Someone posted on the a.b.starwars newsgroup a version taken from the official DVD release, but with the old scenes mixed in, and the sound mix from the definitive laserdisc with some stuff from the original mono mix put in like the very first Aunt Beru voice. The only change that was left in was the new lightsaber blades during the Vader/Obi Wan duel. It also includes a music only track, which is awesome.

Pointless.

My post had absolutely nothing to do with comparing the quality of DVDs or to make the Star Wars DVDs look better. It was to show the double standard of...........oh hell, never mind. If LOTR doesn't work for you, then look no further than the Evil Dead series. It's been re-released over and over and over, yet doesn't create anywhere near the level of vitriol and anger that Star Wars does when it's get re-released.

To be angry over a re-release of any kind, no matter how pointless, is stupid. Yet Lucasfilm and Fox get more crap thrown on them, even though every studio does the same exact thing. In a world where people's lives have been destroyed by a hurricane, people go apesh*t over such a pointless DVD re-release. Makes me wonder if they've ever had to endure something truly bad in their life.

Yeah, LOTR doesn't work here Terrel.

Those were two release, annouced in advance, with vastly different cuts of the films.

Not just a repackaging like this. Not that I care, but they haven't milked LOTR (yet anyway) like Lucas does star wars. Again, I personally don't think that's a bad thing and don't see why people get bent out of shape about it.

I haven't heard about or seen those but I figured it was only a matter of time before someone tried that. My only problem with that it I would think there would be a startling quality difference in several places over the 3 movies. What is done for scenes such as the Bespin backgrounds, the Han-Greedo scene, the star-fighter sequences? I think they would be very tough to inter-mingle and make it look decent.

And by the way...I don't see how anyone could describe the 2 hour or so documentary on the bonus disc using the terms above. It is one of the best and engrossing movie-making documentaries ever made in my opinion. I am sure even non-fans of the series would probably agree with that.

But "Empire of Dreams" was the BEST part of the initial box set!

The Digital Bits just put up their bit of news on this set, and it seems that this will indeed be just a repackaging of the previous set, without the 4th disc.

I hope they fix Luke having a green saber in ANH and Vader having a pink saber throughout the trilogy.

I think we can all agree on that. But I suspect we'll have to wait for 2007 for that.

Considering you haven't seen the documentary nor even the Star Wars movies themself, you may want to hold off on passing judgement on who's sane or not. -rolleyes-

Everyone is missing the most important factor: the $49.98 retail price.

For the current 4 DVD box set, the retail price is $69.98 -- the discounted price on Amazon is $45.49, a 35% savings.

If the same discount holds true for the new box set, at a 35% discount, the price should be no more than $32.49 (probably $28.98 the first few weeks).

So you don't get the 4th disc, but you save at least $13.00. Personally, I'd rather save the money.

The only bummer is that they're adding more content to the discs, so the bitrate of the movies will be lower.

This looks to me as well as a repackaging job done by Fox, minus the fourth disc.

For Fox, this isn't pointless:

- it creates more consumer interest in the product, because the packaging will be different. and will have an effect on fans of Star Wars wanting to buy it for the box only. as well as other who may have held off on buying it to begin with.

- for fox, this is more about making/saving $$$ than anything. they will lower the msrp to around $50 or so, and fox will save slightly on some $$$ on production costs, by excluding the very important for fans, fourth disc.

- this will be released in time for the holiday shopping season, they can make even more $$$ on star wars.

For fans of Star Wars, without the bonus disc, repackaging or not, this is still pointless if you already own the four disc set.

Bottom line is: Fox gains if you re-purchase for artwork and repackaging.

Fox can make more money off of the repackaging job and lower MSRP, and save money by excluding the fourth disc.

This is pointless for fans who already own the four disc set. Fox gains, and fans lose if they don't want to shell the $50 out but feel tempted.

How are they adding more content to the discs? From what I've read, it appears these are going to be identical to the four disc set without the fourth disc. The movies are not changed and I haven't read anything (unless I've missed something) where they're adding anything to the movies only discs.

I didn't say the DVDs, I said the releases, and that does seem to be your point.

First off, have you read posts when they re-release 'Evil Dead'? The tone is pretty much the same. It's just that there are a lot more people who know and love 'Star Wars'.

Beyond that, though, there will always be people who hold it against Lucas that he refuses to release the actual versions of the movies. If Sam Raimi eliminated the original versions of 'Evil Dead', and then re-released the new ones more than once, people would react similarly, but on a smaller scale.

Agreed, but what about getting angry at people who get angry about re-releases? Isn't that, at best, a waste of time? Didn't defending George Lucas's every move go out of style by the time (if not before) 'Sith' came out [it's extremely difficult for me *not* to insult it here, but I don't want to threadcrap]?

Well, one major difference is that Lucas is a filmmaker and a human being making -- or at least approving -- these decisions, so some people think he should be held to higher standards than corporations whose sole goal is to make money. Especially when he always makes statements as if he's an artist who just happened to make billions of dollars.

Maybe I missed some posts, but nobody seems to be going apesheet in my view. People are making posts which either insult or mock Lucas, because his company is doing something stupid and pointless which, in some people's minds, taunts them further with the fact that he won't release the proper versions.

It seems weird that you care so much about defending him, but that you also realize he's entirely guilty of what people are accusing him of, so your best defense is, "Hey, other DVDs do this too, why not insult them? Why are you going after Lucas so hard?" (Along with "Hey, at least George Lucas isn't a hurricane!" which seems incredibly condescending, to make the assumptions inherent in that paragraph.) I mean, if you don't know, by now, why people are down on Lucas, you just haven't been paying attention.

As I did not buy the original DVD release, if the audio problems in IV is fixed I MIGHT buy these. I also heard reports of a weak or missing LFE channel in Empire Strikes Back (most notably during the Imperial Walker scene). Can anyone verify that this was true? If that's the case with the new release as well, then I'll most certainly continue my boycott.

I would never sully the Original Trilogy by putting it in the same box as the New Trilogy.

I really think the reason that Lucas won't release the "original" movies ever again is simply because he said he wouldn't. He's such a prideful and pompous ass, that to back down now would be admitting that he was wrong all these years.

And that, my friends, will never happen.

And if Lucas actually changed his mind to respond to fan demands for the original theatrical versions, everyone would bring out the torches and pitchforks and demand that Luca$$$$$$$$ be murdered for issuing multiple releases out of greed.

He can't win. And since if he can't win, he may as well just do what he wants, anyway. He certainly didn't get to where he is today by listening to complainers and their constant negative attitudes.

DJ

I bet some dumbheads will buy Both sets or Double Dip on this New set.

I know I will! :D

I'm all for giving Lucas shit for the creative choices he makes, but this isn't a decision that should be causing problem.

Studios re-release their movies in different packaging all the time. Its a way of getting shelf-space because it is a new release. Total Recall for example was repackaged away from the "Monkey But" packaging. There are thousands more.

What is stupid are people that will buy this set just to have the movies wrapped in a different box. Although the new box is better looking. But you know Star Wars fans, they will buy anything with the logo stuck on it.

Nothing like a new Star Wars release to bring out all the rotten feelings toward the franchise. Lucas does seem to get more than his fair share of battering regardless of what he does. I'm not sure I understand the reasoning behind this particular decision, unless it is aimed at those who don't care for special features. If this is going to be a limited release, as reported by The Digital Bits, why not just drop the price of the original 4-disc set for a limited time?

No big deal, though. I understand those who say this is pointless, but what's the point in arguing about it? No offense, just asking. If it serves you, by all means, enjoy! No sense in being pissed off about it, though. Lucas does what he chooses. He's a businessman. But he's not forcing anyone to buy it all over again. That choice is entirely up to us. I, for one, will not be picking this up. Bought the set last year, and nothing about this one warrants a double dip.

If, by some fantastic chance, Lucas was actually using this occasion to put the 77/80/83 versions of the original films on DVD--for a limited time--I would probably pick this set up in a heartbeat (cursing all the way because my funds are already being raided by tons of other upcoming releases). But these are more-or-less repackagings of what I already have, and I'm not about to lay down $50 just for some cover art and Easter Egg content about which no one knows anything. But for those who do wish to own this, more power to you. :)

I probably will not be buying the originals again until the complete boxed set comes out in 2007 (or whenever it finally arrives), which I expect to be the be-all, end-all edition of everything Star Wars. There's just no point, in my estimation, to owning the same thing over and over without significant improvements between editions. Yes, there are sound issues with the current release of A New Hope, but even if they were quietly fixed for the new one, I still wouldn't bother. They're not big enough problems to me; I don't have the kind of system at present that really shows them off. Perhaps I will by the time the ultimate set comes out. In the meantime, I'm pleased with what I have.

--THX