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

lithy · Mar 20, 2017

So let's say I wanted to get a set of discs that contain the Despecialized and Silver Screen versions of the original Store Whores trilogy, but I'm dumb and don't pirate shit otherwise, plus I only have an 8 year old netbook and no way to burn discs. Where would such a person go to acquire these pieces of plastic readable by a laser.

FilthyRear · Mar 20, 2017

The DVD version of the saga has the "Theatrical versions" of the original trilogy, and it's must cheaper than trying to track down the original DVD realeases from 2006(?). Problems are you would be stuck with the shitty prequels and the unaltered versions run in a 4:3 window. They're taken from the LD's, so they have that awful motion blur.

I have never seen the despecialized editions for sale.

GohanX · Mar 20, 2017

I go with original CBS trilogy on laserdisc run through an awesome player and connected to some ridiculous upscaling equipment. Anything less and you're not a real fan, are you?

FilthyRear · Mar 20, 2017

I guess I'm not.

GohanX · Mar 20, 2017

I'm really not either.

smokehouse · Mar 20, 2017

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...

It sucks...I posted this nearly 2 years ago...and it's pretty much the exact same situation, nothing has changed.

I did land up renting the original trilogy on BR just to see how they look...and they look pretty solid. They contain all of that added CG shit though, so still not buying them.

I bought Ep VII on BR a while back, it looks amazing. I'm guessing Rogue One will be the same.

daskrabs · Mar 20, 2017

Despecialized editions are still the best, IMHO. Torrent the full MKV's (~20GB each). If you want that film feel, get the Silver Screen Edition of Ep. IV. No SSE of Ep. V and VI yet.

NeoSneth · Mar 20, 2017

Laserdisc, so you can take a pee break every 30min with the CAV discs.

I still watch the Faces editions, but only worth it on a CRT.

dgame · Mar 20, 2017

famicommander · Mar 21, 2017

You'll get my Laserdisc faces trilogy from my cold dead hands. Not replacing it unless they release them unaltered on Ultra HD Blu Ray.

Lastblade · Mar 21, 2017

There are some very nice fan cut versions floating around....

cdamm · Mar 21, 2017

pan and scan special edition on vhs.

Electric Grave · Mar 21, 2017

Gentlegamer said:
Go find the "Despecialized" HD editions...

This right here. I still got my original VHS tapes from the hey day, lol.

I guess the BR is not so bad as long as you know you're missing out on a lot of other type of work done during the era. Is not like the new CG is that horrible, it's just not the same.

Take for instance Conan The Barbarian BR, they butchered the score, the god damn most amazing score too, how dare they?! I wept...

smokehouse · Mar 22, 2017

ElectricGrave said:
This right here. I still got my original VHS tapes from the hey day, lol.

I guess the BR is not so bad as long as you know you're missing out on a lot of other type of work done during the era. Is not like the new CG is that horrible, it's just not the same.

Take for instance Conan The Barbarian BR, they butchered the score, the god damn most amazing score too, how dare they?! I wept...

The added song/dance scene on RotJ is literally one of the worst, more embarrassing shitpiles I have ever seen.

FilthyRear · Mar 22, 2017

daskrabs said:
Silver Screen Edition

Oh man. Seeing this gave me chills. I'll take this one over the Despecialized (even tho both are equally fantastic), but I wish they did the trilogy - Empire would be SO GOOD.

smokehouse said:
The added song/dance scene on RotJ is literally one of the worst, more embarrassing shitpiles I have ever seen.

I cringed in the theater. That was a VERY unwelcome surprise.

smokehouse · Mar 22, 2017

FilthyRear said:
Oh man. Seeing this gave me chills. I'll take this one over the Despecialized (even tho both are equally fantastic), but I wish they did the trilogy - Empire would be SO GOOD.

I cringed in the theater. That was a VERY unwelcome surprise.

The sad thing is, the mid 90s theatrical release is actually far worse than what is out there now. The added effect were so shitty that they've literally re-re-re done them over the years.

Just look at this list of changes to the films over the years:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_changes_in_Star_Wars_re-releases

It's as long as my leg.

FilthyRear · Mar 22, 2017

smokehouse said:
The sad thing is, the mid 90s theatrical release is actually far worse than what is out there now. The added effect were so shitty that they've literally re-re-re done them over the years.

Just look at this list of changes to the films over the years:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_changes_in_Star_Wars_re-releases

It's as long as my leg.

When someone creates something, they have every right to go back "reinvent" it.

What bothered me was Lucas pretty much disowning the original releases and saying that people will forget about them.

Really, dude?

LoneSage · Mar 22, 2017

lol, they removed the puppet Yoda from episode 1 with a CG yoda.

I can't think of any other franchise of movies where edits are made years and years after the films have come out.

xelement5x · Mar 22, 2017

The LDs are what I've got, but I'd be lying if I said I watched them. Normally just watch the new blu-ray bundle release, the changes are bad but I can live with them for the rest of the film looking pretty nice.

famicommander · Mar 22, 2017

LoneSage said:
lol, they removed the puppet Yoda from episode 1 with a CG yoda.

I can't think of any other franchise of movies where edits are made years and years after the films have come out.

Blade Runner. Though it's only one film, plus the one coming out.

It's starting to happen with comic book movies too. Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition, Suicide Squad Extended Cut, The Wolverine Extended Edition, X-Men Days of Future Past: the Rogue Cut. etc. The big difference is that the altered versions of all of those films are much, much better. And they all came out closer to the original release.

Hell, even Superman II: the Richard Donner Cut.

Electric Grave · Mar 23, 2017

The Richard Donner Cut is awesome!

Like Highlander II Renegade Edition, fixed that damn mess...somewhat, lol

LoneSage · Mar 23, 2017

Famicommander said:
Blade Runner. Though it's only one film, plus the one coming out.

It's starting to happen with comic book movies too. Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition, Suicide Squad Extended Cut, The Wolverine Extended Edition, X-Men Days of Future Past: the Rogue Cut. etc. The big difference is that the altered versions of all of those films are much, much better. And they all came out closer to the original release.

Hell, even Superman II: the Richard Donner Cut.

Tell me if I'm wrong, but you are listing something like director's cuts, correct?

I guess in a sense you could say all these edited star wars films are director's cuts but not really. Just editing in shit to better the special effects.

norton9478 · Mar 23, 2017

All stupid 3d exploitation sequences should be cut from all 2D re-releases.

aoiddr · Mar 23, 2017

LoneSage said:
Tell me if I'm wrong, but you are listing something like director's cuts, correct?

I guess in a sense you could say all these edited star wars films are director's cuts but not really. Just editing in shit to better the special effects.

E.T. is another example of a film that was changed for its 20th Anniversary:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial#20th_anniversary_version

smokehouse · Mar 23, 2017

aoiddr said:
E.T. is another example of a film that was changed for its 20th Anniversary:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial#20th_anniversary_version

That one got me...

My daughter had never seen the film, so we rented it. I'll say that I hadn't seen it in years so my memory was a bit hazy.While we're sitting there watching it, there were a few things with ET that I didn't remember. Then there were his eyes, which were CG and looked completely out of place. It didn't fit at all.

As a matter of fact, Spielberg finally admitted that it was a mistake:

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/bp/ste...ts-walkie-talkies-were-mistake-142746809.html

Oh...and LOL@replacing guns with walkie-talkies...

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

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