The Effects of Not Releasing the Original Version DVDs

Share

On February 6th, 2003, George Lucas made an official announcement at an ILM & Skywalker Sound Tribute in California about the original Star Wars Trilogy DVDs. He stated that the pre-special edition versions of the films will NOT be released on DVD at all. We will get the Special Editions in all their newly enhanced glory as soon as Episode III is in the can and there’s time to perfect them and release them. This has, of course, had a crazy effect on the fans and I’ve seen various different reactions to this revelation, which really isn’t too much of a revelation when you think about it. When George Lucas took the old films and made them into the Special Editions, he said time and time again that these are his definitive visions and we won’t see the old ones again, and we haven’t to date. People seem pretty surprised and taken aback by the whole announcement, but didn’t they see it coming? As a Star Wars fan since 1977, I have to admit that this is indeed disappointing. I’m not one of those people who go around banging the protest drum, boycotting the DVD, and asking for my raped childhood back. Perhaps no one at Lucasfilm understands or cares, but to me it’s a big mistake.

Lucasfilm and George Lucas have always given me the impression in their statements that while they love and appreciate the fans, they are actually out of touch with what goes on in fandom and the effects these decisions are having on the fan base. They have repeatedly given statements to the press and public denouncing the rumors and spoilers posted on web sites such as this one for the past few years. They say it’s all bogus and made up and things to that effect. It seems to me that this is just their company line because they will never, ever admit that a fan site scooped some spoilers, even after the scoops are revealed to be true. I guess the only things they see on the Internet are the completely outrageous and obviously fabricated rumors. I’m not sure what sites these guys surf, but they’re definitely not coming to sites like this one and reading the things we’ve posted.

The effects of this DVD announcement are going to be very damaging. I’ve already visited several big web sites who have posted rants about it, saying they will refuse to buy the DVDs when they are released. I don’t believe that because we all know they’re going to buy them regardless. I’m sure the wealth of other features is going to be worth the price of the DVDs, even if you never watch the films. Unfortunately, there are going to be people who are going to abandon their love for Star Wars. There are people who loved the old stuff but can’t find it in themselves to open up and like the new stuff, and those people are going to bail. This announcement may put them over the edge and it’s sad to see them go. At the same time, however, if you feel your childhood was raped because of the Special Editions of Star Wars, then you’ve got some deeper issues you really should get checked out.

Unfortunately, people like myself are going to have to go to the secondary market and eBay to purchase second rate copies of the original versions of these films. Lucasfilm has made a really big stink about bootlegs and piracy in the past, but for some reason they’re not really concerned about about it in this context. I don’t want to have to buy second rate copies, but if I have to I will because these movies (in their original formats) mean a lot to me and have sentimental value—not to mention the fact that I cannot bring myself to watch a VHS tape anymore. (Rewinding? Um…no.) I’m not going to throw a tantrum about it, but I will get them one way or another. I’d rather give my money to Lucasfilm and have an official version than give it to some cat in Japan, transferring from the laserdiscs and adding misspelled menus, but this is the hand we’re dealt as “Old School” fans.

Before yesterday, I always had a tiny glimmer of hope that Lucas would bend and release the original versions on the DVDs along with the Special Editions, if anything to give people a good way to compare the versions. When I saw that E.T. was released with both versions intact, I was pretty excited knowing that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are good friends. The hope was there, but it was lost with this announcement. I’m upset about it but there’s really nothing that can be done. I don’t really remember a time when Lucasfilm really listened to the fans and overturned a decision this big.

All in all, I’m still looking forward to the new DVDs, and you should be too. If you’re really a fan, you won’t go around screaming like a maniac about how much you hate Lucas now, and the prequels suck, and you’re boycotting these DVDs, and stuff like that. It’s these kinds of things that are going to keep making Star Wars fans look like a bunch of pre-pubescent whiners who live in mommy’s basement until we’re 45. If you don’t want to buy the DVDs, you’re missing out and that’s your choice. Lucas won’t miss your money and Lucas doesn’t owe you anything. It’s akin to those people who love McDonald’s and then try to sue the company when they gain 200 pounds from eating it every day. You’re responsible for your Star Wars issues and addictions, not George Lucas. He made a movie and you liked it. That’s the extent of his involvement. He didn’t have to make the prequels, but he did and people still complained. He made Ewoks and people complained. Everything the guy does from now on, people will complain. It will never end. He’s made his choice about the DVDs and that’s it. We have to accept it and move on, just like we did when the films were re-released. We can debate it all until the end of time because like it or not that’s part of being a fan, but we don’t have to behave like little kids who had their favorite toy taken away.

Don’t let this kill your love for the films. I’ll enjoy the bootlegs and the new ones just the same. I’ll also enjoy explaining to my kids the history of the Star Wars films.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.