George Lucas does care!

[GUATARICCAN]

Original 'Star Wars' Movies Coming to DVD -- At Last


 Responding to legions of fans, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment have agreed to release the original versions of the first three Star Wars movies, unmodified by digital enhancements, on Sept. 12. Each of the films, Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983) will be released separately and will be accompanied by a second disc offering the digitally reedited version produced in 2004. They will be withdrawn from circulation on Dec. 31. A promo for the new releases states: "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 Hans Solo shoot first."

[Dave Gray]

That's good.  ...not that I give a crap.  However, Star Wars geeks were up in arms about it.  I think that about 90% of the stuff that was changed about the movies was for the better.  ....some of the stuff stuck out.  ...either way, I didn't lose any sleep.

But it's one less online petition I'll have to see at every turn.

[Frimp]

I like the remastered and juiced up versions, which I already have on DVD. I will not be buying these.

If they showed the originals in the theater again, I would go though.

[Phishfan]

I guess they have to do something to make more money now.

[Philly Fin Fan]

I guess they have to do something to make more money now.

Exactly.

[Frimp]

Exactly.

And I say more power to him. If people want to have the original Starwars on VHS, Beta and DVD as well as the special edition on VHS, and the new edited versions on VHS and DVD, and are willing to buy it, thats their perogative. Lucas is a genius. 

Look for a box set of all 6 films next Christmas.

[Phishfan]

And I say more power to him. If people want to have the original Starwars on VHS, Beta and DVD as well as the special edition on VHS, and the new edited versions on VHS and DVD, and are willing to buy it, thats their perogative. Lucas is a genius. 

Look for a box set of all 6 films next Christmas.

Maybe they brought Gene Simmons on board as a marketing advisor? 

[Frimp]

^^^

And/Or whoever invented beanie babies. 

[cyan]

non-remastered versions on DVD for $30 each? fucking lucasfilm is on crack.

[Dave Gray]

non-remastered versions on DVD for $30 each? fucking lucasfilm is on crack.

The whole point is that they're not mastered.  There is a demand for them...and since it's two DVDs each, they'll sell...just not to me.

[cyan]

no, the point is that they have the original footage in them, without the added special effects....people don't want to see a blurry, low-resolution image, they just want to see the original film, without all the newly added special effects shots. they could have made the original film on DVD with an anamorphic transfer, there is no reason not to do this...the film itself, content-wise, would still be the same. if these discs ship, not anamorphically enhanced, all of us with widescreen televisions are going to be seeing a windowboxed image...in 2006, that is ludicrous, particularly from Lucasfilm of all people. i'm just hoping this is a miscommunication, and that what is intended to be conveyed is that the films content is not enhanced (a la, new special effects, new voiceover work, etc), not that the picture quality won't be remastered.

[cyan]

and here is our confirmation, from digitalbits.com:
"One of the discs in each set will include the recent "2004" special edition version of the film, while the other disc will include the original theatrical version in anamorphic widescreen video"

we tech-geeks can now relax.

[GUATARICCAN]

I think I very well may be one of those crack heads that buy this set. I have the 2004 DVD versions and I bought bootleg versions of the un-altered originals (from a laser disc transfer at a convention) but this may be too good to pass up. IMO. Maybe I'll keep it sealed until they pull them off the shelves and then go to Ebay and sell them for twice their worth!

[Frimp]

^^^

That may be a good idea. I just may do that too.

[cyan]

i'm not saying i won't buy them...i have both of the DVD trilogies (4 disc and 3 disc) as well as the same bootlegs you have (the ones from the LD masters). i'm still buying these as well...my original comment was that lucasfilm was on crack if he was trying to peddle non-anamorphic versions for the same price, which he isn't, they are all enhanced.