73 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

I'm not a huge STAR WARS fan, but I'll certainly pick up the original trilogy when it appears on DVD; and it looks like it may appear sooner than expected. Makes sense to put out the first three films next year, I suppose, in order to build anticipation for EPISODE III in summer 2005, with a six-film DVD box set doubtless hitting shelves in winter 2005.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk...8_article.shtml:

Mark Hocker wrote in to tell me that he'd joined channel.com, a new website run by Universal. That's nice, I thought, but what was interesting was that in the brochure he got the "Star Wars" trilogy (Episodes IV-VI) are listed as coming to DVD next year. So far the information has been that we would see these no sooner than 2005. Lucasfilm never give much away so we'll have to wait and see for now, but when Mark phoned up the website, they confirmed the rumour to be true. Thanks for writing Mark.

[Tanger]

My brother will probably be wanting this.

[Turn]

Never take anything for granted when dealing with Lucasfilm. Just curious, how would a website run by Universal know anything going on with Lucas, who deals with 20th Century Fox?

Some fanboys having fun is probably closer to the truth here.

[ChandlerBing]

Look fore enhanced scenes of CGI-aided Mark Hamil finally being able to, well, act.

[Mister Asterix]

I doubt we will ever see the ‘original’ Star Wars ever again. I mean the one with no episode number, and with no ‘A New Hope’ slapped on it. And where Han Solo was still the cool ruthless bastard we all loved who was willing to shoot a guy who didn’t shoot at him first.

[Triton]

Originally posted by Mister Asterix
I doubt we will ever see the ‘original’ Star Wars ever again. I mean the one with no episode number, and with no ‘A New Hope’ slapped on it. And where Han Solo was still the cool ruthless bastard we all loved who was willing to shoot a guy who didn’t shoot at him first.

I seriously doubt that Lucas will release the original cut on DVD. Keep your VHS tapes and VCR in good shape or buy an old LaserDisc player and the Star Wars Ultimate Edition if you can find it.

It would be nice though if Lucasfilm would include both the theatrical cut and the Special Edition cut on the DVDs.

I also wonder what kind of extra material will appear on the DVDs. Are they going to re-digitize art work by Joe Johnston, John Mollo, Ralph McQuarrie, Nilo Rodis, and the others. Also I wonder if they are going to re-master and restore the television documentaries that were released during the original films release and the documentary From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Triton

I seriously doubt that Lucas will release the original cut on DVD.  

He won't, according to AICN: http://www.aintitcoo...ay.cgi?id=14393.

In fact, we may not even get the 1997 Special Editions. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Lucas is preparing new DVD versions of the original trilogy, with added CGI effects, new creatures and so on.

[Triton]

Originally posted by Loomis


He won't, according to AICN: http://www.aintitcoo...ay.cgi?id=14393.

In fact, we may not even get the 1997 Special Editions. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Lucas is preparing new DVD versions of the original trilogy, with added CGI effects, new creatures and so on.

I keep reading that Rick McCallum emphatically denies that there will be any tweaks or additions made to the Special Editions. He asserts that they are the final versions of the films.

But I really don't believe it for a second, I think that the temptation to go back in there and tweak and revise is too great for Lucas and that is the real reason why we have had to wait so long for the DVD version. Otherwise, I think he could have easily copied the Special Edition cut onto the supplemental materials of the Star Wars Trilogy Ultimate Edition laser disc collection. Are they really going to find any more material in the Lucasfilm archives that fans haven't seen before or hasn't been previously released?

[zencat]

I'll believe this when I hear it from Lucasfilm (or someone inside Lucasfilm). As for the original cuts... I HATE that Lucas will not release the original versions. Thanks goodness I have my laserdiscs.. Of course, when my machine dies, that will be that.

[Xenobia]

And there is no way to transfer laser disc to burnable DVD?

-- Xen

[DLibrasnow]

George Lucas has said repeatedly that he will not be releasing the original trilogy on DVD until after he has finished episode 3 (in 2005). The reason for this seems to be that Lucas is shooting additional scenes as he goes about making the prequels that will (apparently) be inserted into the original trilogy films as flashbacks etc. Inevitably (probably in 2006) we will see the original trilogy hit the movie theatres again (as they did in 1997) as special, special editions...

[DLibrasnow]

The message - don't expect the trilogy on DVD until late 2006...


The uncut, original trilogy (as they appeared im 1977, 1980 and 1983) DO NOT EXIST any longer according to LucasFilm. Don't shoot the messanger, but if LucasFilm says they do not exist then they will not be releasing them on DVD.
It's a shame because I preferred the idea that Han Solo fired first.

[Bond111]

I hope this is true, and it's about time! For a long while I have been waiting for this and the Indiana Jones Trilogy on DVD. It's really a shame that they are not releasing the original versions. It's also really a shame that George Lucas is now obsessed with CGI, instead of just telling a good story.

[JackChase007]

Originally posted by Xenobia
And there is no way to transfer laser disc to burnable DVD?

-- Xen

Oh, there is. I have both A NEW HOPE and RETURN OF THE JEDI on DVD. And not those ****** special editions, mind you - the REAL stuff. Soon, I should have EMPIRE to complete the STAR WARS trilogy (I don't count those joke 'prequels' as real entries to the SW universe...).

[DLibrasnow]

The best guess is that the original trilogy (all modified and all with the new, yet to be seen additional scenes) will be released on DVD in late 2006.

[Tarl_Cabot]

Can we get the version that had balls? Those special editions are lame. Greedo firing first and missing from 3 feet away??!!! These films are not supposed to be so kiddie friendly. SW4 is a violent, brutal film...George has wrecked the trilogy and created a disaster with the prequels...I don't care to make him any richer.Besides, I have the videos.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Tarl_Cabot
Can we get the version that had balls? Those special editions are lame. Greedo firing first and missing from 3 feet away??!!! These films are not supposed to be so kiddie friendly. SW4 is a violent, brutal film...George has wrecked the trilogy and created a disaster with the prequels...I don't care to make him any richer.Besides, I have the videos.

Tarl....George Lucas has said that the original trilogy as they existed in 1977, 1980 and 1983 NO LONGER EXIST!!

Plus, he is not done tinkering with the original trilogy. He is shooting scenes right now (and has been for the last couple of years) that he plans to insert into "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" -- presumably as flashbacks featuring the prequel versions of Obi Wan etc...

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Tarl_Cabot

These films are not supposed to be so kiddie friendly.

Really?

Originally posted by Tarl_Cabot

SW4 is a violent, brutal film...

????????

Originally posted by Tarl_Cabot

George has wrecked the trilogy and created a disaster with the prequels...

Let him do what he likes - they're his films, after all. Personally, I'd like the original versions to be made available on DVD along with the Special Editions and any new versions. After all, if James Cameron can put no fewer than three different edits of T2 on a single disc....

But at the end of the day we'll have to make do with seeing the films on DVD according to Lucas' intentions - and rightly so. It's not like the colourising of CASABLANCA, or the 1980s score for METROPOLIS - it's a case of an artist making his own decisions regarding modifications to his works of art.

Anyway, I like the prequels. THE PHANTOM MENACE and ATTACK OF THE CLONES are both better than RETURN OF THE JEDI, IMO, and maybe even better than THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (which I've always found overrated).

At any rate, to hold the first three STAR WARS films as classics of cinema while denouncing the two prequels (they're all much of a muchness, really, in my book) is absurd.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Loomis


Anyway, I like the prequels. THE PHANTOM MENACE and ATTACK OF THE CLONES are both better than RETURN OF THE JEDI, IMO, and maybe even better than THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (which I've always found overrated).

I've always thought TESB is the best of all of the Star Wars movies.

Originally posted by Loomis
At any rate, to hold the first three STAR WARS films as classics of cinema while denouncing the two prequels (they're all much of a muchness, really, in my book) is absurd.

I cannot agree Loomis...

Whereas the original trilogy had charm and characters we cared about and were drawn to, the prequels are a slick computer video game mess, hell some of the actors are even constructed in a computer, they are not even models!

[Loomis]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow

I've always thought TESB is the best of all of the Star Wars movies.

It's okay. They're all okay - if I had to pick "the best" I'd probably go for the first film, though.

Originally posted by DLibrasnow

Whereas the original trilogy had charm and characters we cared about and were drawn to, the prequels are a slick computer video game mess, hell some of the actors are even constructed in a computer, they are not even models!  

Admittedly, I much prefer the puppet Yoda to the CGI Yoda, but I still find the visual effects in the prequels astonishing.

[ChandlerBing]

I know what you mean, the way they were able to manipulate Jake Lloyd is just astonishing.

[Tarl_Cabot]

Originally posted by Tarl_Cabot

SW4 is a violent, brutal film...

????????-Loomis

violence in SW4:
Vader holding a guy by neck, killing him(noise included)
Lukes parents incinerated. I was 7 when I saw SW in a theater. That was the most horrific image I'd ever seen anywhere. It still is pretty graphic by modern standards.
Obi wan takes an arm off in Cantina, blood included.
Han kills greedo in cold blood(this is why he changed it so Han looks less of a brutal anti-hero)
An Entire friggin planet is destroyed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



"At any rate, to hold the first three STAR WARS films as classics of cinema while denouncing the two prequels (they're all much of a muchness, really, in my book) is absurd."

ah... no it isn't. Those prequels star Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christiansen. That's about enough info for my arguement to be valid.Jedi has flaws but it's infinately more entertaining than those prequels...for me anyway...glad you like them.May the force be with you.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Tarl_Cabot

May the force be with you.  

It'll have to be!

You are quite right about the brutality and blood in the first STAR WARS film - I'd forgotten about it. Actually, I haven't seen the Special Edition of A NEW HOPE (I've seen the SEs of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI, though), so I'm not sure how much it's been sanitized. Greedo shooting first seems very strange. Doesn't this remind you of the time Spielberg decided to take the line "You're not going out looking like a terrorist" out of E.T.?

[Tarl_Cabot]

Plus, he is not done tinkering with the original trilogy. He is shooting scenes right now (and has been for the last couple of years) that he plans to insert into "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" -- presumably as flashbacks featuring the prequel versions of Obi Wan etc..."

I heard the Imperial march theme was to be inserted in ANH. That I have no problem with. If he is going to show Jimmy Smits on Alderaan before he gets vaporized that would be in poor taste, IMHO.Anyway, I hope E3 is good.

[ChandlerBing]

Episode III: The Muppets Strike Back.

[Tarl_Cabot]

"Spielberg decided to take the line "You're not going out looking like a terrorist" out of E.T.?"

Yeah that was funny! Even funnier in light of 9-11. I can't imagine anyone being offended by that line today. If so they need to grow some extra skin and get a life and a sense of humor...

[Tarl_Cabot]

I hope so. I hate these digital characters.Bring on the muppets!

[ChandlerBing]

Miss Piggy Is Back...Kermit Thought It Was Just A One-Time Thing...

Now Kermit the Frog Is About To Learn One of Life's Most Important Lessons.

Don't piss off...the Piggy.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Tarl_Cabot

Can we get the version that had balls? Those special editions are lame. Greedo firing first and missing from 3 feet away??!!! These films are not supposed to be so kiddie friendly. SW4 is a violent, brutal film...George has wrecked the trilogy and created a disaster with the prequels...I don't care to make him any richer.Besides, I have the videos.  

In a way I like the fact that Lucas did his Special Editions. I remember the excitement when they were released in 1997, and it was great to see them on the big screen. Also, some of the effects additions were terrific.

OTOH, Lucas' revisionism is a little irritating. I understand that he wants us to refer to RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK as THE INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES PART 46: INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, or something like that. And I grew up with STAR WARS, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI as titles of my favourite films - it's hard for me to think of the first film as STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE, or A NEW HOPE!

[Tarl_Cabot]

some new effects were cool but some were very unneccessary.