STAR WARS digital release is here!

http://www.vudu.com/movies/#!content/656496/Star-Wars-Episodes-1-6-Bundle-plus-bonus-features

 

'Bout time.

 

Considering the nature of the relationship between Disney and Fox I'm amazed it happened this fast.

- - - Updated - - -

Considering the nature of the relationship between Disney and Fox I'm amazed it happened this fast.

 

Are these Blu-ray quality or just digital versions of the DVD release?

 

Looks like there aren't many details yet, but at a guess, I'd expect them to be the blu-ray footage in HD or SD, depending on which version you buy.

 

Digital HD (1,080 or 720 lines) but no info on whether the source is DVD or Blue-Ray

On Friday, The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection arrives on digital HD platforms (iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, PlayStation Store and Verizon FiOS) and marks the first time the six films in George Lucas' two space trilogies have been released for download.
*Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer
Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace

• Conversations: Doug Chiang Looks Back
• Discoveries From Inside: Models & Miniatures
• Legacy content includes “The Beginning”; The Podrace: Theatrical Edit; plus eight deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones

• Conversations: Sounds In Space
• Discoveries From Inside: Costumes Revealed
• Legacy content includes “From Puppets To Pixels: Digital Characters In Episode II”; State Of The Art: The Previsualization Of Episode II; and “Films Are Not Released, They Escape”; plus Episode II Visual Effects Breakdown Montage and six deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith

• Conversations: The Star Wars That Almost Was
• Discoveries From Inside: Hologram & Bloopers
• Legacy content includes documentaries “Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III”; The Journey Part 1; and The Journey Part 2; plus six deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (20th Century Fox)

• Conversations: Creating A Universe
• Discoveries From Inside: Weapons & The First Lightsaber
• Legacy content includes “Anatomy Of A Dewback”; Star Wars Launch Trailer; plus eight deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

• Conversations: The Lost Interviews
• Discoveries From Inside: Matte Paintings Unveiled
• Legacy content includes “A Conversation With The Masters” (2010); “Dennis Muren: How Walkers Walk”; “George Lucas On Editing The Empire Strikes Back1979”; and “George Lucas On The Force: 2010”; plus six deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi

• Conversations: The Effects
• Discoveries From Inside: The Sounds Of Ben Burtt
• Legacy content includes “Classic Creatures: Return Of The Jedi”; “Revenge Of The Jedi Teaser Trailer”; Return Of The Jedi Launch Trailer; “It Began TV Spot”; “Climactic Chapter TV Spot”; plus five deleted scenes.

 

do you have to buy all six?

 

Same price as the physical blu-ray's except no extra's. I'll stick with the ones I got, thanks.

Presumably it's the same for VUDU, but on Amazon Prime you can get them individually for $20 each.

- - - Updated - - -

I stand corrected. Still, not for me.

 

I don't think so. Vudu had them listed as separate films, too, I think. But again, I'd expect the blu-rays.

 

They should offer a digital deal for those who sprung for the BluRay collection already. That set cost a ton as it is.

VUDU has a service where you can insert your blu-ray movies in the computer drive and an app online verifies it, and for a very small fee of about $2 each you can own the digital version. I'm betting they aren't going to allow this so they can suck the living life out of our wallets once again.

It would be a VERY nice gesture if they offered some kick back though to those who adopted the Blu-Rays. I am not going to pay $89.99 AGAIN for a streaming version of the Star Wars saga..

 

Is this a separate thing, or is it a part of the VUDU website? And I suppose you'd need a blu-ray drive for that to work?

 

It's part of their site, but a separate app here:
http://www.vudu.com/in_home_disc_to_digital.html

the catch is not all movies allow this service. One of those companies I have seen being Disney (of course) unless you have an accompanying digital code that came with your set. LOTS of other movies though you are able to insert your current films and own a digital copy for about $2, or sometimes they have specials for 10 films or more 50% off, so 10 BluRays you could get digital ownership for $10. DVDs cost $5 to upgrade to HDX digital. Look for coupons online, too.

Again, though... I'm willing to bet Star Wars won't be allowed this disc-to-digital service. I will try on April 10th, but if not then I'm going to wait.

And yes, you need a blu-ray drive in your computer to do that, unfortunately.

Another cool thing about VUDU is they use ultraviolet redeem codes and there's communities of people who sell their legal digital codes for very cheap and often can own a newer film for less than renting! Look up keywords on google like "HDX codes google+ tictal". A lot of legit sellers of those ultraviolet one-time use insert codes. Just do some research to make sure you find a reputable seller.

 

I have zero interest in digital content anyhow, I already have the DVD and Bluray (and laserdisc and VHS) versions, if I want it digital, I'll just rip what I have. I'm not buying the same movies over and over and over again any longer. I never watch anything where I'd need digital files anyhow.

 

Yeah, I mean, the extras might be nice, but...I've got what I need at this point. Pretty much, until they release an OOT archival edition, or if Ep. VII is cool, I doubt I'm gonna be buying more Star Wars movies, regardless of the format.

 

Oops.

 

No sale here, as Yoda might say, "My money they do not get, too much of it already they have."

 

I am so buying this, but all your collective reactions is why you will never get an OOT release any time soon. Also it's why this wasn't advertised more, everyone owns these films, Fox is desperate to make some final money and Disney will wait them out.

 

I'll do the disc to digital for a few bucks if it ever becomes available, but I'm not buying these movies yet again.

 

Ok finally I found out they supposedly are the Bluray versions. From a LEGO site... http://www.fbtb.net/2015/04/06/and-it-begins-all-six-star-wars-movies-coming-to/
Dumb question, but what do you play these to view them? I usually use PowerDVD for DVDs and for screenshots. So that's probably the only reason I'd get these versions.

 

I like this.

*Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer

Digital bonus offerings aren't the same from retailer to retailer? It almost looks like retailer exclusives that plague the tangible medium market might just pass on into the digital realm as well.

 

If it was the OOT I'd be all over it but I have a physical copy I got cheaper and I would have thought seeing as they don't have to physically print and package these they would have been cheaper.

 

The whole series is on TV so often now (and in HD) if you want to record it why bother with this ????. I have bought over the decades all the LPs (both film soundtracks and scores), both versions of the video trilogy, the CDs, then the DVDs ,just how much more do they want???? Offer me an extended trailer of Episode VII for a couple of quid and I just might buy that!!!

 

These are the same movies (give or take all the tweaks) that have been released before in many different formats so it doesn't interest me, certainly not at this price point. Maybe for $4.99 apiece without the need to buy the prequels I would consider it but even then probably not. If they are going to hold a possible OOP release hostage depending on how the countless re-releases sell then so be it but I do not buy everything that has to do with a given franchise just to support it and vote with my dollars.

 

Can't say I disagree with that. Although it does suggest that the parties are, at least, able to work together to hammer out A deal, if not necessarily the one that will open up a real possibility of the OOT.

But yeah, everyone has these. The digital aspect is nice, but it's more for convenience. I can rip discs to a mobile device if I want, so I don't really need a digital version, but the digital version makes it a lot easier, since I just download through the app, and I'm done.

As for all the extras...meh. To be honest, aside from director/cast commentary and the occasional "making of" thing (like "From Star Wars to Jedi" back in the 80s), I'm just not that interested. And that goes for pretty much all films. I have these bloated DVDs/Blu-Rays with a TON of features...and I just never use 'em. Go figure.

You play them through the app itself. Vudu has its own app that you download to your mobile device, then you download the films and play them (or stream them live). You can run the app on iPhone/iPad, but they also have one for Xbox. I think you can do all of this through their website, too, but you might need a separate program to run on your PC/Mac for that. But basically, it's no different from, say, Netflix, except that you can usually download a copy of the film to watch through the app later. Good for when you're traveling and want to have a mini film library while you're stuck on the plane.

 

I guess I am just an old fogey. I just can't understand why anyone would want to watch a movie on your phone. I won't even watch a movie on my 24" computer screen. If I can't watch it on my big flat screen, I'll pass.

But I could be mentally scarred on this issue. Get this, my first viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey was on a 12" black and white television. That's right, black and white.

 

OOT on blu-ray. If they want my money...OOT on blu-ray. And I'm willing to be wildly overcharged for it. But I don't ever watch the PT, and I don't ever watch the SE, and I like to have a physical media format for my movies, so this is an easy pass for me.

 

https://gma.yahoo.com/star-wars-nev...fisher-scared-132238598--abc-news-movies.html

 

New Lucasfilm fanfare has replaced the 20th Century Fox fanfare.

 

Sounds like it could be legit and cool, but do you have a source for this?

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/star-wars-films-different-opening-144137797.html

 

If it's real, it sounds ok to me. I mean, the 20th C. Fox fanfare is gonna disappear from the films when they're released again in any form, certainly post 2020, so, might as well get used to it.

 

its real. It's from the end fanfare of ESB I believe. Now, TFA and the new films will also likely have Disney and Bad Robot in front and they may use a different theme.

- - - Updated - - -

its real. It's from the end fanfare of ESB I believe. Now, TFA and the new films will also likely have Disney and Bad Robot in front and they may use a different theme.

 

Weren't the movies supposed to go to Netflix along with CW or some time after? Is that still happening?

 

Disney and Netflix have a long term distribution deal and they likely will at some point end up on Netflix but not until they stop selling at retail streaming services.

 

That fanfare just sounds cobbled together,.....I'd like to think John Williams will record a new Fanfare similarly like he did for TESB

J

 

http://io9.com/the-millennium-falcons-iconic-look-was-a-last-second-de-1696915539

 

I just bought the bundle on iTunes.

 

I agree. It's like they spliced a couple pieces of existing music together. The transition in the middle could be better.

 

Yeah, that's why I am inclined think the new theatrical releases will have something original and unique. This was cobbled together from the ESB soundtrack.

 

I've been dithering about purchasing the digital release because it seems like any place you buy it from has funky limitations on how you can play their digital video content. For instance, I bought Frozen for my kids via Xbox video a while back. I can stream it from Xbox video while on my Xbox one, and I can download a copy to my PC. But I can't stream the downloaded copy from my PC to my tv with their DRM limits, so if for some reason my internet is off I can't watch that particular movie except on my PC monitor.
I've been trying to consolidate my video collection, ripped all my dvds to run from a plex media server, but I don't want to purchase a bunch of digital video until I can be reasonably sure that I can watch it how I want to.
Optimally I'd like to buy a video, stick it on my hard drive, and stream it to my tv instead of hoping the servers on their end are working when I want them to. Xbox video doesn't seem like the way to go from my experience, and it sounds like Amazon isn't either from what I've read. I don't own/use any apple products, so I don't have any idea what the usage limitations are on iTunes. Anyone have any suggestions? At this point I'm thinking about just getting a BD drive and ripping discs again.

 

For the future of digital releases, this is pretty underwhelming. A lot of the extras from both the DVDs and BluRays are gone, and the new material that was produced feels more like an after thought. And honestly, does this look like the end all, be all release of Star Wars, even in digital form? Heck no. There's going to be another digital release of Star Wars in some fashion that says it's better than the other one and come at full price.

And that "theatrical cut" of the pod racing sequence? Wow. It's like they realize the potential marketing for a theatrical ANYTHING, but are only willing to present as an individual clip. This new cut of The Phantom Menace isn't as complex as "Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition" guys. Have a different cut.