Star Wars Trilogy Five Star Collection Grey area DVDs

[voicebug]

I was wondering if any of you Star Wars fans have picked up any of the Star Wars Trilogy Grey area DVDs? These things are produced in Asia and, from what I understand, have removeable Chinese subtitles.

These have been popping up on ebay and other DVD websites, and I was wondering if anyone has purchased any of these. Lately I've been seeing all three original Star Wars movies packaged as something called 'The Five Star Collection.' Does anyone have any comments on the quality of these DVDs?

[Cliff]

I have 'em. Crappy quality, IMHO. They are burned straight from the Laserdiscs. Advertized as Anamorphic W/S, but they're not. Also says DTS, but it's really mono in all five speakers. Best results are from Dolby Pro Logic. I believe the real deal is coming out next year(?). I'd save your money for these...

[Tyler]

I think the chances of seeing the original trilogy on DVD is slim. Lucas will want to put his "special edition" version of the films.

Hold on to your Widescreen laserdiscs and VHS tapes if you want the trilogy in their orginal untouched glory.

[voicebug]

Just curious---are these DVDs at least as good as watching them on VHS?
I'm curious enough to pick up at least one of them for kicks until the real deal comes out. My video tapes are getting pretty shakey.

Also, are these 'real' DVDs that are manufactured in a plant? Or are these more fragile DVD-R copies that someone burned on their computer and printed out the artwork on their home printer?

[YaQuin]

Tiny thread crap:

I believe Lucas would be best served by offering both the Original release and the Special Edition release and let the markets decide which is better. He plays God too much.

The Lion King was released with two versions, why can't Lucas do the same. :mad:

[Cliff]

Originally posted by GammaSpace
Tiny thread crap:

I believe Lucas would be best served by offering both the Original release and the Special Edition release and let the markets decide which is better. He plays God too much.



In all fairness to Lucas, they ARE his movies to do with what he pleases. I agree with you that he should bring out both versions, but it's entirely his decision to make. He IS the "God" of Star Wars :D

[YaQuin]

Originally posted by Cliff



In all fairness to Lucas, they ARE his movies to do with what he pleases. I agree with you that he should bring out both versions, but it's entirely his decision to make. He IS the "God" of Star Wars :D

Your right Cliff. It's nice to be fair. I should be happy that it may be released at all on DVD.

Peace to you Lucas....(i wish there was a kissy-butt smilie).

[-=Rudy=-]

I'd thought the official word was that we would not see the original three films on DVD until after Episode III runs in the theaters. For the record, I still have the original widescreen laserdisc versions, as well as the THX Trilogy box. Whenever I get a DVD recorder I plan on transfering both of these sets.

[Cliff]

Originally posted by GammaSpace


Peace to you Lucas....(i wish there was a kissy-butt smilie).


:D

[GregY]

I have boots of the SE trilogy. They're okay and will have to do until they're officially released.

I really want the original trilogy sans 97 changes. There are boots of these as well, but the ones I saw were horrible quality, even on a 27" TV.

[Tim Casey]

I have to admit that when I got the letterboxed laserdiscs awhile back and watched these films again, they were terribly disappointing. I thought they were great in the seventies, but looking at them now, the acting is so god-awful.....

[HGN2001]

There are some strong indications and rumors floating around about the original SW trilogy showing up on DVD sometime in 2004. Wild speculation abounds as to whether its the original theatrical versions or the modified 1997 versions. My money is on the 1997 versions since Lucas clearly stated that those old mid-'90s releases would be the LAST time to own the original movies. At that time I had the older widescreen LaserDiscs, and just as Lasers were dying, bought the "Faces" LaserDiscs for about 10 bucks each from the old Ken Crane's.

In the theatres, I went to see both ANH and TESB in their newer incarnations. Unimpressed, I never saw ROTJ modified, though I do have the expanded soundtrack album to the modified version.

The old story was that Lucas refused to re-release the original trilogy until after Ep III was out - but I think he's giving in to fan pressure. Perhaps a relatively happy experience in getting the Indy Trilogy to market softened him up. Who knows? I'd like to think that he'd give in to fans' demands of the original releases one more time, but that may be hoping for too much. I'm hanging onto my LaserDiscs until I'm sure.

[-=Rudy=-]

The '97 modifications in the THX trilogy box never bothered me that much...in fact, I far prefer the new ending to "Return Of The Jedi", which got rid of that (IMHO stupid) Barney-ish ending music with those fuzzy little Ewoks that nobody seems to like. ;) But my money would be on those '97 versions making it to DVD also. I've got the old original LDs in widescreen, when I got all three as enrollment choices in the Columbia House LD club. :D

[voicebug]

If the original trilogy special editions come out next year, there is a good chance it will come out yet again 'after' Episode III ends its theatrical run.

I remember reading 1-2 years ago that Lucas is planning 'Ultimate Editions' to seamlessly tie all three movies together. For example, there has been talk of having John Williams work on additional music for 'A New Hope' in order to bring 'The Imperial March' into that movie. Which, actually, makes a lot of sense since the motif was used in Anakin's them in 'Phantom Menace' and the fact that 'The Imperial March' was also featured in 'Attack of The Clones.' It wouldn't make sense to leave it out of 'A New Hope' entirely if Lucas wants to achieve a strong sense of musical continuity.

Also, and I don't know why this wasn't done for the Special Editions, Lucas needs to have actor Ian Mcdiarmid (sp?) re-dub the lines for the Emperor in 'Empire Strikes Back' or re-shoot that scene with him because the actor used in 'Empire' sounds nothing like the Emperor we know. Again, since Palpatine is featured in the three prequels, you need at least his voice in 'Empire' to preserve continuity.

Whatever happens, it should be interesting for Star Wars fans. :)

[Michael St. Clair]

If the original trilogy special editions come out next year, there is a good chance it will come out yet again 'after' Episode III ends its theatrical run.

I remember reading 1-2 years ago that Lucas is planning 'Ultimate Editions' to seamlessly tie all three movies together. For example, there has been talk of having John Williams work on additional music for 'A New Hope' in order to bring 'The Imperial March' into that movie. Which, actually, makes a lot of sense since the motif was used in Anakin's them in 'Phantom Menace' and the fact that 'The Imperial March' was also featured in 'Attack of The Clones.' It wouldn't make sense to leave it out of 'A New Hope' entirely if Lucas wants to achieve a strong sense of musical continuity.

Also, and I don't know why this wasn't done for the Special Editions, Lucas needs to have actor Ian Mcdiarmid (sp?) re-dub the lines for the Emperor in 'Empire Strikes Back' or re-shoot that scene with him because the actor used in 'Empire' sounds nothing like the Emperor we know. Again, since Palpatine is featured in the three prequels, you need at least his voice in 'Empire' to preserve continuity.

Whatever happens, it should be interesting for Star Wars fans.

Not for this Star Wars fan, who hates to see an obsessive GL continuing to muck around with films that were fine from the beginning.

[-=Rudy=-]

Originally posted by Michael St. Clair


Not for this Star Wars fan, who hates to see an obsessive GL continuing to muck around with films that were fine from the beginning.

I'm all for getting the original theatrical releases myself. The enhancements are nice and do look good, but I see the originals as something like a snapshot in time. Star Wars, in 1977, done with 1977-era special effects. (Hope I got the year right...but you get the point.) It doesn't bother me if the effects aren't digitally 100% perfect. I mean, would Gene Roddenberry re-do all of the original Star Trek TV series episodes because he wanted to eliminate all the cheesy special effects in those shows? Hardly. The original theatrical Star Wars is what started all of the worldwide fascination with the Star Wars universe. It's grown into an industry. I also think it would surprise us to see how much changed even from the original release on video.

[bartels76]

Lucas has confirmed that 4-6 will come out after Episode III is on DVD.
Lucas better put out the original Star Wars. There's no reason why he can't make it a 2 or 3 disc set that includes the enhanced and the original movies. If he doesn't do it, them my theory is correct that he has completely lost his mind. These new Star Wars movies are the worst by the way. Complete rubbish. And yes I will be going to see the the 3rd one when it comes out. I refuse to by them on DVD though.

All IMHO of course!

[bartels76]

Also, when the VHS of the enhanced movies came out, he said he would never release the originals again but maybe (hopefully) he changed his tune now that DVD allows him alot of room to release both versions.

[-=Rudy=-]

Originally posted by bartels76
These new Star Wars movies are the worst by the way. Complete rubbish. And yes I will be going to see the the 3rd one when it comes out. I refuse to by them on DVD though.

All IMHO of course!

Doggone...that's almost a thread crap, and I actually somewhat agree with it! :thumbsup: Well, I don't go so far as to completely write them off, but I don't know...there's just something in these new episodes that doesn't sit well with me. They're not bad movies, especially in comparison to what's out there today, but there's just something missing from these newer films that the older ones had. I've seen Episode I all the way through once, but still have yet to sit through II without falling asleep. It could be that I don't recognize the actors, and/or just don't think they are all that good in their roles. But then again, the original Star Wars had relatively unknown actors...so.... *shrug* I just can't put my finger on exactly what it is that doesn't click with me in these newer movies!

I did realize on watching all of these movies is that there are going to be some continuity problems. A lot of the first Star Wars movie (IV) deals with explaining what the essence of a Jedi is, for instance. In Ep. I, we go into the movie already knowing this. Is someone (our kids, for example) going to see this 6-film story 20 years from now and be slightly confused? Possibly.

I'll buy III when it comes out on DVD, but I'll probably forgo the theatrical release. I just don't think it's going to be all that good, especially with my disappointment at the treatment of I and II.

[bartels76]

Originally posted by Rudy@A&MCorner


Doggone...that's almost a thread crap, and I actually somewhat agree with it! :thumbsup: Well, I don't go so far as to completely write them off, but I don't know...there's just something in these new episodes that doesn't sit well with me. They're not bad movies, especially in comparison to what's out there today, but there's just something missing from these newer films that the older ones had. I've seen Episode I all the way through once, but still have yet to sit through II without falling asleep. It could be that I don't recognize the actors, and/or just don't think they are all that good in their roles. But then again, the original Star Wars had relatively unknown actors...so.... *shrug* I just can't put my finger on exactly what it is that doesn't click with me in these newer movies!

I did realize on watching all of these movies is that there are going to be some continuity problems. A lot of the first Star Wars movie (IV) deals with explaining what the essence of a Jedi is, for instance. In Ep. I, we go into the movie already knowing this. Is someone (our kids, for example) going to see this 6-film story 20 years from now and be slightly confused? Possibly.

I'll buy III when it comes out on DVD, but I'll probably forgo the theatrical release. I just don't think it's going to be all that good, especially with my disappointment at the treatment of I and II.

III has the potential to be good since this is where everything starts happening. I feel nothing happened in this 2nd film. It was boring and confusing. I just think Lucas has "lost it." He waited too long to make this trilogy. He should've started working on it years beforehand. There's a great story in this trilogy but it's not being excecuted well enough. I was a kiddie movie and 2 is just...I have no idea what happened.

[-=Rudy=-]

Originally posted by bartels76


III has the potential to be good since this is where everything starts happening. I feel nothing happened in this 2nd film. It was boring and confusing. I just think Lucas has "lost it." He waited too long to make this trilogy. He should've started working on it years beforehand. There's a great story in this trilogy but it's not being excecuted well enough. I was a kiddie movie and 2 is just...I have no idea what happened.

Part of the problem is that nothing happened much in I, and Lucas tries to put TOO much of the story into II. (My lady friend saw II in the theater, then saw the badly edited IMAX version and said it left out too much information, and would have been confusing to someone who didn't already know the story.) I think it was too cluttered and confusing--too much going on. Sort of like sitting on a busy street and watching everything going by w/o really being able to pay attention to any one thing.

III could be good, as long as, like you say, it is executed correctly. Maybe there will be enough "glue" there to make all three of these hold together better.