**Official Thread** The unaltered Original Trilogy to be released on DVD

I might buy ROTJ. If I buy any it will be that one.

 

Anybody undecided about getting them all?

Nope, I'm hitting Walmart at midnight tomorrow night and I ain't leaving without all 3 movies.

 

Man, do the commercials for these suck. Way to belittle Chewie into a pet.

 

I'm not sure if many people have these yet because I haven't read through the whole thread. But I picked mine up today (I live in Australia) and on the whole I feel they're okayish in terms of quality. I can't help feeling disappointed that they weren't given a bit of restoration (I think my old VHSes are better quality which is a bit of a worry)! Anyway, I've just started watching the first one. The image is a bit flickery/grainy, the first chord of the opening theme is warped ...

but they're still the originals!

 

I won't be wasting my money on a product I regard as substandard.

 

No regrets in buying them then? Just wondering if I should get them myself. $60 is alot for something I already have.

I guess there's a poll in Census somewhere?

 

I'm going to save my reciepts and if I feel they are of poor quality, I'll return them and get my money back.

 

Well it says on the box that the DVD's aren't anamorphic, so I don't think the shop would give you your money back, somehow.

 

The opening chord is warped?? Man, that's a shame-they couldn't even make sure the audio transferred OK?

It really does sound like they just threw the laserdisc master into a machine and hit 'record'...

 

Lythographs at Circuit City or the tin at Best Buy? That is the question.
EDIT: According to the Circuit City site the price is $14.99 each. So we have a winner.

 

I feel the exact same. This was another major movie crusher for me. "Bring my shuttle" has always been the perfect classic line after the duel IMO. I remember watching the SE's and when Vader blurted out that horrific line I almost threw up in disgust. What were they thinking. It completely ruined that scene even though it was a few seconds long. I have never owned LD's and my old VHS copies got eaten in 97 by the ole VCR. I have to get the DVD's to get the original movies. Its been nearly a decade since I've seen them. I can't wait to be reunited with all the classic lines in tact.

 

No way will I be buying them. $60 is a big price tag for something i already have in superior quality. And besides, I'm not made of money--the Seven Samurai restored criterion DVD is out, i think that very day, so my DVD budget is already well spent for this month. If anything, i may re-buy the Blade Runner dvd, which is being issued in a new anamorphic transfer and apparently looks amazing (though there is some colour timing controversy).

 

Don't buy the Blade Runner DVD. There are already plans for a super duper special edition coming out in the next year or two. Lucas isn't the only one who pulls that trick

 

Interesting point.


I wonder if the shop could legally argue that due to the labeling on the package...

...the customer should have been aware that the quality of the product was poor.

 

Anyone have pictures of the Circuit City lithos? I'm 99% sure that I'm getting the Best Buy tin, but I'd like to see these just to be sure...

 

I know, i plan on buying that when it comes out but i love the film enough that a new high-res replacement for the non-anamorphic 1997 DVD is appealing to me while i wait another yet for the box set.
unlike LFL, Warners is announcing the box set ahead of time with the specs and versions and the new replacement disk is just a bonus that isn't being advertised.

 

Here they are: http://akimages.crossmediaservices.com/dyn_rppi/592.0.90.0/circuitcity/large/060910_24_D511S.jpg

It is difficult to see them but you get an idea of what they look like.

 

Thanks. Looks interesting, but think I might stick with the tin.

 

Yep. I'm getting the tin too, no question.

 

I'll be going to Best Buy, but only because I've gotta get the new Mars Volta CD there for the bonus disc...and it'll totally be getting my attention first.

 

Hey Zombie, actually, the Criterion re-release of Seven Samurai is already out, came out last week. Best Buy is or was selling it for 42.99. Fry's was selling it for 29.99, but don't know if it's still at that price. I've seen it online for about 35 bucks.
Yes, 60 bucks is quite a bit... I might have to reconsider buying them... hmmmmm......
maybe the tin isn't worth it....

 

Actually the old version of Blade Runner was anamorphic but it looked absolutely horrible. I'll hold off on the new disc and get the super set when it comes out. I have an version that was broadcast on HDNet and converted to DVD. Now, that version looks stunning. That will tide me over for a while, plus the person included several hours of additional documentaries too and DVD-Rom stuff.

Zombie, the Seven Samurai set came out last week. It's really well done. I can't help but compare what Criterion did right in restoration to what Lucas plain refuses to do. I posted this a few weeks back but I'm reiterating my point. According to the booklet:

Seven Samurai is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The picture has been slightly window-boxed to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors. On widescreen televisions, black bars will appear on the left and right of the image to maintain the proper screen format. The original negative of the film is no longer available, so a new duplicate negative was created with wet gate processing from the original fine-grain master positive. This new high-definition digital transfer was created in 2k resolution on a Spirit Datacine from the new dupe negative. For the extensive restoration of Seven Samurai for this release, several different digital hardware and software solutions were utilized for flicker, instability, dirt, scratches and grain management including: daVinci?s Revival, Discreet?s Fire, Digital Vision?s ASCIII Advanced Scratch and Dirt Concealer, and MTI?s Digital Restoration System. To maintain optimal image quality through the compression process, the picture on this dual-layer DVD-9 was encoded at the highest-possible bit rate for the quantity of material included.

and:

The new 4.0 mix was created from original optical track recordings, original stereo music masters, and original production sound effects masters. The original monaural soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from on optical soundtrack print. Audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on surround sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.

This DVD set may not sell millions but it's truly a part of film history and got the care and treatment it deserves. I's not perfect as the film really is quite old but it's the best it's ever looked on home video. The point is Lucas could have done much the same thing considering his claims about the condition of the original prints. Seven Samurai will sell well but not nearly as well as Star Wars given the same treatment. Lucas should learn a thing or two from Crterion if he cares so much for the quality of his releases. Heck he should let Criterion and Robert Harris work on the OT. But he won't.

 

Man, I don't know why you guys wouldn't buy them and keep them no matter what. I think it's awesome, no matter what.

I remember saying one time in some thread in here around the time of the last release, when I realized they weren't the originals, that I wish they'd just throw them out. I even whent as far as to say that surely they could dig into the vault and master them from the last THX LDs. I mentioned the vault and the LDs because it was also around the time SW Shop opened up, and they had Original ROTJ 1 sheets that they 'dug up'. It's all my fault.

 

So YOU are the one, huh.

This is all your fault. You shoukld have sais a nicely restored unaltered release. You junxed it for all of us.

 

When I saw them in-store today, all I could think was "The only reason I would buy these is because the cover art is nicer".

This is the first time I've had the willpower to not buy a Star Wars DVD on day of release (not including last years re-pack).

4:3? Non-anamorphic? No thanks.