Best theatrical Star Wars DVD option?

[bleyd]

Not quite sure what you mean.

The bonus discs of the 2004 DVD release are the "true" theatrical releases, taken from the masters used to make the laserdiscs in 1993. They even stuck in the pre-ANH crawl. The sound mix is an amalgamation, though, not purely 1977, but that's picking nits.

So yes, those are the only officially-released DVDs of the theatrical versions.

I thought I was pretty clear when I mentioned laserdisc version and not any of the DVD's. Laserdiscs the 12" vinyl sized disc years before DVD's were released. I thought even the DVD copy using the laserdisc was still modified in someway.

 

[robn1]

The extra title "Episode IV: A New Hope" was added to the original Star Wars for the re release that came out just before The Empire Strikes Back. This title was on every video release, but was taken off for the DVD bonus disc.

The LD is missing a couple lines of dialog- 3PO's line about the tractor beam being connected to the reactor at seven locations, and the trooper line "Close the blast doors" are both missing. "Open the blast doors! Open the blast doors!" is there, but seems odd without the first part.

 

[propologist]

Here, take your pick. I have them all.

where the original VHS tapes release with the poster art ? ...a favorite of mine. Forget this new crap.

 

[Kylash]

yeah Walmart has the extra disc original versions for like $10, picked up a few days ago.

 

[Colin Droidmilk]

where the original VHS tapes release with the poster art ? ...a favorite of mine. Forget this new crap.

Yep, they were. And of course, the result is the boxes look like they contain classic movies, instead of ... I don't know, a kid's lunch or pencil crayons or something... I mean, just look at the state of Alec Guinness on the current DVD, photoshopped to hell and back and looks like a waxwork dummy with a glass eye. And they gave Ford - this is beyond belief - a haircut. Was Lucas scared people would be put off by 70s hair? And Vader's helmet is one of the sloppiest renderings of this icon I've ever seen anywhere. The tape packaging tells you you're encountering a work of significant cultural import; the DVD packaging relegates the movie to something much more trivial. It's as though Lucas actually wants to castrate his own masterwork.

If you're interested in how the tape packaging compares with the DVD, here you go:

 

[Treadwell]

The LD is missing a couple lines of dialog- 3PO's line about the tractor beam being connected to the reactor at seven locations, and the trooper line "Close the blast doors" are both missing.

Those lines were added for the mono mix in 1977, and thus were not present for the 70mm and Dolby Stereo 2-track mixes that were done before that. So their absense is still "original". But the laserdisc uses stuff from all the 1977 mixes, so as a whole it is not true to any particular 1977 mix.

 

[Darth Lars]

There are several fan-editors out there that have taken a DVD version and "un-SE'd" it: corrected the colours (to a degree), composited together with image elements from pre-SE LD's etc. Adywan's "Star Wars-Revisited" is just one example of such a fan-edit.

All six Star Wars movies in their DVD versions have been broadcast in 1080p/i -- which have been recorded and put on filesharing sites. This includes the OT -- except that the OT in 1080p is also available in versions that have been somewhat colour-corrected! I would say that these are the best-quality versions available, any edition.
I wouldn't know how to get them, because I do not do illegal file-sharing.

 

[Eopie Herder]

There are several fan-editors out there that have taken a DVD version and "un-SE'd" it: corrected the colours (to a degree), composited together with image elements from pre-SE LD's etc. Adywan's "Star Wars-Revisited" is just one example of such a fan-edit.

All six Star Wars movies in their DVD versions have been broadcast in 1080p/i -- which have been recorded and put on filesharing sites. This includes the OT -- except that the OT in 1080p is also available in versions that have been somewhat colour-corrected! I would say that these are the best-quality versions available, any edition.
I wouldn't know how to get them, because I do not do illegal file-sharing.

Someone I know gave me the films in HD and the difference just between the DVD and HD, even in the Prequels, is astounding.

 

[niennumb1]

Non-anamorphic... blah.

Not gonna watch that on DVD. I'm still waiting for this Blu-Ray announcement.

Lucas is the only moron who hasn't gone full in to this format. It better be a darn good Blu-Ray when it comes out.

They just need to create the end-all edition which would include the full set containing the HD Mastered Theatrical cut AND the Special Edition in it's FINAL FINAL form and let the people choose and then just leave it the hell alone. I'm SOOOOOO sick of all the versions out there and I wish they'd just give the people what they want and satisfy both parties on the original/SE debacle.

Personally, I would not mind the ORIGINAL versions with effects FIXES such as the matte boxes and other problematic effects. I'm not saying do a makeover and cram a zillion aliens in each shot and altering music or changing shots. I'm saying for the stuff that didn't work as well to just fix the blending of matteboxes, bluescreening and such and release it like that. It never needed to be completely made over to begin with. I would have loved basic visual fixes that are the commonly annoying things I've seen in each viewing.

 

[Solo4114]

Actually, from a film history view, I'd rather have the imperfect versions. So, maybe 3 versions:

- imperfect "archive" edition.

- cleaned-up Original edition

- Special edition with 47% more stupid cartoons.

 

[Lancer]

blu ray copy of the original version please. I don't care if its grainy, with visual flaws etc. just gimme the film that was released at the cinema, made cinema history, AND MR Lucas, gave you the fortune to do everything else you ever wanted