Original Star Wars Trilogy to be released on DVD

Started by Raikus, February 07, 2003, 03:29:25 PM

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Derek

I kind of forgot how great these movies are. A New Hope feels as fresh today as when I first remember seeing it. Really simple stories.  I do like the digital changes that have been made to the original trilogy, tying the series together. Lots of cheeseball lines and not taking itself too seriously, something I think is a problem with the prequel trilogy.

Empire of Dreams is a very good documentary (I didn't know Spileberg was originally lined up to direct Jedi), and its cool to see the original teasers and trailers.

Great movies.
It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.

tpfkabi

is it great to see it in widescreen glory?

what is the best deal you've found on it? i don't know if i want to get it or just borrow someone else's. i'm afraid that there will be a better set in the future. one review talked about deleted scenes, but then again, if the future box set involves extra stuff on the prequels (whose discs are already loaded) then maybe i should just go ahead and get it.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

Derek

I've always been more of an impulse buyer than a guy who shops around, could explain why I'm always broke.

I realize that there will be a definitive box set in the future, which I will definitely purchase, but it is years away. Right now I am so happy with this set, it has exceeded all of my expectations. The films look and sound great. But the biggest reason I am so happy is that I really did forget how good they all are. There has been so much Star Wars slagging of late and constant comparisons to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, that my enthusiasm for the series unfairly waned. A New Hope is pure joy, Empire is the tightest sequel ever made and the Ewoks don't bother me.

I am beginning to sound like Harry Knowles.
It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.

cron

as long as you don't start looking like him, you'll be okay.
context, context, context.

NEON MERCURY

as ghostboy and derek mentioned i am also having  a blast watching this sh*t on dvd.  so far ive watched the doc and a few of the featurettes, a new hope and empire. the transfer a perfect and i dont have the 5.1 surround setup going but i have 2 larger speakers and these disc work it hard.  its killer.  as for the doc its everything but still feels lacking.  even at two and a half hours i was still  wanting more. phuck, i wish they gave these star wars films the "lord of the rings extended edition treatrment".  that would be so damn cool.  having all three films [w/ the deleted scenes cut back in them] sprerad across 4 discs for each film including more and more informative docs, and i like how LOTR has their commentary tracks broken by cast, director/writer etc., and the technical stuff.  i wish star wars was like that.  if anything these phuckign films deserves that typr of treatment which makes me think that thery will have a more "definitive" release of this -someday.    as derek has already mentioned,  the changes do  benifit these films and they are welcomed by me.  and people knock the prequels so much for their "bad" and cheesy" dialogue.  but the trilogy does have its share of this too.  so, um, you can dissmiss that aguement.  i was a little dissapointed by episode one but enjoyed AOTC immensely.  and what little i know about episode 3 makes me believe that this prequels will end on a good note.  but anyway, this set rules.  

oh, MAY 19, 2005  :multi:

MacGuffin

Quote from: bigideaswhat is the best deal you've found on it?

Got mine for $37.

Quote from: NEON MERCURYi like how LOTR has their commentary tracks broken by cast, director/writer etc., and the technical stuff.  i wish star wars was like that.

No, these are better. I'd rather have a good chunk of each participant's input spliced together than an entire rambling track of actors commenting on what they're watching on screen.

The commentaries are excellent, especially Ben Burtt revealing what common item was used for the sound effects. My only gripe is that I wish they would have included the archived making-of docs, like "From Star Wars To Jedi - The Making of a Saga." Those were more informative than hearing John Singleton's comments.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

modage

not that its THAT important, but because i need an outlet...
the covers are awful on the films.  the box itself is flimsy, not sturdy like the indiana jones one.  and the inserts are just a chapter list and on the thinnest paper i've ever seen.  cheap.

however, watching the doc gave me a greater appreciation/respect for lucas and the struggles he went through.  i guess by the time he had any money/power to put into something like zoetrope the time for that had passed.  so while i still think he should be putting out others movies at lucasfilm, i guess i dont think he's a total dick for not doing it.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Chest Rockwell

After I bought it the first thing I did was put in Return of the Jedi and went to the 49th chapter and witnessed Hayden Christensen as the spirit of Darth Vader. It was stupid. It better be damn-well justified in Episode III. What I figured was they wanted to show Anakin and not Darth Vader (Anakin before he went bad), which isn't a terrible thing, I guess.

Ghostboy

Quote from: themodernage02
the covers are awful on the films.

No shit -- that style started with the Episode 1 DVD, but at least with the prequels they had nice new photography to cull from. The OT covers look like they're straight out of a beginner's Photoshop class. I don't know how these would be preferable to anyone, customers AND marketing execs, over the original posters. Just think about that gorgeous Gone With The Wind style ESB poster, or the black teaser poster with Vader's face barely visible...and compare it to this excrement.

Anyway, the DVDs themselves still rock.

MacGuffin

Quote from: themodernage02however, watching the doc gave me a greater appreciation/respect for lucas and the struggles he went through.  i guess by the time he had any money/power to put into something like zoetrope the time for that had passed.  so while i still think he should be putting out others movies at lucasfilm, i guess i dont think he's a total dick for not doing it.

Quote from: MacGuffinThe doc tells you that the studio didn't back THX 1138, and thus cancelled all the deals made with Zoetrope. It's not Lucas's fault his film wasn't well received. Lucas and Coppola did what they wanted - made films their own way. Coppola continued to make his Zoetrope thrive with all his success with The Godfather. This was before American Graffiti and Star Wars.

I guess my explaination was passed over then.

So is it still Lucas's fault about Zoetrope?

Quote from: Chest RockwellAfter I bought it the first thing I did was put in Return of the Jedi and went to the 49th chapter and witnessed Hayden Christensen as the spirit of Darth Vader. It was stupid. It better be damn-well justified in Episode III. What I figured was they wanted to show Anakin and not Darth Vader (Anakin before he went bad), which isn't a terrible thing, I guess.

He's not a "spirit of Darth Vader," and it did show Anakin originally, but Sebastian Shaw was replaced with Christenson. I explained the why on the bottom of Page 15 and Lucas verifies it on the commentary track.

Quote from: GhostboyI love the outtake where Chewie talks in a british accent.

There's more. In one outtake Chewie catches on fire:

To access a Star Wars Trilogy gag reel, go to the Video Game & Still Galleries menu page. Using your remote, press "10+", "1" (or "11" depending on your player) and wait for the pause as the player accepts the input (note that a small box next to R2-D2 will illuminate if you're on the right track). Then press "3" and wait for the pause. Finally, press "8".
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

modage

Quote from: themodernage02however, watching the doc gave me a greater appreciation/respect for lucas and the struggles he went through.  i guess by the time he had any money/power to put into something like zoetrope the time for that had passed.  so while i still think he should be putting out others movies at lucasfilm, i guess i dont think he's a total dick for not doing it.

Quote from: MacGuffinThe doc tells you that the studio didn't back THX 1138, and thus cancelled all the deals made with Zoetrope. It's not Lucas's fault his film wasn't well received. Lucas and Coppola did what they wanted - made films their own way. Coppola continued to make his Zoetrope thrive with all his success with The Godfather. This was before American Graffiti and Star Wars.

i didnt mean it was his fault for making a bad movie or something.  but since it was his movie that broke the camels back, he was technically 'responsible' for the demise.  coppola continued to make his films under the zoetrope banner but the doc says that the studio all but collapsed basically.  i thought originally george, would've tried to get the studio set up as a communal thing like originally where they would try to make films with all the other zoetrope guys/gals, but its not bothering me as much since probably a decade had passed by the time he had any chance to do anything really about it.  chances are, had zoetrope succeeded, we would never have had a star wars or godfather or indiana jones so, i guess it all worked out for the best anyways.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

tpfkabi

did he adjust the CGI dancer/singer in Jabba's palace in any way?.......Sly Snoodles or something like that I think.

as far as cheesy lines in the originals.......i don't think there are many cheesy lines........i mean, really step back (its hard because Star Wars is such a part of our culture) and think of how odd the whole thing is........a Wookie named Chewbacca?.............Lucas really took a risk with A New Hope..........and i think the dialogue is really great, but it helped that he had great actors.................now with the prequels, the dialogue is just bad, horribly bad.........and it probably hurts that all of the actors now know of Star Wars and had a preconceived notion of it, whereas the original actors took the parts most likely because the believed in the script.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

MacGuffin

Quote from: bigideasdid he adjust the CGI dancer/singer in Jabba's palace in any way?.......Sly Snoodles or something like that I think.

In the original 1983 version Sy was a puppet. For the 1997 Special Edition, Lucas replaced her with a CGI version, adding backup dancers and even changing the song.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

SHAFTR

Quote from: MacGuffin
Quote from: bigideasdid he adjust the CGI dancer/singer in Jabba's palace in any way?.......Sly Snoodles or something like that I think.

In the original 1983 version Sy was a puppet. For the 1997 Special Edition, Lucas replaced her with a CGI version, adding backup dancers and even changing the song.

that scene is so awful....ohh man.

Anyone else think it's funny/sad that the CGI looks more fake and cartoony than the stuff done originally.
"Talking shit about a pretty sunset
Blanketing opinions that i'll probably regret soon"

tpfkabi

Quote from: SHAFTR
Quote from: MacGuffin
Quote from: bigideasdid he adjust the CGI dancer/singer in Jabba's palace in any way?.......Sly Snoodles or something like that I think.

In the original 1983 version Sy was a puppet. For the 1997 Special Edition, Lucas replaced her with a CGI version, adding backup dancers and even changing the song.

that scene is so awful....ohh man.

Anyone else think it's funny/sad that the CGI looks more fake and cartoony than the stuff done originally.

yes, i agree. i was hoping he adjusted that CGI scene in the 97 SE in the same way i've heard he made Jabba more realistic in A New Hope.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.