What in your opinion are the best Star Wars editions and why?

[Treadwell]

Last I heard, Adywan has only done a full-blown/gussied-up version of ANH, and is still working on ESB. He did do a quick color correction of the 2004 version of ESB and released that, though.

Quick nitpicky technical note: the unaltered versions of the OT released as bonus features on the official DVDs are not "laserdisc rips". As in, they did not record the output of a laserdisc player as the fanmade discs did. They used the same (letterboxed, standard definition) video masters that were used to make the laserdiscs, but that is not the same thing.

 

[Colin Droidmilk]

Last I heard, Adywan has only done a full-blown/gussied-up version of ANH, and is still working on ESB. He did do a quick color correction of the 2004 version of ESB and released that, though.

Quick nitpicky technical note: the unaltered versions of the OT released as bonus features on the official DVDs are not "laserdisc rips". As in, they did not record the output of a laserdisc player as the fanmade discs did. They used the same (letterboxed, standard definition) video masters that were used to make the laserdiscs, but that is not the same thing.

Right. Glad to have this sorted out. I was just following received wisdom. Makes more sense that they're from original video masters. Mentioned this before but I have an early 80s VHS copy of Star Wars which predates the later remastered VHS versions. It's very bleached out, but in a way I suspect it's a kind of a link to what we saw on the theatre screen in a way that all these later editions are not. One thing I love is that the star destroyers are just white, none of this purple green and red tinting we have to put up with now on the dvds.

 

[DL 44 Blaster]

Just an update to the adywan version of Star Wars "Revisited"...I tried to download it by a link on originaltrilogy.com and got a virus:angry Luckily my antivirus software(Microsoft Security Essentials) caught it immediately and cleaned my PC. I ran a full scan and nothing was detected..I'm good.

In any event just thought I'd offer a word of caution.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Dude, honestly, I wouldn't bother with the Adywan...

I suspect that, at SOME point, Lucas will do just that. It's an obvious moneymaker. He could probably sell an entire new boxset to people who'd already purchased the old ones just by doing that.

+ all the ones, like me, who's had enough buying his reissued and tampered crap. So... he'll sell more than he would with his regular tampered versions.

 

[Cobalt60]

the SE's have never been released on DVD.
the 2004/2006 DVD versions are different from the 'SE' that we all know and loathe.

its a personal pet peeve, when folks refer to the DVD versions as "SE".
--> the term "SE" is blasphemy, and better left forgotten.


p.s: if the PT's were meant to be watched first, they wouldn't be "prequels",
they would be "prologues". the word "prequel" implies that they are meant to be watched last.

the proper viewing order is 4-5-6 (theatrical); followed by 1-2-3; then 4-5-6 (DVD versions). cheers!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

The DVD versions ARE special editions. They are not the theatrical cuts. Ergo... special editions. They are not the '97 SE, but still SE.

Prequel means before. Just as sequels means after. Or am I missing something?

 

[Cobalt60]

a prequel is a sequel , which takes place before the events of the original. (aka: flashback)

--> it's still a sequel

if it was meant to be watched first, it would be called a "prologue"

 

[Organic Mechanic]

I agree with everyone who's said "Get the newest DVD sets and watch 'em in order of release date." OT, PT, SE OT.

I am almost ashamed to admit that I own (I think)every version of the films (OT VHS(x2), OT SE '97 VHS, PT VHS, and the latest DVD Releases.), and I never watch the OT '97 any more.

Know what? I just realized how much money I've spent repeatedly buying the same films...I think Imma skip the BlueRays...






































...unless, of course, there's new cuts on 'em. XD

 

[exoray]

I tried to download it by a link on originaltrilogy.com and got a virus:angry Luckily my antivirus software(Microsoft Security Essentials) caught it immediately and cleaned my PC. I ran a full scan and nothing was detected..I'm good.

In any event just thought I'd offer a word of caution.

I can't say for certain but it very well could have been a false positive, many of the 'consumer' friendly antivirus packages are overly aggressive on what they consider a virus...

The Adywan version is likely a decent choice for the casual viewer or the newbie... If you are a devote viewer some of the changes are decent others leave you with a WTF, and many of them will trigger a "That's different" emotion when they pop up and personally that was way too distracting to me...

 

[micdavis]

There are only 3 Star Wars movies...

- "Star Wars"
- "The Empire Strikes Back"
- "Return of the Jedi"








.

There's only one Star Wars movie. It's called Star Wars.

It's the only one that is a complete movie.

 

[Zombie_61]

There's only one Star Wars movie. It's called Star Wars.

It's the only one that is a complete movie.

Exactly right. A good friend of mine and I have been debating for years about which is a better movie, Star Wars or The Empire Strikes Back. My argument was always that Star Wars is better for the simple reason that it's the only movie in the Star Wars saga that has a beginning, middle, and end; every other movie in the series requires you watch the movie before it or the movie after it (or both) in order for it to tell a complete story. A few years ago he re-watched the OT movies, and afterwards finally agreed I was right.

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet in this thread. The main reason I don't care for the Special Edition versions of the OT, particularly Star Wars, is the way some of the changes and additions ruin the pace of the movies. Especially the scene with Han and Jabba; completely unnecessary, repetetive, and brings the story to a dead halt. And I put Adywan's fan edit in the same category as the Special Editions--a lot of unnecessary changes that do nothing to improve the movies.

As for the proper order in which they should be shown to new viewers, OT then PT; let them discover the main points of the story as we did.

 

[Oliver Smiles]

I'm gonna risk getting my head ripped off here, and say that I saw the SEs first (being a youngling) and enjoyed them. I have since bought the 04 set (with the original edition bonus) and seen both sets of films. I prefer the Originals. Hands down. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the Special Editions. But back to the original purpose of this thread.

My personal opinion is: Show them the 77, 80, 83 versions first. Then show them the prequel trilogy. If they want to/end up seeing the SEs, they may notice the differences, they may not. Perhaps Star Wars will just be a film to them. It is for lots of people. If they do notice the differences, then they can go and research it/make judgements on it for themselves.