Star Wars - The Original Trilogy (DVD 2004)

After many countless releases of the original trilogy in both VHS and laserdisc format it was only inevitable that we would have these classics of movies presented to us on this new DVD format. In 1997 we were served up the Special Edition incarnations for what George Lucas originally tried to put to film and what a fuss it caused, splitting the fans into two camps, those who welcomed the freshening up and those who hated it.


The problem was that the tweaks were inconsistent with some changes adding and enhancing the movies whilst others took away from the core, such as Han no longer shooting first during his encounter with Greedo. This time around the changes a minor in scope yet major in impact. In Star Wars we have a better rendered speeder enter into Mos Eisley and a new model for Jabba the Hutt used in the restored scene with han now casting more obvious shadows onto the slug. Han and Greedo now shoot almost simultaneously with Han saying "Yes, I bet you have" as in the original. Leia's gunshots are proper laser shots now and Obiwan and Vader's lightsabers have more color in them yet still suffer from strobing issues. Empire now has Ian McDiarmid playing the holographic Emperor and the voice of Boba Fett is now that of Temuera Morrisson, Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones. Jedi rounds off the changes with a shot of Naboo in the final celebrations as well as Hayden Christensen's head replacing that of Sebastian Shaw in the final group shot of the departed Jedi. Decide amongst yourselves the merits of these changes.

As for this DVD boxset release itself, the long wait was certainly worth it the fourth disc itself is dedicated to special features and is what every Star Wars fan will treasure !!!!!!