The Digital Bits website has just released a review of the forthcoming Star Wars DVD releases. They talk about and show examples of some of the changes in the DVD's.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews3/ ... ilogy.html

I'm looking forward to them. There is a part of me that wishes these releases would be exactly as they were in the first releases of the movies, or at least include those versions.

Still, from all the changes and tweaks that have been made over the years to the trilogy, the basic story and enjoyment is still there for me.

I think it's futile to try to figure out why the changes were made because Lucas (as far as I know) has not given a lot of reasons other than wanting his vision realized.

So rather than arguing which version is better and whether or not we like the changes, I'm interested in hearing what everyone likes or dislikes about Star Wars as a whole. What were some of the things that hooked you into being a fan of the series (if you're one of the people in the "like" category)?

I saw Star Wars in the theater during it's original release. I enjoyed it and was hooked even further by the toy marketing. With Empire I was further enthralled. It had everything my 10-year-old mind wanted in a movie. Jedi started off very crisp for me, went down a little with the Ewok scenes and jumped back up near the end.

I am not a die-hard Star Wars fan. The things I've collected have mostly been around the first three movies such as toys, book adaptions, radio dramas and comic books. I have watched the prequels. There are cool parts in those that I like as well, but I doubt anything is going to bring back the pre-teen excitement the first three movies gave me.

The Star wars movies are such an integral part of my childhood memories..true classics!

having said that...I hate the friggen changes...clena up the pics and sound..fine..dont muck with the story Lucas...!

I refuse to buy any version of the DVD's that include the added/moddified scenes...they just stand out and take away from my enjoyment...!

I was 24 when the first film was released, and couldn't believe that all this Doc Smith space opera stuff which I had lapped up in scifi books and comics was actually there on the big screen (it was also the first time I had encountered cinema sound of that quality). Blown away.

I too saw the first movie (Episode IV, for the historically challenged) in the theater in its original run and I was and still am a HUGE fan of it! When they were released, I also very much enjoyed "Empire" and "Jedi". But over the years my enthusiasm for the two sequels has dimmed as I've come to see just how much damage they do to the first movie. I went to the theater to see all of the "Special Editions" and I went to see "Episodes I & II" and will be there to see "Episode III" if for no other reason than to ooh and ahh over the sfx and to marvel at the action segments, but any hope I ever had that the story would hang together in any sort of natural way has long ago been abandoned.

What I have not liked almost from the beginning were the scores of people who insist that Lucas has had the whole thing planned from the beginning!

Ah well, at least I have my laser discs which are "close" to the original versions!

I remember sitting on top of Mom's car at the drive-in in downtown fort walton beach watching star wars, and loving every minute of it, shame what lucas has done to that magic film.

I bought the original trilogy on VHS.
I bought the original trilogy on Laserdisc.
I bought the "Special Edition" trilogy on VHS.
I'll by the "Special Edition" trilogy on DVD and enjoy every minute of it.

I saw Star Wars in an old theater in Long Beach when it was released with my cousin... there were NO lines when we went and many seats were empty. We got there for the fist show of the day and stayed through until the last showing (5 showings!). A few weeks later I had talked my dad into taking my sister and I to it because it was at the drive-in.... cars were lined up around several blocks! We ended up going to Farrells instead. In all, I must have seen Star Wars 20 times that year.

I skipped school to see Empire on opening day. Same with Jedi.

I bought the toys... up until shortly after Empire. I have (had? Not sure where they're at now) every figure from Star Wars, and several figures from Empire, but none from Jedi.

Episode IV came out when I was in grade III - all the buzz about it, everything I heard, was all just amazing...

...what was even more amazing was I didn't actually get to see it until after I saw 'Return of the Jedi' theatrically!

Although I had read the novelization (A LOT) and the comic adaptation (a highlight of my career at Digital Chameleon was working on the reprint trade paperbacks by Dark Horse of the original Marvel adaptation, and repainting the original cover to issue 1 using the same, original colours - green Darth Vader and all ), even seeing the 'Holiday Special' (and, let's face it, most folks who think the 'Special Editions' and Episodes I and II were the worst things that ever happened to the Star Wars saga must not have ever seen the 'Holiday Special', Bea Arthur and all ) and the picture books.

My parents just never understood that I should see this film! Heck, I didn't even see 'Empire' until '88, although I could quote every line from it from the comics and novelization.

Now, I do know lots of folks who consider what Lucas did to the series over the past few years to be a crime. I'm not so sure. I mean, it is his sandbox, and we all just get to play around in it once in a while.

Still. Rather than make all the changes that were made, I'm hoping that the DVD set fixes some of the problems that the special editions DIDN'T fix...

oh, like the flashing white boxes around TIE fighters in 'Empire' ... or the matte lines around the Tauntauns in 'Empire' and the Rancor in 'Return'...

I mean, if you are going to 'fix' the series, why not start by actually fixing where there are problems? I mean, the bit in 'A New Hope' where Kenobi's light sabre is just a wooden stick is still in the Special Edition...

*sigh* I'll buy the DVD's, if just for the commentary and interviews and documentary, if nothing else. I know, the Special Editions aren't really the movies that came out in the 70's and 80's...but then, if you rent 'American Grafitti', it isn't the same movie that came out in the 70's either - Lucas had changed it before video release as well, so this isn't a new thing at all. (he talked about it in an interview a year or two ago on PBS)

I may, or may not, see that next one. I'll see it if the kids want to go. Otherwise I'll just borrow the DVD from someone later.

My enthusiasm for Star Wars has eroded away more with each tinkering.

I pre-ordered the set on Amazon.com. Like some of you, I'm irritated at the superfluous changes Lucas has made, ESPECIALLY the egregious change in the cantina where Greedo shoots at Han first. Grrr! But I still love the original trilogy. EMPIRE is the best, JEDI the weaker link but the dogfight over the Death Star is still one of the most exciting sequences committed to film.

Do you have to buy all three movies or can you get them seperately? I might want just the first one.

Initially it will be sold as a complete set. Down the road, it's possible they may do individual sales, but I'm not sure.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00003CXCT/?tag=imwan-20