Star Wars DVD Box Set Released

dealsites writes "CNN reports that George Lucas is releasing the Star Wars DVD box set early on September 21, 2004 due to piracy concerns. Lucas had intended to release the box set of the original 3 movies after Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was released. However, he mentions that due to piracy concerns the profits are being eaten up and there might not be a market for the films at that time. The box set contains the changes that Lucas has made from the original releases. CNN also reports on the top 5 major changes. Lucas is quoted as saying that he never intends to re-release the original 3 movies in the first CNN link."

Attack of the Clones!

[bje2]

Attack of the Clones [slashdot.org]!!!

Hypocrisy filter

[koh]

George Lucas is releasing the Star Wars DVD box set early on September 21, 2004 due to piracy concerns.

s/piracy/marketing/g

Greedo!

[ImaLamer]

From the article:

(sadly, Greedo still shoots first on the DVD of "A New Hope")

Damn you Slashdot!

My hopes were up for nothing, why should I buy this now?

misquote

[Anonymous Coward]

Lucas was misquoted! He actually said "I will never ever release the unaltered originals unless it would be profitable, which it would, so I will."

Lucas went on to say that "I will only release these altered versions if I think people might buy them, which they wouldn't if I'd already announced the unaltered versions, which I never ever will."

The Lucas-bot then began spinning uncontrollably, shouting "Abort! Abort! until his handlers declared the press conference to be over.

Not the original versions?

[Anonymous Coward]

"These aren't the DVDs you're looking for."

hates him Lucas forever!

[Illserve]

"But the most noticeable change -- and perhaps one some "Star Wars" diehards will have a tough time stomaching -- is Hayden Christensen (who plays young Anakin in the prequel trilogy) now appearing in the scene where the "force ghosts" of Anakin, Obi Wan, and Yoda smile at Luke."

he stoles it from us, my precious
Filthy filthy changeses!!

Re:DVD Quality?

[WebfishUK]

It could never look as good as that night when my dad took me to the cinema when I was just 7 back in 1977. Largely because, after the subsequent years of squinting at cathode ray tubes and tft screens, my eyes where better when I was 7!

I knew it

[SQLz]

From interview:

Q: Why did you rework the original trilogy into the special-edition versions in the late 1990s?

LUCAS: To me, the special edition ones are the films I wanted to make.....

I knew it all along. Given enough time and money, he would have fucked up the first 3 episodes anyway. Obviously they were all just luck.

Re:DVD Quality?

[aussie_a]

They're too small to notice any difference!

Re:Sure.

[gfxguy]

He has to blame something when every man, woman, and child on the planet don't buy a copy.

Reporter: "You were expecting roughly six billion sales, but only 10 million were sold. Care to comment?"

Lucas: "Must be piracy."

Re:Sure.

[Anonymous Coward]

I have not pirated any movie from the original Star Wars trilogy. I've been waiting on the DVD-Rips to appear :D

Re:Star Wars gets rescued?

[0123456]

"Ultimately, I'm going to probably move it into television"

Thank God! We can finally have a sequel to the 'Star Wars Holiday Special'!

Re:Already in europe

[Anonymous Coward]

Lucas has stated that this 'early' release was due to 'piracy concerns'; as we don't have the DMCA in Europe, obviously we're *all* pirates, so he had to release it earlier here.
There are no courses in 'IP-idiot logic', you just have to imagine how a lunatic with a highly tenuous grasp on reality would reason.

Re:Be No Original Trilogy Here....

[gfxguy]

Here you have three movies how he wanted them, now complete we can assume.

See, this excuse is really annoying. So, for some reason, he couldn't make Greedo and Han shoot at the same time in 1977? And it was so difficult to fix, he still couldn't get it right in revisions? Yes, that's right... it took 2004 technology to make both shoot at the same time.

Maybe with 2004 technology they could've given Greedo glasses so that he wouldn't miss from two feet away.

Re:Greedo!

[yorugua]

CNN : If the SE series is the Star Wars you " really wanted to make", can you please describe the technical difficulties when filming Greedo shooting first with the 70's technology so that you had to came up with Han shooting first instead? George : eeehhhh, aahhhhh....

Re:DVD Quality?

[OP_Boot]

That's no moon!

Re:We had it yesterday in the UK

[TheTick]

It kind of makes sense that the Anakin-ghost would manifest as he appeared when he was "whole", before the corruption of his spirit (and body) by the Dark Side.

God, I'm a geek.

Re:I don't get it

[0123456]

"Especially given the way that Episode VI panders to pre-teens with those blasted Ewoks"

Yeah, but it also panders to the dads with that metal bikini :).

I don't believe it........

[rwinston]

...is Hayden Christensen (who plays young Anakin in the prequel trilogy) now appearing in the scene where the "force ghosts" of Anakin, Obi Wan, and Yoda smile at Luke.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The humanity!!!!!!! I could live with Darth Vader with no eyebrows, but this is ridiculous!! It's bad enough that we have to endure his pathetic acting all the way through Attack of the Clones, but now he's polluted the original trilogy as well!! Bah!

Re:Sure.

[rabel]

Versus, say, producing two completely crap prequels, oversaturating the tie-in market, and then not releasing the original versions that many people want to buy.

Actually, what I think really happened is that George accidentally overwrote the original movie when doing his editing.

"Damn! I should have Saved As rather than Saved. Oh, man.. the fans are going to be pissed, that was the only copy of the original movie and I just overwrote it with these edits. What to do... what to dooooo?? *jumping up and down wringing hands*

"I know, I'll just pretend like that's what I meant to do all along! I'm sure they'll understand since *I* am the true Lord of the Sith! " *picks up toy light saber, starts making wha-wha sounds*

Re:We had it yesterday in the UK

[danheretic]

You know what really makes that edit stupid? Why would Luke recognize the young Anakin as his father?

Because of the mullet, duh.

Re:We had it yesterday in the UK

[knowles420]

You know what really makes that edit stupid? Why would Luke recognize the young Anakin as his father?

and how come yoda's ghost doesn't appear as a strapping young [mulleted] green dude? maybe with a camaro?

In the words of James Dean ...

[sbowles]

Live fast, become corrupted by the Dark Side young and leave a good looking Force ghost.

Re:Piracy

[Anonymous Coward]

where's nike shoes

I don't know. Where are they?

Hurray for piracy

[RenHoek]

Another great victory due to piracy!

* It makes legit DVD's cheaper, otherwise there would be no incentive for movie studio's to offer competative prices.

* It enabled the public to enjoy Lord of the Rings as soon as it was out, worldwide. Instead of having to wait 6 to 9 months for a European release.

* And now it saves us legit customers from artificial waiting times..

All I can say is, huzzah for piracy!

Re:Unfortunately

[LetterJ]

"At least that's how I remember it... "

Yeah. I've been telling my wife all about the elementary school I went to. The one with the 16 foot ceilings in the classrooms and the 20 foot basketball rims. For some reason she thinks my memory may be exaggerating the details.