CT What if the classic SW films were sold differently on DVD without the box set?

Wow, that is an amazing set. I didn't know that existed. I would love to get a copy of the bonus features tape.

 

Its always been my favourite in my collection, I think I paid about just under £100 for it around 2000. I think some of the bonus features on this appeared on the blu ray set. too, but I really need to get out all my boxsets and individual discs to see whats unique or duplicated across all the releases. Because my intention was at some point to transfer this VHS bonus tape to DVD so I can watch them easier.

One things for sure, theres enough material per film for good individual sets for each of them (I'm talking more in regards to the originals here). In fact seeing as Disney have released really good individual sets for their recent SW films. It wouldn't surprise me to see them do it for the first 6 at some point in the future.

 

Here is the VHS preview short documentary for the 1997 special editions. It is divided and released into three documentaries each one discussing the film it's released on. This is how Empire of Dreams could have been divided into three bonus features discs, one for each film it's discussing:

 

@Darth Voldemort Thanks for those, its been that long since I've watched the special edition VHS that I'd forgotten about those little documentaries.

 

Your welcome. How would you and other fans have felt if the same was done with Empire of Dreams? That documentary could have easily been released in three parts, one fitting a bonus disc of each OT Star Wars film. The short documentaries I posted up there are actually one documentary divided into three and watching Empire of Dreams carefully, it appears to be a documentary consisting of three documentaries, one for each film.

What if the OT films were released in 2 disc sets like the prequels with all the documentaries and other special features loaded into the second disc, the Empire of Dreams documentary divided into one part per film in the second disc, what would it be like for fans of that were so? I personally think it would give fans a lot more flexibility in which episode they want to buy or all but one at a time, instead of purchasing an expensive four disc set or limited three disc set. It would also mean more profit for Lucasfilms. Selling three pairs of discs would be more profitable (even if purchased one at a time) than a four disc set. What say the fans?

 

I like Empire of Dreams as it is, one feature length documentary, covering the entire OT.

I wish it was included on the blu ray boxset. I'm not sure why they omitted that.

 

There's also a merged version in widescreen. This is one of those docs that in my opinion should have been in the Blu-ray, as opposed to Anatomy of a Dewback (which is interesting, but it's too focused on that sequence).

 

The merged version is also viewable on YouTube. Because it covers the 1997 special editions and not the 2011 blu-ray editions, it wasn't released on blu-ray. But there's other documentaries on the blu-ray editions. But how would people feel if the classic films were released in 2 disc editions rather than the box set?

Like the above documentary, the first part of Empire of Dreams could have been released into disc 2 of A New Hope and the same for the other two movies. It's too bad fans did not get the same flexibility of the films on DVD as they did on VHS. In the days of VHS at least there was the option. And besides documentaries like the above one were released individually for each film.

The same could have been done on DVD with disc two of each classic film having the extra features. Now i'm looking for reactions to that possibility.

 

That has nothing to do with it. The Blu-rays are the special editions with revisions, just like the DVDs. There's no other documentary that covers the development of the SEs, with the exception of Anatomy of a Dewback.

 

Although off topic, one could argue that the 1997 special editions are the original theatrical editions with revisions and therefor older documentaries should also have been included in the 1997 special editions. But of course I disagree. Documentaries should be released on the editions they are more relevant to.

 

Older documentaries (made back when the movies were released for the first time) were included in the Blu-ray set, which is why saying that it wasn't released because it covers the 1997 SEs doesn't make any sense. Anatomy of a Dewback covers the '97 SE too. There was nothing stopping them from including the doc in the Blu-ray set.

 

OK point taken. But i'm sure they released other stuff.

But back to discussion I'm wondering in an alternate scenario what if the 2 disc sets were sold with the OT films and all the bonus features found on disc 2. Instead of a four disc set with bonus features found on disc four, we could have gotten 2 disc sets with bonus features on disc 2 for each film individually.

 

What if disc two was the disc with special features (like the prequels)? Empire of Dreams could easily be three documentaries like the one above and appear in the second disc of each film it discusses. Any thoughts?

 

I'm not sure. One the one hand, two disc sets would have meant that there'd be more space for stuff like the deleted scenes and the making of from back in the day. On the other hand, getting all the films in one box is a lot more convenient and less expensive than buying them separately.

 

Wow these bring back so many memories thank you. I had the special edition VHS box set as a kid and would watch those tapes to death making these short docs practically burnt into my brain. Despite the controversy surrounding the special editions, I will always have a special in my heart for them.

Anyways, I enjoyed Empire of Dreams but I do think it could've been neat if we had a big documentary for each OT film like the PT as even today I sometimes watch a doc or two on those DVD's.

 

That all depends. If you chose to buy Episode V & VI but decided to skip A New Hope, you're saving money. With the prequels, they never allowed us to officially buy even a boxset of all three films without the bonus discs. On VHS, box sets and individual sales were always an option, regardless of bootlegging.

But on DVD, the original trilogy has been so restricted. Aside from the 2006 limited edition (which were sold again in boxsets in 2007 and 2008 onwards), fans have been forced to buy boxsets, unless they're second hand or bootlegs. Like the 1997 special edition documentaries above, The Empire of Dreams could have been easily released into three parts, one discussing each film. It could appear in disc 2 of each film. We could have had trailers, deleted scenes as mentioned. The three episode documentary Science of Star Wars could have one episode in disc 2 of each film. Each episode of Science of Star Wars also covers different subtopics, so releasing each episode on disc 2 of each film would be practical.

Another plus is the cover art on the current individual DVD releases is at least more creative and attractive compared to the plain art on the boxed set DVDs, even if those are more serious.

 

I prefer them as as set. I like the overall story. Luke's character development in the three films draws me in. Darth Vader's characterization is fascinating, as well.

 

You were forced to buy the OT as part of the "Saga".

 

Correct. Unless you bought the 2 disc sets. I laughably/sadly bought 3 versions of the boxed set and the individual sets 2 times till I decided to settle for the 2 disc sets once and for all my life.

 

I for one can't wait until I can get Episodes I - IX in one great big 4K UHD boxset.

 

I would never buy that. While I'm okay with owning the prequels and Rogue One, I wouldn't buy any of the sequels on home video. Same goes for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

 

That's fine, I'm sure they'll come out individually too. I hope the side stories aren't in the box set, just cuz I already have Solo.