I saw Star Wars in the cinema on its original release in 1977 and I was not slow to buy a ticket for an encore. The sheer experience of that film was exhilarating at a time when movie SFX were still a fair distance away from the quality we know and expect today. Few cinemas had stereo sound then because Dolby Stereo was in its infancy, and to actually be in a cinema so equipped at that time was a rarity. If you were really lucky, in addition to Dolby stereo, it might have a 70mm facility which would give you an enhanced picture, plus a 6 channel stereo split instead of the normal 4 channel of standard Dolby. Nowadays digital stereo in the cinema and home makes that sort of differentiating pretty irrelevent.
Seeing Star Wars in stereo and with its incredible effects really was an experience . After that sound and SFX were never going to be the same, and neither have looked back since.
Of the three films Return Of The Jedi is in 3rd place, a great film but is simply bettered by the two that came before it. In second place sits Star Wars itself. The film remains one of those viewing experiences which just remains in your mind as a milestone. What effects, what imagination, the ability to lift you out of every day life and take you to a galaxy, far, far away. Who can forget seeing that opening shot of the huge Star Destroyer bearing down on Princess Leia's fleeing vessel?
No audiences had seen spaceships of those looks and dimensions on the big screen before...
The pride of place by a whisker is taken by The Empire Strikes Back. Of the three films, this is the one that has stood up to more repeat viewings than the others. When I first saw it it did not have the effect that seeing the first did, absorbing though it still was. The passage of time has seen it establish itself as my fave of the trilogy though. I always felt that the plot for Star Wars drew on the Arthurian Legend and nowhere is this more apparent than in The Empire Strikes Back, particularly when the true identity of Darth Vader is revealed for the first time.
There is a moodiness about Empire that runs through the film from start to finish, and I often wonder what Jedi would have been like if George Lucas had let the director of Empire Strikes Back - Irvin Kershner helm that film too....
As to the controversy of the editing that Lucas has made to the dvd releases, my feelings are as follows:
I loved the originals and have the vhs versions of all three. However, with nearly 20 years between Jedi and The Phantom Menace there were always going to be continuity issues concerning casting and SFX. Play an original vhs version of Star Wars, and you will soon see that the mattes have not aged well and stand out visibly. Yet did we notice them at the the time of the films release? No of course not because the SFX then were state of the art. Now with the passage of time and SFX having come on in leaps and bounds, George Lucas decided to update the former films.In my opinion he has done a good job too SFX wise. The casting editing is more to link with the newer editions of the franchise than to improve the quality of the originals, so my thoughts on that are mixed though. I can see the reason for doing it but I simply prefer the original actors in their roles. Clive Revill's Emperor in Empire Strikes Back I think is the deletion that was most unnecessary.
Overall though I am glad that I have a choice and can either watch the originals on vhs or put on the updated versions on dvd.
I have looked forward to the dvd release of these films for years and am delighted with finally being able to blast them across my home cinema set up. The picture on 16:9 anamorphic is great on a widescreen tv. All sound channels are crisp and totally clear of any distortion. Laser blasts and Tie Fighters shoot across the room to varying degrees...Such is the effect of being able to do that, it has returned me to the awe struck kid seeing Star Wars for the first time in a cinema. Thanks for the dvds, George, it may have taken a while but at least they are here now.
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Whether you have the VHS originals from 1977 to 1983, or you own the 1997 or 2002 special editions, this wonderfully packaged DVD collection is a must for Star Wars fans.
Never before has Star Wars been available to own on DVD !!! This now means you can keep your VHS originals in pristine condition. - No more wear and tear.
The extras DVD is worth the price alone. For the first time ever, Star Wars fans can get an insight into what it was like to make the original trilogy, for both George Lucas and the rest of the team, in the fantastic 2.5 hour documentary "Empire Of Dreams". This is well worth a watch. Get the wife and kids out of the room (unless they're Star Wars fans, too), plonk yourself in front of the TV with a large bag of crisps and sink into the Star Wars Universe !!! There are multiple documentaries on the extras DVD, each one as good as the last, but Empire Of Dreams stands out, and could have maybe been on a DVD on its own. - It's that good !!!
As for the films themselves, the picture is so crisp, and the sound so outstanding, they could be completely new movies made just this year.
I won't spoil things by letting on about the extras in each film, but it's both interesting and exciting for a Star Wars fan to watch the films and see something completely new.
All in all, I think anyone who is a Star Wars fan deserves to own this outstanding box set. - Go on, treat yourselves !!!
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166 of 190 people found the following review helpful:
Not the original versions nor the SE's but something else..., 19 April 2004
By A Customer
I pretty much agree with Amazon's editorial review except for the uncritical praise lavished on The Empire Strikes Back. It's a good sequel but it's not without flaws. That said, it's worth pointing out that these three movies will feature even more enhancements and newly shot footage designed to ensure both trilogies fit together as one story (which was after all Lucas's original intention).
Lucasfilm won't say anything until the official press launch but to judge by some of the more informed comments being made around the net it does look as though the Obi-wan/Vader fight onboard the Death Star (from A New Hope) has been redone to bring it more into line with the pace and zip of the lightsabre battles of the prequels. The CGI Jabba The Hut from ANH has almost certainly been redone and many of the effects from all three films have either been replaced or cleaned up. Additionally, in The Empire Strikes Back, Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor may have been digitally added into the scene where Darth Vader communicates with the Emperor. But most controversially of all (at least for the fans) actor Hayden Christenson - who plays Anakin Skywalker (Luke's father and Darth Vader to-be) in the prequels - may also feature as the aged and horribly scarred Vader in the scene from Return of the Jedi where he is finally unmasked by Luke.
Now whether this and numerous other rumours (such as the one about the Han/Greedo scene having been properly restored) turn out to be true or false, well, we'll just have to wait and see. One thing I do know, this DVD release is NOT the 1997 Special Edition. No way. I know that 100%. I'm not saying the above changes are definitely going to be in there either but that's increasingly what it looks like. So if you're a fan brace yourself for some major surprises because George hasn't quite finished tinkering with his story just yet.
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Ok, so we all know what Star Wars is and the recent "new" trilogy has been and gone at the cinema bringing the SW universe to a whole new audience. So, no long winded review of the stories here just simple advice... GET THIS. The original trilogy may be a bit dated (30 years old) but they are so much better than the recent prequel trilogy (except for perhaps Revenge of the Sith which in my opinion is just as good as these three). The extra disc is interesting behind the scenes stuff and other documentaries and the packaging is good on the shelf.
Go on, get it and the force will be with you... always.
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This is truly the definitive (original) Star Wars boxed set, containing all three of the original, remastered movies and a disc of additional bits and pieces.
First, the films themselves: Lucas could easily have ruined these movies through over use of CGI or other new technology. However, the remastering of each film has been done with due care and attention and as a result they all retain their character and remain unspoilt. They all look and sound properly spruced up, and the occasional deleted scene (remastered, of course) has been reintroduced. Some of the original footage has been augmented very well, for example the explosion of the Death Star at the end of A New Hope is now very 21st century, rather than 1970-something! All this this only adds to the experience of these classic movies.
The fourth disc is packed full of documentaries, original trailers, etc. I usually think these are a waste of time, as they rarely bring us anything new. However in this case the additional disc is well worth having, from it's documentaries on the characters, the plot lines, to the creation of the ligh sabre.... they are all worth a watch a are good fun too. Best yet, the fourth disc has a nice preview - not a trailer, but a preview - of the final, yet-to-be-released film.
Overall I would say that this is an excellent bundle. And a word to the wise... I haven't found this cheaper than Amazon's price anywhere.
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There has been much discussion on these pages about the merits of the new versions of the films against the old; but these seem to be losing perspective a little.
The main changes to the DVDs are a vibrant colour transfer to the picture; window-rattling sound effects; and essential extras that will leave fans slavering.
Compared to movies of the Special Editions of 1997, I noticed only one change to the actual content; and it was only in the last five seconds of the last film, which hardly spoils the ongoing enjoyment of the movies, and will make sense when Ep III is done.
In the extras, the highlights are the preview of Episode III - Hayden Christiansen puts on the Vader helmet, and even the crew are in awe of him; the really really poor 70s trailers; and the Empire of Dreams documentary, which shows all sorts of interviews and footage about production of the original movies. If you think some of the lines in Ep IV are bad, you should hear some of the ones they cut out.
Embrace the DVDs for what they are; the best possible way to watch Star Wars. When the lights are off, and the Imperial Battle Cruiser starts rumbling behind you until it crawls across your front room, you are in a galaxy far, far away, and there is nowhere else you would want to be.
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I, like many other people, grew up watching the films again and again (and again) and I've loved it each time. To finally have these on DVD where the media doesn't degrade with each time you watch it is a god send (though that said, that'll be put to the test =o)
The presentation, picture clarity and sound engineering for the DVD's are excellent (much as you'd expect from a Star Wars THX Bells-and-Whistles DVD release) The bonus disk is packed full of extras that should keep anyone that wants to know more about the original trilogy happy for a good few hours.
When it comes to the whole debate as to why they've released the Special Edition versions on DVD and not the originals, I believe that people will have to watch it and make up your own mind. If you've never watched the original Star Wars films it's a good way to introduce you to the Star Wars universe and to see what everyone else makes such a big deal about. Just keep in mind that "most" of each film were made more than 20 years ago which visually is quite an achievement.
True fans will ALWAYS argue that "It's not the original films I watched when I was younger" and "He shouldn't have "improved" it. We liked the original one as they were". The only thing I would say there is if people don't like the new Special Edition releases on DVD, don't buy them. George Lucas gave us his vision for the Star Wars universe in the first place and has the right to do whatever he likes with his films. If this is how he chose to release the original trilogy, there's nothing that any of us can do or say about it. I've watched them through and I personally absolutely HATE what they've done with the end of Jedi (I'm not going to spoil it for anyone that hasn't watched it or doesn't know already) but it's something that I'm going to learn to live with.
Personally, I love the Star Wars films as much as everyone else. They aren't the ones I grew up watching but for better or for worse, this is what they've evolved into. I wanted to have these on DVD to get the most out of them both audially and visually and these DVD's deliver exactly what I want.
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Possibly the most eagerly awaiting DVDs, The Star Wars Saga's original trilogy is a ride well worth buying. Much has been said of the way George Lucas has tinkered with the films during the last few years, the work done in the late 90's to bring out the Special Editions has been taken further with this set of DVDs. Slight modifications include a rework of the Han Solo/Jabba the Hutt scene in A New Hope, Hayden Christiensen replacing Sebastian Shaw in the ghost scene at the end of Return Of The Jedi and dialogue changes in the conversation between Luke and Leia when Leia talks about remembering her mother, just to help continuity with events of Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith. Naboo also now gets seen in the end of film celebrations.
There's always going to be an argue
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The biggest shame about this release is that, despite more modifications and improvements, the scenes added in for the Special Editions are still rubbish. In Episode IV, for example, Han firing first told us everything we needed to know about his no-nosense character. But now, where he and Greedo fire at the same time, we're left thinking that he's just jammy and completely un-skilled. Great. And the scene with Jabba. Why anyone ever thought to pick this up from the cutting room floor is beyond me.
Episode V seems to have been the least mucked-about with, and some of the alterations to cloud city are actually improvements. Episode VI still works well, although the ridiculous sing-song in Jabba's palace spoils the former half of the film. Also, why is the young Anakin there at the end? Surely Vader turned back to the good side when he killed the Emperor, so the last time he was good was as an old man. Pfft... Who can tell what goes through uncle George's mind some times...
Now, I would give the films 4 stars. 5 stars for the films, -1 star for the messed up scenes. Where this boxed set gets its fifth star back is with the fourth disk. There is a lot of footage on here that I haven't seen anywhere else and it is almost worth splashing out on the box for this disk alone.
So there you have it. Three of the world's best movies, made not so good but saved by the bonus features. Recommended.
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Just so you know when you get this product there is a gag reel on the bonus disc to get at it you have to go to the "Video Games and Still Galleries" Now type in the code "1-1" then hit "enter", then "3" and "enter" and finally "8" and "enter". This will take you to bloopers.
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