This episode of From the Star Wars Home Video Library takes a look at the 2004 Original Trilogy DVD sets from the UK, which turn out to be a bit different from the U.S.
Yeah, about that gold box set being widescreen, widescreen TVs weren’t accepted as quickly in the US as they were in Europe. I think Europe first started selling widescreen TVs in the late 90s, but it took until the late 2000s for everyone in the US to finally own a widescreen TV. That’s also probably why American TV shows were still fullscreen during the 2000s.
4% speed up for Pal. My copy of Jedi ran at 25 frames per second when I ran it. The Australian release is what the seller sent me even though I purchased the UK copy. They are for all intents and purposes identical and use the same PAL standard master. Was going to get Empire and Star Wars but I noticed a price spike.
As far as I can tell there were also HMV exclusive box sets for the 2008 box sets (the 2006 repacks) which are character exclusive (and lets be honest have blander covers). As far as I can tell they are repacks of the 2008 sets and are far less common then the non HMV exclusive versions (which have nicer covers). Original images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41SKMd53UOL._AC_.jpg Original HMV i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XCAAAOSwb~RfwghT/s-l1600.jpg Prequel images.45worlds.com/f/dv/star-wars-prequel-trilogy-dv.jpg Prequel HMV www.swonvideo.com/dvd/imageslarge/vdvdhmvptboxfront.jpg
I have the French/Dutch version of the silver widescreens films. With this one the sticker with 'for the first time on dvd' is also on the cover itself but both in French and Dutch, so the sticker has slightly more text, though it seems to me the same size. No idea if there was a gold version released as an exclusive or as full screen here in the Netherlands.
Here in the UK fullscreen DVD wasn’t really a thing as it was in the US. The other really cool thing about 2004 even though I understand it has nothing to do with the home video library, was the original Star Wars trilogy soundtracks also had a HMV exclusive gold box set and standard silver box set was also widely available as well.
I've never gotten into the soundtracks as far as collecting, barring the ROTS one because the CD came with a DVD. I'd imagine it's probably not quite as much to collect but still ridiculous given the number of formats and releases.
Nathan Butler in terms of soundtracks I have the gold and silver Box 2004 versions for the original trilogy (that’s the same design as the 2004 DVD gold and silver packaging) I have the Revenge of the Sith sound track with the limited edition gold slipcover (this was a HMV exclusive). I’ve got the Yoda inlay for attack of the clones (This was the only Soundtrack where you had three inlays to collect four if you include the actual poster art version). I have the expanded score for Phantom Menace with Darth Maul on the front as well as the official soundtrack with the original Phantom Menace poster out on the front. I was just sad that the 2004 releases of the original trilogy soundtrack however never saw a vinyl release even though from memory the original 1997 special edition versions I think may have got vinyls for each film. What can I say Nathan I’ve been a John Williams fan since I was five all the way back to 1991 😜
I have both the Australian and uk versions on dvd both silver and gold editions and preorder the Australian version from Kmart and the 2007 gout edition original trilogy collection on dvd
Yeah, about that gold box set being widescreen, widescreen TVs weren’t accepted as quickly in the US as they were in Europe. I think Europe first started selling widescreen TVs in the late 90s, but it took until the late 2000s for everyone in the US to finally own a widescreen TV. That’s also probably why American TV shows were still fullscreen during the 2000s.
4% speed up for Pal. My copy of Jedi ran at 25 frames per second when I ran it. The Australian release is what the seller sent me even though I purchased the UK copy. They are for all intents and purposes identical and use the same PAL standard master. Was going to get Empire and Star Wars but I noticed a price spike.
As far as I can tell there were also HMV exclusive box sets for the 2008 box sets (the 2006 repacks) which are character exclusive (and lets be honest have blander covers). As far as I can tell they are repacks of the 2008 sets and are far less common then the non HMV exclusive versions (which have nicer covers).
Original images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41SKMd53UOL._AC_.jpg
Original HMV i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XCAAAOSwb~RfwghT/s-l1600.jpg
Prequel images.45worlds.com/f/dv/star-wars-prequel-trilogy-dv.jpg
Prequel HMV www.swonvideo.com/dvd/imageslarge/vdvdhmvptboxfront.jpg
my grandad has this trilogy i have my own version of it and me and my grandad always use to watch return of the jedi together when i was younger
I always watch the dvds.
I have the French/Dutch version of the silver widescreens films. With this one the sticker with 'for the first time on dvd' is also on the cover itself but both in French and Dutch, so the sticker has slightly more text, though it seems to me the same size.
No idea if there was a gold version released as an exclusive or as full screen here in the Netherlands.
Here in the UK fullscreen DVD wasn’t really a thing as it was in the US.
The other really cool thing about 2004 even though I understand it has nothing to do with the home video library, was the original Star Wars trilogy soundtracks also had a HMV exclusive gold box set and standard silver box set was also widely available as well.
I've never gotten into the soundtracks as far as collecting, barring the ROTS one because the CD came with a DVD. I'd imagine it's probably not quite as much to collect but still ridiculous given the number of formats and releases.
Nathan Butler in terms of soundtracks I have the gold and silver Box 2004 versions for the original trilogy (that’s the same design as the 2004 DVD gold and silver packaging) I have the Revenge of the Sith sound track with the limited edition gold slipcover (this was a HMV exclusive).
I’ve got the Yoda inlay for attack of the clones (This was the only Soundtrack where you had three inlays to collect four if you include the actual poster art version).
I have the expanded score for Phantom Menace with Darth Maul on the front as well as the official soundtrack with the original Phantom Menace poster out on the front.
I was just sad that the 2004 releases of the original trilogy soundtrack however never saw a vinyl release even though from memory the original 1997 special edition versions I think may have got vinyls for each film.
What can I say Nathan I’ve been a John Williams fan since I was five all the way back to 1991 😜
I have both the Australian and uk versions on dvd both silver and gold editions and preorder the Australian version from Kmart and the 2007 gout edition original trilogy collection on dvd
I have the Original Trilogy theaters version on DVD 🤗 Han Solo Shoot... 🤔
I have the dvd and I watch it.
Wouldn't these UK DVDs play ever so slightly faster/sped up because of the PAL frame rate and encoding differences from NTSC as well?
I haven't tested that, and given that I'm playing on an all-region player, not a specific PAL player, I wouldn't trust the results anyway.
Yes. Yes it would.
I never touch the dvds because hand sweats and they don't work