Original Star Wars Trilogy (Unaltered Theatrical Version) Coming On DVD

Apparently this is old news, but I just heard about it recently.

In response to overwhelming demand, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release attractively priced individual two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each release includes the 2004 digitally remastered version of the movie and, as bonus material, the theatrical edition of the film. That means you’ll be able to enjoy Star Wars as it first appeared in 1977, Empire in 1980, and Jedi in 1983.

See the title crawl to Star Wars before it was known as Episode IV; see the pioneering, if dated, motion control model work on the attack on the Death Star; groove to Lapti Nek or the Ewok Celebration song like you did when you were a kid; and yes, see Han Solo shoot first.

I’m just happy to see it with the Ewok celebration theme (which is far superior to the final theme of Return of the Jedi) as well as that obnoxious animated character singing in Jabba The Huts lair. Otherwise, I don’t mind anything else they added/changed/edited, but am annoyed by that stuff.

I am a bit miffed, however, that they aren’t selling it separately, as I already own the re-released trilogy on DVD — I don’t want to have to buy it again to get the classic theatrical version.

Thanks Greg for the link.