Author Topic: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD  (Read 6245 times)

Offline Nicklab

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Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« on: June 2, 2003, 12:21 PM »
I've seen the Original Trilogy out there as a bootleg DVD set for some time.  This weekend, I was definitely tempted to buy theatrical versions of the OT as a set for $50.  So, here are the questions:  

-Are you for or against bootlegging in general?

-Do you have the Original Trilogy as bootleg DVD's?

-If you did, what did you pay?

-Did you get the Special Edition, or the Theatrical Releases?


And lastly, how long do you think it will be until the original trilogy comes out on DVD?
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #1 on: June 2, 2003, 01:58 PM »
Nope, I don't have them, but wish I did.  More so now that my daughter is starting to like them.  DVD's allow for jumping to specific scenes (as you all know) much more easily, truly a benefit with a 3 year old around.  I'll likely break down soon and get them.  

I suppose that answers the question regarding for or against.  Hey, Lucas has had ample opportunity to release them.  I would buy the official product the first day it was out, but it's not out and I really don't expect it until 2006 in a big old boxed set, possibly 2007 allowing him to reap the profits of a solo release of Episode III.  

I believe olde Jorg has said only the special editions will be on DVD as well, so that may further push me.  I'm not nearly so opposed to the special editions as lots of folks (quickdraw McGraw not withstanding) but for the nostalgia appeal.  

I'd pay about $50 US shipped.  That puts it right in line with single DVD's in Canada, price wise.
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Offline BigDumbWookiee

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #2 on: June 2, 2003, 02:13 PM »
I have three trilogies on DVD; one Original Trilogy, one Special Edition, and one Special Edition in DTS. I paid $30 for each trilogy, but also bought custom cases for each trilogy ($25 a piece) and custom covers for each DVD (about $2 per movie).

If these were available on official DVDs, I'd buy them in a heartbeat, absolutely no questions asked. I would never buy a bootleg of a movie currently available on the market, but would buy one to tide me over till an official release.

George is pretty adamant about the original trilogy, or the special edition NEVER coming to an official DVD. He feels that these two versions are similar to "takes" in a film, and that they are both just to get Star Wars to a new horizon. He plans on redoing the trilogy again, a final ultimate edition, which will be the only version released on DVD. I hope he changes his stance after seeing all of the petitioning for the original trilogy, but I've got my doubts.

I'd love to see a twelve disc set. 4 discs per movie: Original, SE, Final Edition, and an extras disc. I'd fork over some major bank for something like that.
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Offline Reconsgt

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #3 on: June 2, 2003, 04:02 PM »
I have the 5star set. For the most part I like it. I paid about $20 for the set and they are worth that I have the SE editions. They are good enough to hold me over until I find something better out there.
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Virex

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #4 on: June 2, 2003, 06:11 PM »
-I'm for bootlegging if the official products are not available.  Case in point: I own The Indiana Jones trilogy, The Two Towers, Schindler's List, and both original Star Wars trilogies (original/SE) on DVD.  I bought the Indy DVDs before they were officially announced, and I bought TTT due to the eight-month window.

I would never buy a bootleg of something that had already been officially released.

-Again, I have both the regular versions and the Special Edition versions (Five Star) on DVD.  The regulars, I paid $29.99 for, and the Five Star SEs, I paid $35.99 for last summer through Movieshop.

-How long?  At this point, I really don't care.  The fact that the DVD format is six years old and we still don't have these films is utterly ridiculous.  But, he really appears to be keeping to his word, so I would guess that we'll see Episode III on DVD in the Fall of 2005, and then the first three sometime in the Fall of 2006.

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Offline dustrho

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #5 on: June 2, 2003, 06:32 PM »
I don't own any bootleg DVD's.  In response to how the Star Wars trilogy not being released on DVD, GL is doing that just to make more and more money.  It sickens me that it hasn't come out on DVD yet, and I have been thinking about getting some bootleg DVD's of the original Star Wars trilogy.
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Offline BigDumbWookiee

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #6 on: June 2, 2003, 10:30 PM »
At least we are getting Indiana Jones this winter. Sure, its not Star Wars, but at least its a very small start in the right direction as far as Star Wars could be concerned.
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #7 on: June 2, 2003, 10:53 PM »
I bought a set of the ORIGINAL versions of the Original Trilogy on the bootleg DVDs from those Malaysian dudes.  Snatched them up the second that post first popped up over at RS long ago!

I'm not a supporter of bootlegging in general, but considering that this is a product which George Lucas himself said will NEVER be available, there's absolutely no harm in picking myself up a set, especially when you consider that I'll still certainly pick up the Official Star Wars DVDs if/when they ever come out as well.  But I've got to protect my childhood memories here, and get while the gettin's good!  They were $30 total for all 3 movies, and arrived pretty quickly from the other side of the planet, all things considered.

But one other thing you all can do if you want the ORIGINAL versions of the OT on DVD (in an officially licensed capacity) is get your butt over to OriginalTrilogy.com and sign their petition!!!  There's a lot of petitions floating around online for various things, but this is one of those that really deserves your attention and support as fellow Star Wars fans.  Last I saw, the petition was over 30,000 legitimate signatures, but unfortuantely the site's temporarily down right now for maintenance.  But keep checking back if you haven't signed it yet, and get your name on there when OT.com comes back online!   8)

Offline dustrho

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #8 on: June 2, 2003, 11:27 PM »
At least we are getting Indiana Jones this winter. Sure, its not Star Wars, but at least its a very small start in the right direction as far as Star Wars could be concerned.

The only thing bad I see happening with the release of the Indy trilogy, is that they'll come out with a SUPER-DUPER BAD-ASS YOU GOTTA HAVE DELUXE trilogy box set after the original DVD trilogy has been out for several months.  Same crap that happened with Pearl Harbor and now T2.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #9 on: June 2, 2003, 11:50 PM »
And the same as with LOTR.  Granted, I knew it was coming, but I couldn't wait to get the first version and now don't want to part with the funds for the 5 pack.  Going to wait for the trilogy 18 pack ::)

Presumably Indiana Jones will be repacked and bumped to an 8 (or so) set after IV comes out. :-[
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Offline dustrho

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #10 on: June 3, 2003, 12:18 AM »
And the same as with LOTR.  

I totally forgot about that one.  I was absolutely floored when I heard about that.  How many extra minutes of footage was added/included in the newer DVD?  Whatever it was it pissed me off, but I stood my ground and didn't buy the newer DVD.  I'm not giving them the benefit of the doubt... that's for sure.
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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #11 on: June 3, 2003, 12:40 AM »
Each of the three different versions of Fellowship of the Ring were announced months before any of them came out last year, with full specs for each version.  I find it difficult to believe that any casual DVD collector or casual Rings fan wouldn't have known that the Extended Edition was coming out a few months after the theatrical version.

Several DVD studios in the past have been very bad about announcing a new version of a DVD right after the first one came out, but New Line can't really be considered one of them in regards to Lord of the Rings.  

And, in regards to Indy, I wouldn't think that we'll see a new(er) version anytime soon, at least not until the fourth film comes out (if it ever does).  Paramount is a studio that very rarely "double-dips" a title--in fact, the only one I can think of them doubling back on has been the Jack Ryan set, which recently received some nice upgraded versions of the first three movies.  The first versions were all released in either late '98 or sometime in '99, and were quite unremarkable in both quality and content.

The Indy set should be fine for at least the next several years.

Offline dustrho

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #12 on: June 3, 2003, 01:17 AM »
Each of the three different versions of Fellowship of the Ring were announced months before any of them came out last year, with full specs for each version.  I find it difficult to believe that any casual DVD collector or casual Rings fan wouldn't have known that the Extended Edition was coming out a few months after the theatrical version.

I'm not one to study how DVD's are released, what versions are going to be released, and when they'll be released.  I'm not the biggest LOTR fan, but I do like their movies.  I know a lot of die-hard LOTR fans that didn't know they were going to be releasing another version of the LOTR DVD.  I would be totally fine if these companies re-released the DVD in a special version a year later, but when they do it in less than six months is total crap.
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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #13 on: June 3, 2003, 01:56 AM »
I'm not one to study how DVD's are released, what versions are going to be released, and when they'll be released.  I'm not the biggest LOTR fan, but I do like their movies.  I know a lot of die-hard LOTR fans that didn't know they were going to be releasing another version of the LOTR DVD.  I would be totally fine if these companies re-released the DVD in a special version a year later, but when they do it in less than six months is total crap.

Agreed, if they don't announce the SE before they release the barebones.  If they announce them both together, as New Line did in the case of Rings, then they've done what they could to get the word out.  There's not a whole lot more they could have done to let those other fans know--those who didn't have internet access, or those who didn't check a Rings or DVD site before they bought the first version.

And, now, so you'll know, they're going to be following the same basic pattern with the DVDs of The Two Towers and Return of the King this year and next year.

It's a shame you won't pick up the four-disc Extended Edition of Fellowship--it's generally considered to be the finest DVD of a single film released to date.

Offline Snively Bandar

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Re: Original Trilogy on bootleg DVD
« Reply #14 on: June 3, 2003, 03:01 AM »
...the four-disc Extended Edition of Fellowship--it's generally considered to be the finest DVD of a single film released to date.

I wholeheartedly concur.  That DVD set is an absolute masterpiece, and has to be considered the "definitive" version of that film, with the extra half hour of footage seamlessly integrated into the existing theatrical release.  And this isn't just "fluff" footage for the sake of adding stuff in.  It's important story or character development sequences that most likely just couldn't be included in the theatrical version due to it's already overwhelming length.

I absolutely can't wait for the TTT extended edition.  Hopefully it's treated similarly to the prior installment, with some great new scenes added in.  George Lucas should be paying some serious attention here, as his competition is whoopin his booty!  Especially now that the SW deleted scenes are winding up on a freaking pay website, rather than being included with the DVD, either integrated into the film, or at the very least as a deleted scene extra.  Pure greed.  For shame.

I guess to stay on topic, I should at least add that I haven't picked up the bootleg DVDs of the OT yet, but I plan to some time.  Another very bad move by Lucas to deny his fans these incredible moments in cinematic history.  For shame, again.