Star Wars!!!!

Yes my friends it is true! The Original Original Trilogy has been released....finally.

My first impressions are good. I can tell you that it is a non-anamorphic release and that it hasn't been restored like the Special Editions were when they were released on DVD for the first time.

The OOT isn't quite a quality release as it could be however it has looked better than it ever has since VHS and Laserdisc are the only ways to enjoy the OOT but in its original widescreen format the Laserdisc is the only way until now.

I know that in many ways the Special Editions are technically superior. The effects have been cleaned up, the soundtrack has been vastly improved despite some glitches, they underwent a massive restoration, and they just look cleaner.

So what is the problem with the SE's?

George Lucas is the problem. He decided that he wasn't happy with the way he filmed it then. As a artist I can understand that. I wish I could go back and reshoot Locker again with what I know now but I'm not.

He decided that Han Solo needed to be a bit softer as a character so he had Greedo fire on Han, Han amazingly dodges a blaster at point blank range before shooting back and killing the bounty hunter. That is the prime example that had so many fans up in arms over the SE's. There are numerous tiny things that have been tinkered with and if you watch each version back to back you can make a sizeable list. If you want an exact comparison a short search will give you the details in spades.

So how does the OOT compare today? To me it is hands down better. It is the ideal that the movies I saw as a kid and I did see all of them, are available to me to watch and enjoy again. It is the same thing with most people I guess. When it was then it was better than it is now. I don't always hold to that but in this case I am an ardent defender.

To see Return of the Jedi I mowed lawns and earned enough money to see it three times. That was in 1983 and I was just a teen at the time. I knew that I wanted to find out how the story ended and I was happy with it. Yeah the Ewoks defeating the massive Empire was a bit farfetched and still a bit disheartening but the rest of the story is still a fitting ending.

What is really disheartening is that Lucasfilms didn't spend the bucks on what could have been a perfect release. They should have given the OOT the restoration it deserves. However since they didn't I will have to be satisfied with the current state of the movies which is still pretty good my friends.

I have no problems telling people that if you want the movies as you saw them in the theaters without all of the Lucasing, then get the new releases.