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Topic: Lucasfilm announces original, unaltered Star Wars trilogy on DVD

Aaron Haney
Master Film Handler

Posts: 265
From: Cupertino, CA, USA
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 05-03-2006 10:51 PM

From here:

quote:
Fans can look forward to a September filled with classic Star Wars nostalgia, led by the premiere of LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game and the long-awaited DVD release of the original theatrical incarnations of the classic Star Wars trilogy.

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.

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.

This release will only be available for a limited time: from September 12th to December 31st. International release will follow on or about the same day. Each original theatrical version will feature Dolby 2.0 Surround sound, close-captioning, and subtitles in English, French and Spanish for their U.S. release. International sound and subtitling vary by territory.

"Over the years, a truly countless number of fans have told us that they would love to see and own the original version that they remember experiencing in theaters," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts and Senior Vice President of Lucasfilm Ltd. "We returned to the Lucasfilm Archives to search exhaustively for source material that could be presented on DVD. This is something that we're very excited to be able to give to fans in response to their continuing enthusiasm for Star Wars. Topping it off with a new interactive adventure makes September 12 a red-letter day for Star Wars fans."

That's also the day fans will be able to experience the LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game, the action-packed sequel -- filled with tongue-in-cheek humor -- to one of the best selling video games of 2005. To see the trailer to the new game from LucasArts and TT Games, click here!

Click here to order your copy today.

Personally, I'm amazed and delighted. I am sorry to see only one soundtrack mentioned for Star Wars, since as I'm sure everyone here knows, there were three different mixes created in '77: 70mm six track, 35mm stereo, and 35mm mono, all with slight differences in dialogue and sound effects (discussed in more detail here). It would be nice if all three were included.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 05-03-2006 11:08 PM

I'm still holding out for the Super 8 digest versions on DVD. Until Lucasfilm releases those, I refuse to purchase anything Star Wars related on DVD! [Moon]

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 05-03-2006 11:22 PM

quote:
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

So if you already have that DVD box (yes, I bought it, and I admit it), you get the same version again along with the old ones? That makes a lot of sense. How about single disc releases of the OVs or a 3-disc box set? These could be much more "attractively" priced.

quote:
Each original theatrical version will feature Dolby 2.0 Surround sound

Huh?

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Aaron Haney
Master Film Handler

Posts: 265
From: Cupertino, CA, USA
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 05-03-2006 11:42 PM

quote: Michael Schaffer
Huh?

Yeah, that makes me wonder if this is just going to be a transfer of the old Laserdisc master.

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 05-03-2006 11:45 PM

Actually, that would make sense if they mean Dolby Surround 2.0 (=decodable to 4.0) but why not have a decoded 4.0 DD stream? Or a 4.1 stream based on the magnetic sound configuration with baby booms.

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 05-03-2006 11:50 PM

Brad, that's funny. I used to have the Super 8 versions of Star Wars and Empire when I was a kid. I watched them so many times, I can still play back the scenes in my head as I watch the full length versions of the movies.

I actually lugged my projector and the movies into school in 3rd and 5th grades to show them to the class. It was a big hit! [Big Grin]

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Aaron Haney
Master Film Handler

Posts: 265
From: Cupertino, CA, USA
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 05-04-2006 12:02 AM

Well, I wonder what these people are going to do now:

http://starwarslegacy.com

http://www.originaltrilogy.com

http://www.x0project.com

(edit: added another one)

[ 05-04-2006, 09:21 AM: Message edited by: Aaron Haney ]

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Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1517
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 05-04-2006 02:18 AM

It'd be nice if they included a good-quality copy of the Star Wars Holiday Special with them, too.

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Adam Wilbert
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 590
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 05-04-2006 02:36 AM

cool. It looks like never-ever purchasing any of the star wars movies on DVD is finally going to pay off.

edit: okay, i clicked the link to purchase to see how much it was, but I couldn't find it on their site. What gives?

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 05-04-2006 03:04 AM

The original Ewoks celebration song! Woo hoo. And equally cool, that means the original Jabba's Palace song, too! I just may get these editions.

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 05-04-2006 05:03 AM

quote: Adam Wilbert
cool. It looks like never-ever purchasing any of the star wars movies on DVD is finally going to pay off.

No. Because apparently with the OV edition you have to buy the newer versions too. Lucas is smarter than you.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 05-04-2006 06:54 AM

I'll have to check, but I think my Laserdisc fancy boxed set of the Star Wars Trilogy was in a 5.1 sound but it may not have been...its been a while since I played them. I just checked the box...it only proclaims "Digital Sound" and does not have the AC-3 designation that the 5.1 discs normally do.

If that is the case, I'm sure Lucasfilm is just going to use the mix that was used for this set. They pulled the best elements of the original mixes to create this mix, which is not bad at all if memory serves.

It would be nice to get an HD version of the film...I'll wager after Lucasfilm exhaust all potential sales for the films on regular DVD, he will come out with the new-new versions in some form of HD and once again release them in stages forcing one to buy multiple times if they want it NOW and want everything.

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Mark Ogden
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 943
From: Little Falls, N.J.
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-04-2006 10:55 AM

quote: Aaron Haney
Well, I wonder what these people are going to do now

Get lives?

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Adam Wilbert
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 590
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 05-04-2006 02:08 PM

quote: Michael Schaffer
No. Because apparently with the OV edition you have to buy the newer versions too. Lucas is smarter than you.

I meant that by not having purchased in the past, I would not have duplicate discs. Yes, i would have one original version and one updated version, but most fans already own the current set and would be re-buying the new versions to get the old. If I already owned the current release, I'd probably pass on this set, but since I don't this seems like a good deal to me. (again, depending on price, which i have yet to find)

...after going back to the site again, its obvious that the "click here to order" link is referring to the stupid Lego game.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-04-2006 05:47 PM

Hmm. I remember a couple of years ago when some Lucasfilm person said the original movies did not exist anymore. Just more proof, you can never believe anything that comes out of that place.

I don't believe that "limited time only" crap either. Yeah, limited until sales slow down, and then the next "even specialer edition" will come out.

I'm still anticipating the announcement of Episodes VII, VIII and IX which I'm sure will happen as soon as they run out of ways to milk the originals.

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