Reddit reviews Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Theatrical Edition)

Or you can just get this.

This DVD set from 2008 has the theatrical versions on the bonus discs...but I'm guessing those are just the '93 laserdisc versions put onto the DVDs? The quality is not so great, but I believe they are the non-special edition versions.

Lucas did release the theatrical versions on DVD. Here's a box set that contains both versions, but I remember getting the single DVDs from Wal*mart for a lot cheaper.

This is just plain wrong. I actually have DVDs from a limited release they did (I think in 08) of the original Theatrical versions. People act like they straight don't exist but they are just very rare. But you can bet if those DVDs exist then Lucalfilm/Disney has digital copies somewhere

In case someone doesn't believe me, here is it listed on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=tmm_dvd_title_15?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

You can actually buy them on DVD. I'm surprised it's not on Amazon any more, but I bought this from Amazon about 6 months ago for 30 bucks. It's a "two disc special edition" version of each movie, meaning one disc with the remaster and a "bonus disc" with the unaltered original. One of my favorite purchases.

HERE Includes DVDs with the unaltered versions. LIterally, the only movies I own. Though, the cheaper option may be the "De-Specialized" fan edit, which I've yet to see.

They released a dvd set of the OG trilogy that has 6 disks, 3 are the "enhanced" ones and 3 are what I'm pretty sure are the original ones. So unless I'm mistaken, there are copies left that aren't VHS or whatnot.

Here's a link to that specific version (which costs a ton now) where the top review mentions that it does contain the original versions:
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical/dp/B001EN71DG

*Edit: What's sketchy is that the amazon listing merges several box sets together, and only the blue one with Luke & Vader clashing is the one that contains the OG versions.

This is the release you want.

It's Special Edition and original theatrical release. Can't believe I picked it up for $15.

Remember that one time when Lucas released THE ORIGINAL THEATRICAL VERSIONS ON DVD? Apparently fucking not, because everyone here is in love with their goddamn VHS versions.

I have an unaltered DVD trilogy I would sell you. It's this one PM me if you're interested.

It's common enough across media to have series/movie/game/book go out of circulation and have a fanbase which grows through piracy, so much that there is a tv trope for it.

I'd like to challenge rather that it is OK to do this with other media, assuming that it is no longer being produced and actual DVDs/books aren't being sold by retailers and the studio has folded/the author has died and cannot collect royalties. I challenge that this part of your post:

> video games disappear into oblivion and there is no way to find them without forking over triple the original price or risking getting conned big-time.

is not exclusive to video games. Just recently a friend of mine asked for his birthday, a copy of Star Wars that was not remastered or re-edited, where Han shot first and they didn't put in any new scenes. The only DVD version where that is true is being sold for almost $300 now and I got it 2 months ago when it was only $100. George Lucas didn't make a penny off that transaction.

If anyone's looking, there is a DVD boxset that contains the original theatrical editions of the trilogy.

Of course it does. It was the second bonus disc that came out a few years ago with the special edition set of the original trilogy. It's not gorgeous quality but it is a DVD version of the original completely unedited and unfooled with movies.
I think this is it but I got a much older boxed set.

fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times and you can call yourself George Lucas. I have the entire "saga" on regular old DVD and you know what? Mine is better than this release in every way... why? cause they have the ORIGINAL versions before Lucas felt the need to update them with crappy CGI (which this set does NOT include)... HAN SHOT 1ST, HAN SHOT 1ST, HAN SHOT 1ST, etc.

Agree with everyone has said, just wanted to post an amazon link to the dvd set that has the newer edits but comes with the original theatrical cuts just in case anyone was interested. Here

Yes. A few years ago Lucas released a widescreen limited edition with updated graphics for all of the rereleases. Blarg. The hidden gem that wasnt all that advertised was a second disc in each dvd case that has the original theatrical release with no additions. They are brilliant. They are the only versions that I watch now. They are well worth whatever the cost if you can find them.

As an edit aside, the only downside is that the original versions are all 4:3 Aspect Ratio. Still better than anything else that has been released.

Here is a link to the boxed set, but apparently you can find the individual discs for cheaper occasionally.

This dvd version of episode IV (and the matching V and VI) contain the only released dvd versions of the original theatrical release of the trilogy (full screen releases too). Naturally, copies of these versions go quite a lot of money because of this.

I purchased the my set of the trilogy on DVD last year. It was new, from one of the sellers on Amazon.

Quick search on amazon shows this, which is the theatrical version:

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical-Edition/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1347293190&sr=8-4&keywords=star+wars+original+trilogy

(check out the top review for clarification on that fact)

You don't have to spend quite that much though, I'm pretty sure. I paid a little over $100 for mine last year, so probably you could get a lower price with a little more searching.

This

I think I got it for around $50 at Best Buy, but this was a few years ago.

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical-Edition/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1346868564&sr=8-17&keywords=star+wars+6+disc

Look for that box. It has six discs, three are for the Special Editions, and three have the Original Theatrical releases. As far as I know, it's the only DVD set to have all three movies.

George, in his typical money-grubbing fashion, decided to stop producing anything with the theatrical releases right before he released the BluRay versions. The sad thing is, that even the BluRays do not have the theatrical releases, even with all of the special features that they loaded on them.

Prick.

The unaltered versions were released on DVD, packaged with the remasters about 5 years ago.

The idea that the originals don't exist in a modern format is a complete myth.

Edit: I'd like to point out that this comment thread was started with people pointing out that how good the film looks isn't as important as the story, acting, etc, and everyone who's responding negatively to the DVD release is claiming that it's bad because it doesn't look good enough, which is also bullshit, by the way. And how the fuck is that George Lucas's fault, anyway?

People love to hate, and even when their EXACT request is met, it's never good enough. If you, reading this right now, genuinely still care about this, go fuck yourself. You're an idiot. It never mattered in the first place. It's not going to start mattering just because you complain endlessly about how bad the world is because an okay film from 40 years ago doesn't conform to your TVs aspect ratio. Jesus, the Star Wars "fan"base is just the worst.

I agree with this...but they are not hard to find. This collection has both:
Amazon

They just aren't the best quality because they are non-anamorphic transfers from the Laser Discs. Still better than watching the special edition though.

This set (although I don't remember it being quite so expensive) has both the altered and original versions.

This set, which you can find in many retailers pretty easily, has the "original theatrical cut" on the second "Bonus Features" disc. It's just the Laserdisc version droped on a DVD, but it looks better than any VHS.

I have this version on DVD. Looks like it's out-of-print though.

You can get the theatrical cut of Star Wars on DVD.

They made a dvd set which had the original trilogy unedited on the 2nd DVD. I have them, and would guess you can find them somewhere. Of course, a blu-ray version would be nice.

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical-Edition/dp/B001EN71DG

They released the original, unaltered trilogy on DVD. Did it kind of under the radar, but there you go.

Each of the 3 original theatrical movies are included as bonus discs, the only bummer is that they're letterboxed instead of being presented in anamorphic widescreen. Ah well, better than nothin', eh?

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Harrison-Ford/dp/B001EN71DG

This has the original versions (in 4:3 with letterbox) as they were shown in '77, '80, and '83 as well as the new ones (in anamorphic widescreen) - not sure if they have the Hayden Christenson bullshit, though.

No, you are actually quite wrong.

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Harrison-Ford/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1313528922&sr=8-5

See that? It comes with both versions. There are DVD versions of the originals. I don't know what in the world would make you think there wasn't.

They're only available on DVD, and they're in this set:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_8ifwtb1JECDP9

The 2006 2-disc individual releases have the 1993 laserdisc master dumped on the second disc. It's not great quality (and is awkward as fuck for 16:9 TVs), but it's the originals. They're also included on the 6-disc slim OT box set (don't ask me why Amazon's price is so outrageous on that one, I see it in stores for $30 all the time).

If you want better quality, download Harmy's Despecialized Editions. They're 720p HD restorations of the original versions from the Blu-Rays, the 2006 DVDs I mentioned above, and actual 35mm film scans (among other sources). PM me if you're interested and I'll tell you where you can get them.

> He went back to the original trilogy and "special editioned" them and made those the only ones available on DVD and Bluray

To be fair they did release this edition on DVD (it's a laserdisk rip IIRC): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EN71DG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (I bought it in 2009 for 22 bucks )

He re-released the laserdisc versions on DVD:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EN71DG/ref=s9_al_bw_g74_i6?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-6&pf_rd_r=1BZ5R6ZGDJ0GSP3N0KMD&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1779775202&pf_rd_i=281446

Don't ask me about the price. They used to run around $50 when in production.

It's available - if you don't mind buying used.

The 2008 DVD release has the original theatrical releases in the set.

Currently it's on Amazon for $270.

i got THIS and THIS around xmas time one year while working at FYE on a buy one get one free sale INCLUDING my employee discount for a total of $15. i haven't seen the trilogy set in the wild for any less then $100 since that day. It's the only edition that comes with the uncut theatrical versions.

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Harrison-Ford/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289809683&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1341770346&sr=1-1&keywords=star+wars+unaltered

?

You can still buy them. They were only released within the last few years or so, I think. It comes with two DVDs for each movie - the revised versions, and the theatrical versions (unaltered.)

This is it. I'm sure you can find it cheaper, somewhere. I got mine at Barnes & Noble for around $40-50

You would have to buy it. This DVD set is the one to get

I have it, excellent set. It comes with both the original editions, and the 2008 updates.

Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Theatrical Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EN71DG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_n4hFDb9SQDCZ5

Oh, does this release have the original theatrical versions? I might pick it up, then, although it sounds like it's letterboxed into a 4:3 ratio by the comments? Annoying, but probably less annoying than End of Evangelion being letterboxed into 4:3.

Yes

To expand on this a bit, the 2006 dvds are what you would want if you can find them. They look like this, though as you may notice they are now out of print. Its the closest that you'll find to the originals from an official release. I would definitely not recommend the blu rays, they have visual issues and the changes really affect anyone's ability to take it seriously. ("NOOOOoo!", etc.)

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trilogy-Widescreen-Theatrical-Edition/dp/B001EN71DG This boxset has the unaltered versions as dvd extras.