I made the same mistake. I ripped the movie to play on my PSP ,and not until the scene where they come into Mos Eisley did I realize I ripped the wrong version. The new Lucasfilm logo is also an indication you're watching the wrong version.

Boingo_Buzzard Wrote: Todd, The original theatrical version is on the other disc. The one marked "Bonus". Disc 1 is the redone versions.

Thanks, but I bought the trilogy 3-disc set. All three films, each on their own DVD (single DVD per case packaging). The problem is that there is only 1 DVD per DVD container, not two. Believe me, I damn near ripped the cases apart to see if there was another disc inside, but just the one each.

Why the hell do they call it "limited edition" if it is indeed the damn "special edition" and a horribly DARK version of it too. The image quality is awful - it plays so dark. Very odd. But no doubt about it - Greedo shoots first, there are computer animated things in Mos Eisley, and all the other switch-a-roos.

I seriously feel like I've been tricked and even conned out of my money.

Nikster Wrote:Yep...my reaction was similar to Todd's at first (well...maybe not quite as violent....or verbose ), till I checked out the other disc..it's all good

Yeah - that may have seemed a bit strong for a DVD screw-up. I didn't exactly have a good day yesterday, and I was so looking forward to seeing just a few scenes (didn't have time for the whole film) from the ORIGINAL Star Wars. I started out with the battle at the end... but quickly noticed CG X-Wings. I quickly headed to the Han/Greedo scene and that was enough. Not to mention how damn dark it looked. How the hell did they mess up the brightness of the film? Whatever. It sucks. I don't want these DVD's and it just killed my already crappy day yesterday.

I'm going to try and return them to walmart.com. I called a local Walmart but they won't accept opened DVD returns. I tried to explain how I could not have known (talked on the phone to service), but told me to return it to the online store. So, now I'm off to waste my limited free time on the phone to get my money back for this "limited" (but really "special", as in sucks-ass) edition of Star Wars.

Ok, here's an update on my situation.

I called up the local Walmart again last night and asked for a manager this time. I explained what I bought, what I was expecting, and what it turned out to be. I remained polite, kind and respectful on the phone and explained that I understood Walmart's policy on returning opened DVD's, and then asked if he could help me out. He said no problem - just take it back in.

Today after work, I took back the DVD's and they said they could only exchange them for the same thing if they were defective, because they were opened. I explained that I had already spoken with the manager the night before (who was not there today) and that he'd communicate our conversation to the manager on duty. The service desk guy was then quick to accommodate and asked if I'd like the correct videos - the ones I was expecting. I said sure and went and grabbed them. They came individually wrapped... and priced, but I really wanted them (the original, originals). The difference was just over $20.00, but I was happy to have what I set out to get in the first place. BTW - I said $50.00 in my original post about the DVD's - I was wrong and meant $40.00 for all three (crappy) DVD's. I don't have time to watch anything tonight, but I'm pretty sure I ended up with the correct ones this time because it clearly states on each package that it "includes the digitally remastered movie plus the original theatrical version", which the latter is what I'm interested in. I just hope these aren't so dark like the previous ones were.

I'm not mad at Walmart for the crappy and confusing packaging of the DVD's I bough online. Walmart did not package it or choose the ambiguous working - someone at Lucasfilm did that and I salute them with my middle finger for it.

I know a lot of people don't care for Walmart and that's fine. The wife and I shop there frequently because it is one of only a few places we can actually afford anything.

Boingo_Buzzard Wrote:...I can uhm... *cough* get you the original version if you'd like *wink wink*. PM me if you'd like.

Thanks, Boingo_Buzzard! I appreciate that, but I'm all set now... well, so long as the quality isn't crap on these videos as well. I'll find out soon. I just hope I don't end up talking like Q*Bert again!

Is your copy very, very dark? I still can't believe how dark the copy I looked at the other night was. It was as if someone sent it through PhotoShop and cranked up the lower-level values in the levels window. It looked really bad. Clear, but really, really dark.

Boingo_Buzzard Wrote:...when I bought the original Star Wars DVD's and *then* learned that Lucas included that wanker Hayden Christensen in the ending of Jedi I just didn't have the heart to watch any of them.

I read about that some time back. I'll never watch the "enhanced" versions of these DVD's. They might not even work, but I'll never know.

Boingo_Buzzard Wrote:Lucas is very very sad in one way. He's a magician who thinks that his tricks have been figured out and therefore cannot be performed again. But what Lucas has not realized......after 30+ years in the business is that effects *can* be enjoyed over and over. I can appreciate what these effects did in the 70's, and how they added to the story. By changing the effects...... you change the story.. and in the end that's all that matters. I just feel sad for him when watching the original movies, knowing how he completely mangled them in the end.

I don't feel bad for him, but I think he's lost sight of what really matters. He made spectacular amazing awesome films and pretty much every person on the planet loved them all. And then he went and messed with success and did indeed change them.

When the special edition was to hit the theatres in '97, I was very excited initially. I had read for many years how disappointed Mr. Lucas was with his original films and how he wanted to do so much more with them. I honestly saw his re-doing of them as his "finishing them properly" at the time. At the same time, it felt weird. Later, I learned the weird feeling was that he changed them from what I loved in to something more modern and with less of the true spirit of Star Wars in it.

Are some of the effects in the original trilogy a little old looking? Maybe by today's standards. But it ain't about that. Even today's effects look very fake to me... oddly more fake than some of what was in the films of yesteryear. Sure, there are no matte seems anymore... but everything looks a little lifeless and moves kind of funny - you know what I mean?

Back in the 70's, George Lucas and company raised the bar on special effects, action adventure, and fun in a film - they raised it by a level-increment so high that no one else has matched today (IMO). I love the original, originals so very much. They still hold up in my book. The effects still hold up, the matte lines don't bother me at all and I don't even notice them in the action and excitement of it all anyway. There is no shortage of action and WOW in the original trilogy - you can't argue with that!

I did get to watch just a few scenes of the original Star Wars last night. I watched a little of the final battle and LOVED every shot (well, the few I had time for). I watched HAN SHOOT FIRST! Woo hoo! I actually had forgotten that he hot Greedo UNDER the table! That is how long it's been since I've seen the original, original Star Wars! I'm talking early 90's! I've decided that I HAVE to make time to watch Star Wars (original, original) this weekend. I got very excited just watching the few scenes I saw last night and I felt a weight lifted off my dislike of what Star Wars has morphed in to. I have it now. I have what I fell in love with as a 6-year-old boy in the summer of 1977! They can never change what I now own for myself!

Boingo_Buzzard Wrote:EDT: I am glad you got your DVD's in the end, Todd. It gives me hope for the honest consumer in a capitalistic society.

I've actually had very positive experiences in negative situations like this before. This is not the first time a store has accepted a return from me that was against their policy. The reason is likely because I do present myself in total honesty and sincerity. I also go in expecting nothing and prepared to get a snotty attitude from the service desk clerk. I've actually had many snotty and rude service desk people