# What do you buy to get the original Star Wars movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389 "2015-01-31T00:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vaevictis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vaevictis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vaevictis)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389/1 "2015-01-31T00:35:24Z")
Question in title. I’m not familiar with all the issues between original and altered versions – wouldn’t mind the low down on that if you can help. But in general, what version do I buy? Separate movies or trilogy as whole are both fine. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389/2 "2015-01-31T01:33:17Z")
[This is what you want](http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical-Edition/dp/B001EN71DG). It contains both the 1977 unaltered original version and the touched up 1997 20th anniversary Special Edition. There have been rumours of this coming out on Blu-ray as recent as last summer but only the SE version is available right now. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389/3 "2015-01-31T03:29:46Z")
It’s important to realize that the original versions are basically copies of the laserdisc editions. Among other things, that means that they do not fill a modern 16:9 TV properly the way the altered ones do. It’s not a huge deal, but it can be annoying. Also, if you get the entire trilogy this way, Empire is generally watchable as the special edition. The only thing I can think of that really pulled me out of the movie is some additional footage early in the Battle of Hoth that isn’t scored and cuts into the middle of the 15-minute piece that is the entire musical score of the battle. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389/4 "2015-01-31T07:56:42Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > It’s important to realize that the original versions are basically copies of the laserdisc editions. Among other things, that means that they do not fill a modern 16:9 TV properly the way the altered ones do. It’s not a huge deal, but it can be annoying. It should also be noted that some (possibly most) 16:9 TVs automatically stretch the image to fill the screen. The picture is a little fuzzier than if the discs were mastered in the correct way, but it beats watching the Special Editions. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389/5 "2015-02-01T02:19:22Z")
> [@Vaevictis](#): > > What do you buy to get the original Star Wars movies? You didn’t hear this from me: > **[This is the best version of Star Wars — and watching it is a crime](https://www.vox.com/2015/1/30/7952859/despecialized-edition-download)** > > Vox is a general interest news site for the 21st century. Its mission: to help everyone understand our complicated world, so that we can all help shape it. In text, video and audio, our reporters explain politics, policy, world affairs, technology,... Note to mods: I don’t know why “download” is in that URL since the link does not provide any means of downloading the movie. It does have a YouTube video about the making of the “Despecialized Edition,” which is an attempt to restore the movie to what I saw May 25, 1977 (the day it was released), at the second matinee. Every version since then has been botched up by Lucas. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389/6 "2015-02-01T02:24:22Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > You didn’t hear this from me: > [This is the best version of Star Wars — and watching it is a crime | Vox](http://www.vox.com/2015/1/30/7952859/despecialized-edition-download) > > Note to mods: I don’t know why “download” is in that URL since the link does not provide any means of downloading the movie. It does have a YouTube video about the making of the “Despecialized Edition,” which is an attempt to restore the movie to what I saw May 25, 1977 (the day it was released), at the second matinee. Every version since then has been botched up by Lucas. I’ve bought several copies of all 3 Star Wars movies over the years. VHS, VHS THX remastered, the DVD’s, and the Blu-rays. I saw Return of the Jedi and all three prequels in the theater, as well. So I have little problem admitting that I bootlegged the despecialized editions I watched them in full Blu-ray quality on a nice HD tv. Amazing and truly the best copies of the movies I’ve seen. A commercial copy of these versions should be released. It’d be a huge hit. I recommend them strongly. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-buy-to-get-the-original-star-wars-movies/711389/7 "2015-02-01T16:15:54Z")
> [@Saturn\_Dreams](#): > > [This is what you want](http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical-Edition/dp/B001EN71DG). It contains both the 1977 unaltered original version and the touched up 1997 20th anniversary Special Edition. > > There have been rumours of this coming out on Blu-ray as recent as last summer but only the SE version is available right now. And only $350 for the 6-DVD set.