George Lucas surrenders to common sense; celebrations ensue.

[Nuts]

I get the impression that he's trying to save face by including the original features as "bonus material." It's as if to say, here ya go, now shut up. I was always very upset that he chose to alter the films and I was even more upset when he refused to release the originals on DVD. I had plans to dub the entire series from VHS, but luckily I won't need to now.

http://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/release/video/news20060503.html

This September: Original Unaltered Trilogy on DVD
May 03, 2006

Fans can look forward to a September filled with classic Star Wars nostalgia, led by the premiere of LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game and the long-awaited DVD release of the original theatrical incarnations of the classic Star Wars trilogy.
In response to overwhelming demand, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release attractively priced individual two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each release includes the 2004 digitally remastered version of the movie and, as bonus material, the theatrical edition of the film. That means you'll be able to enjoy Star Wars as it first appeared in 1977, Empire in 1980, and Jedi in 1983.

This release will only be available for a limited time: from September 12th to December 31st. International release will follow on or about the same day. Each original theatrical version will feature Dolby 2.0 Surround sound, close-captioning, and subtitles in English, French and Spanish for their U.S. release. International sound and subtitling vary by territory.

"Over the years, a truly countless number of fans have told us that they would love to see and own the original version that they remember experiencing in theaters," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts and Senior Vice President of Lucasfilm Ltd. "We returned to the Lucasfilm Archives to search exhaustively for source material that could be presented on DVD. This is something that we're very excited to be able to give to fans in response to their continuing enthusiasm for Star Wars. Topping it off with a new interactive adventure makes September 12 a red-letter day for Star Wars fans."

That's also the day fans will be able to experience the LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game, the action-packed sequel -- filled with tongue-in-cheek humor -- to one of the best selling video games of 2005.

[Jeff]

Nice! That's good to hear. Han shot first!

[Nuts]

Han shot first!
Of course he did. :)

[Jedi_Templar]

Lucas is only after money; why else would he go back on his "promise"?

/pissed that I got the expanded versions
//even more pissed he made them in the first place

Some of the shit in the expanded version is kind of nice (updated picture and sound, more battle action), but a lot of it doesn't fit in. Like Greedo shooting first. The song and dance scene at Jabba's palace in ROTJ. What compelled Lucas to put these elements in? Was he just stupid?

I heard a rumor that, supposedly, NSync was to appear in Episode 2, at the request of his daughters, but the idea was scrapped by the producer. Thank God. I also heard that, originally in ROTJ, the Wookie home planet of Kasyyyk was to be used instead of Endor. He used Endor instead because of the marketability of the Ewoks in toys. Goddamnit.

My point being that Lucas makes very bad creative decisions. Obviously, these are minor nitpicks, but they are really stupid nitpicks. He has created a legacy that has (so far) stood the test of time, if my username is any indication. But he does stupid shit. Why? Who knows.

[Doombringer64]

Nice to know my time ripping the movies from VHS was wasted (seriously I shouldn't have had to do it in the first place).

I still plan on picking up the Lucas Storm trooper and lynching it.

[Morkeliph]

When I read the title of this thread I thought the topic was going to be about his retirement from filmmaking forever. This, however, is good news intself as well. I hated the remastered version. Why mess with a good thing?

[hammocksleeper]

Good I'm glad to hear it. I too once had plans to acquire the VHS of the originals.

[Yoda]

Yay, finally Greedo does not shoot in the bar. Why on earth would he change that? ;)

[Jedi_Templar]

Yay, finally Greedo does not shoot in the bar. Why on earth would he change that? ;)

Because Lucas is not grounded in reality.

One cannot arbitrarily change their movies just because they feel like it, at least not from an artistic point of view. It muddies up the original vision.

[Modred]

I told one of my friends this news a few days ago and he was struct speechless for at least ten minutes while his jaw hung open. It was quite amusing.

[The_Maker]

GOOD.

I watched the deleted scenes from Ep III ROTS and it said they cut this beautiful scene where Yoda lands on Degobah and George claimed it was cu because we already know what happens... but why didn't he apply the same logic with the 04 release of ANH? I mean that scene with the CGI was just... argh. It was almost an exact repeat of the Greedo dialogue and the Jabba model looks NOTHING like the Jabba in ROTJ and it removes all the mystery of what he looks like. :(

Anyhow, I'm glad he's finally doing what we fanboys want.

/me crosses fingers hoping all or most lightsaber errors will be fixed in the super super special editions <_<

[frazz]

To paraphrase from The Hitchhiker's Guide..
The very reasoning behind their marketing is that, by overcoming thier nitpicking bugs and errors, you fail to notice the overriding uselessness of the machine itself.
Well, Lucas is just so awesome, everybody notices his little mistakes. Nobody cares about those little mistakes in the other movies because we only notice how lame the entire movie is(contrary to what happens in the guide). We only notice the little things when the big thing is just right.
So STOP DISSING LUCAS!! Everyone makes a mistake here and there. Lucas' mistakes just happen to be minute and insignificant.

[KexMex]

Awch, I thought Greedo shot first.

Then I found it had an article on Wikipedia.

And that is true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_shot_first

[Jeff]

Well, Lucas is just so awesome, everybody notices his little mistakes. Nobody cares about those little mistakes in the other movies because we only notice how lame the entire movie is(contrary to what happens in the guide). We only notice the little things when the big thing is just right.
So STOP DISSING LUCAS!! Everyone makes a mistake here and there. Lucas' mistakes just happen to be minute and insignificant.
I don't think most people are complaining about his little mistakes. They're complaining about Lucas changing his movies (maybe to release new versions and make more money) when nothing really needed to be changed. The fact that the movies are classics perhaps adds to the fans' annoyance.

[B1x]

OK well here is what I THINK!
Its awsome that they're coming out with the Original Movies. I just want to see it all in High Quality Video. I hate the odd Thick sound of the voices and sound effects in all the old movies. Other than that, I hope this comes out soon. As for "Han Shot First" I'm officially chaning my user title...

[Jedi_Templar]

http://img437.imageshack.us/img437/8459/han12mv7ew.jpg

/so wrong on so many levels

[Nuts]

I love it!

[frazz]

So wrong, yet possibly the funniest thing I've seen this week.

[Protoss_Honor]

Okay, I am seeing Greedo's face, and what might be the back of Han, but what is the context of the picture? Who is the guy in the light colored suit? What is the picture about? Pardon my ignorance.

[The_Maker]

I love it!

Me Too! :D

[Jeff]

Okay, I am seeing Greedo's face, and what might be the back of Han, but what is the context of the picture? Who is the guy in the light colored suit? What is the picture about? Pardon my ignorance.

Don't feel so bad, I don't get it either.

[ChaosZon]

sigh

If the picture hadn't been altered, I'm pretty sure Greedo would be Lee Harvey Oswald and Han would be Jack Ruby

really guys, Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald was the most memorable event (in America) shown on live TV ever, until September 11th anyway you should know this stuff...

[Jeff]

Thanks for explaining, my parents were like 3 years old when this happened :P so blame the public school system for not teaching it.

[Nuts]

Thanks for explaining, my parents were like 3 years old when this happened
You're killing me here.

[Protoss_Honor]

Oh. So thats what the picture is about. I get it now. I think. j/k. I understand now. Umm, cool?

[frazz]

^bad are frgaments. treu is funy not right. yuu dig?

Yes it is hilariously funny only if you know the context. I consider myself one of the most culturally knowledged people in my generation thanks to the History channel.(all day marathon on this whole thing) History channel pwns History class.

[Jedi_Templar]

omg lol history noobs.

[Nuts]

le' originale

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/df/Oswald_shot_by_Ruby_%28Pulitzer%29.jpg

[Veeger]

[quote="Frazz"I consider myself one of the most culturally knowledged people in my generation[/quote]

o.O lol

[frazz]

well who else watches the History channel here?
come to think of it...

[Jeff]

I don't get the history channel. But even if I did, I wouldn't watch it :)