Don't put words in my mouth. Nobody is condoning breaking the law or price gouging to make money. We're talking about making money, legally. I don't see a $29.95 retail price for a two-disc set as price gouging, especially since you'll be able to buy it cheaper than that in stores. I've seen many DVDs with that retail price. I didn't read the official release statement, but have they even mentioned a retail price yet?

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 3-disc set retail for $50? I'm not talking about marked down prices. I'm talking about retail prices.

Not necessarily, or why else would he include SEs that have already been released twice, in 2-disc sets with the originals? Either way, it's nothing to bitch about.

GuamGuy, stop with the drama queen act. Who said anything about free speech? You obviously have a right to complain. This is Star Wars and George Lucas thread. People will find something to whine about regardless of Lucas' actions, because they love to bash Lucas. It's a popular thing to do.

I'll disregard the history lesson, as it has little relevance to the discussion at hand. It's a ridiculous comparison anyway. How you brought slaves into a discussion about Lucas making money, I'll never know.

Nobody is bowing down to the divine alter of capitalism. You're getting a bit ridiculous. This is about people villifying a man for making a lot of money even though he's already rich. They're doing it for no other reason than the need to slam Lucas on something. Simple as that.

We can argue til the sun sets. The fact of the matter is that many of the people that whined about Lucas not releasing the originals, stated that they wouldn't bitch and moan if Lucas would just release the originals. Well, he relented. Yet here people are still bitching and moaning, even though he's given them what they want. You'd think they'd all be happy. But they can't be completely happy unless they rap Lucas for something as benign as making money. Kind of ironic, don't you think?

I'll part with this, as a joke.

In the immortal words of Gordon Gecko:

"The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good.

Greed is right.

Greed works.

Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit."

I hate when people say this, $30 is suggested retail along with 90% of new DVDs that come out, suggestest retailed is almost always 27.95 and above for new releases. I bet Walmart will have these for $15 a pop. This is a great move by Lucas, its exactly what we all wanted, but of course some of you still have to bitch.

Bingo!

I'm thrilled, but I'm also a bit sad. I really am running out of reasons to keep my Laserdisc player. With HD DVD and now this great release finally making it to market the old LD may have to finally be put to rest.

He'll probably be buried within the friendly confines of Skywalker Ranch, so most of us won't have that opportunity.

so you think this release will be as big or bigger than the anticipation and subsequent release for the doctored versions? you know how all the places opened early and had lifesize figures to promote...

This is really only the 2nd version on DVD (I wouldn't count the repackaging of the first release, without the bonus disc as a "version").

So for those that remember the lasers:

Original Pan/Scan CLV
Original Pan/Scan CAV
Widescreen CLV
Def. Version Widescreen CAV
Faces CLV

And I would count that as 4 version upgrades. AND ALL were more than the $29.99 MSRP for the DVD's. Quit your bitching folks.

I have been so out of the DVD loop that last few months that I just found this a few seconds ago. Fucking A!!! Greatest dvd announcment ever!!!

So what comparing laser prices to dvds? Like comparing apples and oranges

Wow. Skimming through this thread, I had forgotten how "hot under the collar" these movies make some people. It pisses me off a little that I couldn't get the movies on DVD this way in the first place, but hey, whaddayagunnado?

I'll be buying them. My 8-year-old son is a certified Star Wars nut. He'll be stoked to see Han shoot first, just like his old man told him it was when he (I) was 7 years old...

In response to overwhelming demand, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release attractively priced individual two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each release includes the 2004 digitally remastered version of the movie and, as bonus material, the theatrical edition of the film. IGN

so is this only going to be released this way or also single disc releases of the original trilogy in a set?

Well, all this goes to show that you can't please everyone.

All we know right now is that there are going to be three, individual, two-disc sets, for each of the three films.

Hopefully there will be some sort of box set released as well. Nobody knows right now. If there is, one could assume that it would be the same three two-disc sets, encased in a cardboard box.

Neither do I, that's why I specified that I wasn't accusing Lucas of doing it. Merely following your "capitalism" point (which I would disagree on, actually, but if we start getting into economic theory, there'll be no stopping the threadjack).

I was all set to correct you, but then I checked a different source. DVDpricesearch (which I checked first) lists the MSRP as $34.95, but Amazon and other say $50.

What's funny is the part where I say "I want to make this joke, but I'm afraid somebody would take it seriously" garnering the response "You can't be serious!"

Getting? Brother, if you think there was any of that that wasn't ridiculous (other than maybe the underlying point), I'm curious what it was... I always find it way more entertaining to post hyperbolously, assuming that's a word.

See, what I don't get (seriously for a minute) is that there are Lucas defenders [and I don't know you well enough to know whether I'm describing you or not] who will always respond to any criticism of Lucas with "Oh, everybody just loves to bash Lucas!" But, meanwhile, Lucas makes repeatedly shitty choices with no shame. Have you ever considered that people bash Lucas because he makes shitty choices?

I disagree; I believe this has been his plan for the DVD release all along, same as other studios which quietly plan a double-dip while announcing to the world "This is *the* DVD of this movie."

See, you think it's benign because it's capitalism or whatever ... my point is, people aren't bashing him because he's Lucas, and they're not bashing him because he's trying to make money ... they're bashing him for convincing people to buy an inferior product (the SEs box) by lying and saying the theatrical versions would never be released ... and then, after those had all sold, announcing "OK, now we *will* release the versions you want ... but you'll have to pay more, because you have to buy them in two-disc sets, half of which will be the movie/disc you already bought." [Nobody knows yet if they're exactly the same...]

I'll grant you that some people love to bitch, and some people are just Lucas-bashers, and some people just hate rich guys ... but surely you'd agree that shitty customer service is a good thing to complain about, right?

By the way, I almost threw that 'Wall Street' quote at you in the last post, but I thought it would be too over-the-top. Also, I didn't feel like looking it up.

I'm thinking it'll be much quieter. We all want the originals, but I bet the majority don't know or don't care about the changes made. Maybe an endcap, but no 501st Stormtroopers detail in Best Buy and such. IMHO

And they'd probably complain if they got these versions. 'eww..it looks awful! Sounds awful! Who's that old guy ghost...that's not Anakin...? And what are those black bars at the top and botom of my screen.

well, who the hell wants the SE's again? why wouldn't they release the original solo?

Well, a lot of people claim they did not buy the SEs (even though we all know they bought them), so it won't be a double dip for them (or wouldn't be if they had actually not bought the SEs).

As was stated several pages back, this is probably a chance for them to silently upgrade some of the sound issues that the original set has.

also the Original versions are being billed as "bonus features" cheap way for Lucas to maintain some integrity

How is giving Star Wars fans the original theatrical cuts of the Star Wars trilogy a shitty choice? They've screamed bloody murder for the last 5 years about this, even equating Lucas to Satan and Darth Vader. He finally gives it to them, and there are still quite a few people in this thread whining about something. It's been said a million times before, but Lucas can't win. He won't release the original trilogy, he's a bastard. He releases the original trilogy, he's still a bastard.

I've defended Lucas a lot. You should know that by now. But I'd like to think most of the time I'm defending him from the ridiculous, over the top comments and insults, which are numerous. Sort of like how Peter Jackson fans go apeshit if you say something critical of him. Lucas deserves criticism for a lot of things. But not this.

I don't think it's just because they think Lucas is greedy. I think they're looking for a number of reasons to slam Lucas, one of them being that he's greedy. Not everyone mind you. I figured the bitching would stop once they were released. But as we've found out, bitching about Lucas and/or Star Wars will never cease. It's the internet's national pasttime. But there's a lot more whining going on in this thread than I ever thought there would be.

I will grant you this. I think Lucas has grown to loathe his own fanbase. Hell, I almost loathe it, and I have to include myself in that group. But who the hell could blame him after all the shit flung his way for the last 10 years.

It was over the top. But you know what? Even though that character was a criminal slimeball, that statement rings truer than many would like to think it does.

I remembered the dialogue because I love that film. It's one of the very few Stone films I do like.

You're probably correct. Lucas wants his vision of the films and his 6 story arc to be the most prominent one. But again, who gives damn how they're released. Star Wars fans who've been screaming for the originals, are getting the originals. Think of that. They finally get their way. The wording makes little to no difference. You can still watch them.

Good Lord people, these are movies. This is not the place for political/economic debate. Get over it, seriously.

Getting back on topic, I'll be picking this up

And I'm even more relieved for the fact that fangeeks will finally stop bitching about not owning the original un-Lucased editions.

Everybody needs to stop focusing on what George Lucas said in the past for cryin' out loud. What, none of you have ever looked back on things in your life and said 'I wish I did that differently'? Nobody in here has ever changed their mind about anything? People change their minds, get over it. I'm quite sure Lucas never wanted to bother with the 'inferior' editions of his films now that the whole trilogy looks modern. But people complained and whined and branded him the Candyman and now that he's breaking down and giving people what they want... now they say 'oh BOO George, for giving us something after you said you would never give it to us... we've complained and bitched but we never actually wanted you to change your mind'.... PLEASE.

If you like Star Wars and want a copy of the original trilogy as it was originally done, then buy this release.

If you don't, then don't.

And that's the bottom line because nodeerforamonth said so!

actually, the issues are
(1) pay high prices for them
(2) making affirmative affirmations prior to 2004 edition that it won't be released, duping people into buying them
(3) and supposedly dropping a laserdisc master on DVD.

These are valid concerns, no matter how happy you are about the release.

The additional stuff about lucas is mostly gloating on how this announcement makes him look like a big hypocrite. Its no-win, but its deserved criticism.

There's a Han joke here somewhere, I just can't quite put my finger on it.