Star Wars DVD versions

[impala454]

I have heard there is a DVD set of the original Star Wars Trilogy (IV, V, VI) that is the original theatrical release. I.e. no special edition BS. Can someone point it out??? I see so many different versions it seems difficult to tell which one it is. I can't stand the special edition junk added in. I found a thread from three years ago talking about it, but would appreciate it if someone could link which one it is on amazon or something. Thanks!

[George Bellefontaine]

I never did see a dvd set, though there may have been one released. That's why I held onto my laserdisc box set of original theatrical releases.

[P-Dub]

Hmm, it looks like there was a rererelease with the Original Theatrical Trilogy included as bonus materials. It appears that these editions are non-anamophic.

http://originaltrilogy.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Harrison-Ford/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1261934125&sr=1-1

http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/pro...2=#description

[kpodolski]

I have heard there is a DVD set of the original Star Wars Trilogy (IV, V, VI) that is the original theatrical release. I.e. no special edition BS. Can someone point it out??? I see so many different versions it seems difficult to tell which one it is. I can't stand the special edition junk added in. I found a thread from three years ago talking about it, but would appreciate it if someone could link which one it is on amazon or something. Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-IV-Widescreen/dp/B000FQJAIW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1261933263&sr=1-1

This is the first DVD release with the "Special Edition" movie version.




This is the DVD release you are looking for. It is a two disc set with both the Special Edition and the original version of each film. BE AWARE THOUGH, the original versions are NOT anamorphic. They will look fine on a 4x3 set but will not display properly on a widescreen set. That is the major complaint with these versions...caveat emptor!

[Burke Strickland]

The non-anamorphic DVD presentation of the real "original" Star Wars movies looks fairly good upconverted, and "zoomed in". With my front projector, I zoom down to about 86 - 90 inches 16:9 diagonal from the full 10 foot diagonal screen size that I use with BluRay. While not delivering a "perfect" image, they can be enjoyed in the appropriate widescreen rectangle and do NOT need to be viewed in the misnomered "full screen" 4:3 format.

At some point, I hope LucasFilms will release a BluRay edition with the true untampered original theatrical editions of Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I have no plans to ever buy another copy of the "prequels", unless they happen to be included in the same set as the movies I really want and there is no other purchase option. Meanwhile, I'm glad to still have the real originals IV, V and VI on VHS, LaserDisk and DVD (even if it is non-anamorphic, I still watch them for the movies, in preference to the slick but bowdlerized "special editions").

[littlesaint]

Are the fullscreen versions larger or smaller than the widescreen frame? That is, some films were/are filmed 4:3 and matted to 16:9 for theatrical release. Often when these films are released for television, they simply remove the matte resulting in a larger actual frame then the original 16:9 presentation. Probably not the case here, but sometimes fullscreen is the "larger" frame.

[kpodolski]

Are the fullscreen versions larger or smaller than the widescreen frame?

Smaller...in that much of the film is lost.

Star Wars was filmed at 2.35:1. To make a "fullscreen" version requires a "pan & scan" tranfer. Nearly half of the film is cropped off in the process! :E

[littlesaint]

Yeah, I forgot Star Wars was shot in Cinemascope. I also forgot that even when using Super35 and matting in post, special effects sequences are hard matted during filming, which would rule out most of Star Wars anyway.

[impala454]

Hmm so I wonder if I can zoom with my Oppo BD player and make those ones look correct... thanks for the info guys. That fan edit site looks pretty neat too.

[audioqueso]

I have the set Paul Wu is referring to. I'll check it out later today and let you know. I know it is widescreen... but I don't remember which ratio. The picture was pretty good too. I will watch it again and let you know.

[impala454]

I appreciate that, thanks.

[Brandon B]

Also note that the sound is low bit rate DD 2.0.

They look and sound pretty poor IMO. I don't even watch them on my projector.

[Burke Strickland]

I don't even watch them on my projector.

Me either. I get a much better viewing experience looking at the screen. :>)

[kpodolski]

Me either. I get a much better viewing experience looking at the screen. :>)

Ha...Sweet!!! :T

[kpodolski]

They look and sound pretty poor IMO.

Compared to what? Being that one's options to view the original unadulerated Star Wars films are slim to nil (and slim just left the building) what other option does one have?

I own the last laser disc Star Wars box set "The Defenitive Edition". In its day it was good (as George can probably attest to also.). But the original Star Wars on DVD is better than the LD version.



Here is a still from the laser disc. (Both images are stills taken on a tripod. The LD is CAV). It not bad until one compares it to the DVD.




Here is a still from the original Star Wars version DVD. It ain't perfect but it is much better.




Take it or leave it. My opinion is that beggars cannot be chosers. Until Mr. Lucas descides to release a new and improved version this is the best it gets.

[Brandon B]

The DVD version (the supplemental unaltered one we are discussing) IS the laserdisc version. Just comes through a little cleaner . I had the Japanese market version of the definitive set for a while, but sold it as they wee the only LDs I had.

As for compared to what, well, nothing. As you say, we are beggars here. I generally just watch the adulterated editions for ESB or ROTJ, and the changes don't grate on me much.

But for Star Wars, all the little things that are different (color timing, remix of the audio, and of course, Greedo manipulations) just F up the movie for me. I saw it 35 times in the theater as a teenager, and there is a pretty well burned in image of it that, when I am watching the DVD, and they don't match, just takes me out of things. But it also bugs me for it to look all artifacty and such on the big screen. So I usually just watch it on the "little" 56" DILA TV.

Anyway, like you say, no real options. It would be nice if copyright had not been extended by the likes of my employer. Then we might have seen a fan effort restoration a few years from now.

Nice zing Burke.

[kpodolski]

...all the little things that are different (color timing, remix of the audio, and of course, Greedo manipulations) just F up the movie for me.

I would agree on most of your accounts Brandon. But honestly, I can live with most of the "improvements" that Mr. Lucas made to Star Wars sans one...the infamous Han-Greedo showdown. What a complete and utter travestry that great scene has become in the special edition. I loved the fact that Han shot first. We all know that he's a "scoundrel" who will shoot first and ask questions later. That's what made him such an awesome characther. The digital change to the whole scene looks terrible to boot. Hans head looks so unnatural when he swings to the side when Greedo "shoots first". Simply pathetic...

The funny thing is that we are not asking for much here. Just take the best possible print available, clean it up, re-master to 5.1, make it anamorphic and stick it on a disc (preferable Bluray!) and sell it. They would probably sell them as fast as they stamp 'em...