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Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition) (4 Discs) | 
| Director: George Lucas
Actors: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 99.98
Buy New: CDN$ 64.99
You Save: CDN$ 34.99 (35%)
New (3) Used (1) from CDN$ 48.74
Rating:  589 reviews
Sales Rank: 8191
Format: Dolby, Dubbed, Ntsc, Subtitled, Thx, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.5 x 2.5
MPN: FOXD2222341D
UPC: 024543123415
EAN: 0024543123415
ASIN: B00003CXCT
Theatrical Release Date: May 21, 1980
Release Date: September 21, 2004
Availability: In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
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From Amazon.com essential video
The IStar Wars/I trilogy had the rare distinction of becoming not only a series of movies, but a cultural phenomenon, a life-defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's original 1977 film is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi Knights, the Force, and droids. p In the first film, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) gets to live out every boy's dream: ditch the farm and rescue a princess (Carrie Fisher). Accompanied by the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford, the only principal who was able to cross over into stardom) and trained by Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), Luke finds himself involved in a galactic war against the Empire and the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones). The following film, IThe Empire Strikes Back/I (1980), takes a darker turn as the tiny rebellion faces an overwhelming onslaught. Directed by Irvin Kershner instead of Lucas, IEmpire/I is on the short list of Best Sequels Ever, marked by fantastic settings (the ice planet, the cloud city), the teachings of Yoda, a dash of grown-up romance, and a now-classic "revelation" ending. The final film of the trilogy, IReturn of the Jedi/I (1983, directed by Richard Marquand), is the most uneven. While the visual effects had taken quantum leaps over the years, resulting in thrilling speeder chases and space dogfights, the story is an uneasy mix of serious themes (Luke's maturation as a Jedi, the end of the Empire-rebellion showdown) and the cuddly teddy bears known as the Ewoks. p Years later, George Lucas transformed his films into "special editions" by adding new scenes and special effects, which were greeted mostly by shrugs from fans. They were perfectly happy with the films they had grown up with (who cares if Greedo shot first?), and thus disappointed by Lucas's decision to make the special editions the only versions available on DVD. Still, the IStar Wars/I trilogy was one of the last remaining DVD Holy Grails, and only the most stubborn won't welcome its release. I--David Horiuchi/I
Amazon.com
Was George Lucas's IStar Wars Trilogy/I, the most anticipated DVD release ever, worth the wait? You bet. It's a must-have for any home theater, looking great, sounding great, and supplemented by generous bonus features. p p BThe Movies/Bbrp table cellpadding="5" align="left" tr="tr"p tdp img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/aplus/starwars/4/luke-leia-han-30.jpg" align="top"/td/tr/tablep The IStar Wars Trilogy/I had the rare distinction of becoming a cultural phenomenon, a defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's story is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi knights, the Force, and droids. Over the course of three films--IA New Hope/I (1977), IThe Empire Strikes Back/I (1980), and IReturn of the Jedi/I (1983)--Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford) join the Rebel alliance in a galactic war against the Empire, the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), and eventually the all-powerful Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). IEmpire/I is generally considered the best of the films and IJedi/I the most uneven, but all three are vastly superior to the more technologically impressive prequels that followed, IEpisode I, The Phantom Menace/I (1999) and IEpisode II, Attack of the Clones/I (2002). p p BHow Are the Picture and Sound?/Bbrp table cellpadding="4" border="0" align="right" width="155" cellspacing="3"p trp tdhr noshade="noshade" size="1"p font face="Arial,Helvetica" color="336600"p BThanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side./Bp brp /fontp hr noshade="noshade" size="1"/tdp /trp /tablep In a word, spectacular. Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side. And at the climactic scene of IA New Hope/I, see if the Dolby 5.1 EX sound doesn't knock you back in your chair. Other audio options are Dolby 2.0 Surround in English, Spanish, and French. (Sorry, DTS fans, but previous IStar Wars/I DVDs didn't have DTS either.) There have been a few quibbles with the audio on IA New Hope/I, however. A few seconds of Peter Cushing's dialogue ("Then name the system!") are distorted, and the music (but not the sound effects) is reversed in the rear channels. For example, in the final scene, the brass is in the front right channel but the back left channel (from the viewer's perspective), and the strings are in the left front and back right. The result feels like the instruments are crossing through the viewer.p p BWhat's Been Changed?/Bbrp The rumors are true: Lucas made Imore/I changes to the films for their DVD debut. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) has been added to a scene in IJedi/I, Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replaces Clive Revill with slightly revised lines in IEmpire/I, Temuera Morrison has rerecorded Boba Fett's minimal dialogue, and some other small details have been altered. Yes, these changes mean that the IStar Wars/I films are no longer the ones you saw 20 years ago, but these brief changes hardly affect the films, and they do make sense in the overall continuity of the two trilogies. It's not like a digitized Ewan McGregor has replaced Alec Guiness's scenes, and the infamous changes made for the 1997 special-edition versions were much more intrusive (of course, those are in the DVD versions as well).p p BHow Are the Bonus Features?/Bbrp table cellpadding="5" align="left" tr="tr"p tdp img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/aplus/starwars/lucas-hamill-30.jpg" align="top"/td/tr/tablep Toplining is IEmpire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy/I, a 150-minute documentary incorporating not only the usual making-of nuts and bolts but also the political workings of the movie studios and the difficulties Lucas had getting his vision to the screen (for example, after resigning from the Directors' Guild, he lost his first choice for director of IJedi/I: Steven Spielberg). It's a little adulatory, but it has plenty to interest any fan. The three substantial featurettes are "The Characters of IStar Wars/I" (19 min.), which discusses the development of the characters we all know and love, "The Birth of the Lightsaber" (15 min.), about the creation and evolution of a Jedi's ultimate weapon, and "The Force Is with Them: The Legacy of IStar Wars/I" (15 min.), in which filmmakers such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron talk about how they and the industry were affected by the films and Lucas's technological developments in visual effects, sound, and computer animation.p p The bonus features are excellent and along the same lines as those created for IThe Phantom Menace/I and IAttack of the Clones/I. Each film has a commentary track, recorded by Lucas, Ben Burtt (sound design), Dennis Muren (visual effects), and Carrie Fisher, with Irvin Kershner joining in on the film he directed, IThe Empire Strikes Back/I. Recorded separately and skillfully edited together (with supertitles to identify who is speaking), the tracks lack the energy of group commentaries, but they're enjoyable and informative, with a nice mix of overall vision (Lucas), technical details (Burtt, Muren, Kershner), and actor's perspective (Fisher). Interestingly, they discuss some of the 1997 changes (Mos Eisley creatures, the new Jabba the Hutt scene) but not those made for the DVDs.p p There's also a sampler of the Xbox game IStar Wars: Battlefront/I, which lets the player reenact classic film scenarios (blast Ewoks in the battle of Endor!); trailers and TV spots from the films' many releases; and a nine-minute preview of the last film in the series, IEpisode III, Revenge of the Sith/I (here identified by an earlier working title, IThe Return of Darth Vader/I). Small extra touches include anamorphic widescreen motion menus with dialogue, original poster artwork on the discs, and a whopping 50 chapter stops for each film.p p B"The Force Is Strong with This One"/Bbrp The IStar Wars Trilogy/I is an outstanding DVD set that lives up to the anticipation. There will always be resentment that the original versions of the films are not available as well, but George Lucas maintains that these are the versions he always wanted to make. If fans are able to put this debate aside, they can enjoy the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han for years to come. I--David Horiuchi/I
Additional features
This three-tape set contains the "Special Edition" versions of IStar Wars/I, IThe Empire Strikes Back/I, and IReturn of the Jedi/I. There is also a 10-minute featurette on the making of the next film in the series, IEpisode II/I, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters in the summer of 2002.
Amazon.com essential video
bIStar Wars/I/bbr Again? Yes. Even though no other movie has been released as many times on video as iStar Wars/i (except for its sequels, iThe Empire Strikes Back/i and iReturn of the Jedi/i), 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 iStar Wars/i 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. i--Dave McCoy/i p biThe Empire Strikes Back/i/bbr The middle film in George Lucas's enormously popular iStar Wars/i science fiction trilogy is a darker, more somber entry, considered by many fans as the best in the series. Gone is the jaunty swashbuckling of the first film; the rebellion led by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) suffers before the superior forces of the Empire, young hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) faces his first defeats as he attempts to harness the Force under the tutelage of Jedi master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz), and cocky Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is betrayed by former ally Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). In the tradition of the great serials, this film is left with a hefty cliffhanger. The leap in special effects technology in the three years since iStar Wars/i results in an amazing array of effects, including a breathtaking chase through an asteroid field and a dazzling, utopian Cloud City, where Luke faces the black-clad villain Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones) in a futuristic sword fight and learns the secret of his Jedi father. Veteran director Irvin Kershner (iThe Eyes of Laura Mars/i, iNever Say Never Again/i) took the directorial reins from creator and producer Lucas and invested the light-speed adventure with deeper characters and a more emphatic sense of danger. The special edition expands Luke's encounter with the Abominable Snowman-esque wampa and establishes the creature as a tangibly more terrifying beast, in addition to refining many of the existing effects. The trilogy is concluded in iReturn of the Jedi/i. i--Sean Axmaker/i p biReturn of the Jedi/i/bbr The high-energy, special-effects-laden conclusion to George Lucas's ambitious iStar Wars/i trilogy delivers the final confrontation between Luke Skywalker (a more confident and mature Mark Hamill) and his nemesis-father, Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones), as the rebel alliance makes its last stand against the evil Empire. The film opens with an impressive set piece in the cave of the monstrous Jabba the Hut, who holds both Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) for his decadent pleasure until Skywalker comes to the rescue. The final battle pits an enormous armada of rebel ships against the rebuilt Death Star, the planet-killing weapon of the first film, while guerrilla forces battle Empire soldiers on the planet below with the help of a cuddly army of pint-sized, teddy-bear-like creatures known as Ewoks (Lucas's one concession to merchandising) and Skywalker confronts Vader and the emperor on the Deathstar. Director Richard Marquand invests the tale with plenty of humor and a vigorous sense of adventure without losing the seriousness of Skywalker's mission. The special edition adds, among other effects, more creatures and a bouncy song-and-dance number to the Jabba the Hut scenes, and an extended celebration that literally encompasses the galaxy at the film's jubilant conclusion. i--Sean Axmaker/i
Amazon.ca
Quand George Lucas a signe le premier volet de sa trilogie ILa Guerre des etoiles/I, en 1977, il ne se doutait probablement pas que son #339;uvre marquerait si indeniablement l'univers de la science-fiction. La musique de John Williams et les produits derives autant que les films eux-memes sont devenus de veritables references en la matiere. Ce coffret video est l'occasion de revisiter les trois episodes qui ont lance le phenomene, en version revue et amelioree par leur ambitieux realisateur. P En plus de reveler un jeune acteur tres prometteur, Harrison Ford, la trilogie la plus celebre de l'histoire du cinema ressuscitait pour le plaisir de tous le Ispace opera/I, un genre oublie depuis les annees 50. Les episodes 4, 5 et 6 (ILa Guerre des etoiles/I, IL'Empire contre-attaque/I et ILe Retour du Jedi/I) relatent, dans une cosmologie imaginaire, les hauts et les bas de l'education d'un apprenti chevalier Jedi. Plus qu'un recit d'aventures, il s'agit d'une fresque hallucinante ou s'affrontent, dans un combat passionne, le Bien (la resistance) et le Mal (les forces de l'Empire). L'intrigue, riche en mythes et en rebondissements, est egalement pretexte a une experimentation graphique des plus jouissives. P A l'occasion du 20e anniversaire de son #339;uvre, George Lucas a offert aux fans des versions remasterisees, truffees d'effets speciaux inedits, rendus possibles par les technologies numeriques, et augmentees de quelques nouvelles scenes. Ce sont ces editions speciales que l'on retrouve dans cette collection video. Dans ILa Guerre des etoiles/I, par exemple, on peut desormais voir une discussion entre Han Solo et Jabba The Hut, de nouvelles creatures dans les rues de Mos Eisley, et une bataille finale nettement plus impressionnante que l'originale. Le coffret contient egalement un Imaking of/I de 10 minutes sur IL'Attaque des clones/I #8211; deuxieme episode de la serie que Lucas a entreprise dans les annees 2000 pour expliquer les origines de son univers #8211; qui saura ravir les plus passionnes. De l'inventivite visuelle et scenaristique a l'etat pur ! --IHelen Faradji/I
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| Customer Reviews: Read 584 more reviews...
 Thank you! November 25, 2007
Morris (Essex)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
To all those out there complaining of this re-release, I'm am glad. I have the original pre-special editions. br / br /I never purchased the special editions and never got to see them in the theatres when they came out in 1997 (had a new-born and that took up all my time). br / br /So, when I eventually went out to purchase these movies (just before Episode I came out), I was disappointed to find that they were no longer in stock and that they stopped all production of them. br / br /So, this re-release has allowed me to purchase what I never got to see before and own them. br / br /I have ENJOYED the added/touched-up scenes. Case in point - the Cloud City scenes. It seems SO much more open and spacious now, compared to the crampt feeling you envision in the original. As for the Jabba the Hut scene in Episode IV, it allows you to understand more about WHY Han had a bounty on his head. br / br /I read the original book back in 1977, so I knew who Jabba was, even though I wondered why he wasn't in the movie. br / br /Heck, he was even in the comic book edition of the movie, so I was REALLY confused as to why he wasn't there. So, the scene helps build up to Episode VI when we finally come back to Jabba. br / br /The only gripe I have is, how did he get so big so quickly? I mean, how much time has really elapsed between Episode IV and VI? Jabba must have been stuffing his face since Han left him hanging dry in Episode IV. br / br /In any case, this release is a God-send for me to finally own all four episodes. br / br /The wide-screen edition is what I purchased and like the other reviewers stated, it allows you to see the scene as it was meant to be, since movies are formatted for the theatres, not your TV screen. br / br /In fact, I bought another copy of Episode I. This time, I purchased the Widescreen edition. br / br /Thank you George Lucas for re-releasing this timeless classic so that I can finally own it. br / br /
 "Great,More Changes" September 2, 2007
Tommy.M (Canada,New Brunswick)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Why did George Lucas made those "special editions" of the original Star Wars trilogy?The films were good as they were,but Lucas first made changes to them with the "special editions" back in 1997 on the VHS boxed saying it was his ultimate version of the first trilogy but he couldn`t stop as he once again made changes to the movies for this 2004 DVD boxed set. br / br /You don`t mess with the past,and Mr.Lucas doesn`t seem to know that!Those changes made,some can be minor others are more important weren`t necessary and the movies on this DVD set should have been released as they were in theaters back in 1977,1980 and 1983 in order to please fans. br / br /Even with all the changes those first three movies "IV:A New Hope","V:The Empire Strikes Back" and "VI:Return Of The Jedi" are still enjoyable but if you want the originals,you came to the wrong place. br / br /OVERRAL:The movies themselves are all 5 stars and greats films but this DVD boxed set is just another special edition,if you don`t mind the changes made to the movies this seems like a pretty good buy,for less you can buy the other 2005 set wich is basicly same as this but without the bonus discs with special features.Or another option is buying the 2006 separate versions of the movies in a two discs set wich contains the original versions without any changes made and the special editions. br / br / br / br / br / br /
great great movies. bad bad dvd transfers! March 4, 2007
Bob (Canada)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I got this for my birthday last year and only discs one and three actually play without skipping/pausing. Disc two: Return of the Jedi kept skipping the other two discs played perfectly well!
Why would I not recommend this? It's Star Wars. February 28, 2007
Billy Bill (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
While I consider The Lord of the Rings to be the highest quality Trilogy ever, I nearly prefer Star Wars. It's just so enjoyable. Take the Original Star Wars for instance. It is silly but we all get into the story anyway. The love of filmmaking seems to show in every frame. I wish we had more movies like this today instead of crap like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest or Van Helsing. br / br /Of course, the highlight is actually The Empire Strikes Back. I'm a bit biased because it is my favorite film from the early 80's. Still, there's a certain maturity and a certain confidence in the film that I wish we would have seen more often in later Star Wars films. br / br /As for Return of the Jedi, don't pay too much attention to the negativity. In my not-so popular opinion, it's even better than A New Hope(which I still love). The Ewoks are not nearly as annoying as everybody likes to think. I'd take them over Jar Jar anyday. Anyway, whatever your opinion of Jedi is, the other two are certainly too great to pass up, no? br / br /As for the Special Edition changes, only Greedo shooting first bothers me. I can live with all the others. These films are too enjoyable to be butchered so easily.
George Lucas has released the ultimate Star Wars trilogy!! November 2, 2006
Vader
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've heard all the arguments for the original theatrical versions and you know what, I actually prefer the new special editions to the original theatrical versions. The quality of the movies is better and the movies are unedited with deleted scenes now included in the movies. Why all the arguments about the theatrical versions. The best Star Wars movie is A NEW HOPE because the movie is amazing. EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is the ultimate revenge movie and the shocking revelation near the end. It reads like a soap opera. A space opera that was rooted in Flash Gordon and other futuristic movies in the 70s. George Lucas is a genius and there is no denying that the Star Wars trilogy has stood the test of time. In Return of the Jedi, we see Vader's redemption. Darth Vader is redeemed because he loves his son and he wasn't about to see Luke die. br /Well, Star Wars is amazing and I'm still waiting for the long-promised episodes 7,8,9. I wonder how long it take to see the aftermath of Return of the Jedi.
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