Rating: 
Summary: These are different movies
Review: How many changes can you put into a movie before you must declare it a different movie altogether? And if all the changes make the movie worse off than before, and alienate the entire fan-base, why bother? These are not, unfortunately, hypothetical questions, thanks to Mr. Lucas. The original Star Wars movies were cinema history, changing them is like adding lipstick to the Mona Lisa because it's the style nowadays. You'd be changing an integral part of something that people liked very much in its original form...
Rating: 
Summary: Love or hate it...
Review: Gripe, gripe, gripe...which is something we could do all day long. I realize that many people (including myself) are passionate about these films, but hey, that's it fellas THEY ARE ONLY MOVIES, great movies nonetheless, but still just movies. I've had it about up to here with "Han shooting first", or "TPM sucked", or "Jar-Jar this & that". Guess what? Lucas created them, Lucas made them, and he can damn well do whatever he pleases with HIS movies. And if we don't like it, we can STOP buying his, tapes, toys, DVD's, collectables, OR make our own movies. Let's put it this way, the expanded universe: comics, graphic novels, short films, books, etc certainly can fill whatever gap is left by any shortcomings you preceive in the films. So enjoy for the sake of what they are, and LIVE WITH IT.
Rating:
Summary: NONE BETTER!
Review: OK, first off, the original trilogy needed to be brought to DVD, period! Next off, as far as the special effects in the special edition go, good try, maybe they were shotty at times, but it's infinitely better than watching The Lord of the Rings (any of them) on a Saturday night. As far as which movie is the best, I can't even say that. Without one you wouldn't have the other. After all this, I think it goes without saying, this trilogy is awesome, none better, end of story.
Rating:
Summary: Not the Originals
Review: A complete waste of money, if you ask me. These are not the original films. They are the "special editions". In the special editions you'll get to see great scenes like: in Empire Strikes Back, Vader gets off his shuttle at the end and is greeted by an actor from Jedi (and on the set of the Death Star from Jedi no less) who's lips are moving, but no words are audible. In Jedi, you'll see, hands down, the worst musical number ever heard and seen in cinema (Lucas's child like humor is NOT funny). The scene between Greedo and Solo from Star Wars, which now looks "hokey" to say the least.
The best digital release of these films was the expensive widescreen edition on laserdisc...that did the right thing, and kept the extra scenes (like the original Jabba scene from IV) on a bonus disc.
I HATE how film makers like Lucas and Spielberg have remade their classic films to turn a buck, how much money do these guys need? Don't mess with the classics guys.
This wont do any good, but fans should NOT purchase this DVD set to send Lucas a message. We want the originals, not this tripe.
Rating:
Summary: Greedo shoots first
Review: That was my favorite scene in the original STAR WARS movies and George Lucas had to go and mess it up. Another problem I have is the silly looking creature in TESB. These may seem minor points but they are enough for me not to want to buy this set of what were great movies from my youth!
Rating:
Summary: Somewhere in the middle
Review: Well, it seems like war out there! Everyone is taking sides, either by claiming Lucas has raped their childhood or by making fun of this statement.I'll try to stay somewhere in the middle because I feel it's time to go past this useless confrontation. First, I love Star Wars, OT and Prequels too. I liked a lot of the SE tweaks (mostly in ESB and some in JEDI), and disliked some of them (the Jabba scene in ANH and Greedo and some of the Mos Eisley sound effects). It's like Phantom Menace. I didn't like Jar Jar or some of the kiddy stuff. But I love the movie in spite of that. I guess G. Lucas has the right to claim these are the movies he wants. I guess people have the right to ask for the editions they like the most. My personal choice would be a mixed release: the SE with a few changes, like the ones I mentioned. That would be MY choice. Since they aren't going for it, I accept these movies for what they are. I saw the originals like 20+ times each before the SE. I loved them and they were a constitutive part of my childhood. And that feeling will be with me forever, with or without Greedo shooting first. Again, I would have preferred Han doing it the old way. But I feel my love for these movies and the great imagination where they came from will be intact with or without this. So I understand and respect Lucas for his bold statement. I don't think it is a spit on the fans. I think it is a personal choice. The one he changed the most is the one he directed. If two years from now he releases the originals on dvd then I will think it was all about money. If he stays true to that statement, then I will respect his choice, like it or not. After all, I can think of a thousand ways to make money with the franchise if he wanted to (sequels, anyone?). My point is, it is alright. Everyone here can see both sides. In like 600 reviews, it has been made clear. So let's start talking about what WILL BE released and not so much about what SHOULD BE. I, for one, don't really like that much the extras. I expected rough footage and deleted scenes. The fourth disc maybe turn out to be great, but it doesn't really impress me that much. On the other hand, the Lowry transfer they are doing for the films means we are going to experience the movies in a way we never even dreamed we could (at home, anyway). Anyway, I will be buying this dvd set. I still have the originals in VHS, which is not that good I reckon. I love the new films too, and think they really add to the whole star wars experience. I am grateful that in my late twenties, I am about to see one final SW movie. I am grateful it isn't over, and when it is, I'll be grateful for the ride. These movies mean that much for me as they mean to you. That's why we are reading all these reviews. Now let's go past these words and watch the films. And be amazed, one more time.
Rating:
Summary: Not the origionals
Review: I hate to be repetitive, but this really does need to be stressed. The Star Wars trilogy is awesome, and these are good DVDs. However, these DVDs do NOT contain the proper Star Wars movies. The Good:
-New special effects (X-Wings look better then ever)
-Enhanced battles (yes, the death star battles look better)
-Random and often useless new material... but it does look cool... The Horribly bad:
-I only need to mention one. And this needs to be spoiled. Trust me. There is a scene where a bounter hunter (Greedo) and space cowboy Han Solo face off. This scene was my absolutely favorite in the origional movies. Greedo fires his blaster at Solo- who is so fast that he dodges the blast and returns fire. An absolutely awesome moment. But you won't see that in these discs- the scene has been edited so that Solo fires first. It seems trivial, but lots of scenes are changed in these subtle but horrible ways (this is just the canonical example). If you've never seen the movies before and don't care about details, these discs are excellent. But if you do care, or if you've seen the origionals, accept no substitute. Lucas is shooting himself in the foot by not releasing the origional movies. I will never buy the special editions because (most of) the changes ruin the movies. Bring on the origionals!
Rating:
Summary: All that is good in the world of cinema
Review: Realistically, there is really no need for any sort of review on these films. The Star Wars franchise has long since crossed the line seperating "movies" from "cultural phenomena." Basically, if you are not at least passingly familiar with these films, then you probably are so completely out of touch with mainstream society that you don't own a computer, and are thus incapable of even reading this in the first place.
That being said, I'll throw in my two cents, on the off chance that they'll actually matter to anyone.
First of all, I am absolutely euphoric regarding the long-anticipated DVD release of the trilogy. Having one of history's most influencial and beloved films on a technologically superior (and more durable) format is simply wonderful. I don't particularly mind the delay - I concede that Lucasfilm probably wanted to make sure that the DVD format would "stick" in the popular market (especially after getting burned with the old Laserdisc release of the trilogy), and I for one am happy that they took their time to make sure that the DVD release was executed well. A number of films suffered (and many more were simply not helped in any way) from DVD conversion in the initial spate of DVD releases, and I personally would hate to see the same happen to some of my favortie movies of all time. And I remain optimistc that this delay time is being well-spent; I expect the Star Wars DVDs to be similar in quality and format to the recently-released Indiana Jones boxed set (i.e., the highest qulaity in an effective format). Besides, we all thought that we were going to have to wait until the conclusion of the prequel trilogy before we got the originals on DVD.
As for the inclusion of the Special Editions rather than the original releases, I can't really complain there either. George Lucas considers the SE's to be the definitive versions of the films now. Who am I to second-guess what Mr. Lucas does with his own work? For better or for worse, the public is coming to regard the SE relaeses as the definitive versions of the film as well - to the point that people attribute additions to the Special Editions to original material that was removed (a la Luke's screaming in the Cloud City core - a sound effect only found in the Special Edition). Besides, what can visual effects, a sound effect here and there, and Greedo shooting first take away from the movies as a whole? All of the concepts, stories, settings, and characters that made us fall in love with these movies in the first place are all still there, and that's what really matters.
So, if you'd rather shroud yourself in the nostalgia of bygone days, just sit in your room with the shades drawn, watching your copies of the orginal releases on VHS, Betamax, Laserdisc, whatever until they wear out. The rest of us will be watching the SAME MOVIES (with some MINOR amendments) in a better-supported and higher-quality format. Everyone's happy.
Rating:
Summary: The Real Star Wars
Review: No offense Mr. Lucas, but the new episodes just don't come anywhere near the quality of the origional three. The origional trilogy is an exceptional piece of work. If you haven't seen it yet then you are really missing something. You don't have to be an uber geek to enjoy then either.
Rating: 
Summary: Greedo shoots first!?
Review: Those three words will forever vanquish this DVD to less than 5 stars. C'mon George -- this is NOT the move we have all grown to love, this is your remake (much akin to Ted Turner's colorization) of a classic. Greedo shooting, the rough Jaba scene, and Luke screaming like a girl as he falls -- are all intersting, and great examples of digital manipulation, but they do not belong in this movie.
Last, of all the edits you made, why not bring us the movie in DTS!? That would have been a worthwhile revision, as opposed to obvious CGI cartoon inserts.
These are great flicks (I was born in 1971, so Star Wars was my life!), and I will buy the DVD, but I anticipate shelling out another 100 bucks in a couple of years when you issue the super expanded version which contains the directors edit as well as the original theatrical version (ala "Aliens")
|
