And Nerds Worldwide Simultaneously Begin Masturbating

[zero]

How the hell did we miss this tidbit of news?

credit E! Online

"Star Wars" on DVD, Again...For the First Time

by Joal Ryan

May 4, 2006, 7:20 PM PT

Star Wars fan Philip Wise has purchased a home-video copy of George Lucas' seminal sci-fi film six times--"seven, including the Beta edition"--and he's not done yet. Because Lucas isn't done yet.

Repeatedly released in various formats during the past 29 years, the 1977 theatrical version of Lucas' Star Wars will be issued on home video again, but for the first time on DVD, on Sept. 12, LucasFilm announced Thursday.

The theatrical versions of 1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return of the Jedi, Star Wars' companion movies from the original trilogy, also will make their DVD debuts on that date.

Thus far, only Lucas' recut and digitally repopulated "special edition" versions of the three trailblazing films have been available on DVD. Having taken the keeper of the Force at his word when he said the special editions were his final word on the movies, Wise, the Webmaster of the leading Star Wars fan site, TheForce.net, called Thursday's announcement a "big surprise."

The films' original cuts will be sold separately in "attractively priced" two-disc sets that will include the movies' respective special-edition versions which, in true Lucasonian fashion, have been issued on DVD multiple times in recent years. According to Lucasfilm, "attractively priced" works out to $29.95 per package.

"Over the years, a truly countless number of fans have told us they would love to see and own the original versions that they remember experiencing in theaters," Lucasfilm and LucasArts executive Jim Ward said in a statement.

Wise agrees that Jedi followers have been vocal about wanting the original Star Wars movies, in their original forms, on DVD.

"[The fans were telling Lucas,] 'You've been taking our money for 30 years, so why not take it again, because this time we want you to take it,'" says Wise.

Indeed, Lucas has taken in quite a bit of money from the completist fan. Last year, Forbes estimated that Lucas' Star Wars empire has generated more than $20 billion in sales, no small chunk of which is likely due to home video.

Made at the right time, at the dawn of the VCR, Star Wars has been released and rereleased so many times in so many different formats and versions that a StarWars.com history of the franchise on home video runs more than 3,000 words, beginning with the 1977 release of clips from the original movie on Super 8 film, and ending in 2002, before the special editions of Star Wars, Empire and Jedi were issued in a four-DVD box set in 2004, and then issued again in a three-DVD box set in 2005.

To date, the complete, theatrical version of Star Wars has been available in box sets, in non-box sets, on fullscreen VHS, on widescreen VHS, on THX-mastered VHS, on Beta, on a couple of early laser disc formats, and on the more traditional laser disc format (where it was issued first in fullscreen, natch, and later in widescreen, natch).

"When are people going to wake up to the fact that they've got six copies of the same thing lying around?" asks Tony Gentile, a software/Internet developer who has argued for the advent of the perpetual license, aka the right to enjoy Star Wars or any other movie in any existing or future format with just one purchase, on his blog, buzzhit!

For the record, Gentile does not blame Lucas for "making a living and delivering what he honestly believes what people want"; he blames consumers for not realizing "they're getting the raw end of the deal."

Gentile, who owns the original trilogy on VHS (special-edition version), says he doesn't believe the latest Star Wars DVD release will be the last Star Wars DVD release.

"Eventually, [there will be] hi-def," Gentile says, "then there's going to be something after hi-def, and then something after that...So, where does it end?"

Officially, the upcoming Star Wars DVD sale will end Dec. 31--that's when the limited-edition releases are to be pulled from stores. But unofficially, Wise expects one, maybe two more DVD packages in the coming years, including a six-pack that would include all of the franchise's big-screen movies. And, dedicated as ever, he expects himself to buy Star Wars "two or three more times."

Asked how Lucas foresaw the future of Star Wars on DVD (and whatever format comes after DVD), a Lucasfilm spokesman said Thursday, "You're going to have to wait and see what the future holds."

Here's guessing said future comes with at least one all-new new commentary track.

It's only going to be available from September to December, so make sure you grab it quick, much like I did when I saw Leia in the metal bikini.

Edited May 11, 2006 by Zero

[stokeriño]

Why would they limit its release to only four months, though?

I mean, sure, "limited edition" and all that, but seriously.

Edited May 9, 2006 by stokeriño

[ACCBiggz]

Pre-Order here I come.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

We didn't miss it.

I'm pretty certain it's been announced in EWB already

[Toe]

I am happy with the DVDs I already have. I don't care if Han or Greedo shoot first, all I care about is that Han shoot well. All the added little CGI junk doesn't change the movies for me, it is still the same experience. I see no reason for me to plunk down another 100 bucks.

[K]

How can you not care about Greedo shooting first, it didn't make sense.

Han has to shoot first.

[Bigal]

Exactly.

It makes his development more poignant.

[stokeriño]

It's irritating, because each film on the existing DVD releases has one thing that just completely irks me.

ANH: Greedo shooting first

ESB: The redub of Boba Fett's voice

RTJ: Hayden fucking Christensen

If I only had a problem with one or two of the films I could have got away with just getting those, but it's all just rather annoying...

[TMM]

It's irritating, because each film on the existing DVD releases has one thing that just completely irks me.

ANH: Greedo shooting first

ESB: The redub of Boba Fett's voice

RTJ: Hayden fucking Christensen

If I only had a problem with one or two of the films I could have got away with just getting those, but it's all just rather annoying...

For me, those are the only thing that annoys me on it at all. Although with Hayden Christensen, you can argue that he stopped being Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of Sith, so technically that's how he looked like. Other than those three, I have no problem, and actually think quite a lot of it makes some improvements.

[Guest Bluesman]

You know what irritates me about these films? They still suck.

Lucas needs to turn over the rights and reigns to someone with some talent, and then maybe we'll have some Star Wars films that aren't shit.

[apsham]

Erm yeah, but anyways...

This kind of pisses me off as I bought the trilogy on DVD not too long ago. Urgh.