I think the comparison is completely fair. At this point in time, LOTR has "dipped" more than SW. I am not saying the EEs are bad, but I am making a quantitative comment. LOTR releases: 3 per film (TE,EE,CE) SW:1 box set. While we all have the past VHS releases in our minds, we are talking DVD here, and to date, the number of LOTR releases far outnumbers the SW releases. GL just gets a lot more flack when a new release is announced. I believe that had LOTR come out and been well known in the hey-day of VHS, there would have been regular re-releases. Also important to remember with VHS is that due to the volatility of the medium and the popularity of the francise, LFL could have dipped a lot more on VHS than they did. I only think one of the VHS releases was a pointless promotional tool that being the last (Gold) set. Each set offered more than the last.

The idea of releasing this as a movie only set is not really that different from the EE minus the CE materials from LOTR.

If you take the idea of the quality of the EE sets away (as I don't think anyone can argue that these are the top of the line DVD sets ever) what is so different?

This new release, if true, will bring the set to a lower price point thereby widening the audience. If you think that NL doesn't care about revenue at all, then why not just have the EEs with a branching mode?

Bottom line: LFL, like NL and Jackson make films to make money. Anything that is released is done so to make someone some money. Crucifying certain companies/people (Disney, Sony, Lucas) and giving others the free pass (NL,WB, Jackson) they way many do here is ridiculous.

I'll stand by this statement: This is no different than the EE offering minus the collectors items at a lower price point. This release is just as "justifiable" as those releases.

Of course someone will come in and call me a Lucas shill, I'm sure.

The original common understanding of "double-dipping" was having subsequent and (more comprehensive) releases of a title that weren't known at the time of the previous/current release. (eg. a basic disc of "X" is released today, 2 months later "X" Special Edition disc is announced and later released) It was about a feeling of being duped... of not having the information to make an informed decision.

The various releases of the LOTR films were announced in advance. But because completists disliked the fact that the extras on the various releases were different, they altered the meaning of "double-dipping" to include ANY film/show that has multiple DVD releases... regardless of timeframe or advanced notice. Rather than admit and accept the consequences of their completist quirkiness, they pushed the blame to NLC.

LOTR discs were NOT a double-dip. (in the classic sense)

All this to say, that I agree...

This Star Wars Trilogy 3 DVD set is NOT a double-dip either. There's LESS material on this release than on the previous one. A hypothetical OT (non-SE) release later one WOULD BE.

There's plenty of valid reasons to bash Lucas... this ain't one of them.

I wholeheartedly agree with you here. I also don't consider the LOTRs to be double dips. To me a double dip is the barebones followed (not too much) later by a feature laden edition ala I, Robot or Day After Tommorow. To be honest, I would buy the LOTR DVDs again if the extras changed. I don't feel abused by NL.

I don't mind double dipping, if I love the movie. The problem is Lucas never gives us a chance to double dip with the O-OT, because he wont release it on DVD!

I agree with sracer & QuiGon. Double dipping implies that there are MORE features on the new set so if you're a fan, you HAVE to buy it. (well you don't "have" to, but you know what I mean).

You forget about the stupidity of the American Consumer. Slap a shiny label on the product, announce it as "FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY", reserve prime shelf space for it, and it will sell.

Excellent point. You're right. When something is new and wrapped in different packaging--and limited--people can't refuse.

That's how I felt about the new Ghostbusters 1 & 2 set. I was tempted because of the shiny new box. Works like a charm. Glad I put it back.

--THX

Well, LD and VHS never had the kind of comprehensive extras that DVD does. A few LDs had big extras, for DVD. But nothing like the big time DVD releases. Even though some people criticize the LD releases, I thought the Definitive and SE LD box sets were damn good, especially on picture and sound. Plus some extras here and there. Packaginng was great. I loved the foldout booklet and the Lucas book. But others disagree. I had no regrets shelling out the money for them.

I imagine you'll see the best Star Wars set in 2007.

I don't know about that, there were more LDs that had good extras than didn't in my opinion. I think it was the mindset, that the LDs were for the hardcore film student types, and the producers went into each LD with that in mind. There are DVDs that do that, but it seems more just go the fluffy EPK route. I think there was a lot more that could have been put on the SW LDs, and there's plenty more that could have been put on the DVDs. I'm sure we'll see it all released eventually though, over how many releases is the question.

You weren't tempted by the shiny new *transfer*? That's why I got it...

Probably not! Way too much material to put everything on there, unless Lucasfilm decided to release a huge box set with just the bonus materials. It's even worse for the prequel trilogy. I distinctly remember they have 900 hours of catalogued material for TPM. It's probably the same for the other two.

I wouldn't be surprised if The Lord of the Rings had gone through a re-release every few years had it existed in the days when VHS was king. That's kind of the point I was trying to make, though. It hasn't been around long enough to know what New Line will do with it. The different editions available now were planned in advance. The theatrical version, extended cut, and gift set are all part of the same release campaign.

You're right: People do have all the past VHS releases of Star Wars in mind when they think of yet another release. They take the whole history into account, and their reaction is basically, "here we go again!" Since 1982 A New Hope has been released 13 times on VHS alone, three of them coming in three successive years. So I can understand how some might be exasperated by the news of this thread.

What gold set are you referring to? There were gold and silver boxed set releases (P&S and OAR, respectively) of the SEs in 1997 after those versions had their theatrical run, but following in 2000 was the set that removed the Special Edition subtitle from the covers--thus making the SEs the "true" editions, I suppose. Black box with partially transparent slipcase. That will no doubt be the last time the original trilogy sees the light of day on VHS.

--THX

No. Looking at the stills posted here and over at Home Theater Forum, the transfers are nothing special to me. They're okay, but there isn't a significant enough improvement over what I already have. I'm happily saving my money for the high definition releases. The old transfers are perfectly good until then.

--THX

The Star Wars DVD transfers are outstanding -- far better than the laser dics versions -- especially if your display has anamorphic capabilities.

The Empire Strikes Back is virtually a reference quality DVD (compared to any DVD standard).

They're not talking about Star Wars. Read the entire page. They're talking about Ghostbusters.

And regarding Star Wars, laserdisc will always be the best available transfer of the original versions. NO contest.

I can't believe this thread is 8 friggin' pages! Don't buy it if you already have it! No one's forcing you!

Really.. There ought to be a sticky thread at the top where people can compare it to LOTR and gripe about Lucas, just so there can be a thread actually talking about the product itself! This seems to be an endless cycle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nodeerforamonth

I can't believe this thread is 8 friggin' pages! Don't buy it if you already have it! No one's forcing you!

I don't think you understand the issue, we are not mad at what is coming out (re-release of SE), we are mad at what is NOT coming out (O-OT)

Also, the fact that is 8 pages shows the true frustration with the original Star Wars fans from the 70/80's who Lucas has totally flipped the bird to. We just want the O-OT on DVD, and I bet you won't get 1 page for any new release of a Star Wars Boxset.

Anyways, I watched my VHS the other day of the Original Star Wars for the first time in about 10 years. First off, it was awful quality, so I am dying for a DVD release. I never realized certain scenes in there that Lucas just took out! Right before the X-Fighters take off, it shows them all docked and just gives an overview of all the ships getting ready. Also he cut down the scene where Luke and Leia fly across the chasm in the deathstar, I always knew it was longer when I used to watch it on HBO! And then Han shooting first which got changed to Greedo shooting first, I think that has been talked about more than Jar Jar. Oh Well we can only hope!

That's the point though. This thread is not about that. It's about a repackaged re-release of the 4-disc set. I also don't think we need to have another fallout over this issue. He's not going to release the originals. So I don't see what another long-winded argument about his refusal to release them is going to achieve. Do we really need to turn every Star Wars DVD thread into an outcry about the originals being held back, especially when they don't pertain to that issue? I don't think so.

Will the cases inside the 2005 box have the same artwork as the ones released in 2004?

It can still be OOP and available at retail, though. Wether or not the original set becomes discontinued is the real question. Value wise, the original set will be worth about what you paid for it, minus 25% if it's opened, once the new set makes the elder obsolete.

Cuts were made at the end of Jedi, too. From the time Luke enters the Ewok village after burning Vader's body, seconds were trimmed here and there that changed the pace of the entire ending. I've seen those moments in the original cut many times; have them down by heart. I can feel when something is missing, if only a second of footage. Those scenes played spot-on perfect before, leaving you with a spiritual high as the credits rolled. Not so much anymore. Now everything seems to rush by. Poor editing choice, in my opinion.

--THX

welcome to the biggest problem with the prequels.

Oh I so agree with you on this. They seem to focus to much time on the 'chase' scenes that are in every move (like the pod race) that seem to drag on way too long.

I don't consider this a double dip, just a pointless re-release. Why not just and added push for the existing release if you aren't going to add anything to it? But for the last time, LOTR was NOT a double dip, even in the sense that we were warned about it. It is a 6 disc set that was split into a 2 disc and 4 disc set. I wish people would stop bringing this up as an example of double dips that "don't piss people off."