What's the best way to watch the original Star Wars trilogy?

Raizen1984

Raizen1984

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I haven't seen any of them since I was a kid, and I really want to watch them again. But I realize that there's been a million changes and special editions over the years that alter the movies in negative ways.

I have been told to avoid the Blu-rays.

So after all these years, what's the best way to watch these movies, or maybe which version? Preferably nothing rare/expensive.
 
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Raizen1984 said:
I haven't seen any of them since I was a kid, and I really want to watch them again. But I realize that there's been a million changes and special editions over the years that alter the movies in negative ways.

I have been told to avoid the Blu-rays.

So after all these years, what's the best way to watch these movies, or maybe which version? Preferably nothing rare/expensive.
Click to expand...

Laserdisc version shot on a perfectly in focus 1080p camera burned to a Blu-Ray. For real.
 
Castor Troy

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Raizen1984 said:
I have been told to avoid the Blu-rays.

So after all these years, what's the best way to watch these movies, or maybe which version? Preferably nothing rare/expensive.
Click to expand...

Just watch the Blu-Rays.
It's so dense. Every single image has so many things going on.
 
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ki_atsushi

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Fan edits.

The ones I have have completely reversed the "special edtion" crap and they can be burned on blu rays or played on vlc. Or, you can do like me and re-encode them for play on a PS3 or other devices.
 
Takumaji

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Watch the original unedited trilogy on a format of your choice, that's all.
 
goombakid

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On VHS before they did all the CGI stuff and messed with the ending of Return of the Jedi.
 
wyo

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As far as official releases, the LD box set or DVD original version B-sides.
 
smokehouse

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wyo_vr4 said:
As far as official releases, the LD box set or DVD original version B-sides.
Click to expand...

This.

I have the "faces" original edit letterbox on LD and it's acceptable in quality (better than VHS). With only one small CRT remaining in my home however...this is a problem. My LD player looks like canned shit on either of my HD sets.

I also have the DVD "b-sides" set...but it's just a letterbox rip of the LD versions. Again...shit on a 16:9 set unless you force 4:3. Doing that you get the horrible "picture frame" presentation.

I hate to say it...but I've given up watching the original trilogy until Disney releases HD, unedited transfers (IF they ever do it...who knows).

I refuse to buy the Blu Ray set...I won't drop $$ for that Lucas added CG and "extended" horse shit...
 
SpamYouToDeath

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smokehouse said:
I hate to say it...but I've given up watching the original trilogy until Disney releases HD, unedited transfers (IF they ever do it...who knows).

I refuse to buy the Blu Ray set...I won't drop $$ for that Lucas added CG and "extended" horse shit...
Click to expand...

It's Disney, so they'll probably flood over all the characters in MS Paint and then re-do the effects with a Video Toaster.
 
unofficialitguy

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The new iTunes released version is just another HD special edition with more FX and scenes peppered in just like every other modern release. If you want to see it unaltered, you have to pirate that shit.
 
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statix138

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smokehouse said:
This.

I have the "faces" original edit letterbox on LD and it's acceptable in quality (better than VHS). With only one small CRT remaining in my home however...this is a problem. My LD player looks like canned shit on either of my HD sets.

I also have the DVD "b-sides" set...but it's just a letterbox rip of the LD versions. Again...shit on a 16:9 set unless you force 4:3. Doing that you get the horrible "picture frame" presentation.

I hate to say it...but I've given up watching the original trilogy until Disney releases HD, unedited transfers (IF they ever do it...who knows).

I refuse to buy the Blu Ray set...I won't drop $$ for that Lucas added CG and "extended" horse shit...
Click to expand...

I will say one thing for the Blu-Ray release, the DTS-HD Master tracks are really nice. I own so many sets of the Star Wars trilogy I figure why not one more?
 
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ki_atsushi

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Gentlegamer said:
I mentioned it above, but there are fan edited "despecialized" versions based several sources to recreate an HD version of the original theatrical versions of each film.

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/to...ed-Edition-HD-V25-MKV-IS-OUT-NOW/topic/12713/

You can find them places where movies may be downloaded...
Click to expand...

These are the ones I was talking about earlier as well, they're excellent.

Also the HAL9000 fan edits of the prequel trilogy make the movies much more bearable to watch, an average of 30 minutes were cut from each film, tightening up the flow of the movies, and downplaying stupid plotlines, such as most of the bullshit with Jar Jar in the first movie.
 
joe8

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Raizen1984 said:
I haven't seen any of them since I was a kid, and I really want to watch them again. But I realize that there's been a million changes and special editions over the years that alter the movies in negative ways.

I have been told to avoid the Blu-rays.

So after all these years, what's the best way to watch these movies, or maybe which version? Preferably nothing rare/expensive.
Click to expand...
Probably the best way would be to watch both. First the original unedited versions of the original trilogy (the best versions of these are the laserdisc and DVD versions). Then watch the whole series of the six movies on blu-ray.
Theoretically the best way would be to watch the original prints of the original trilogy in a cinema. But as far as I know it's only film preserving companies (and probably Lucasfilm) that have copies of the original prints. And sometimes they re-release them in the cinema, like when the Special Editions and the 3D Phantom Menace came out. Lucas himself prefers to watch his movies in the cinema.
 
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Gentlegamer

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xsq said:
Harmy's despecialized editions are really pieces of love and are build upon lots and lots of community work. Go for them.
Click to expand...

I can't recommend them enough. Just like many classic computer games, it takes a 'pirate' to preserve the past.
 
aoiddr

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smokehouse said:
I refuse to buy the Blu Ray set...I won't drop $$ for that Lucas added CG and "extended" horse shit...
Click to expand...

They're worth owning for the new extras.

They even hid the Holiday Special's Boba Fett cartoon as an easter egg.
 
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