Page 1 of Star Wars on dvd??? maybe?

Well judge for yourselves here`s what digital bits say but I`ll believe it when I see it

"You know, it seems like we go through this about once a year. But, at the risk of inducing lots of eye rolling out there, here we go again. We`ve heard from a number of industry sources we trust (and who have proven their reliability in the past) in the last few weeks. They`re reporting that Lucasfilm is seriously considering releasing the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD late next year. In fact, our information indicates that some work is already under way toward a 4th Qtr, 2004 release. Word is that Lucasfilm is pleased with the format of The Adventures of Indiana Jones: The Complete DVD Movie Collection they`re releasing on 10/21 in conjunction with Paramount - so pleased, in fact, that they`re planning to use the same format to release the classic Star Wars films. This would presumably mean a 4-disc set, with a disc for each film and a fourth disc of special edition materials for all three films. It would certainly make sense. First, it would be a great way to get a buzz going into early 2005, when the final film, Episode III, is set to arrive in theaters. Also, Lucasfilm has said in the past that there aren`t a lot of behind-the-scenes materials available for the original films, so having a single bonus disc of extras (as opposed to three) would make life easier for them.

Interestingly, as we were working to learn more about this from our sources, we received an e-mail from a Bits reader about a DVD column on the BBC`s film site (slide down the page to near the bottom). It seems that Channel.com (sort of a U.K. version of Columbia House, run by Universal) listed the original Star Wars Trilogy as coming to DVD in 2004 in their latest brochure to members.

Of course, we`ve certainly heard similar reports many times in the past, so we encourage you to take this information with a large dose of salt. Only time will tell if this is... FINALLY... the real deal. At the recent DVD conference in L.A., I spoke with Lucasfilm`s Jim Ward, who predictably wouldn`t discuss the DVD release plan for the original Star Wars films, other than to say that they WOULD be released on DVD at some point. He did, however, say that Episode III was being well documented for DVD, and he once again noted that the original theatrical versions of these films no longer exist - the new SEs are George`s ultimate vision for these films."

After the fantstic treatment Alien is getting in the upcoming legacy box set I can`t help but feel a bit gutted if it`s true, I mean it wouldn`t kill them to do a 2 disk of each movie including the original theatrical release as well as the one after George has played with it.

for those wanting the originals, i looks like MovieShop are going to be selling a new version of the original Star Wars trilogy.

I`m guessing it`s better than the version they have of the original trilogy already up there - anyone know any more?

The only semi official way to watch star wars on dvd I`ve found is a mate of mine with the laser discs burning them to dvd, sound is fantastic but picture is a bit soft.

If its only the special editions I`m ain`t interested.

floyd
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Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, "Why have you done this to me?" And the snake answered, "Look, bitch, you knew I was a snake."
Natural Born Killers

Quote:
Lucasfilm has said in the past that there aren`t a lot of behind-the-scenes materials available for the original films

Well, I know of at least 6 half hour documentaries (many containing the same material unfortunately) about the first 3 films. I watched them as part of a course at school. mind you, this was about 1985, so if they`re still floating about, who knows?

Plus there was that omnibus special edition that was broadcast just before EP1 came out.

I`m sure that with the stranglehold Lucasfilm has on anything even remotely connected to the SW universe, they`ll be able to find more than enough material. The only downside is that the films are so popular and the techniques used are so well known, that any documentaries included won`t give us any suprises..

Bacon on the wing.

J Mark Oates

got the originals on laserdisc the 18 disc cav set. Very collectable and good on a LD to dvd transfer if you cant wait ( at least 2 years)

This item was edited on Wednesday, 17th September 2003, 21:15

If this turns out to be true then I`ll be ecstatic with joy :D

I`m not bothered about extras. Sure, commentaries would be nice and some Retrospective Docs, but I just want a top notch anamorphic widescreen copy of the film with an ace DD 5.1 soundtrack.

I have the DVDs that are ripped from Laser Disc, and they are good for bootlegs, but nothing will compare to the actual official DVDs.

But I`m not getting my hopes up. :)

Lucafilm are talking s***. A few years back (1995 I think) they released a very nice box set of the orginal trilogy known as the Executor box set (names as it was based on the black box for the super star destroyer) and in this set you get the original non-SE version of the films, scripts prints and an extra tape of "making of" features. I think I paid around £80 when it came out - I`ve seen them going for £250 on ebay now.

I also have an official Lucasfilm "making of" ROTJ video tape, so with just that theres quite a few hours worth of extras, and then there`s all the footage that was put on the Magic of Star Wars cd-rom a few years ago including screen tests, original jabba in mos eisley scene and then the deleted scene with Koo Stark in Anchorhead appeared a while ago too.

There`s also an excellent home-made film by Warick Davis on the set of Return of the Jedi.

then theres all the cut scenes - the wampa in the rebel base on hoth, the sandstorm in rotj etc.

There`s so much stuff out there that if they do only include one disc of extras then I`ll be royally p***ed off.

It should be at least a double sided disc for each film with the SE/original version on each side, and a disc of extras for each film

I very much doubt we`ll see the original trilogy on DVD until the `new` trilogy is finished with. And when it does come out, it will almost definitely be the SE`s of the films. I reckon that once they own the official DVDs, the purists should be able to feel morally justified owning the bootlegs as well. After all, George will have had his money from them, and he`s chosen not to make money from the `original` versions on DVD.