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CaseCom · May 4, 2006, 02:26 AM

That sound you heard a few hours ago was several million Star Wars geeks peeing their pants.

Official announcement (StarWars.com)

USA Today story

Looks like the new release will be a two-disc set for each film, with the Special Edition version (the same one released in 2004) on one disc and the original version on the second disc. The original versions will have Dolby 2.0 Surround sound.

It's cool that they're finally doing this ... although it would have been cooler it they'd released it long ago. I'm not going to ante up for it, though ... Lucasfilm has enough of my money.

analogika · May 4, 2006, 02:28 AM

what

analogika · May 4, 2006, 02:29 AM

the

analogika · May 4, 2006, 02:30 AM

****

OwlBoy · May 4, 2006, 02:33 AM

The plan all along was to release what the fans did not want but would reluctantly buy first, then release the 'originals' later.

duh.

-Owl

analogika · May 4, 2006, 02:36 AM

Well, it worked.

This will be the first money Lucasfilm gets from me for digital media.

Axel · May 4, 2006, 04:32 AM

I SO regret that I gave in last christmas and finally bought the 3-DVD boxset

Big Mac · May 4, 2006, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by Axel

I SO regret that I gave in last christmas and finally bought the 3-DVD boxset

Yeah, we got taken. And Lucas will do it again with the HD versions.

But as OwlBoy said, this was his stratagem all along. I also think it's rather disgusting that they're saying the unadulterated versions will only be available for a few months.

Kevin · May 4, 2006, 06:19 AM

I wonder how many people have ALL the releases they have done.

I think Lucas should get an award for the most redundant sales.

-Q- · May 4, 2006, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

I wonder how many people have ALL the releases they have done.

I think Lucas should get an award for the most redundant sales.

Or an award for knowing how to line his pockets with the dollars of geeks for the 'same' content multiple times?

voodoo · May 4, 2006, 06:57 AM

Finally! I'm buying this one

Now Spielberg only has to release unaltered E.T. where the govt. agents have guns like they should instead of walkie-talkies and my childhood memories won't be in trauma any more..

V

production_coordinator · May 4, 2006, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Yeah, we got taken. And Lucas will do it again with the HD versions.

But as OwlBoy said, this was his stratagem all along. I also think it's rather disgusting that they're saying the unadulterated versions will only be available for a few months.

I've said this for YEARS... he is just playing with us. He gives us what we want about 5-10 years after we want it. Who wants a standard DVD now of the originals... when HD is just around the corner.

If he would have announced a HD version of the originals... that would have been news.

IMHO, he has destroyed the franchise.

meelk · May 4, 2006, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by production_coordinator

IMHO, he has destroyed the franchise.

lol. he only cares about his wallet. (suprise). the last 3 movies should have shown anyone who was still doubting the truth of that.

starman · May 4, 2006, 07:17 AM

Holy

F------g

S--t

They said they'd never do it.

Ever.

/faint

starman · May 4, 2006, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Finally! I'm buying this one

Now Spielberg only has to release unaltered E.T. where the govt. agents have guns like they should instead of walkie-talkies and my childhood memories won't be in trauma any more..

V

Uh, he did.

Hal06 · May 4, 2006, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Finally! I'm buying this one

Seconded, I refused to buy any other SW DVD trilogy, this is the one I was waiting for… worth the wait.

Dark Helmet · May 4, 2006, 08:06 AM

Lucas can go **** himself. I am not giving him another dime.

scaught · May 4, 2006, 08:09 AM

i think i would actually buy this version.

Sijmen · May 4, 2006, 08:50 AM

What about the laserdisc versions? You'd have to buy an extra player, but you'll have the originals.

Looks cool

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAR-WARS-GEORGE...QQcmdZViewItem

Don't know about the quality though...

JohnM15141 · May 4, 2006, 09:02 AM

I will enjoy owning both sets

ort888 · May 4, 2006, 09:06 AM

About damn time. I skipped the horrible butchered versions and will definitely be replacing my bootlegs with these new ones.

I've been bitching about this for a long time and this announcement makes me very happy.

Dark Helmet · May 4, 2006, 09:45 AM

Considering the movies have already been transfered to Hi-def it would be rather silly to buy ANOTHER DVD of star wars.

ort888 · May 4, 2006, 09:57 AM

I didn't buy the other set because of the changes, so I have no problem paying for this. It will probably take a while for Lucas to get them out on hi-def anyway.

Dark Helmet · May 4, 2006, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by ort888

I didn't buy the other set because of the changes, so I have no problem paying for this. It will probably take a while for Lucas to get them out on hi-def anyway.

Well like I said when they re-mastered the movie for DVD they already captured them for hi-def so most of the work is done.

Mr Kino · May 4, 2006, 10:21 AM

I feel that we all saw this coming.

I still do not get the whole stars wars phenomenon. To me all those movies, especially the last 3 were super boring.

I can, however understand the hype of the first 3. i have heard how awesome they were in their time and people finding out that vader dude was lukes dad.

ugh! theres my rant. i shall never mention SW again. (dont forget to buy the umd sets when they comes out, wide screen, full screen, unaltered, altered, digitally remastered, sound remastered, added features, added featurettes, added scenes.... lol! we get the point)

p.s. i was reading my stuff mag, the other day and they had a picture of luca's daughter. FUGLY!!!

olePigeon · May 4, 2006, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

I think Lucas should get an award for the most redundant sales.

That'd be a close battle between Lucasfilm and Disney.

Jawbone54 · May 4, 2006, 10:41 AM

I'd like to think that this is an instance of Lucas and co. actually listening to the fans, but I know better than that. Good thing I never bought the other DVD set.

sek929 · May 4, 2006, 10:46 AM

Awesome, I was never going to buy the "new" and "improved" DVDs, I resorted to borowing my mom's original THX remastered VHS tapes when I got a hankerin'..... now I won't have to.

typoon · May 4, 2006, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Finally! I'm buying this one

Now Spielberg only has to release unaltered E.T. where the govt. agents have guns like they should instead of walkie-talkies and my childhood memories won't be in trauma any more..

V

That'll never happen since Drew Barrymore is his God Daughter and she doesn't believe in Guns. That was the reason he edited it in the first place.

ort888 · May 4, 2006, 12:03 PM

The ET DVD that came out has both versions of the movie on it. It's always been available.

aristotles · May 4, 2006, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Sijmen

What about the laserdisc versions? You'd have to buy an extra player, but you'll have the originals.

Looks cool

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAR-WARS-GEORGE...QQcmdZViewItem

Don't know about the quality though...

The quality is not as good as DVD obviously. I have a remastered to DVD version of those that I *cough*aquired*cough* somewhere.

ort888 · May 4, 2006, 12:19 PM

I acquired those as well. Mine are direct from Laserdisc transfers and they don't look very good at all.

Dark Helmet · May 4, 2006, 12:22 PM

To be fair the Star Wars DVD's are for sure the best DVD's I have ever seen. Clean, sharp... perfect. Not even modern movies look as good.

I also liked many of the changes that were done to TESB. The worst of the bunch was that music number in Jabba's palace, uh, just the animators showing off that singing muff creature with spit in his mouth.

jasonsRX7 · May 4, 2006, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by typoon

That'll never happen since Drew Barrymore is his God Daughter and she doesn't believe in Guns. That was the reason he edited it in the first place.

But she was in Charlie's Angels, which has plenty of guns...

vmarks · May 4, 2006, 01:15 PM

http://www.x0project.com

wow. let me list all that I own of this.

Original non-special edition VHS of ep 4,5,6
special edition full screen bought 1996. widescreen as well somewhere. VHS
special edition widescreen DVDs bought last year when they came out.

Phantom menace DVD widescreen.
Attack of the clones DVD widescreen. (also have Attack of the Phantom II.I, a fan edit that fixes much of the movie)
Clone Wars, the two DVD animated series that bridges the gap between AoTC and Revenge of the Sith
Revenge of the Sith DVD widescreen

Am I going to get these? Hard pressed to say I will after having spent all the money. I'd like them but will probably not be able to come up with the money at this point. And then they'll be gone.

Is it because they were such great movies? Not really. We could dig up the Kurosawa films Lucas ripped off. We could watch westerns. It's part of recapturing a moment of childhood, a bit of my past, and trying to preserve it for my children.

ort888 · 02:26 PM

The only Star Wars I have are Fullscreen VHS tapes my parents bought me and Episode 2 which was a gift.

And some bootlegs I copied off a friend of mine.

EDIT: Actually, I sold the VHS tapes at my garage sale.

brassplayersrock² · May 4, 2006, 02:23 PM

my dad has two of the org vhs box sets, one opened one not opened, the VERY first set that came out, and i have the last dvd set that came out

angelmb · May 4, 2006, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

To be fair the Star Wars DVD's are for sure the best DVD's I have ever seen. Clean, sharp... perfect. Not even modern movies look as good.

100 % true.

They are just stellar. These along with Pixar movies are just the perfect DVDs to show how good a DVD movie can be done, they deserve all our praise.

I can only think about Ep. I being weak in certain scenes, like when the shipment units are arriving to Naboo, you can spot some edge enhancement and noise.

Dark Helmet · May 4, 2006, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by angelmb

100 % true.

They are just stellar. These along with Pixar movies are just the perfect DVDs to show how good a DVD movie can be done, they deserve all our praise.
.

Can't agree with you on that one.

Bugs life was the first pure digital transfer and I thought it looked great at the time but when I look at the Special addition DVD that came out a few years ago it doesn't look so hot, it has a lot of edge enhancement and the colours bleed.

Also Finding Nemo got widespread complaints that the quality of the video was rather poor, it looked like bad compression.

The incredibles looks good though.

olePigeon · May 4, 2006, 03:13 PM

The only way I would ever get Episode I is if I got it for free. Then I'd probably sell it on eBay.

Episode II was the only one I could re-watch of the III new ones. Even then, I had a hard time getting past the pun after pun from C3P0.

voodoo · May 4, 2006, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by starman

Uh, he did.

Good

V

Dakar · May 4, 2006, 04:06 PM

There's a special place in hell for you, Lucas.

That said, I think its somewhat appropriate that I have the original movies on VHS and the 'enhanced' ones on DVD.

ghporter · May 4, 2006, 06:25 PM

I'm going to buy them. I have TWO different versions on tape and a third on DVD, so I may as well have the version I saw almost THIRTY years ago too. But I ain't payin' no $30 each for 'em!

Dale Sorel · May 4, 2006, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by OwlBoy

The plan all along was to release what the fans did not want but would reluctantly buy first, then release the 'originals' later.

George Lucas is scum

iLikebeer · May 4, 2006, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by starman

Holy
F------g
S--t
They said they'd never do it.
Ever.
/faint

Which is why I hesitantly bought the DVDs last year.
Lucas is a crook. I've never pirated/copied a movie before, but I think I'll wait for a friend to get these.

mac-at-kearsarge · May 4, 2006, 09:27 PM

Woo Hoo! I hated the remastered ones so much I never bought them on DVD. I've been praying since I first saw Ep 4 remastered in theaters that the originals would be brought to DVD too, before I died, and it's happening. I AM SO F***ING HAPPY RIGHT NOW!

angelmb · May 5, 2006, 04:03 AM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

Can't agree with you on that one.

Bugs life was the first pure digital transfer and I thought it looked great at the time but when I look at the Special addition DVD that came out a few years ago it doesn't look so hot, it has a lot of edge enhancement and the colours bleed.

Also Finding Nemo got widespread complaints that the quality of the video was rather poor, it looked like bad compression.

The incredibles looks good though.

That surprises me. I think honestly they look superb… the site I use to read covering DVD releases says they are top-notch, not that I believe everything I read but they are way better on my eyes than the average DVD movie.

Anyway, an easy comparison between Pixar & Star Wars great quality…

and that clip from Episode One I was refering to that has a rather poor quality,

Dakar · May 5, 2006, 10:09 AM

I can't wait to hear the comments when the special release of HD versions in 6 years.

Dark Helmet · May 5, 2006, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by angelmb

That surprises me. I think honestly they look superb… the site I use to read covering DVD releases says they are top-notch, not that I believe everything I read but they are way better on my eyes than the average DVD movie.

Monsters inc looks amazing. Can't remember Toy Story.

The problem DVD's are Bugs life and Finding Nemo. I saw the problem 5 min into the movie.

http://www.dvdlard.co.uk/Content.aspx?ContentID=1082

"I am to be truthful quite stunned by the amount of reviews around that sing the praises of the video quality on this disk, as I personally think it is awful. Before explaining myself let me go through the video details. Disk 1 contains a 1.78:1 Anamorphic version of the film while Disk 2 contains a 4:3 cropped version. Although I’ve stated that the video quality is awful it’s only for one particular reason. In many respects it’s superb with rich vibrant colours and fabulous contrast and brightness. However there is a major problem with digital compression here. The average bit rate throughout this disk seems to be between 3 -5 mbps and this low rate has a real effect on the picture quality. In many scenes there are clear digital problems around some of the characters (Marlin in particular). This gives a halo effect around some of the characters and in some cases colours even seem to bleed into the background. For me it was so evident in some scenes that it actually detracted from my enjoyment of the film. With Pixars history of releasing such superb quality DVD’s it’s a huge shame to find the quality on this one so disappointing. "

I remember Eug mentioning it as well and perhaps Starman.

angelmb · May 5, 2006, 12:33 PM

Well, I guess the spaniard site is one of those praising the video delivered by Nemo's DVD, you can see how they gave it the highest Image(n) rating (five stars).

http://www.zonadvd.com/modules.php?n...tent&id=95

Well, it would be pretty boring if everyone had the same opinion…