--regarding the commentaries, here's what Peter Bracke of DVDFile says:



In other words, the commentary tracks will be new, with Lucas contributing, but there might not be a commentary track on all of the three films...huh? Confusing, although I can't imagine that there'll be a commentary track on, say, the first movie, but not the second one, or whatever. In any event, this does at least appear to indicate that the commentaries won't just be direct ports of older ones.

Count me in as a casual SW fan that didn't really care which version was released...just as long as it was. September 21st can't get here soon enough!

I'm looking forward to this release. I'm not a huge starwars fan, and it's obvious that this is only the first of many DVD released, but still, it'll be a lot of fun to watch. I'm sure everybody and their brother will be doing preorder promotions, so I fully expect to be able to get this set for less than $40, just like I did with Indy.