There has been evidence from Mr. Lucas that he’s not going to put the original editions on the Star Wars DVD editions in 2005 (or whenever after they are actually released). To me, the special and “ultimate” editions are interesting, but don’t have the same feeling that watching the orignal editions do.
So I created an online petition to try and get enough people together to tell George that we would like the original editions along with any other editions he wishes to release:
#%@ Lucas drives me up the wall. I hate his revamping and updating his history. The man can never admit when he makes a mistake, instead he rewrites history. My guess is that in 15 years the “special edition” title will be dropped from the title when there is a generation who never got ot see these films in their original state.
Because the fans are where he gets his money. It would cost him nothing to release the original movies on DVD (they were released on laserdisk, so they already exist in a digital format). It would profit him greatly. He ought to be a good enough businessman to realize that.
I repeat: “Is there a reason why Lucas will start listening to the fans now? He never has before.”
The fans have always been where he gets his money, and he’s always utterly ignored them. Your only hope is to get his three kids to sign the petition, because that’s about the only people he gives a damn about pleasing.
::shudder:: Can you imagine if he went back and added dialogue to all the older ones to backfill his plot holes in later ones?
C3PO: “What a desolate place this is…just like I remember it!!”
Uncle Owen: “You! I suppose you’re programmed for etiquette and…and…hey, waitaminute - didn’t we own you for several years, until we inexplicably gave you to Aunt Shmee’s long lost son?”
Well, Lucas did apparently listen to the fans once before. You’ll recall that the original plan was to hold off on all DVD production until all six films were completed. Apparently, Lucas had problems with delegation, or something.
Anyway, there was a big hue and cry, and there were petitions, and The Phantom Menace got its DVD release. And now Attack of the Clones is coming out in a timely manner. So, on at least one occasion, the fans did make a difference.
There’s an awful lot of misinformation in this thread that would take a long time to correct. Just take it from me, a lot of what is being said here is not true.
Rumor has it that he’s delaying the re-release so that he can incorporate a few things from the new films into the older versions. (Such as Jimmy Smits reaction to the destruction of Alderaan.) Personally, I hope that he does include the untouched versions of the original Star Wars movies.
Yet another reason to go out and get yourself a Laserdisc player.
Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jediall had no less than 3 different laserdisc pressings each of their original editions. (And at least 2 different laserdisc pressings each of their special-editions, for you special-edition fans out there that can’t wait until 2005 for half-decent home video quality.)
Incidentally, the first CBS-FOX laserdisc pressing of the 3 original edition movies was in pan-and-scan. The second CBS-FOX laserdisc pressing of the original editions, and of course the Collector’s Edition CAV pressing of the original editions, were in widescreen letterbox.
I was going to suggest eBay, and then I stumbled upon this. I’m guessing it’s a bootleg/illegal version given that it’s regionless. Or is there something going on in Lucasland that we don’t know about?
the languages bit may be a tip-off - I know WB is releasing Looney Tunes on VCD in the far east (Malaysia, I think) - they are not to be imported to the US, but guess what…
).