Classic Star Wars Trilogy Finally on DVD

chinton writes "From starwars.com: 'In response to overwhelming demand, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release attractively priced individual two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each release includes the 2004 digitally remastered version of the movie, as well as the original theatrical edition of the film. That means you'll be able to enjoy Star Wars as it first appeared in 1977, Empire in 1980, and Jedi in 1983.'"

Awesome

[squarooticus]

I bought the four disc DVD set when it came out, but that POS is hitting half.com when I get my hands on this. Finally, no Jabba, no "whoosh!" at Alderaan, no ring of fire when the Death Star explodes, no interruption of the wonderful "Hyperspace" piece at the end of Empire, and...

HAN FIRES FIRST!

Re:DVD

[Gord]

Didn't he also say something along the lines of 'The only version that exists now is the version in my head and that's the special edition remakes' and that original versions would never be re-released?

Re:Who shot first?

[iamjoltman]

I don't know if you're being serious, but the answer is yes. That is probably one of the prime factors people think of in terms of original vs SE, and if they claimed it was the original and didn't have that, they would just be shooting themselves in the foot. But I guess the foot would have to shoot at them first, missing horribly.
Anyway, one of the first images you see at starwars.com [starwars.com] says
This September: Original Unaltered Trilogy on DVD
See Han Solo shoot first

Re:Who shot first?

[Megane]

It's not truly the original if it says "A NEW HOPE" in the title. But it's close enough.

Re:In response to overwhelming demand ...

[shreevatsa]

You're acting like George Lucas, insisting that one needs an excuse (Lucas's official line is that Han shooting Greedo first makes him seem cold and heartless, nevermind the fact that Greedo had a gun pointed at him, and besides, "cold and heartless" is how we like Han, anyway). To counter that lame line, someone put together this page: Top 10 Other Things that Han Shot that Didn't Shoot at Him First [fecundity.com].

To the GP — your thoughts about Han and Greedo might be slightly altered after you see this [wurzeltod.ch] alternate version ;)

But I thought....

[cvd6262]

AP: Why not release both the originals and special editions on DVD?

Lucas: The special edition, that's the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it's on VHS, if anybody wants it. ... I'm not going to spend the, we're talking millions of dollars here, the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it doesn't really exist anymore.

Source (9/15/2004) [msn.com]

Re:Wish someone would do the same for Blade Runner

[iainl]

A 3-version box of Blade Runner has been prepped by Warners (Theatrical, "Director's Cut" and an actual new cut by Ridley, rather than what was basically a workprint) for years now. But it's up to its proverbial neck in a legal quagmire, with no sign of a release. At this rate, I doubt it will appear on DVD at all, but make the jump to the next format.

Re:All I want to know is

[WormholeFiend]

He's probably referring to Jabba's slave dancer's wardrobe malfunction, in ROTJ, just before he flushes her down the drain.

Episode VII: Repackaging of the Clones

[digitaldc]

Finally! Another way to donate to one of my favourite charities: The Lucas Family Inheritance

I wonder if he will be re-releasing Star Wars in 3-D in the original, and altered formats? [comingsoon.net]

The money will never run out at this rate ;)

Re:Release to Theatres for Every Generation

[SatanicPuppy]

They cropped a lot of incidental violence, as part of Lucas's conversion to namby pambyism. Like a lot of people who get shot, actually "fell down" in the original version. He hacked out a few frames around a lot of the shot people, to "lower the impact" of some nameless badguy getting whacked.

Re:What about Biggs at the beginning?

[Anonymous Coward]

Like this?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=srf68SEuyJM&search=star %20wars%20biggs [youtube.com]

Re:shouldn't RotJ be in THX like in the theatres??

[_Shorty-dammit]

THX isn't an audio format, it is specifications for audio reproduction. It isn't 5.1, or 6.1, or 7.1, or any other digit.digit for that matter. THX is just a guarantee that it meets certain qualities. Nothing is "in THX." www.thx.com

OriginalTrilogy.com

[Tryfen]

Come take a look at http://originaltrilogy.com/ [originaltrilogy.com] - these are real fans who've taken the original Laserdiscs(!) and created DVDs with ALL the original content in them.

Top stuff for any fan.

Re:Who shot first?

[dswensen]

TFA seems to have been edited from last night, but last night it read:

See the title crawl to Star Wars before it was known as Episode IV; see the pioneering, if dated, motion control model work on the attack on the Death Star; groove to Lapti Nek or the Ewok Celebration song like you did when you were a kid; and yes, see Han Solo shoot first.

So much for Final Video Release

[Anonymous Coward]

"I am pleased that for the final video release of STAR WARS in its original version, we can present it with the best sound and picture quality yet available, thanks to THX Digital Mastering." - George Lucas, 1995

Ru-roh George! [hohle.net]

Re:All I want to know is

[ffrinch]

Google is your friend. [slipups.com]

Re:Finally?

[MrP-(at work)]

"original" doesn't mean the first 3. original means han shoots first, no stupid cgi, no haydens ghost at the end, etc. the actual ORIGINAL theatrical releases

Star Wars Finally?

[W4HTX]

I hate to burst your bubble, but they released the 'box set' of all three of the Star Wars original Trilogy a good while back, 2 years ago just before Christmas I think. I have it on DVD, and while it does not contain the original theatrical release, who would really want that? It isn't anywhere near the quality of the digitized DVD version. So as to compare how good DVD is over film? What's the point, they've demonstrated that already!

Re:Awesome

[VWJedi]

Are you sure Jabba was in Episode I? I just remember references to "the Hutts". Several of them (of various sizes) appear on screen at the pod race. Do they ever specify which (if any) of them are Jabba?

Re:DVD

[DesireCampbell]

He also once said films don't need special visual effects to be ood - and that they distracted the audience from the story.

Of course he was talking about colour - but he changed his view real quick.