After finally getting 4K77, I simply cannot watch any other version. I'm back in the theater in 1977 (I was 13) and it is so vindicating to finally have the original without all of the recoloring that younger people assumed is the way it was. To each his own. MTFBWY!
The Despecialized Editions are still my go-to versions, and I think they provide the best balance providing a restored, cleaned up, high definition look. 4K77 is also really well done if you want a more authentic experience and you want to know what it must have been like to see Star Wars for the first time in theatres in 1977.
100%. It takes the best of the updates, and cuts the crap. The musical number in Episode VI is the worst thing to ever happen to Star Wars. I hate it so much more than Jar Jar and The Last Jedi.
Totally agree. The digital ad ins were garbage, and the alternate ending the ROTJ was embarrassing. STAR WARS in it's theatrical release on blue ray despecialized is the best original trilogy experience.
I completely agree. I love my 4k77 version of the original Star Wars. There is only one small scene that made the disc that i don't remember being in theaters. It's a 1-2 second scene of Luke, Obi Wan, R2, and C3PO in the landspeeder. If memory serves, it has the landspeeder going away from the screen in Mos Eisley. It looks like bad CGI. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I am just mis-remembering.
Indeed. Harmy's Despecialized Editions are the best. The creator of this video is very naive, he's surprised that Disney has not released a Theatrical version of the Star Wars OT. Everybody knows why.
As someone who grew up watching his dad's Star Wars vhs tapes, to me it seems unbelievable that some people still haven't seen the original versions of the original trilogy. It should be obvious since they haven't been readily available in almost 20 years, but it's just something I've never thought about.
People aren’t very intelligent, for the most part. I still see a lot of them wearing masks outside. This guy would rather watch the special editions over the originals? What a fooking dope.
Something that gave me a short sharp shuck was realising that when the sequels came out there were grown up people who had watched the prequels as children in just the same way I had seen the originals as a child when the prequels came out. If that makes sense.
Hah, you just reminded me this is kinda how I learned about the PAL speedup issue, watching Star Wars VHS endlessly as a kid, there was a scene at the end of ANH I always noticed where Han shoots the control panel in the Death Star and the audio seemed way out of sync, or something was off... I thought it was just old editing or whatever, later on found out it was just the 4% speedup.
@@chrisparkes2179 Unless you saw it in the theater in 1977 you will never see the exact original. There were changes to the VHS of the early 80s, but it is the closest to the original. After that there was change after change.
The problem isn't that George made changes, the problem is that those original cuts aren't available to the general public. Also something can be said that for every category Star Wars '77 won Oscars for, George altered. That's messing with months of hard work done by other artists
They are available and unedited on the 2011 Blu-ray release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga in the special features section of the 9-disc collection with Little Anakin on the cover of the box set. There’s another Blu-ray edition of the same name but with Darth Vader on the cover but doesn’t have these movies in the special features section.
I bought these dvds not too long ago myself. They're good to have even though the picture and audio isn't the best. In a way I think there's some charm and maybe even some benefit to older movies not being completely polished and pristine. I think it adds to that retro, nostalgic feel these movies can have.
Yes, I absolutely agree. I have just recently seen the new 4k print of The Godfather. Afterwards, I got out my original DVDs and watched certain scenes. I like my older DVDs more because of the grainy texture to the film. It's gritty, it's dirty so it fits the theme of the movie. Secondly, it looks like a film made in the 50s. So, an overhaul isn't always for the better.
Chuck, if that's how you feel, you would LOVE the 4k77, 4k80, and 4k83 restorations. They're grainy, not overly-polished, and look like what you would have seen in the theater. You should relive the theater experience, not the VHS experience.
@@trekkiejunk I have those well. They are indeed very well done and probably my preferred way to watch the trilogy. It's about as good as it gets without an official release.
I have owned these twice and both times the discs have started returning an error and refusing to play despite not being damaged or anything. I am convinced that it's intentional....
If Lucas is so intent on constantly making tweaks and changes to existing Star Wars material, then someone should hand him the original print of the Star Wars Holiday Special. Let's see what he can do with that!
@@FireLordIroh Well, that would be ONE way of improving on it. Or, with all the technology and resources that Lucas has at his disposal, he could go back and tweak and change the hell out of it. De-age this character, age up that character, remove certain scenes and characters, digitally add new ones, put in subtitles for the first 10 minutes of it, refilm the animated scenes, etc., etc. Even if it were just for the fun of it as a side project. I'd be curious to see if he could make something compelling and interesting out of that incoherent trainwreck. If he were to succeed, then we could once again refer to him as a true cinematic visionary, and all that ILM digital technology he has locked away at the Skywalker ranch would be worth its weight in gold - for the impossible would have been achieved!
its a holiday special, i dont see how inconsistency with character ages and such would be an issue. thats like asking rocky horror picture show to feature "believable characters".
I vividly remember finding these on the shelf at target when they were first released. I thought oh great another special edition release. Then I looked at the back for special features and… bought them immediately! I knew then and there that this was the last chance to own the original cuts. Still watching these dvds to this day. ⭐️ 👍
I know, right! Which is why, when getting these from Amazon website, I made sure that, first and foremost, they were or had the theatrical version. Speaking of ''theatrical version'', yeah, it still kinda bums me to this day that I was introduced to ESB (via VHS) before ANH as a young kid back in, what, '97? I knew it was in the Fall (Autumn), as I can't remember the exact year like I can with, say, for example, Jurassic Park! Haha! With THAT film, I can safely say that I first saw it in March of 1998. Anyway, reason I am still kinda bummed that I saw ESB before ANH is that I ''saw'' the secret to the magic trick BEFORE seeing the trick! In other words, I found out Vader was Luke's father before Obi-Wan told our hero. Still, am so grateful to my grandparents for introducing me to ESB! Had I not seen ANY film from the OT, it would have been Phantom Menace that would've been my first Star Wars film. 😊
@@SilverScreenStash we are talking about official releases. Any way the despecialized is not the original theatrical release. It is constructed of many different edits and versions to get a cut that is as close to the original as possible in the best quality. Still not the original we are referring to here.
I did the same thing, but in Best Buy! I scooped them up immediately! I'm so happy I have them. I'd rather watch slightly poorer video and sound quality than watch scenes that are substantively crappier.
Fun fact: Did you know the Maclunky version of A New Hope was actually from what was supposed to be a 3D re-release? Back then, every movie was supposed to be released yearly in 3D but was only able to do one movie before the Disney buyout. So If Lucas still held onto it, it would've came out in 2015
I’m waiting for the VR version of Star Wars. Maybe for the 50th anniversary, it will be 3D IMAX of the original trilogy. Or 4DX or dome version…. A man can dream…
I still have my old VHS tapes of the original trilogy that I bought in the 1980's. I could not give them up and kept them in a box for years. I used to view them for old time's sake until my VHS player died. I still keep them anyway. I saw the first releases when I was a kid.
OMG!! I remember I borrowed one of these copies from my library when I was in high school and, I remember hearing people always saying how the original theatrical release was never digitalized... thank you for proving me right!!
I still have these DVDs and pull them out occasionally. ESB is the only one that I think, on-balance, is better. The upgrades in Cloud City are very fitting. My major problems are the Jabba scene in ANH that literally just repeats Han’s conversation with Greedo, the awkwardness of Han dodging a blaster, and the musical number in RotJ that grinds the narrative to a halt but isn’t actually any good. The rest is white noise at worst.
I agree. And also that Ewoks song at end of Return of the Jedi (composed by John Williams) was excellent and a true shame they removed it in the Special Edition (and subsequent) releases. I will make sure my kids see the "real ending" to RotJ and not that silly ending with the fireworks and generic music.
@@bigdreams5554 Funny, the new end music on Jedi is the only change I've ever liked. I was going through a rough time in 97 and the new music just seemed optimistic and nostalgic at the same time. Hope fir a better future and comfort in memories of a better past. Also, I could never get past it sounding like "Celebrate the Lord" on the original.
Happy that I got to see Return of the Jedi back in 1983 at the cinema when it was first released and so got to experience it in the highest picture and audio quality that is likely to ever be available. Hopefully one day they do release those original version in 4k home video.
I also saw it in the cinema and I so hoped that Disney (being the cash grabbers they are) would release the original version again. I think the market would be huge.
@@MrSeedi76 despecialized editions exist. theyve been out for years. you OT manbabies can finally stfu with the "rElEaSe tHe THeAtRiCaL CUts!?" whining already.
I understand that they are essentially the same movies and that a lot of changes were probably for the better (thinking of putting Ian McDiarmid in Empire) , but there are so many things that stuck with me watching the VHS tapes as a kid like the wolf-man in the cantina, the original Max Rebo Band songs, Yub Nub etc. Those images and sounds are imprinted on my brain. It’s hard to imagine a Star Wars fan growing up with alternate versions of those scenes.
I have the original unaltered cuts and recently ran Star Wars through one of my programs to get it looking like theater quality. It took 14 hours to render and ended up 10 gigabytes in size. But when it was projected on my outdoor 7x4 metre drive-in screen it bought tears to my eyes. A labor of love from all. I shared it with my brother on the eve of his 45th birthday. Under the stars and he didn't even complain once about the mosquitos. You see, I never got to see it when it was first release in Australia. My mum wouldn't let me because with the hordes of people queuing up she thought it was a rock concert and I'd get trampled as a nine year old. But you do what you gotta do to live the dream. And erecting that huge screen almost got me squashed anyway...
Your mistaken about the episode number and title being added to the VHS releases. They were already on the movies by the time they started coming out on video. The episode numbers and titles began appearing with The Empire Strikes Back In 1980. The next re-release of Star Wars in theaters was in spring of '81 where the New Hope title appeared. The first VHS release of Star Wars was in 1982.
BACK THEM UP! I bought the Limited Editions back in the day when they were still brand new, and all my bonus disks are now suffering from so much bit-rot that no DVD player will even admit they have data on them, let alone play the theatrical version.
G'day it's Steven from Sydney Love that younger generations are enjoying Star Wars as much as I have since I was a boy at the time of their theatrical releases. May the Force be with you
Love the coverage on the channel, thank you for your hard work. Watching the theatrical versions of Star Wars today does little if you did not watch the theatrical versions of Star Wars when they were released- context is king, 99% of the population at the time of the films release had no clue what we were going to see, yes, there was great anticipation and the trailer did capture our imaginations at the time but those of us old enough to remember going to the theater in 1977 were smacked in the face awestruck with Star Wars - the crowds, the multiple repeat viewings, the applause and excitement when the Millennium Falcon goes into hyper space, the overall hunger for anything Star Wars is something difficult to repeat as it was not an experience people would normally have going to see a movie up to that moment. Somehow in 1977, a film transcended being just a film- When I have seen the original theatrical releases it brings me back to those moments of wonder and excitement - I get how people who experienced the original release in ‘77 tell others that the theatrical version is best but watching it today without the context of the time, watching the theatrical version is but one part of the entire experience that made Star Wars so impactful. I think it would help to watch the theatrical versions in a large theater screen with tons of people who appreciate the films as much as you do and maybe even see some of the documentaries to give you a sense of what was happening at the time of release. Still, I am amazed at the staying power of the films and the impact today.
Wow, this video is getting a lot more attention than I ever expected. I just wanted to say thank you to everybody watching, it means the world to me. If you enjoyed the video please subscribe so you don't miss out on what's to come next!
There was another release that included the theatrical editions on DVD as a Bonus. I think they are the same DVDs discussed here except they each came in their own DVD case rather than being disc 2 in a 2 disc case. I don't remember what year it came out, but I have it.
*I saw all 6 movies in the theater on their respective releases. The special editions make them better... because the changes come from George Lucas himself. "I'm of the opinion" that a director/producer can change their own works.* He and others should be allowed to rework their vision where the studio directly/indirectly intervened. Now, my childhood self doesn't see Han Solo as a murderer. Anyways, the true outrage should be directed to Disney and JJ Abrams for releasing that atrocious mockery of George Lucas' epic story. If it were possible for Lucas to re-film all of that, I'll allow it. This time with no Simon Pegg.
@@hulkhatepunybanner FACTS! Simon Pegg does not deserve to be in a Star Wars movie after some of the things he said, which I don’t even know all of them. I agree that If the filmmaker returns and changes their work, they are improving it. Without the OG generation bias, it looks silly and childish to see some of the Special Edition complaints, and they are arguably a positive change
@@officialmonarchmusic *A bit of history: Simon Pegg had a UK sitcom called Spaced. In it his character took any opportunity possible to rant about The Phantom Menace and George Lucas.* Pegg's sitcom was cancelled a year later - 14 episodes.
Unfortunately, my copy has the Greedo shoots first version but, thank God, I don't have Vader moaning "Nooooooooooooo" as he grabs Palps off of his son, Luke. I can say that I saw the Original Trilogy in theaters and the experience is indelibly burned into my memory.
Yes that was the addition that came with the first Blu-ray release..... THAT and the terrible Videomasters with crushed blacks in that terrible colour grading. Something they i think solved again with the UHD release but sadly it's still coming with all the Lucas-Revisionism....
Absolutely, those editions with the “extra disc with theatrical version” are the best thing yet released. Not the nicest version by any means, but better than no original theatrical version at all. So those are nice, and allow a person who saw them in the theatres to say, “This is what we actually saw. From 1977 to 1983, this is what the technology allowed, and there weren’t CG effects at the time, they didn’t exist. This is before the films were altered.”
I have a feeling that Lucus had it written into the contract that the orginals could not be released when he signed over to Disney. No way they would not have put these out if they could...
IF YOU HAD GROWN UP SEEING THE ORIGINAL THEATRICAL MOVIES IN THE THEATER AND ON VHS, YOU WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE CHASTIZED LUCAS FOR DOING WHAT HE DID. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ORIGINAL TRILLOGY WAS THE CUT HIS EX-WIFE EDITED AND GOT AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR.
He replaced a lot of the groundbreaking special effects with CGI. The effects eon an Oscar as well. The makers of those effects contributed invaluably to the success of the movie. Now their work is deemed irrelevant.
His ex-wife WAS in fact one of the editors on his film. So? Academy awards don't actually mean very much, just because it won an Oscar doesn't mean it's perfect or can't be improved upon
@@zacmumblethunder7466 The same argumentation could be used with every alternate unused take of a movie. Does Lucas have an obligation to include that. If somebody redoes the CG in a modern movie, (Which happens all the time, and always has) are they taking the original makers' work and "deeming it irrelevant"?
The problem with watching the Special Editions is that if you grew up watching the theatrical versions for 20 years, you were pretty used to the flow, and it doesn't feel that immersive when the changes come up. Like a musician who changes one of the verses of classic song, you're immediately aware that you're watching a new version. It takes you out of the moment. If you didn't grow up with the originals, then enjoy the SEs!
I agree. I saw the original in the theatre in 1977. I still prefer the originals to the altered ones. To me all the additions to the originals are like a painting that has been overworked by the artist.
I am a gen xer who saw the special editions back in 97. I loved some of the changes, others not so much. I enjoyed the new Death Star battle scenes a LOT. The Jabba scenes were disappointing in execution but I enjoyed the spirit of the scene. I thought Jabba looked like Grimace from McDonalds. What bummed me out at the time was the absence of the Tatooine scenes at the junk shop and the extra scenes with Biggs. I totally thought going into the film that we were going to see these. I seem to recall a cdrom at the time having these clips (in very poor quality nonetheless but they WERE there). So naturally I assumed they would be included and was pissed when they weren’t. I also felt they went overboard on Mos Eisly and made it far too busy. It lost a lot of its podunk town charm in the process.
Lucas RUINED the flow of the original movies. RUINED the sound track. RUINED the best story beats. I tried watching the special edition and just ended up turning it off in a rage.
They use to show the original cuts on tv in the 80s and 90s. Even the sci fi channel shown them in the early years. I bought those dvds for the original cuts. From the special edition, I like how they had the biggs in it.
@jayhughes3843 no idea. I'm not in legal. Lol. The last time I saw the original cut on tv was the scifi channel in 1993, I believe bc Carrie Fisher hosted the marathon. Before that, I saw them on local channels in the 80s before they were bought by the big networks in the 80s.
I bought these DVDs right when they first came out back in 2006, and, in the US at least, BeatBuy had them available in a limited edition metal tin which is still one of my prized possessions when it comes to my physical media collection. I’m feeling super old though, as I grew up in a time where the original versions were the ONLY version to watch, lol. But I have never been a “Special Edition” hater and can appreciate some of the alterations. Nonetheless I never watched them enough to the point that they’ve replaced the original versions for me.
The original “Star Wars” (NOT “Episode IV”, NOT “A New Hope”, but “STAR WARS”) was nigh perfect filmmaking from a time when special effects had to be practical because the techniques to create the effects seen in the prequel trilogy had yet to be created. So yeah, the theatrical release from 1977, imperfections and all, is the only version I watch. It would be the only entry in the series I’d watch if it weren’t for my kids’ devotion to the franchise and every half-assed project released since Disney got ahold of it.
I have these six DVDs. I bought them back in the day *because* they included the un-defaced versions. I am really glad that I did now that it looks like Lucasfilm isn't content with just making their new version but that they want to memory-hole the original ones.
Nowadays anybody can watch the Harmy's De-Specialized Edition online, so there's no reason to complain if you're a purist of the original un-altered movies.
I have these DVD's. I ripped the theatrical versions to my computer and then used Handbrake to crop the black borders, applied a mild "unsharp mask" filter, and kept the compression very very low. The purpose of this was so that I could play them from my Plex server. The results were quite good, these versions are still very watchable.
Idk why people always forget about these. Whenever you see people talking about the originals they always say the last time they were released was on laser disc. I remember these releasing and you could get the whole trilogy in a really cool metal tin box set.
I remember going to see the original in 1977, without really knowing what I was going to see. Wow, what can you say? Mind-blowing! Then along comes Empire... three years later. Wow wow wow. Of course Jedi followed. But getting to see all three at the same cinema showing in the mid-late 80's was just incredible. Even though it meant being in the cinema for about seven hours!
Slight correction: Empire and Jedi always had the Episode V and Episode VI in the opening crawl. It was only A New Hope which was added later, and that was added in the 1981 re-release Everyone has their own values when watching. I'd rather watch a fuzzy, muffled VHS then the special editions, but I'm done telling people watching the special editions first will wreck the experience. They're fine, just a little distracting for me personally (more distracting than crappy audio and image quality)
Those de-specialized editions off Etsy are NOT authorized by the actual people working on those edits. Hard working fans put in years of work and their own money to scan film and edit the theatrical editions together with the specific request that no one pay for these edits. These sellers on Etsy that sell already-burned discs of the de-specialized cuts are profiting off of other people’s work without their consent, so do NOT purchase Theatrical versions from anyone. There are people who will kindly guide you to copies you can download or make discs for personal use.
@@rayg2724 Decided to remove that part of my comment. Fair point. While in general I don't believe "piracy" is unethical if it's a product the companies refuse to sell, I hadn't considered it would negatively affect the creators of those fan edits by labeling them "pirates." So I won't openly promote that option.
Im still not convinced that Lucas didnt structure the SW sale to Disney in such a way that it wouldnt allow for any future re-release of the theatrical versions of the OT. I just dont see ANY way that Disney WOULDN'T have made them available for purchase by now if they could
On the plus side, I think that very part of the contract (i.e. only releasing George's vision for the films) will also mean that they will not be altered any further from here on out
I was born in 1972, saw the original in theater when I was 5. I can see what you are saying about having your "version" of Star Wars. One thing I really like about the Special Editions is that George was able to make the Star Wars environment more "full". He added groups of Jawa just hangin out near the Cantina.. he added banthas in the desert search. I agree he added to, not hurt the story.
@@electrodeboywell Sebastian shaw was just a stand in. It was david prowse in the suit for all three movies and james earl jones as the voice. Only his head as unmasked vader was kept but since anakin we know what he looks like in ROTS it makes it better that he changed it. Like why would anakin come back older? He came back as anakin before vader, thats the point
@@bronson1392 the fact that I continued to not only watch, but grow into creating sci-fi models and other items tells me exactly how I felt. I was impressed, and I was hooked. Take your negativity and run along to your pity party.
I grew up with the original versions of the original trilogy, and I watched Star Wars (aka A New Hope) over 100 times on vhs, so the new scenes stand out a mile to me. I have these same DVDs so I must dust them off and have another watch of the theatrical version. I wasn't aware these versions had also been updated so I'll see what changes I can spot.
I don't think Disney has the rights to release the theatrical versions. Seeing as the current versions arguably ARE the movies, Lucas most likely prohibited Disney from changing them, which would include changing them backwards. The changes made in the 4k releases were most likely made by Lucas when he made the 3-d conversions of the films
The dvd versions with the the 'original' theatrical versions are worth picking up if you can find them (and play them) just to avoid the pointless cgi, but for the proper 'seeing it when I was a kid' feeling puggo's 16mm uploads are the best for me; the audio and visual crackles all add to the cinematic experience.
These were the versions I grew up with. I distinctly remember getting these at the store with my dad, coming home and popping in ANH, watching it for a little bit, then him noticing the special edition changes and swapping discs.
I remember when these DVD's were released and OT fans still complained that Lucasfilm didn't put any work into the theatrical releases. Perhaps they could've put a little more work into them but Lucasfilm is really committed to the special editions. And now the special editions have existed longer than the theatrical editions did. I grew up with the theatrical versions on pan and scan VHS so I'm happy watching my HD versions now
I got this set (in a very nice tin box set) for my brother when they released, as he hated the Special Editions. I already had the original versions on VHS but eventually got myself a set of the DVDs on eBay and I’m glad I did. It’s nice to have one non-special edition in the collection.
Disney actually DONT have the rights to release the unaltered theatrical cuts at all. When George Lucas sold the franchise to Disney, he gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted with the franchise with the one exception that the theatrical cuts of the Original Trilogy were to never be released again under any circumstances. It was even written into the contract that was signed by Lucas, Bob Iger the CEO of Disney and Kathleen Kennedy the President of Lucasfilm. The only way I can ever see the unaltered theatrical cuts getting an official release either on 4K UHD or whatever format is the current one at the time is when Lucas passes away and his estate signs off on it and gives Disney permission to do it.
I agree. I got the latest Blu rays. And i have to say that the remastered of the O.T. looks amazing. Those remasters are from 35 mm negatives. Till day Is one of the best versions. The 2004 DVD and 2011 Blu rays they were so color saturated.
You can also download the original theatrical cuts in 4K. There was a project called Project 4K that includes 4K77, 4K80, and 4K83. They are scanned from the original 35mm film and look amazing. There is also the Despecialized Editions that are recreations of the original theatrical cuts. They are only 1080p, but the color grading is very good.
I have reason to believe that the unaltered versions will be given a proper transfer, restoration and release in time for the saga’s 50th anniversary in 2027.
I got the limited tin set of these limited edition dvds for Christmas one year and just thought “cool, finally have Star Wars on dvd”. Wasn’t until years later I realised the bonus features on the second discs! So glad to have these in my collection.
I bought them 12 years ago. As soon as I found out they arent going to include them on the Bluray release. But I think I might have to set up my VCR again.
The original versions kinda don't exist. The original materials and film that was composited have been altered for the special edition. So people are limited to making a copy of a copy. Also the original films released to different theatre formats and there were slightly different versions of the films playing in theatres all at the same time. Even empire had a version with a different ending playing in theatres. It's really really difficult to even really pin down which released theatrical version is to be considered the original version.
I really wish people would stop calling that ESB ending a "different ending". It's edited slightly differently with some added insert shots. The outcome of the ending is still the same.
@@samtheweebo Yes, as I said, added insert shots. The way people go around talking about a different ending, you'd think the actual outcome of the story was different. It's the same ending, just slightly re-edited with some extra establishing shots.
I grew up on the VHS version and I still like the current editions I Just wish there was an option to view the originals To this day that scene from empire where vader talks to the emperor still catches me off guard because I keep expecting the old emperor and there are a lot of scenes like that such as vader yelling "No!" When saving luke
100% sure Lucas would have put something in the contract of sale for Star Wars preventing Disney from ever releasing the original cuts which he considered ‘unfinished’ , otherwise they would have done it for the money by now. He also seems to have gone out of his way to have original prints altered or they have just been lost, which is why restoration projects have had to work so hard.
On the plus side, I think that very part of the contract (i.e. only releasing George's vision for the films) will also mean that they will not be altered any further from here on out
I have the THX VHS big black box edition shown at 2:45. The only problem is that if you try to watch VHS on a modern HD or UHD flat screen - it looks horrible. Almost makes me miss my CRT Trinitron that was replaced long ago for a 1080p projection screen Hitachi TV. Try finding one of those today! Harder than old Star Wars movies.
I like the idea James Rolfe suggested of having a special Blu-Ray release of the original trilogy where you're able to access a menu and toggle between different changes to make a custom version of the movie. You could watch any of the altered versions, you could watch the original versions, or you could mix-and-match. This would be perfect. It would be my personal go-to way of watching the original Star Wars movies. This would be perfect for the 50th anniversary (preferably we'd get them sooner than that but that would be a perfect time to release them if they were to exist one day)
Every since I was a kid, has always owned the Limited Edition. The funny thing is that, for a very long time, I never realized that I could watch the theatrical version of Star Wars right away lol
I also have the special edition with the original versions and they are the only versions I watch. BTW - Han did not only shoot first, he was in fact the only one who fired a shot at all.
Jabba: "Han My Bookie... You Disappoint Me. Why Did You Crispy Poor Greedo?" Han: "Look, Jabba, Next Time You Wanna talk to me, come see me yourself. Don't send these Twerps." Jabba: Han, I can't make exceptions. What if everyone who smuggled for me dropped their Load at First sign of an Imperial Starship? It's not Good Business." Han: "Look, Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes. (steps on Jabba's tail, causing him to yelp in pain) Did you think I had a choice? But I got a nice easy charter now; I'll pay you back, plus a little extra. I just need a little more time." Jabba: "Han, my boy, you're the best smuggler I ever hired. So, for an extra 20%..." Han: "15, Jabba & Don't Push It." Jabba: Okay, Okay, 15%. But if you Fail me again, I'll put a price on your head so big, you won't be able to go near a Civilized System." Han: "Jabba, You're A Beautiful Human Being."
The version of SW a person prefers seems to predictably revolve around the version they first saw as a child. So, there's this weird generational gap between people who were kids in the 80s and early 90s those who didn't see it until after the Special Edition came to be. I happen to have a set of the Limited Edition DVDs and I've short-circuited the trend by showing those versions to my kids first. Yub nub.
In the late 90s the Malaysians essentially had a BlueRay cinema system. The discs are 1080 versions of the original versions of these films. I bought them at uni from ebay when it was pretty new for next to nothing. They are amazing and I don't know why Lucasfilm never released these versions at least once in 2k+
I kept these DVDs for this very reason. However, at some point I acquired fan recreations of the original theatrical cuts, upscaled on Blu-Ray, and they are superb.
They are not the same, and I grew up with the SE versions, the atmosphere with the original effects is something else, feels like a movie from the time and you can actually see why A New Hope won on the Academy Awards and also is very important for preservation, I mean, one of the most influential and groundbreaking movie of all times is not available on his original form? Sucks
i am buying all old favourites again on dvd and blu ray. i dont trust that the Hollywood companies and streaming services wont delete or censor things because they dont fit modern times as we know it. Same goes with books cds and vinyl. i was conned to stop buying physical copies and even got rid of my various collections. even if they dont censor whats it going to cost to stream 10 years from now
Also, even if you buy a movie from some of these streaming sites to "own", they can still delete them at any time. I don't know if they are required to give a refund.
Agree with all these comments guys; sorry you got rid of some collections there George... Also buying many "old favourites" on bluray myself, as it is amazing how inferior they make DVD quality look. If you have the shelf space at home, then go nuts say I!
Thank you for this video. I will hunt for these DVDs at thrift shops. I agree that *your* Star Wars is the first one you saw. I saw Star Wars in 1977 at age 9, so those (4K77!) are my nostalgia fuel.
I have every version starting with the old VHS, the old set of DVDs and this set you have but I usually watch the 4k dolby vision versions for convince. After your video I decided to watch the old DVD version of A new Hope. I brought back memories of how the old movies looked and sounded which was great at that time.
I got those limited edition dvds that you mentioned around when they were released (Return of the Jedi by 2006). Although I have distant memories of watching the Special Editiions on release in theatres (1998) I only ever watch the theatrical versions of the films on these DVD sets . The other DVD in each set is still good for extra features and the mountain of effort put into the menus. They are well worth the purchase and a natural complement to the Prequel Trilogy double DVD sets released about a year before (2001-2005). If you have a DVD player and you are a fan of Starwars you could do worse.
10:11 It’s a mixed blessing in a way: a high quality release of the theatrical cut would definitely be more accessible but IMO there’s little chance that anything they’d release would have the same care as the fan projects and, what’s more, an official release would put the fan projects DIRECTLY in their crosshairs (okay, maybe more central in their crosshairs lol).
given how return of the jedi turns 40 this year (and given how disney can DEFINITELY do it, if fans can), i'd love to see a box set of the unaltered original trilogy in 4k and blu ray, maybe hiring some of the people who worked on those restorations to help with it
after the dvds, you get the despecialized versions. then you find out about fan made scans of original film prints. then you get multiples of those! i have the first 35mm scans in 1080p. then i have the 4k77/4k80/4k83 project scans. and finally i have 16mm scans of the trilogy, full of scratches and dirt. for the real grindhouse experience lol.
Great vid dude! I hope it brings subs to your channel. I was born in '85, so I grew up with the theatrical versions on home media. I remember being a kid, and being stoked for the Special Editions, and they were great! But as I got older, I started to miss the original versions. I bought the Blu-Ray set as well and replaced the discs for 4, 5 and 6 with the Despecialized Edition from Harmy. I've not heard of the 4K77 releases, so I'll definitely check those out!
the DVD isn't even the 77 original. It is the 81 cut with the 93 audio mix with the 77 crawl spliced onto the beginning. I only got to watch the original when i saw 4K77.
Yeah like I said. These versions aren’t technically the originals, but it’s the closet thing we’ve ever gotten to a proper release of the Original Cuts.
Nowadays you barely have the UA-cam featurettes on the DVD/BR/4K. Gone are the times when you were rightfully (don't forget that one one of the reasons they gave us when DVDs where created) expecting a hour+ long documentary like those of Laurent Bouzereau... Hell, Darth Mouse gives us more "bonus material" on D+ than on their physical releases (and that's not even talking about the OMAX releases on D+ and NOT on physical). Granted, they are more auto-promotion than real documentaries (you'll NEVER hear anything remotely negative), but they are still real behind the scenes making if and not 2 minutes fearurettes.
@@BraveBladeProductions You're right, I love those making of, it got me started to learn about filmmaking process and I appreciated the filmmakers even more.
The funny thing is that I took me so long to realize that these dvd:s that I bought as a kid actually contained the original versions of Star Wars. The first time I realized it was few years ago. As a Finnish person I couldn't read English as a child so I had no clue these dvd:s had any special features, I just put the first dvd on the player and pressed the buttons until the movie started playing haha. I always just wondered why there's two discs in the case...
Never familiarized myself with the Special Edition changes and I went straight from watching the 1995 videotapes to these discs and then the Despecialized. This 2006 set looked fine until I got an HDTV a few years later and then I saw what all the critics didn't like. Being letterboxed but not anamorphic, I would just watch with the aspect ratio altered like you did to zoom in and it did not cut anything off.
I FINALLY WATCHED 4K77! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO NOW: ua-cam.com/video/gyBKFaU5ZKQ/v-deo.html
I spent your whole video wondering why not just watch Harmy or 4K77. Good to read you gave it a try.
I was about to post that too haha
Yeah
After finally getting 4K77, I simply cannot watch any other version. I'm back in the theater in 1977 (I was 13) and it is so vindicating to finally have the original without all of the recoloring that younger people assumed is the way it was. To each his own. MTFBWY!
The Despecialized Editions are still my go-to versions, and I think they provide the best balance providing a restored, cleaned up, high definition look. 4K77 is also really well done if you want a more authentic experience and you want to know what it must have been like to see Star Wars for the first time in theatres in 1977.
100%. It takes the best of the updates, and cuts the crap. The musical number in Episode VI is the worst thing to ever happen to Star Wars. I hate it so much more than Jar Jar and The Last Jedi.
Totally agree. The digital ad ins were garbage, and the alternate ending the ROTJ was embarrassing. STAR WARS in it's theatrical release on blue ray despecialized is the best original trilogy experience.
I completely agree. I love my 4k77 version of the original Star Wars. There is only one small scene that made the disc that i don't remember being in theaters. It's a 1-2 second scene of Luke, Obi Wan, R2, and C3PO in the landspeeder. If memory serves, it has the landspeeder going away from the screen in Mos Eisley. It looks like bad CGI. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I am just mis-remembering.
Indeed. Harmy's Despecialized Editions are the best.
The creator of this video is very naive, he's surprised that Disney has not released a Theatrical version of the Star Wars OT. Everybody knows why.
I already know what it was like to see Star Wars for the first time in 1977, because that was the year I first saw it!
As someone who grew up watching his dad's Star Wars vhs tapes, to me it seems unbelievable that some people still haven't seen the original versions of the original trilogy. It should be obvious since they haven't been readily available in almost 20 years, but it's just something I've never thought about.
People aren’t very intelligent, for the most part. I still see a lot of them wearing masks outside. This guy would rather watch the special editions over the originals? What a fooking dope.
Something that gave me a short sharp shuck was realising that when the sequels came out there were grown up people who had watched the prequels as children in just the same way I had seen the originals as a child when the prequels came out.
If that makes sense.
Hah, you just reminded me this is kinda how I learned about the PAL speedup issue, watching Star Wars VHS endlessly as a kid, there was a scene at the end of ANH I always noticed where Han shoots the control panel in the Death Star and the audio seemed way out of sync, or something was off... I thought it was just old editing or whatever, later on found out it was just the 4% speedup.
I always assumed people who liked the special editions would seek out the originals & see them.
@@chrisparkes2179 Unless you saw it in the theater in 1977 you will never see the exact original. There were changes to the VHS of the early 80s, but it is the closest to the original. After that there was change after change.
The problem isn't that George made changes, the problem is that those original cuts aren't available to the general public. Also something can be said that for every category Star Wars '77 won Oscars for, George altered. That's messing with months of hard work done by other artists
Artists who actually worked really hard to save his movie.
@@tjtenser7828 Nope. Fake news.
ua-cam.com/video/olqVGz6mOVE/v-deo.html
They are available on internet archive
They are available and unedited on the 2011 Blu-ray release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga in the special features section of the 9-disc collection with Little Anakin on the cover of the box set. There’s another Blu-ray edition of the same name but with Darth Vader on the cover but doesn’t have these movies in the special features section.
Amen!
I bought these dvds not too long ago myself. They're good to have even though the picture and audio isn't the best. In a way I think there's some charm and maybe even some benefit to older movies not being completely polished and pristine. I think it adds to that retro, nostalgic feel these movies can have.
@@spiritualanarchist8162 Han shoots first.
Yes, I absolutely agree. I have just recently seen the new 4k print of The Godfather. Afterwards, I got out my original DVDs and watched certain scenes. I like my older DVDs more because of the grainy texture to the film. It's gritty, it's dirty so it fits the theme of the movie. Secondly, it looks like a film made in the 50s. So, an overhaul isn't always for the better.
Chuck, if that's how you feel, you would LOVE the 4k77, 4k80, and 4k83 restorations. They're grainy, not overly-polished, and look like what you would have seen in the theater. You should relive the theater experience, not the VHS experience.
@@trekkiejunk I have those well. They are indeed very well done and probably my preferred way to watch the trilogy. It's about as good as it gets without an official release.
I have owned these twice and both times the discs have started returning an error and refusing to play despite not being damaged or anything. I am convinced that it's intentional....
The original releases are still the best. Please Disney, release them in Blu-Ray and 4K
If Lucas is so intent on constantly making tweaks and changes to existing Star Wars material, then someone should hand him the original print of the Star Wars Holiday Special. Let's see what he can do with that!
George once said that given the time and a sledgehammer he'd destroy every copy
@@FireLordIroh Well, that would be ONE way of improving on it. Or, with all the technology and resources that Lucas has at his disposal, he could go back and tweak and change the hell out of it. De-age this character, age up that character, remove certain scenes and characters, digitally add new ones, put in subtitles for the first 10 minutes of it, refilm the animated scenes, etc., etc. Even if it were just for the fun of it as a side project. I'd be curious to see if he could make something compelling and interesting out of that incoherent trainwreck. If he were to succeed, then we could once again refer to him as a true cinematic visionary, and all that ILM digital technology he has locked away at the Skywalker ranch would be worth its weight in gold - for the impossible would have been achieved!
@@plissken2156 George to my knowledge didn't really make it so by his own code of honor he wouldn't have the right to change it
Smash it with a hammer probably.
its a holiday special, i dont see how inconsistency with character ages and such would be an issue. thats like asking rocky horror picture show to feature "believable characters".
I vividly remember finding these on the shelf at target when they were first released. I thought oh great another special edition release. Then I looked at the back for special features and… bought them immediately! I knew then and there that this was the last chance to own the original cuts. Still watching these dvds to this day. ⭐️ 👍
I know, right! Which is why, when getting these from Amazon website, I made sure that, first and foremost, they were or had the theatrical version. Speaking of ''theatrical version'', yeah, it still kinda bums me to this day that I was introduced to ESB (via VHS) before ANH as a young kid back in, what, '97? I knew it was in the Fall (Autumn), as I can't remember the exact year like I can with, say, for example, Jurassic Park! Haha! With THAT film, I can safely say that I first saw it in March of 1998.
Anyway, reason I am still kinda bummed that I saw ESB before ANH is that I ''saw'' the secret to the magic trick BEFORE seeing the trick! In other words, I found out Vader was Luke's father before Obi-Wan told our hero.
Still, am so grateful to my grandparents for introducing me to ESB! Had I not seen ANY film from the OT, it would have been Phantom Menace that would've been my first Star Wars film. 😊
Great buy!
@@SilverScreenStash we are talking about official releases. Any way the despecialized is not the original theatrical release. It is constructed of many different edits and versions to get a cut that is as close to the original as possible in the best quality. Still not the original we are referring to here.
I did the same thing, but in Best Buy! I scooped them up immediately! I'm so happy I have them. I'd rather watch slightly poorer video and sound quality than watch scenes that are substantively crappier.
I too saw esb b4 anh
Fun fact: Did you know the Maclunky version of A New Hope was actually from what was supposed to be a 3D re-release? Back then, every movie was supposed to be released yearly in 3D but was only able to do one movie before the Disney buyout. So If Lucas still held onto it, it would've came out in 2015
awesome contribution dude! thanks for posting that. man i wish we got to see ep 2 and 3 in 3D!
That's cool to know, I saw Phantom Menace in 3d and was bummed they never released the rest, or even did a home media version of that!
I remember this.
I’m waiting for the VR version of Star Wars. Maybe for the 50th anniversary, it will be 3D IMAX of the original trilogy. Or 4DX or dome version…. A man can dream…
I still have my old VHS tapes of the original trilogy that I bought in the 1980's. I could not give them up and kept them in a box for years. I used to view them for old time's sake until my VHS player died. I still keep them anyway. I saw the first releases when I was a kid.
OMG!! I remember I borrowed one of these copies from my library when I was in high school and, I remember hearing people always saying how the original theatrical release was never digitalized... thank you for proving me right!!
I still have these DVDs and pull them out occasionally. ESB is the only one that I think, on-balance, is better. The upgrades in Cloud City are very fitting. My major problems are the Jabba scene in ANH that literally just repeats Han’s conversation with Greedo, the awkwardness of Han dodging a blaster, and the musical number in RotJ that grinds the narrative to a halt but isn’t actually any good. The rest is white noise at worst.
I agree. And also that Ewoks song at end of Return of the Jedi (composed by John Williams) was excellent and a true shame they removed it in the Special Edition (and subsequent) releases. I will make sure my kids see the "real ending" to RotJ and not that silly ending with the fireworks and generic music.
@@bigdreams5554 I agree. I miss Yub Nub, but it's doesn't have the same impact on the narrative in my opinion.
@@bigdreams5554 Funny, the new end music on Jedi is the only change I've ever liked. I was going through a rough time in 97 and the new music just seemed optimistic and nostalgic at the same time. Hope fir a better future and comfort in memories of a better past.
Also, I could never get past it sounding like "Celebrate the Lord" on the original.
@@chrisparkes2179 Celebrate the joy.
@@A_UA-cam_Commenter Ohhhh. Thanks.
Happy that I got to see Return of the Jedi back in 1983 at the cinema when it was first released and so got to experience it in the highest picture and audio quality that is likely to ever be available. Hopefully one day they do release those original version in 4k home video.
Nice. My Mom took me and my two siblings to see this 3 times in the summer of 1983. I was young, but I remember it.
bruh just watch the 4k77 or despecialized editions. you ot manbabies can finally stfu
I was really young, but I remember seeing Return of the Jedi in the drive in theater.
I also saw it in the cinema and I so hoped that Disney (being the cash grabbers they are) would release the original version again. I think the market would be huge.
@@MrSeedi76 despecialized editions exist. theyve been out for years. you OT manbabies can finally stfu with the "rElEaSe tHe THeAtRiCaL CUts!?" whining already.
I understand that they are essentially the same movies and that a lot of changes were probably for the better (thinking of putting Ian McDiarmid in Empire) , but there are so many things that stuck with me watching the VHS tapes as a kid like the wolf-man in the cantina, the original Max Rebo Band songs, Yub Nub etc. Those images and sounds are imprinted on my brain. It’s hard to imagine a Star Wars fan growing up with alternate versions of those scenes.
I have the original unaltered cuts and recently ran Star Wars through one of my programs to get it looking like theater quality. It took 14 hours to render and ended up 10 gigabytes in size. But when it was projected on my outdoor 7x4 metre drive-in screen it bought tears to my eyes. A labor of love from all. I shared it with my brother on the eve of his 45th birthday. Under the stars and he didn't even complain once about the mosquitos. You see, I never got to see it when it was first release in Australia. My mum wouldn't let me because with the hordes of people queuing up she thought it was a rock concert and I'd get trampled as a nine year old. But you do what you gotta do to live the dream. And erecting that huge screen almost got me squashed anyway...
Your mistaken about the episode number and title being added to the VHS releases.
They were already on the movies by the time they started coming out on video.
The episode numbers and titles began appearing with The Empire Strikes Back In 1980. The next re-release of Star Wars in theaters was in spring of '81 where the New Hope title appeared.
The first VHS release of Star Wars was in 1982.
BACK THEM UP! I bought the Limited Editions back in the day when they were still brand new, and all my bonus disks are now suffering from so much bit-rot that no DVD player will even admit they have data on them, let alone play the theatrical version.
my go to are the raw 4k scans of film prints with no restorations....I love the scratches on the film
G'day it's Steven from Sydney
Love that younger generations are enjoying Star Wars as much as I have since I was a boy at the time of their theatrical releases.
May the Force be with you
And with you Steven.
Love the coverage on the channel, thank you for your hard work. Watching the theatrical versions of Star Wars today does little if you did not watch the theatrical versions of Star Wars when they were released- context is king, 99% of the population at the time of the films release had no clue what we were going to see, yes, there was great anticipation and the trailer did capture our imaginations at the time but those of us old enough to remember going to the theater in 1977 were smacked in the face awestruck with Star Wars - the crowds, the multiple repeat viewings, the applause and excitement when the Millennium Falcon goes into hyper space, the overall hunger for anything Star Wars is something difficult to repeat as it was not an experience people would normally have going to see a movie up to that moment. Somehow in 1977, a film transcended being just a film- When I have seen the original theatrical releases it brings me back to those moments of wonder and excitement - I get how people who experienced the original release in ‘77 tell others that the theatrical version is best but watching it today without the context of the time, watching the theatrical version is but one part of the entire experience that made Star Wars so impactful. I think it would help to watch the theatrical versions in a large theater screen with tons of people who appreciate the films as much as you do and maybe even see some of the documentaries to give you a sense of what was happening at the time of release. Still, I am amazed at the staying power of the films and the impact today.
Context is very important. Glad you enjoyed.
Wow, this video is getting a lot more attention than I ever expected. I just wanted to say thank you to everybody watching, it means the world to me. If you enjoyed the video please subscribe so you don't miss out on what's to come next!
Yeah, congratulations! This video deserves the attention, I'm going to check out the rest of your channel
There was another release that included the theatrical editions on DVD as a Bonus. I think they are the same DVDs discussed here except they each came in their own DVD case rather than being disc 2 in a 2 disc case. I don't remember what year it came out, but I have it.
*I saw all 6 movies in the theater on their respective releases. The special editions make them better... because the changes come from George Lucas himself. "I'm of the opinion" that a director/producer can change their own works.* He and others should be allowed to rework their vision where the studio directly/indirectly intervened. Now, my childhood self doesn't see Han Solo as a murderer. Anyways, the true outrage should be directed to Disney and JJ Abrams for releasing that atrocious mockery of George Lucas' epic story. If it were possible for Lucas to re-film all of that, I'll allow it. This time with no Simon Pegg.
@@hulkhatepunybanner FACTS! Simon Pegg does not deserve to be in a Star Wars movie after some of the things he said, which I don’t even know all of them.
I agree that If the filmmaker returns and changes their work, they are improving it. Without the OG generation bias, it looks silly and childish to see some of the Special Edition complaints, and they are arguably a positive change
@@officialmonarchmusic *A bit of history: Simon Pegg had a UK sitcom called Spaced. In it his character took any opportunity possible to rant about The Phantom Menace and George Lucas.* Pegg's sitcom was cancelled a year later - 14 episodes.
Unfortunately, my copy has the Greedo shoots first version but, thank God, I don't have Vader moaning "Nooooooooooooo" as he grabs Palps off of his son, Luke. I can say that I saw the Original Trilogy in theaters and the experience is indelibly burned into my memory.
Yes that was the addition that came with the first Blu-ray release..... THAT and the terrible Videomasters with crushed blacks in that terrible colour grading. Something they i think solved again with the UHD release but sadly it's still coming with all the Lucas-Revisionism....
Vader screaming no in the RoTJ really killed it
@@MrLGD1234 yep, killed it as in murder ruined it
@MadDog Mcree the chicken or the egg?
So you have the 2004's edition
Absolutely, those editions with the “extra disc with theatrical version” are the best thing yet released. Not the nicest version by any means, but better than no original theatrical version at all. So those are nice, and allow a person who saw them in the theatres to say, “This is what we actually saw. From 1977 to 1983, this is what the technology allowed, and there weren’t CG effects at the time, they didn’t exist. This is before the films were altered.”
I have a feeling that Lucus had it written into the contract that the orginals could not be released when he signed over to Disney. No way they would not have put these out if they could...
Yeah no way they would leave this much money on the table.
Well, guess we will have to wait for George to croak, then!
@@HabitualJokeror pass away sadly
IF YOU HAD GROWN UP SEEING THE ORIGINAL THEATRICAL MOVIES IN THE THEATER AND ON VHS, YOU WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE CHASTIZED LUCAS FOR DOING WHAT HE DID. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ORIGINAL TRILLOGY WAS THE CUT HIS EX-WIFE EDITED AND GOT AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR.
He replaced a lot of the groundbreaking special effects with CGI. The effects eon an Oscar as well. The makers of those effects contributed invaluably to the success of the movie. Now their work is deemed irrelevant.
Agree, see my recent comment too.
I did and honestly for me it's his vision and I'm ok with most are better in my opinion and gel the movies better.
His ex-wife WAS in fact one of the editors on his film. So? Academy awards don't actually mean very much, just because it won an Oscar doesn't mean it's perfect or can't be improved upon
@@zacmumblethunder7466 The same argumentation could be used with every alternate unused take of a movie. Does Lucas have an obligation to include that. If somebody redoes the CG in a modern movie, (Which happens all the time, and always has) are they taking the original makers' work and "deeming it irrelevant"?
The problem with watching the Special Editions is that if you grew up watching the theatrical versions for 20 years, you were pretty used to the flow, and it doesn't feel that immersive when the changes come up. Like a musician who changes one of the verses of classic song, you're immediately aware that you're watching a new version. It takes you out of the moment. If you didn't grow up with the originals, then enjoy the SEs!
I agree. I saw the original in the theatre in 1977. I still prefer the originals to the altered ones. To me all the additions to the originals are like a painting that has been overworked by the artist.
What a dumbass…
@@chriswhite8717 nice
I am a gen xer who saw the special editions back in 97. I loved some of the changes, others not so much. I enjoyed the new Death Star battle scenes a LOT. The Jabba scenes were disappointing in execution but I enjoyed the spirit of the scene. I thought Jabba looked like Grimace from McDonalds. What bummed me out at the time was the absence of the Tatooine scenes at the junk shop and the extra scenes with Biggs. I totally thought going into the film that we were going to see these. I seem to recall a cdrom at the time having these clips (in very poor quality nonetheless but they WERE there). So naturally I assumed they would be included and was pissed when they weren’t. I also felt they went overboard on Mos Eisly and made it far too busy. It lost a lot of its podunk town charm in the process.
Lucas RUINED the flow of the original movies. RUINED the sound track. RUINED the best story beats. I tried watching the special edition and just ended up turning it off in a rage.
What I loved about these versions is they made the letters golden in the box, the collection was complete and looked awesome
They use to show the original cuts on tv in the 80s and 90s. Even the sci fi channel shown them in the early years. I bought those dvds for the original cuts.
From the special edition, I like how they had the biggs in it.
@jayhughes3843 no idea. I'm not in legal. Lol.
The last time I saw the original cut on tv was the scifi channel in 1993, I believe bc Carrie Fisher hosted the marathon. Before that, I saw them on local channels in the 80s before they were bought by the big networks in the 80s.
@jayhughes3843 they're probably allowed to legally air this 2006 DVD, but that's not gunna cut it for our modern displays
I grew up watching the original versions on VHS and then saw the special editions at the cinema when released.
Now that’s an OG experience. Wicked.
I see
I bought these DVDs right when they first came out back in 2006, and, in the US at least, BeatBuy had them available in a limited edition metal tin which is still one of my prized possessions when it comes to my physical media collection.
I’m feeling super old though, as I grew up in a time where the original versions were the ONLY version to watch, lol. But I have never been a “Special Edition” hater and can appreciate some of the alterations. Nonetheless I never watched them enough to the point that they’ve replaced the original versions for me.
Bought mine at Walmart. Came with a bonus disk too. Behind the scenes stuff.
The original “Star Wars” (NOT “Episode IV”, NOT “A New Hope”, but “STAR WARS”) was nigh perfect filmmaking from a time when special effects had to be practical because the techniques to create the effects seen in the prequel trilogy had yet to be created.
So yeah, the theatrical release from 1977, imperfections and all, is the only version I watch. It would be the only entry in the series I’d watch if it weren’t for my kids’ devotion to the franchise and every half-assed project released since Disney got ahold of it.
I have these six DVDs. I bought them back in the day *because* they included the un-defaced versions. I am really glad that I did now that it looks like Lucasfilm isn't content with just making their new version but that they want to memory-hole the original ones.
Me too.
Nowadays anybody can watch the Harmy's De-Specialized Edition online, so there's no reason to complain if you're a purist of the original un-altered movies.
I have these DVD's. I ripped the theatrical versions to my computer and then used Handbrake to crop the black borders, applied a mild "unsharp mask" filter, and kept the compression very very low. The purpose of this was so that I could play them from my Plex server. The results were quite good, these versions are still very watchable.
Damn, you are smart. My dvd's stopped working properly some time ago. I should have done this...
@@kala1780It's a little bit pricey to repurchase them, but doable. About 60 bucks on eBay, depending on the day you look.
Idk why people always forget about these. Whenever you see people talking about the originals they always say the last time they were released was on laser disc. I remember these releasing and you could get the whole trilogy in a really cool metal tin box set.
I remember going to see the original in 1977, without really knowing what I was going to see. Wow, what can you say? Mind-blowing! Then along comes Empire... three years later. Wow wow wow. Of course Jedi followed. But getting to see all three at the same cinema showing in the mid-late 80's was just incredible. Even though it meant being in the cinema for about seven hours!
Slight correction: Empire and Jedi always had the Episode V and Episode VI in the opening crawl. It was only A New Hope which was added later, and that was added in the 1981 re-release
Everyone has their own values when watching. I'd rather watch a fuzzy, muffled VHS then the special editions, but I'm done telling people watching the special editions first will wreck the experience. They're fine, just a little distracting for me personally (more distracting than crappy audio and image quality)
Thanks for the correction!
Those de-specialized editions off Etsy are NOT authorized by the actual people working on those edits. Hard working fans put in years of work and their own money to scan film and edit the theatrical editions together with the specific request that no one pay for these edits. These sellers on Etsy that sell already-burned discs of the de-specialized cuts are profiting off of other people’s work without their consent, so do NOT purchase Theatrical versions from anyone. There are people who will kindly guide you to copies you can download or make discs for personal use.
@@rayg2724 Decided to remove that part of my comment. Fair point. While in general I don't believe "piracy" is unethical if it's a product the companies refuse to sell, I hadn't considered it would negatively affect the creators of those fan edits by labeling them "pirates." So I won't openly promote that option.
My dad has the original trilogy on vhs, I was lucky to grow up watching them.
For sure.
Good
Im still not convinced that Lucas didnt structure the SW sale to Disney in such a way that it wouldnt allow for any future re-release of the theatrical versions of the OT. I just dont see ANY way that Disney WOULDN'T have made them available for purchase by now if they could
On the plus side, I think that very part of the contract (i.e. only releasing George's vision for the films) will also mean that they will not be altered any further from here on out
Hayden Christianson was only put on the 2006 DVD Return of the Jedi but not the original VHS special edition.
I was born in 1972, saw the original in theater when I was 5. I can see what you are saying about having your "version" of Star Wars. One thing I really like about the Special Editions is that George was able to make the Star Wars environment more "full". He added groups of Jawa just hangin out near the Cantina.. he added banthas in the desert search. I agree he added to, not hurt the story.
I agree with this, except for the Han/greedo scene and replacing Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen at the end of ROTJ. Otherwise, all good.
@@electrodeboywell Sebastian shaw was just a stand in. It was david prowse in the suit for all three movies and james earl jones as the voice. Only his head as unmasked vader was kept but since anakin we know what he looks like in ROTS it makes it better that he changed it. Like why would anakin come back older? He came back as anakin before vader, thats the point
Yeah you remember what you thought when you was five? Sure u did 😂
@@bronson1392 the fact that I continued to not only watch, but grow into creating sci-fi models and other items tells me exactly how I felt. I was impressed, and I was hooked. Take your negativity and run along to your pity party.
They were not "ripped from the laserdiscs." They were made from the same video source that the laserdiscs were made from.
I grew up with the original versions of the original trilogy, and I watched Star Wars (aka A New Hope) over 100 times on vhs, so the new scenes stand out a mile to me. I have these same DVDs so I must dust them off and have another watch of the theatrical version. I wasn't aware these versions had also been updated so I'll see what changes I can spot.
They are called the original theatrical cuts. What changes were made to the original laser discs?
Still got my 1992 VHS trilogy, but they are worned out from numerous watching.Ahh, the good ole days...
I don't think Disney has the rights to release the theatrical versions. Seeing as the current versions arguably ARE the movies, Lucas most likely prohibited Disney from changing them, which would include changing them backwards. The changes made in the 4k releases were most likely made by Lucas when he made the 3-d conversions of the films
I love my copies of the Despecialized Editions. Its the only way I watch them.
Watch the version you love! That’s all that matters, we all have our favourite.
The dvd versions with the the 'original' theatrical versions are worth picking up if you can find them (and play them) just to avoid the pointless cgi, but for the proper 'seeing it when I was a kid' feeling puggo's 16mm uploads are the best for me; the audio and visual crackles all add to the cinematic experience.
I just like having the DVDs because they are an Official Release.
I found those DVDs for $12 (AUD) in total at an op shop. Whoever owned them previously obviously had no idea how valuable they were.
These were the versions I grew up with. I distinctly remember getting these at the store with my dad, coming home and popping in ANH, watching it for a little bit, then him noticing the special edition changes and swapping discs.
Hahaha, great stuff.
I remember having Star Wars: A New Hope on VHS as a child. I watched that version so many times! Sadly, that will never be seen on Blu-Ray in 2023!
You can get the Star Wars Trilogy Despecialized Version which was a unofficial HD.
I remember when these DVD's were released and OT fans still complained that Lucasfilm didn't put any work into the theatrical releases. Perhaps they could've put a little more work into them but Lucasfilm is really committed to the special editions. And now the special editions have existed longer than the theatrical editions did.
I grew up with the theatrical versions on pan and scan VHS so I'm happy watching my HD versions now
Bought those DVDs when they released back in the day. Still got them. It came with a bonus disc too.
Apparently George never submitted a copy of SW 1977 to the national archives for preservation.
Apparently he offered the Special Editions for preservation, but they didn't take them lol.
Damn that’s sad
I've got these dvds with the theatrical versions on. Love them, this is the Star Wars I grew up with, and prefer to the special editions.
I got this set (in a very nice tin box set) for my brother when they released, as he hated the Special Editions. I already had the original versions on VHS but eventually got myself a set of the DVDs on eBay and I’m glad I did. It’s nice to have one non-special edition in the collection.
Disney actually DONT have the rights to release the unaltered theatrical cuts at all. When George Lucas sold the franchise to Disney, he gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted with the franchise with the one exception that the theatrical cuts of the Original Trilogy were to never be released again under any circumstances. It was even written into the contract that was signed by Lucas, Bob Iger the CEO of Disney and Kathleen Kennedy the President of Lucasfilm. The only way I can ever see the unaltered theatrical cuts getting an official release either on 4K UHD or whatever format is the current one at the time is when Lucas passes away and his estate signs off on it and gives Disney permission to do it.
I agree. I got the latest Blu rays. And i have to say that the remastered of the O.T. looks amazing. Those remasters are from 35 mm negatives. Till day Is one of the best versions. The 2004 DVD and 2011 Blu rays they were so color saturated.
Yeah I do really think the official 4ks are the best it's looked colour-wise since VHS
You can also download the original theatrical cuts in 4K. There was a project called Project 4K that includes 4K77, 4K80, and 4K83. They are scanned from the original 35mm film and look amazing. There is also the Despecialized Editions that are recreations of the original theatrical cuts. They are only 1080p, but the color grading is very good.
I have reason to believe that the unaltered versions will be given a proper transfer, restoration and release in time for the saga’s 50th anniversary in 2027.
That would be great.
I got the limited tin set of these limited edition dvds for Christmas one year and just thought “cool, finally have Star Wars on dvd”. Wasn’t until years later I realised the bonus features on the second discs! So glad to have these in my collection.
i have the despecilalized versions. Awesome picture and sound
The fan edits have far better quality than what’s on these discs.
Only problem with those is they're 4:3 on a 16:9 TV and off the laserdiscs. I'm extremely grateful to have the despecialised editions.
I bought them 12 years ago. As soon as I found out they arent going to include them on the Bluray release. But I think I might have to set up my VCR again.
The original versions kinda don't exist. The original materials and film that was composited have been altered for the special edition. So people are limited to making a copy of a copy. Also the original films released to different theatre formats and there were slightly different versions of the films playing in theatres all at the same time. Even empire had a version with a different ending playing in theatres. It's really really difficult to even really pin down which released theatrical version is to be considered the original version.
I really wish people would stop calling that ESB ending a "different ending". It's edited slightly differently with some added insert shots. The outcome of the ending is still the same.
@@Cuppy88 yeah it also uses different ship models
@@samtheweebo Yes, as I said, added insert shots. The way people go around talking about a different ending, you'd think the actual outcome of the story was different. It's the same ending, just slightly re-edited with some extra establishing shots.
@@Cuppy88 still the question would remain, which would be considered the original theatrical release?
I picked out that A New Hope copy in 2008 when I was 5. Never had seen SW before and it’s what started it all. Super nostalgic.
This video is so professional and you should have over a thousand subscribers ❤
Only down side is that it's the pan and scan version of the orignals, not widescreen.
Yep.
I grew up on the VHS version and I still like the current editions
I Just wish there was an option to view the originals
To this day that scene from empire where vader talks to the emperor still catches me off guard because I keep expecting the old emperor and there are a lot of scenes like that such as vader yelling "No!" When saving luke
I still have the VHS of the original trilogy. But in this digital age; check out the Harmy versions, or the 4K77 version!
They are on my list!
@@BraveBladeProductions The Harmy versions aren't really the OG versions. They are a welded together Frankenstein's monster of the different cuts
100% sure Lucas would have put something in the contract of sale for Star Wars preventing Disney from ever releasing the original cuts which he considered ‘unfinished’ , otherwise they would have done it for the money by now. He also seems to have gone out of his way to have original prints altered or they have just been lost, which is why restoration projects have had to work so hard.
On the plus side, I think that very part of the contract (i.e. only releasing George's vision for the films) will also mean that they will not be altered any further from here on out
It's a crime that the original versions are not widely available.
Yep.
Yeah
I had to click this because I have those DVD copies right next to my VHS collection. Love the video man; I have no doubt you’ll get big real soon.
Thanks bro! Cheers for watching!
Oh yeah I finally picked up this release from eBay at the start of January 2024
Nice.
I have the THX VHS big black box edition shown at 2:45. The only problem is that if you try to watch VHS on a modern HD or UHD flat screen - it looks horrible.
Almost makes me miss my CRT Trinitron that was replaced long ago for a 1080p projection screen Hitachi TV. Try finding one of those today! Harder than old Star Wars movies.
I like the idea James Rolfe suggested of having a special Blu-Ray release of the original trilogy where you're able to access a menu and toggle between different changes to make a custom version of the movie. You could watch any of the altered versions, you could watch the original versions, or you could mix-and-match. This would be perfect. It would be my personal go-to way of watching the original Star Wars movies. This would be perfect for the 50th anniversary (preferably we'd get them sooner than that but that would be a perfect time to release them if they were to exist one day)
This is a good idea in theory, but not practice.
It's just not feasible.
It's not like choosing toppings on a pizza.
Every since I was a kid, has always owned the Limited Edition. The funny thing is that, for a very long time, I never realized that I could watch the theatrical version of Star Wars right away lol
the library of congress added Star Wars the theatrical version into its collection but have never received a 35 mm copy of the film
Crazy.
More Lucas sabotage of cultural history
I also have the special edition with the original versions and they are the only versions I watch. BTW - Han did not only shoot first, he was in fact the only one who fired a shot at all.
Jabba: "Han My Bookie...
You Disappoint Me. Why Did
You Crispy Poor Greedo?"
Han: "Look, Jabba, Next Time You Wanna talk to me, come see me yourself. Don't send these Twerps."
Jabba: Han, I can't make exceptions. What if everyone who smuggled for me dropped their Load at First sign of an Imperial Starship? It's not Good Business."
Han: "Look, Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes. (steps on Jabba's tail, causing him to yelp in pain) Did you think I had a choice? But I got a nice easy charter now; I'll pay you back, plus a little extra. I just need a little more time."
Jabba: "Han, my boy, you're the best smuggler I ever hired. So, for an extra 20%..."
Han: "15, Jabba & Don't Push It."
Jabba: Okay, Okay, 15%. But if you Fail me again, I'll put a price on your head so big, you won't be able to go near a Civilized System."
Han: "Jabba, You're A Beautiful
Human Being."
You can't shoot first if you're the only one who shoots. Saying you shot first implies someone shot second.
These are still the only versions I own. Hopefully we get an official HD release one day but until then I'll stick with these.
The version of SW a person prefers seems to predictably revolve around the version they first saw as a child. So, there's this weird generational gap between people who were kids in the 80s and early 90s those who didn't see it until after the Special Edition came to be. I happen to have a set of the Limited Edition DVDs and I've short-circuited the trend by showing those versions to my kids first. Yub nub.
Reminds me of a friend who said he is going to Gaslight his son into believing the Sequel Trilogy doesn’t exist haha.
2011 is my favorite! 4k change is fine, but I miss stuff like the blue tint of the Emperor's hologram
@@bilbobaggins9451 Like what? I think almost all of the changes ranged from okay to great
Jake; great parenting 101 bro!
In the late 90s the Malaysians essentially had a BlueRay cinema system. The discs are 1080 versions of the original versions of these films. I bought them at uni from ebay when it was pretty new for next to nothing. They are amazing and I don't know why Lucasfilm never released these versions at least once in 2k+
They really should have.
Blue ray in the late 90s? that is impossible. it was invented in 2005. maybe you mean lazerdisc there was a way to get hd on that.
What's was the system called? What kind of discs did they use?
Woah... what the hell? That's awesome!
It's a good chance they're SE versions though, but heck I'd love to have the '97 SE versions from that source!
Cool
I kept these DVDs for this very reason. However, at some point I acquired fan recreations of the original theatrical cuts, upscaled on Blu-Ray, and they are superb.
They are not the same, and I grew up with the SE versions, the atmosphere with the original effects is something else, feels like a movie from the time and you can actually see why A New Hope won on the Academy Awards and also is very important for preservation, I mean, one of the most influential and groundbreaking movie of all times is not available on his original form? Sucks
Fair points all round.
Best intro any video has ever had. I love it!
Thanks man!
i am buying all old favourites again on dvd and blu ray. i dont trust that the Hollywood companies and streaming services wont delete or censor things because they dont fit modern times as we know it. Same goes with books cds and vinyl. i was conned to stop buying physical copies and even got rid of my various collections. even if they dont censor whats it going to cost to stream 10 years from now
If you love a piece of media, buy a physical version of it. Then you will never lose it.
Oh, you can be guaranteed of alterations/re-workings, to fit the identity politics of the time....
Also, even if you buy a movie from some of these streaming sites to "own", they can still delete them at any time. I don't know if they are required to give a refund.
@@davidm4566 What in the hell an imposter .
Agree with all these comments guys; sorry you got rid of some collections there George...
Also buying many "old favourites" on bluray myself, as it is amazing how inferior they make DVD quality look.
If you have the shelf space at home, then go nuts say I!
Thank you for this video. I will hunt for these DVDs at thrift shops. I agree that *your* Star Wars is the first one you saw. I saw Star Wars in 1977 at age 9, so those (4K77!) are my nostalgia fuel.
Awesome stuff!
Cool
I have every version starting with the old VHS, the old set of DVDs and this set you have but I usually watch the 4k dolby vision versions for convince. After your video I decided to watch the old DVD version of A new Hope. I brought back memories of how the old movies looked and sounded which was great at that time.
If found those DVDs on 2nd & Charles
I got those limited edition dvds that you mentioned around when they were released (Return of the Jedi by 2006). Although I have distant memories of watching the Special Editiions on release in theatres (1998) I only ever watch the theatrical versions of the films on these DVD sets . The other DVD in each set is still good for extra features and the mountain of effort put into the menus.
They are well worth the purchase and a natural complement to the Prequel Trilogy double DVD sets released about a year before (2001-2005). If you have a DVD player and you are a fan of Starwars you could do worse.
10:11 It’s a mixed blessing in a way: a high quality release of the theatrical cut would definitely be more accessible but IMO there’s little chance that anything they’d release would have the same care as the fan projects and, what’s more, an official release would put the fan projects DIRECTLY in their crosshairs (okay, maybe more central in their crosshairs lol).
given how return of the jedi turns 40 this year (and given how disney can DEFINITELY do it, if fans can), i'd love to see a box set of the unaltered original trilogy in 4k and blu ray, maybe hiring some of the people who worked on those restorations to help with it
after the dvds, you get the despecialized versions. then you find out about fan made scans of original film prints. then you get multiples of those!
i have the first 35mm scans in 1080p. then i have the 4k77/4k80/4k83 project scans. and finally i have 16mm scans of the trilogy, full of scratches and dirt. for the real grindhouse experience lol.
That's awesome although admittedly I don't think I would care to watch a 16 mm print of a 35 mm movie LOL.
Great vid dude! I hope it brings subs to your channel. I was born in '85, so I grew up with the theatrical versions on home media. I remember being a kid, and being stoked for the Special Editions, and they were great! But as I got older, I started to miss the original versions. I bought the Blu-Ray set as well and replaced the discs for 4, 5 and 6 with the Despecialized Edition from Harmy. I've not heard of the 4K77 releases, so I'll definitely check those out!
I just found these DVD's in a box in my wardrobe, I remember buying them years ago but forgot I had them!
VHS player was called VCR back then. TV stations used thick U-Matic tapes.
What did VHS stand for, Video Home System? VCR was Video Cassette Recorder.
In France it was called a Magnétoscope 🤣
GodFuckin'Damit I feel old
@@jean-mi1825 You're not old, mate. The Earth is just spinning faster..
@@kenknowlton3085
Hahaha
Thanks 🤘🏻🖖🏻👍🏻
the DVD isn't even the 77 original. It is the 81 cut with the 93 audio mix with the 77 crawl spliced onto the beginning. I only got to watch the original when i saw 4K77.
Yeah like I said. These versions aren’t technically the originals, but it’s the closet thing we’ve ever gotten to a proper release of the Original Cuts.
I love these DVD's they made in the 2000's. So much behind the scenes
Probably the reason a lot of people became filmmakers.
Nowadays you barely have the UA-cam featurettes on the DVD/BR/4K.
Gone are the times when you were rightfully (don't forget that one one of the reasons they gave us when DVDs where created) expecting a hour+ long documentary like those of Laurent Bouzereau...
Hell, Darth Mouse gives us more "bonus material" on D+ than on their physical releases (and that's not even talking about the OMAX releases on D+ and NOT on physical).
Granted, they are more auto-promotion than real documentaries (you'll NEVER hear anything remotely negative), but they are still real behind the scenes making if and not 2 minutes fearurettes.
I don't get obsesion w this watch it move on.
@@BraveBladeProductions You're right, I love those making of, it got me started to learn about filmmaking process and I appreciated the filmmakers even more.
Yeah, it'd be a shame to lose all those extra features from DVDs. They need to be preserved.
The funny thing is that I took me so long to realize that these dvd:s that I bought as a kid actually contained the original versions of Star Wars. The first time I realized it was few years ago. As a Finnish person I couldn't read English as a child so I had no clue these dvd:s had any special features, I just put the first dvd on the player and pressed the buttons until the movie started playing haha. I always just wondered why there's two discs in the case...
Never familiarized myself with the Special Edition changes and I went straight from watching the 1995 videotapes to these discs and then the Despecialized. This 2006 set looked fine until I got an HDTV a few years later and then I saw what all the critics didn't like. Being letterboxed but not anamorphic, I would just watch with the aspect ratio altered like you did to zoom in and it did not cut anything off.