The new Entertainment Weekly just reported that Star Wars Episode IV will get a name change on dvd...no more new hope? I know that A new hope was not on the original prints but thought everyone would like to know.
Tha Freak
02-17-04, 07:47 PM
Do you mean that they will just call it "Star Wars" instead of Star Wars - A New Hope" ?
Simpson Purist
02-17-04, 07:49 PM
I was thinking more along the lines of "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope," nothing more.
Matt Millheiser
02-17-04, 07:49 PM
(how is this a spoiler?)
Anyway, the packaging is going to read "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope". Kind of silly, but it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the movie. I think more purists will be po'ed over other issues, but never underestimate the Internet patrol...
Matt Millheiser
02-17-04, 07:49 PM
and cake!
Rizor
02-17-04, 08:03 PM
Huh? Hasn't it been Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope for over 20 years now? How is that a change?
Megatron
02-17-04, 08:07 PM
NO no no...it will not be Star wars or star wars episode IV a new hope it will have a new name like
star wars episode IV greedo shoots first
or Star wars episode IV insert new name here
no more new hope still not just star wars
as for spoilers, didn't know what this post might turn into...the article also says anakin is back in black for episode III
Matthew Chmiel
02-17-04, 08:09 PM
Huh? Hasn't it been Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope for over 20 years now?
When the film was first released in 1977, the film was just known as Star Wars.
Then when it was re-released near the time of The Empire Strikes Back's release, it was then called Star Wars: A New Hope.
DavidH
02-17-04, 08:14 PM
Where is this article? Link?
Wannabe
02-17-04, 08:16 PM
From EW: The four-disc Star Wars DVD set will comprise the 1997 special-edition versions (now on VHS), and will rename the original 1977 film ''Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope.'' (After all, the latest films are prequels.)
Matt Millheiser
02-17-04, 08:17 PM
For the record, the film's title has never included the phrase "A New Hope".
"A New Hope" has been the name of the episode, perhaps, since 1979, but the film's official title (up to this point) has always been "Star Wars" (or perhaps, "Star Wars: Special Edition".
They're bringing the packaging in line with the rest of the series.
PIE!
Megatron
02-17-04, 08:18 PM
thanks wannabe... its in the mag with Mel Gibson of Nazreth on the cover.
QuiGonJosh
02-17-04, 08:19 PM
I wouldnt be suprised if Lucas dropped the whole Special Edition thing...
DavidH
02-17-04, 08:20 PM
I wouldnt be suprised if Lucas dropped the whole Special Edition thing...
The current VHS boxset doesn't have it on it and I agree the DVD will probably be the case too.
I hate the way that the episode number is the big feature now. Looks a bit foolish to me. I think the posters for Episode 1 and 2 look. At least I have the special edition poster of the OT so I guess I'll stick with those.
ckolchak
02-17-04, 10:58 PM
The four-disc Star Wars DVD set will comprise the 1997 special-edition versions (now on VHS),
WHOA! wait a second here...
do you mean to tell me the VHS tapes of the SEs are STILL available?
(i'm being serious here as i don't keep up with the VHS scene).
if thats true why the hell is everybody who is happy with getting the SEs, jumping ofr joy because the dvds are coming?
what the hells the big deal about them making it to dvd, if you can easily walk into a store and pick up a vhs copy anytime you want?
i thought they had been out of print for a few years.
Rizor
02-17-04, 11:09 PM
Originally posted by ckolchak
WHOA! wait a second here...
do you mean to tell me the VHS tapes of the SEs are STILL available?
(i'm being serious here as i don't keep up with the VHS scene).
if thats true why the hell is everybody who is happy with getting the SEs, jumping ofr joy because the dvds are coming?
what the hells the big deal about them making it to dvd, if you can easily walk into a store and pick up a vhs copy anytime you want?
i thought they had been out of print for a few years. I believe the original '97 release is unavailable, but the 2000 release of the SEs on VHS still is. Simple reason why everyone cares: it's DVD.
Still don't quite get what EW means. The film's title changed over 20 years ago when the film was re-released theatrically. Heck, there isn't even a home video version of the film with the original title just "Star Wars." Oh well.
collven
02-17-04, 11:10 PM
Originally posted by ckolchak
WHOA! wait a second here...
do you mean to tell me the VHS tapes of the SEs are STILL available?
(i'm being serious here as i don't keep up with the VHS scene).
if thats true why the hell is everybody who is happy with getting the SEs, jumping ofr joy because the dvds are coming?
what the hells the big deal about them making it to dvd, if you can easily walk into a store and pick up a vhs copy anytime you want?
i thought they had been out of print for a few years.
Where in the heck have you been? These get rereleased all the time on VHS. People have been clamoring for them on DVD for the better picture quality and hoped for special features. It never had anything to do with availability on VHS. That's why this is called DVDTalk and not VHSTalk.
ckolchak
02-17-04, 11:27 PM
i find it ironic then that when people like myself who bitch and moan about not being given any choice besides the 'molested editions', we are told "stop whining, you can always get it on VHS or LD".
from a recent thread it seems like most people here are only watching dvds on sub 27" tvs.
is the quality difference really that impressive at that size and likely viewing distance?
so everybody is all excited that a film that has been available in its OAR consistently is getting yet another release, this time with a few perfuntory extras.
good grief.
this release seems even lamer now than it did a week ago.
milo bloom
02-17-04, 11:35 PM
I still see the panandscan sets all the time at Walmart and Target and the like. The WS sets are rarer than hen's teeth though. I was content with my Silver set from 97 (well, as much as one can be content with the content of them).
And they're not marked "Special Editions" either. A little Lucas/Newspeak for you.
Funny story, back in the day, I passed on the set after hearing the SE features had been taken off, and the E2 feature was fluff. But, perusing some used VHS at a pawn shop, they had a widescreen copy of ANH that had been broken from the set. Since they had a buy 3, get the 4th free, my wife got some DBZ tapes, and I got this to check out the E2 thing.
Utter crapola. How do they manage to make such an interesting concept so dull? And poor Bonnie Piesse. Went to all the trouble of emulating the older Beru actress, and we hardly see a lick of her. Anthony Daniels was funny though.
The best part of the tape? A 1 1/2 minute promo that cut together footage from I and IV-VI to Duel of the Fates. It's cut together with a lot of parallels and references between the old and new, and I have been consistenly pissed off that neither the Ep1 nor the Ep2 DVDs have this! I even sent a message to the official SW site asking about it, but never heard anything about it. I guess I'll just keep wishing. If you have a chance to borrow the ANH tape from the 2000 release, this is worth checking out.
Edited after seeing ckolchak's last post.
It's VHS. And we're supposed to get commentaries unlike the IJ set. The ones for Eps 1 and 2 weren't half bad, so I'm looking forward to them. And as I said, the widescreen versions are harder than hell to find.
And have you ever zoomed a WS VHS on a 16x9 TV? Let me tell you, it ain't pretty. And even on my old 25" screen, the improvements of DVD were very visibile.
And as somebody said, this is DVDTalk not, VHSTalk. :)
GuessWho
02-17-04, 11:54 PM
http://my.core.com/~mguess/starwarsscream.jpg
fumanstan
02-18-04, 12:25 AM
Originally posted by ckolchak
i find it ironic then that when people like myself who bitch and moan about not being given any choice besides the 'molested editions', we are told "stop whining, you can always get it on VHS or LD".
from a recent thread it seems like most people here are only watching dvds on sub 27" tvs.
is the quality difference really that impressive at that size and likely viewing distance?
so everybody is all excited that a film that has been available in its OAR consistently is getting yet another release, this time with a few perfuntory extras.
good grief.
this release seems even lamer now than it did a week ago.
Wow, that's some terrible reasoning. The quality, both video and audio, is a huge step up from VHS. It's not just about OAR. As far as i'm concerned, DVD has always been about higher quality. Otherwise people would still be buying VHS' of new releases every week. Commentaries from Lucas are intriguing to me as well, and i'm not even a huge fan of the series.
wendersfan
02-18-04, 12:35 AM
I don't remember ever seeing it called "A New Hope" until around the time of Episode 1.
As far as I'm concerned it will always be just Star Wars.
harpo787
02-18-04, 02:15 AM
Regarding the "A New Hope" titling for Episode IV....
I thought I remember seeing in the theater that it came up "STAR WARS", and made no mention of the episode's name until the scrolling text. In fact...it's been that way for all the flicks, including the prequels, yes?
Perhaps some old movie lobby posters or some such might show the original and how they showed it? I thought I remember seeing a few folks posting pics of their HT set ups having cool old school type posters.
Anyone?
Wannabe
02-18-04, 02:22 AM
From T-Bone's Star Wars Universe:Despite many rumors to the contrary, the subtitle to the original STAR WARS film, EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE, wasn't actually added to the opening crawl of the film until 1981, about a year or so after the release of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Of course, there were various re-releases of the original STAR WARS but it wasn't until around the time that EMPIRE was released that George Lucas decided to go back and change the film's opening for consistency's sake. Since EMPIRE was going to be known as EPISODE V and he knew he was going to at least finish one trilogy, if not two or possibly three, he went back and added the EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE to the famous yellow text.
There are many out there who claim to remember seeing the EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE lettering in theaters before the 1981 re-release but from what I can gather, that's absolutely wrong. Let's take a quick look at this page at Starwars.com first. They report the following:
"Episode IV: A New Hope" did not appear in the film during its opening run, but was added during the movie's re-release to ensure consistency with The Empire Strikes Back.
Now, they're not specific here about which re-release that might be, but a little more research reveals what appears to be the truth, as far as I can tell. Of course, it's always up to Lucasfilm to give us the final word but I think you'll find the following evidence convincing enough. So the next time someone's debating this issue with you, send them to this page and see if you can change their mind.
Let's start with a quote from an original review of EMPIRE found in the Washington Post. It's dated May 18, 1980 and is written by Gary Arnold. Notice how he refers to the reissue next summer, which would be 1981, and how all the STAR WARS prints will include the new subtitle of EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE:
Just as "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back" start in the thick of the action, jumping into military operations caused by civil war in a remote, exotic, technologically advanced interplanetary civilization, Lucas recently disclosed that he started in the middle of a grandiose epic narrative. These sensational popular spectacles are intended to be merely the first and second chapters of a trilogy, which will be completed in 1982 or 1983 by a third chapter entitled "Revenge of the Jedi" (changed to "Return of the Jedi"). When "Star Wars" is reissued, probably next summer, the prints will include the subtitle, Episode IV: A New Hope". This adjustment may already be seen in the published screenplay, which came out last winter in an attractive book called "The Art of Star Wars."
In an issue of Newsweek dated May 19, 1980, David Ansen makes references to the title change as well, and this is in 1980, not 1977-78. If the film was already seen in theaters as EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE, why then would these journalists be writing as if the change was to come later? Here's an excerpt:
"Viewers may be in for a surprise when the credits announce 'Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.' Episode 'FIVE?' Have we slipped into a time warp? Actually, what we are getting is the second act of the middle trilogy of a projected nine-film cycle. The first 'Star Wars' will be retitled 'Episode IV: A New Hope,' and the next sequel, projected for 1983, will resolve all the dangling threads of the Luke Skywalker saga."
Let's look at one more. In Time magazine's May 19, 1980 issue, there's yet another review of EMPIRE that mentions the retitling of the original film from just STAR WARS to STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE. This article even brings up the dreaded 6 or 9 part debate, which Lucas has mostly blamed on the media for hyping up and maintains that he always intended to make just two trilogies, totaling six films. Here's an excerpt:
"The very first surprise in 'The Empire Strikes Back' comes in the opening credits: the movie is identified as 'Episode V.' Since it is the immediate sequel to the original 'Star Wars,' that opus has been retitled 'Star Wars: Episode IV,' raising a meteor shower of questions. The answer: Lucas has begun his space saga in the middle, and both pictures are the centerpieces of a projected nine-part series. The remaining movies, fore and aft, have not yet been laid out in detail, but Lucas has the framework, a kind of history of what happened in that galaxy long ago and far away."
Lastly, I want to post a little piece of a very old document that's actually one of the very first things I remember reading on the Internet. It's taken from something called the "Star Wars Compendium of Lost Footage" put together and maintained by a super guy named Ryan Silva. It's a little dated but still relevant and fun to read. Here's the section dealing with this topic:
From "Star Wars" to "A New Hope":
The reissue of "Star Wars" that ran for three weeks starting on Wednesday, August 15, 1979, DID NOT contain the "Episode IV: A NEW HOPE" subtitle. A trailer for "Empire" was shown, however, and a Kenner toys discount booklet was given out (both of which are announced on the poster for the reissue).
The first appearance of "Episode IV: A NEW HOPE" was on the new prints struck for the two-week reissue of "Star Wars" on April 10, 1981, nearly one year after the premiere of "Empire."
By the way, when the subtitle was added, the roll-up itself was changed. Lines of text were condensed differently so the length of the roll-up remained the same despite the addition of two lines at the top. The capitalized words DEATH STAR appear on one line in the first version and are broken on the revised version.
For the record, "Empire" was reissued later that year, on July 31, 1981. In 1982, "Star Wars" returned on April 10 and "Empire" on November 19. Both of these reissues featured identical "Revenge of the Jedi" trailers.
jough
03-08-04, 10:36 AM
Originally posted by ckolchak
WHOA! wait a second here...
do you mean to tell me the VHS tapes of the SEs are STILL available?
if thats true why the hell is everybody who is happy with getting the SEs, jumping ofr joy because the dvds are coming?
Um, for the same reason we'd want ANY title on DVD. The quality of VHS is sub-par, and we're happy to finally be able to see Star Wars in anamorphic widescreen in higher resolution with 5.1 surround sound.
Duh?
I don't know - I mean, this is a DVD forum. Why do you think it's unusual that we'd want to talk about a DVD release? :hscratch:
jough
03-08-04, 10:40 AM
Originally posted by wendersfan
I don't remember ever seeing it called "A New Hope" until around the time of Episode 1.
As far as I'm concerned it will always be just Star Wars.
Huh, that's weird, because it was ALWAYS called "A New Hope" in all home video versions.
chanster
03-08-04, 10:51 AM
All home video versions have "A New Hope" on it.
The only way it could exist would be a bootleg of the original theaterical release, which probably no one has ever seen.
Groucho
03-08-04, 10:53 AM
A New Hope was added on for the rerelease shortly before The Empire Strikes Back came out. Even then, I remember the confusion and gasps of astonishment when "Episode 5" appeared on the screen for ESB.
DavidH
03-08-04, 10:53 AM
The only way it could exist would be a bootleg of the original theaterical release, which probably no one has ever seen.
I have a bootleg copy without "A New Hope." It was given to me around 1980-81.
chanster
03-08-04, 11:08 AM
Well there you go. Some one has seen it.
Congrats.
Qui Gon Jim
03-08-04, 11:12 AM
Originally posted by ckolchak
WHOA! wait a second here...
do you mean to tell me the VHS tapes of the SEs are STILL available?
(i'm being serious here as i don't keep up with the VHS scene).
if thats true why the hell is everybody who is happy with getting the SEs, jumping ofr joy because the dvds are coming?
what the hells the big deal about them making it to dvd, if you can easily walk into a store and pick up a vhs copy anytime you want?
i thought they had been out of print for a few years.
I thoght this had been beaten to death. Three reasons:
Remastered video
Anamorphic widescreen
DD 5.1 EX sound.
This is the same as saying "Why get [insert your favorite movie title her] on DVD, it is available on VHS. :rolleyes:
bboisvert
03-08-04, 11:12 AM
I have a bootleg without the text in the crawl too... you can probably find one pretty easily with a bit of Google searching...
As far as the EW "report" of the change... :hscratch:
Pretty strange "news", given that every video release has had that in the crawl. Unless they mean that the packaging will stress the "IV: A New Hope" title now... when previous packaging didn't.
jough
03-08-04, 11:17 AM
I think they changed the title to:
Star Wars: Episode IV: This is Where the Series Starts to Get Good
aam1
03-08-04, 12:32 PM
Star Wars: Episode IV: The one you're supposed to watch first.
cultshock
03-08-04, 01:43 PM
The reissue of "Star Wars" that ran for three weeks starting on Wednesday, August 15, 1979, DID NOT contain the "Episode IV: A NEW HOPE" subtitle. A trailer for "Empire" was shown, however, and a Kenner toys discount booklet was given out (both of which are announced on the poster for the reissue).
I thought that was right, but wasn't sure. I remember seeing the 1979 reissue, and I remember the Empire trailer and getting the Kenner toy booklet (I think I still have it somewhere), but wasn't 100% sure if it was called Episode IV or not. But I do remember seeing Empire for the first time, seeing "Episode V" and thinking WTF?!? So that made me think that the 1981 reissue was the first appearance of "Episode IV" in the opening crawl.
Rammsteinfan
03-08-04, 03:02 PM
I say its about time... I always hated how people called it STAR WARS and not A NEW HOPE except for the hardcore fans.
TylerDurden_73
03-08-04, 03:20 PM
Originally posted by aam1
Star Wars: Episode IV: The one you're supposed to watch first.
preach on!!:)
chanster
03-08-04, 03:36 PM
I still call it "Star Wars" Does it make me a non-true fan? See how stupid that sounds?
I really don't want to be a true fan anyway..bleech.
Terrell
03-08-04, 03:59 PM
from a recent thread it seems like most people here are only watching dvds on sub 27" tvs.
is the quality difference really that impressive at that size and likely viewing distance?
so everybody is all excited that a film that has been available in its OAR consistently is getting yet another release, this time with a few perfuntory extras.
good grief.
this release seems even lamer now than it did a week ago.
You need to seek mental help!!!!
GaryEA
03-08-04, 04:38 PM
As far as I'm concerned it will always be just Star Wars.
Amen.
For this 32 year-old fan, your comment is perfect. Glad to know at least some people still regard it that way.
Gary
Spiky
03-08-04, 05:43 PM
What's Star Wars? Is it any good?
How many of the 9 films mentioned are on DVD? Where can I rent them?
Masamune
03-08-04, 06:26 PM
I'm sure it's not what we think.
It will be called Star Wars: A New Hope.
He's not gonna piss people off and call it something else.
Wannabe
03-08-04, 06:35 PM
I'm very confused. Why did Lucas make Episode 4 first and Episode 1 fourth. He is very stupid. One is always before 4 unless you are counting backwards. Shouldn't he have started with Episode 6 if he wanted to go backwards? He isn't smart at all.
Crack 6K
03-08-04, 07:29 PM
I'm very confused. Why did Lucas make Episode 4 first and Episode 1 fourth. He is very stupid. One is always before 4 unless you are counting backwards. Shouldn't he have started with Episode 6 if he wanted to go backwards? He isn't smart at all.
Uhhhh.... I hope you're trying to be funny, because that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
bboisvert
03-08-04, 07:30 PM
Look at it this way... he's smart enough to not be hanging out on a DVD web site posting inane comments. That scores him points in my book.
Pants
03-08-04, 08:01 PM
Originally posted by Crack 6K
Uhhhh.... I hope you're trying to be funny, because that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I think it's pretty obvious he's joking.
Wannabe
03-08-04, 08:25 PM
Originally posted by bboisvert
Look at it this way... he's smart enough to not be hanging out on a DVD web site posting inane comments. That scores him points in my book.
True enough. What's wrong with me?
Of course watching these films in a chronological order, as McCallum and Lucas envision, will completely ruin much of the suspense and mystery that is supposed to build through the so-called Episodes 4-6.
By the way, did we even need Episodes 1 & 2? Seems like the most anticipated event is seeing Anakin transform into Vader.
Buy: