ORIGINAL CUTS COMING TO DVD!!!

[PTAhole]

from THE DIGITAL BITS

Just hours after we posted our story in The Rumor Mill, the official Star Wars website has now officially confirmed it: Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox are going to be releasing the original, undoctored and digitally-untweaked, theatrical versions of the Star Wars films on standard DVD in September. The films will be available on disc only for a very limited time, starting on September 12th (they'll go out of print on December 31st). The films will be available as individual 2-disc sets (there may also be a box as well). One of the discs in each set will include the recent "2004" special edition version of the film, while the other disc will include the original theatrical version in anamorphic widescreen video, with audio in Dolby Digital 2.0 surround. And yes, on the 2-disc set of A New Hope... Han will shoot first! Here's an official quote from Lucasfilm's Senior Vice President, Jim Ward:

"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. 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."

Wow. I am quite surprised. I'm glad they will include both cuts, because I do think that the new ones have some merit. I'm sure there are some that are very excited. I haven't seen the originals in years! I'm looking forward to it.

[criterionmaster]

I am so happy. I can't wait. :rollin:

[blackmoses]

THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!

[slapshot63]

Awesome. I'll buy it. Good thing I held out on buying the Box Set. Fox is notorous for Double Dips though, this is the third Star Wars Double Dip already. Sad really.

[criterionmaster]

There will be more. The 3d versions, hd, etc.

[PTAhole]

I doubt the 3D versions will be on DVD.

[criterionmaster]

Wasn't Lucas going to add a couple changes to them. At least that's what I heard. If he does add more to the 3D versions there is a possibility they could be released.

[PTAhole]

I just heard that he would release the 2004 cuts in 3D in theaters.

[criterionmaster]

Lucasfilm has released the forthcoming Star Wars: Limited Edition cover art.



The Digital Bits comments that "while it's done in photo montage style, it's designed to look like some of the original painted poster art images from back in the day. Here they are for comparison..."

[criterionmaster]

This comic strip is hilarious and I think fits perfect under the topic!

[criterionmaster]

Lucas said this in an interview

"It's just the original versions, as they were," Lucas said. "We didn't do anything to it at all. But we're not sure how many people want that."

"Now we'll find out whether they really wanted the original or whether they wanted the improved versions," he said. "It'll all come out in the end."



Original Interview Article

I think Lucas is just doing a half-assed job to get the fans of the OT to shut up. I will NEVER shut up!

[captainofbeef]

I know. I am not going to buy the original versions. He has already conned me out of my money once. Next he will do deluxe editions with both versions in one pack. Its all a big con in my opinion. Just a way for him to make tons of money off films that he did almost 35 years ago. I still love the films and Lucas, but it is getting out of hand.

[criterionmaster]

"A million customers walk into Taco Bell. They all really liked a chili-cheese burrito the store sold 25 years ago, so much that they each bought one and have kept it on a shelf all these years. Now their burritos are getting old and pretty dry and they all want a new burrito but they want it made the same way they loved and remembered. Unfortunately, no two customers can agree on what the old burrito tasted like and the store no longer makes their burritos excatly the same way. Some of the ingredients are missing or hard to find. The new burrito is 97% the exact same, and in many ways better, but the really loud customers, the really FAT ones who have been camped out in front of the Taco Bell for the last two months, DEMAND that the store offer the exact burrito they remember. Sure, almost everyone agrees the new burrito tastes pretty much the same as the old one, but the fat customers are convinced the old burritos are somehow better. They sure SEEMED better back when they were kids and under 300 pounds. In truth, the customers really feel that the store owes them the old burritos because of their loyalty over the years. It's really the principle. Collectively, the customers have bought several gross TONS of artery-clogging, lard-laced meat-flavored product over the years and, dammit, they're entitled!

After these customers spend years calling the store manager a "greedy bastard" for not giving them exactly what they wanted, the store manager reluctantly agreed to offer the old burrito. The manager found a 15 year old copy of the recipe and started making burritos from it. Were the customers happy? No, because the old burrito wasn't being offered with the latest flavor enhancement that would make the old burrito taste as vibrant and yummy as they all remembered it being in their imaginations. Sure, the flavor enhancer wasn't invented 25 years ago, much less 15, but still the customers felt they were being "forced" to buy burritos that were "inferior".

Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. Many of the fat customers realized they were making a mountain out of a mole hill and that they were overreacting. Many of them decided to find girlfriends, move out of their parents basements and go on a weight loss plan. A great deal of them even decided to give the new burrito a chance and discovered that it was a damn tasty burrito and not all that different from the one they loved! Some wallowed in their resentment and anger, vowing never to eat at Taco Bell again. Most of those, however, have been seen sneaking through the drive thru late at night buying burritos anyway. "

[Clark Nova]

Am I the only one who isn't obsessing about these original cut DVDs? Am I the only one who isn't gonna shell out the cash for 3 films that I already own? Am I the only one who finds the changes in the Special Editions to be minimal and not detrimental to the overall films (except for Hayden Christiansen at the end of Jedi...the old Anakin gave Luke this loving smile while Christiansen looks like he just got away with raping somebody, but I digress)? It's a waste if you ask me...call me a heathen and blasphemous for not caring about the original cuts if you want, but I just don't care...as sub-par as the prequels are to the originals, at least the (minimal) changes tie the originals into the entire saga better.

[PTAhole]

I agree. In fact, I like the New Hope and Empire SE's better. (I could fucking care less who shot first.)

[criterionmaster]

www.starwars.com/episode-iv/release/video/news20060822.html

[criterionmaster]

www.starwars.com/episode-iv/release/video/f20060825/index.html

[criterionmaster]

Star Wars DVD Menus

[criterionmaster]

www.dvdtown.com/videoclip/starwarsepisodevtheempirestrik/18988/57/

[criterionmaster]

Star Wars Easter Eggs:

New Hope:

Alternate Interface:
Disc 1: During the FBI warning press any number 1 through 4 on your remote and change menu opening and background.

Empire Strikes Back:

Alternate Interface:
Disc 1: During the FBI warning press any number 1 through 4 on your remote and change menu opening and background.

Return of the Jedi:

Alternate Interface:
Disc 1: During the FBI warning press any number 1 through 4 on your remote and change menu opening and background.

SOURCE