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$19.98 - Star Wars - Episode IV, A New Hope (Special Edition) [VHS]
Product DescriptionAgain? Yes. Even though no other movie has been released as many times on video as Star Wars (except for its sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi), George Lucas and the folks at 20th Century Fox have actually released a slightly different film this time. This video followed the mega-successful 20th-anniversary theatrical rerelease, in which Lucas personally remastered the image and sound quality of his baby. Other revisions are more obvious, if hardly radical. Lucas enhanced several special effects with updated computer technology--most noticeable are the explosions and removal of matte lines during the Death Star battle finale. And the creatures that populate Mos Eisley's spaceport--though meticulous--are aesthetically superior improvements. The inclusion of extra scenes (originally outtakes), however, is not an improvement. Both the meeting between Jabba the Hutt and Han Solo, and Luke talking with his childhood pal Biggs, do nothing to enhance character development or theme, and serve only as distractions that preoccupy the waiting viewer. And, really couldn't Lucas find something better to do with his time than mess around with a national treasure? As for the video, this boasts both visual and sound enhancements. But since Star Wars has been available with these tweaks numerous times before, the decision whether to purchase this latest new version depends on how badly you want to see Lucas's cosmetic surgery. --Dave McCoy
Most Recent Customer ReviewsDate : 2010-02-08
Summary : I knew what I was getting, but I'm complaining anyway
Ok, so, for one of the all time biggest movie franchises ever in the history of the world, this DVD, nor the original trilogy boxset, contain any trailers or any worthy special features whatsoever. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Oh wait, unless you want to watch a trailer about a stupid lego game. What? HUH? Absolutely PATHETIC. And yea... the whole original version not being in anamorphic peeved me too.
Date : 2010-01-19
Summary : Great movies, mostly good revisions
I've never been quite sure why so many people are complaining about the revisions to the original version of A New Hope. It's a great movie, but it came out in an era when people didn't have home video players (much less DVDs). Lucas cleaned up the movies, made the ships more realistic, and generally most of the improvements make the film look better. I agree that I wish Lucas didn't mess with the Greedo scene - I still believe Han shot first. However, that's relatively minor. Don't let that ruin the movie for you. I think overall you'll find yourself enjoying Star Wars all the more with this DVD version.
Date : 2010-01-09
Summary : BEWARE! LATIN AMERICAN
The sound and sub in trilogy, has. . .
Subtitule: In Spanish only in the opening scroll and them nothing more
Audio: Spanish from SPAIN is TEERRIIIBLEEE!!!, the ORIGINAL but. . .TEERRIIIBLEEE!!! i prefiered the LATIN AMERICAN Audio
Maybe George Lucas check this problem with the product it's self, i was think. . .when buyed, the two disk set have the subtitule and the audio in SPANISH.
Date : 2010-01-06
Summary : Original and best
This review is for the `bonus disc' element of this product - the original cinematic versions of the Star Wars films.
We all know the spiel - George Lucas tinkered with his movies in the 90s thus dividing Star Wars fandom somewhat, and then declared the original cuts to be obsolete. Lucas had been deeply unsatisfied with the original films and wanted to not only honor his original vision but also bring the movies into line with his prequel trilogy.
I guess I fall into the `typical older fan' category. I wasn't 100% certain of this until I viewed the `bonus disc' versions of the movies (I hadn't seen the originals in years) and was amazed at how great they were.
Lucas wants the saga to be seen as a 12-hr movie but I think each chapter has lost its uniqueness in the special editions. Star Wars, the original, presented a comparatively sparse universe - the old saloon town vibe of Mos Eisley, the cold corridors of the Death Star with its all-too-human Nazi personnel, the end dogfight with a handful of tiny ships against a huge battle station (as opposed to the billions of darting machines we've become accustomed to post-ROTJ). I'm more than happy to view Star Wars as part of a greater saga. I loved the prequels, midi-chlorians and all! But Star Wars (as well as its sequels) was a movie in its own right and doesn't need to compete with its digital latter-day siblings. I think if anything the original cuts suit the prequels just fine because they flow so much better and don't accentuate their own `flaws' by trying to compete with their digital brothers. Palpatine's dismantling of the galaxy and Luke's isolation on a backwater world more than account for the technological disparities in my opinion.
Or to put it another way the very things that tied George's hands actually gave the movies their charm. How many classic rock albums were produced on a shoestring but have a great vibe because of it? Since George got to exorcise his demons in the other movies (ie Mos Espa in `Menace' or the Wookiee battle in `Sith') why not leave Star Wars alone with its uniqueness?
So anyhow, to the point of this review - Lucasfilm relented and presented the original cuts as `bonus' material in 2006. There's no denying this product could've been better. A fully restored remaster of the originals with bonus material (imagine some commentary with John Dykstra or the inclusion of the `making of' documentaries from the day), and since I recently got a big-assed TV I do understand the complaints about the non-anamorphic issue. But that said I do love these versions and I accept that these were put together as a compromise of sorts since Lucas himself wants nothing to do with them. I love the menus with the original poster art, logos etc and, well, these feel like Star Wars! It's nice to have `em back.
Date : 2010-01-05
Summary : Lucas Masterpiece Star Adventure!
George Lucas' space adventure that revolutionized science fiction film-making.
Truly a film masterpiece. It takes a standard tale of love and war, patriotism and honor and creates something special. Truly a sum of its parts!
Words scan across the screen at the start, similar to the old Buck Rogers and other serials of the mid-twentieth century. And like those films, it takes place in a universe of extraordinary technology. But not of the future! Of the past! Sure, why not? Why would there not be galaxies that are so old as to predate our own civilization, so far, far away?
The princess of the piece, at risk of her life, sends a secret message through her droid (little robot guy, used in manufacturing and pilot control) and send them off to a desert planet, orbiting a twin star system. In many ways, reminded me of Frank Herbert's Dune. In fact, there is a skeleton of a Sandworm! Coincidence?
I won't go over the whole plot here. If you have not yet seen Star Wars, please do. Luke Skywalker, oblivious to his past heritage, is just a farm boy who desires someday to be a soldier, a freedom-fighter. But alas, he will most likely be like his Uncle Owen, living on a backward planet, doing some hydroponics and maybe even play in the Mos Isely band. Did they ever do kareoke?
The death of his aunt and uncle at the hands of the Empire, with the blackened corpses of his aunt and uncle (quite horrific for a PG film, actually) fires up Luke. He desires revenge.
So we have the plot thicken: A force of evil, a backward boy with dreams, galavnized by the death of his only family but no place to put forward his intentions of revenge. He meets Obi-Wan and thinks the princess is hot. Ah, if he only knew.
And the story goes. George Lucas, director of such hits up to that time of the powerful THX-1138 and the hilarious American Graffiti, turned out what was in fact the turning point in science fiction cinema, just by taking a fun popcorn plot with a simple yet powerful story and creating a revolution.
I have read other stories of corrupt empires both past and present and of the lives of men and women who fought, avenged and struck back in the name of freedom. The Roman Empire (it's rise and fall) and Isaac Asimov's Harry Seldon in The Foundation Trilogy come to mind, and even to some extent Frank Herbert's Dune series.
Highly recommended!
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