Comments on: Original Star Wars Trilogy Retro Version DVDs

By: just me

just me — Sat, 06 May 2006 23:58:48 +0000

I remember seeing the original when it came out, and agree, I remember seeing that and Empire multiple times.

I also confess that I am not a purist enough to get all worked up over this, and am mostly content with the versions that were put out, althought I do think the whole Greedo shooting first thing was stupid.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Sat, 06 May 2006 11:49:40 +0000

Nemo: Interesting. I didn't see "Star Wars" when it first came out in the theaters and it was there by the time I first saw it. Even before I'd seen the film, it was understood that there were three trilogies in Lucas' head. Unfortunately, the quality of the prequel trilogy was such that a the future trilogy seems unlikely.

By: Nemo

Nemo — Sat, 06 May 2006 01:37:12 +0000

In the first release of Star Wars, there was no "Episode IV: A New Hope". It was added during the second release of the film (just a few years later, plus all the video releases. Most people have seen it enough now, though, that they have forgotten that it wasn't there to begin with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_IV:_A_New_Hope

By: Keith Demko

Keith Demko — Fri, 05 May 2006 22:05:52 +0000

Lucas is certainly doing this now much more for his wallet than for his fans, but this will still be the ultimate DVD release of the year!

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Fri, 05 May 2006 21:52:46 +0000

Jay: Yeah, I noted that as well but forgot to mention it in the post. But that was just "inside" the film. Everybody just thought of it as "Star Wars."

By: Jay Cline

Jay Cline — Fri, 05 May 2006 21:46:53 +0000

Not to nit-pick, but SWI was already titled as Episode IV: A New Hope since the first showing.

By: Robert Prather

Robert Prather — Fri, 05 May 2006 21:14:48 +0000

I'm one of the purists and have been waiting for this release. Greedo shooting first is my primary complaint, though in the special edition of TESB that played in theaters in 1997, Luke YELLED(!) as he fell into the chute! I understand that bit of insanity was later removed.

I'll definitely be buying the originals when they come out. I just hope they clean up the picture a bit.

BTW, some director's cuts are good (Bladerunner) and some are bad (Amadeus, The Abyss).

By: charles austin

charles austin — Fri, 05 May 2006 17:11:27 +0000

Perhaps Star Wars purists are more annoyed by Mr. Lucas' changes because they seem to be motivated by down the memory hole attempts to be politically correct, e.g., Greedo shooting first to avoid that pesky preemption bugaboo which wasn't quite so much of an issue 30 years ago.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Fri, 05 May 2006 16:23:25 +0000

Personally, I prefer extended editions, although as I Netflix my way through the Star Wars saga this spring I'll admit I've been wishing the Ep4 DVD would be the one I'd seen in 1977, just for old time's sake. Trouble is, that version doesn't mesh well with the rest of the series. Viewing it by itself sometime next year would probably work better.

By: Ugh

Ugh — Fri, 05 May 2006 15:53:00 +0000

So, if I understand this correctly, we will at least get the 1993 "cleaned-up" version of the movies on DVD (i.e., where the removed the visible matting andn outlines and space-ships, etc.)? Of course, if I buy them I'll now own two versions of the 2004 DVD release.