The big rumor circulating around the Internet this past week is that Disney is going to release the original unaltered cuts of A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi on Blu-Ray. While the promise of seeing Han shoot first again, may sound exciting, there are a number of people who prefer the cleaned up special effects, enhanced visuals, and the inclusion of Jabba the Hutt in A New Hope.
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Stephen Schleicher
Stephen Schleicher began his career writing for the Digital Media Online community of sites, including Digital Producer and Creative Mac covering all aspects of the digital content creation industry. He then moved on to consumer technology, and began the Coolness Roundup podcast. A writing fool, Stephen has freelanced for Sci-Fi Channel's Technology Blog, and Gizmodo. Still longing for the good ol' days, Stephen launched Major Spoilers in July 2006, because he is a glutton for punishment. You can follow him on Twitter @MajorSpoilers and tell him your darkest secrets...
21 Comments
I simply won’t buy it because I don’t have a blu-ray player, and mostly watch movies on DVD on my computer, which has a nice monitor and decent sound setup. however, i’ve held out for this long as wave after wave of dvd releases, re-releases, remasters, etc. have been released. If an honest-to-zeus DVD release of the original trilogy was released, tastefully remastered/clean up without the extra cgi crap/walkin’ jabba/self-defense Han Solo, I’d pick it up. Blu-Ray only? Well….I don’t want to buy a blu-ray player just for that.
No. If they wanted to make money off of this, then Lucas should have done it right the first fucking time. Of course, he’s probably sitting on his wrinkly old ass drinking cognac and weighing his Disney money, so he doesn’t care.
I never bought the first Blu-ray release, I figured that Lucas would probably release the original versions when it was time to make more money. I’ll get ’em, but I’m waiting until the reviews are out, just in case.
I don’t have a blu-ray player. Now if it were on DVD, I would. But I already have to replace my TV that was blown out by lightning so I’m not in the market for a new player.
I’m pleased enough with my current DVD box set. No need for anything more right now.
Yeah, if I ever get a Blu Ray player. I don’t have a problem with MOST of the Special Edition extras (keyword is MOST, not ALL), but it would be pretty neat to be able to compare just how different the two versions are.
However, I still firmly believe they should make a “Make Your Own” DVD/Blu Ray set for online order where you can go through a checklist of scenes that were altered and choose which ones you want. Then you could have Han shooting first in the same movie with some of the CGI enhancements that didn’t completely skewer the story, or take out the new song scene in Jabba’s palace yet still have the updated Sarlacc.
Oh my god yes!
I have them on VHS and have got them formatted to dvds. But yes continue to buy the original theatrical release version on all new platforms.
Im that stupid.
I waited and was correct too. So yes I’ll finally own it on blue ray.
Very likely, yes. Mostly because I only own the 20th anniversary VHS editions of the films and it would be nice to be able to have them more readily available when that Star Wars mood strikes me.
Oh God yes… but it has to be the original release. That means no “A New Hope” anywhere. That was added on for the 1982 theatrical re-release. The movie’s name is “Star Wars” and it was not, in its original form, episode four of anything.
Hey… sorry that was a typo. 1981. Sorry.
Absolutely. I have a serious Star Wars problem. I have them on video, DVD, and BluRay. I actually have the Han Shoots First ’77 Star Wars on DVD already…but I know, despite my wife’s protests, more money will be spent on the BluRay.
YES! I probably would/will. These are the films I grew up with and I would love to watch them again as an adult(as much as a shmuck like me can qualify as an Adult)
I voted no because it seems like a money grab by Disney. If there is an enhanced version why would I want the normal one?
I’ll get the cleaned up Blu-ray of the original series. I already have it on DVD, it’s a little irritating because it’s not on the main DVD, it’s on the special features disc as “Theatrical Version” and I am one of those people that never look at the special features disc.
GOSH!! I can’t believe Stephen still has the movies in VHS!! Why didn’t you jump on the DVD when it was available?? What were you thinking, man!?!
Sadly, I still do not have a blu ray player, or a HD DVD player.
I won’t be buying this. Not again. Never again. And certainly not when they are going to re-release it again in 5 years with “12 seconds of previously never before seen footage!” or “In all new glorious 3D!” Bugger that. I’ve bought Star Wars too many times already.
That said… I won’t rule out…. getting it somewhere else….
Shiver me timbers! Argh! Snag the booty, men! Any way ye can! Neither Disney nor Cap’n Lucas his a’cursed self be gettin’ me precious doubloons again! Argh! I’d sooner walk the plank! Argh!
I will not be buying this. Like a few have mentioned already i do not currently have a DVD or BluRay player hooked up to a TV. My media consumption is less and less linked to physical disks and i find myself buying more e copies lately.
With that in mind if they release it on iTunes i would likely buy it.
No, for two reasons – One, I don’t have a Blu-Ray player and Two, I already owned the original on Beta, VHS and laserdisc and I’m tired of re-buying it – especially when you consider how expensive the old Beta movies were! Also, I prefer the updated special effects.
Yes! The “enhanced” versions ruined everything about the cantina, screwed up the Ewok celebration, and peppered all three movies with janky late 90’s CGI that is unwatchable today. My daughters won’t be seeing Greedo shoot first under my roof.
Disney ought to do what those other folks did with the Aliens Quadrilogy boxed set and what was done with the BladeRunner deluxe set and release ALL versions of the film in one set, and then everybody could watch whichever they prefer.