Star Wars Coming Out On Blu-Ray

Flickr user ennuipoet

Nerds, rejoice? Lucasfilm has announced that it will be releasing all six Star Wars films on Blu-ray DVD by fall of next year. The box set will be the first time the films will be offered in an HD home format, and will include documentary features and unseen footage. But the question on every lightsaber-wielding fan's lips is whether or not Han will shoot first (or really, if Han is the only one who shoots) in this edition. What do you have to say, Lucas?

In a word, no. Lucas told the Times that the idea of releasing the "original" films on these DVDs is "kind of an oxymoron because the quality of the original is not very good...It’s a very, very expensive process to do it. So when we did the transfer to digital, we only transferred really the upgraded version." Instead, the DVDs will contain the CGI additions made in the 1997 re-release, complete with Greedo shooting Han and a redundant interaction between Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt.

So will fans ignore the controversial changes in favor of the quality of the films? That's to be determined, but The HD Room smells a money-making ploy. "It sounds more like Lucas is putting additional dollars into supplemental materials now and will revisit the 'original' trilogy a few years down the road —say 2015 or so—to re-energize the franchise/brand after making loads of cash off the first Blu-ray set."

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By Jaya Saxena in Arts & Entertainment on August 14, 2010 3:16 PM

Comments [rss]

Rocknrope

On a similar note, here's a deleted scene from Return of the Jedi with Luke finishing his new lightsaber and passing it to R2 on Tatooine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdJ0E7HbTKc&feature=player_embedded

Guest

You had to see this coming:

This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Lucasfilm Ltd.

Spirit of 76

the idea of releasing the "original" films on these DVDs is "kind of an oxymoron because the quality of the original is not very good...It’s a very, very expensive process to do it. So when we did the transfer to digital, we only transferred really the upgraded version.

Come on, George, do you really think we're that stupid? You've already got all of the originals digitized. That's what you worked from when you remastered. At most, the only things missing are a few scenes that you didn't restore because you replaced them with "upgraded" ones, but almost all of the theatrical content is already in digital form which can be quickly transferred to Blu-ray, if only you didn't have such contempt for the fans that made you the big shot you are today. I'm not buying either the Blu-ray set or your lousy cover story.

John L

These movie studios sure know how to keep getting money from the same movies over and over again but if people are willing to pay more for the same thing then, I guess, it's ok.