Let's face it, there will never be a definitive version of the Star Wars saga in any form.
IGN reviewed the entire boxset and this is what they thought of Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray.
Fans may be irked at the changes George Lucas has been making to the films recently, but the truth is, he's been tinkering with them since they were first released in theaters. He's never stopped, and it now looks like he never will. Say what you will about the man, you've got to admire the confidence he has in his vision, even if that vision doesn't go along with what fans want (and arguably diminishes the quality of the films in the end). When you develop an emotional attachment to something the way many of us have to Star Wars, you develop a sense of ownership about it. But Star Wars has always, and will always, belong to George Lucas. Take it or leave it.
That said, the reaction of the fanbase was understandable when the changes Lucas made to the films for the Blu-ray release leaked out. Compounded with the disappointment that the original, unaltered theatrical versions were not included, the news caused a lot of people to re-think their purchase of the Complete Saga on Blu-ray, some even going so far as to cancel their pre-orders. That's a big step, considering this is one of the most (if not the most) anticipated Blu-ray releases ever. If you're among that group, we're here to tell you to relax, take a breath and re-evaluate what you're giving up by not giving this set a chance.
Alterations aside, you have to admit, you still want to know how it looks in high definition. We can tell you what we think, but it's going to be up to each individual fan to decide whether it's worth putting up with some admittedly egregious alterations or if you still want to stick to those warped VHS copies, worn-out DVDs and faded childhood memories.
For those who haven't followed the history, or just need a refresher, the original Star Wars trilogy has had a few theatrical re-releases since their initial run. Beginning back in 1997, in anticipation of Episode I coming to theaters in '99, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were re-released as Special Editions. Lucas took this opportunity to play with all of the technology available at that point in time to alter the movies, fixing some of the incomplete or messy special effects. If he'd stopped there, most fans would probably have been okay with the changes, but it's Lucas, so he didn't. He went on to add in CGI creatures, musical numbers and, worst of all, changed the original Mos Eisley cantina scene to make it look like Han Solo shoots Greedo after the bounty hunter gets a shot in himself, leading to the fan rallying cry of "Han shot first!" In 2004, the remastered DVD edition contained more changes meant to connect the trilogy to the prequels, like replacing the Force ghost of Sebastian Shaw as Darth Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi with Hayden Christensen as young Anakin Skywalker.
All of these changes have been incorporated into the new Blu-ray release, with even more tweaks, not just to the originals but to the prequels as well. The puppet Yoda in Phantom Menace has been replaced with a far less creepy looking CGI version. This one matches the Yoda seen in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, and it is a much more coherent (and consistent) presentation of the character. Other noteworthy changes? Ewoks now blink. Obi-Wan's call to scare off the Sand People has been replaced with a more alien sound. And, most notoriously of all, Darth Vader now shouts "No. Noooooo!" just before he stops the Emperor from torturing Luke to death in Jedi. This is probably the most disturbing of all because, like Greedo shooting first, it doesn't just alter the look or sound of the film, but fundamentally modifies a big character moment into something less poignant, less subtle and ultimately less effective. There are other CG updates here and there (like the scene where Han is freed from the carbonite) but none that make so much difference to the story.
The prequels are a whole other issue. It's been 12 years since Phantom Menace came out, but the disappointment in it, and the prequels that followed, is still a sore point among some die-hard fans. Watching them again after all this time, they may play a little better than they once did but the sting of disenchantment is still there. Jar Jar hasn't gotten any less annoying, the dialogue and acting isn't any less wooden. It's of small consolation, then, that the films actually do look and sound pretty darn good on Blu-ray.
So, if you can get past your grievances with the films themselves, how do they play in HD? With six films, spanning more than two decades of time and various levels of production quality, the results are expectedly mixed. Going in chronological order of release, the three original films have a cohesive look to them. For a space opera that wasn't meant to stand the test of time, the three original Star Wars films hold up surprisingly well.
The picture is bright and clear, though not always consistently sharp. Some instances of blurring creep in at the edges and even further at times, marring what is otherwise a beautiful print. Some grain is to be expected, but otherwise the image has been scrubbed of grime and grit, and comes out looking nice and shiny.
Phantom Menace isn't just the most disappointing film of the six in terms of narrative, but visually as well. It was originally shot in 35mm and it appears that some digital smoothing has been employed here, perhaps to make it look a little more like the two later films, which were both shot in HD. You can understand the reasoning, but it results in a softer picture with less detail than we got in theaters. Attack of the Clones fairs better, but still doesn't come close to the sheer visual perfection of Revenge of the Sith, which turns out to be the standout movie of the set.
As far as the audio goes, it's absolutely fantastic across all six films. Presented uniformly in 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, the sound is by far one of the best elements of this release. The mix for the original trilogy was created from scratch using the original sources under the guidance of legendary sound engineer Ben Burtt (with Lucas also giving his say). The way the have been masterfully remixed using Skywalker Sound's state-of-the-art technology is a feat of brilliance that can't be overstated. Beginning with the opening scene where the Star Destroyer overtakes the rebel blockade runner, it draws you in and never lets go. John Williams' brassy score has never sounded more heroic, the Imperial March never more imposing. From top to bottom, left to right, inside and out, each mix hits you in the gut, just like you'd hoped it would. When we talk about reference quality, this is the end-all, be-all. Crank it up and shake the walls.
Still not convinced? Fine. If nothing swayed you before, perhaps the hours and hours (and hours) of special features might make a difference. The six films each have two audio commentary tracks, one featuring Lucas and his team that was included on the 2004 DVD and a new one cobbled together from archival interviews with the cast and crew. Lucasfilm was clever in the way they put these together. Although the interviews were previously recorded, it really does sound as if the actors are commenting on the action on screen. Even after all this time, it's still fun to hear them talk about the films and their experiences making them.
You also get three discs of extras in this set. The first two archive discs are divided by trilogy, so one disc has content related to Episodes I-III, the other to Episodes IV-VI. The menus on these discs are organized by location or set piece. For instance, you'll see a section devoted just to Tatooine or Naboo. In those sections you'll find interviews, concept art and incredibly detailed 360-degree close-ups of costumes and props.
This is also where you'll find the legendary deleted scenes, in various states of completion. Some are color, some black and white, all are pretty rough, but it's fun to see these bits and pieces that were previously lost on the cutting room floor. Before we only heard about Luke going to Tache station to pick up some power converters, now you can see it. The highlights include a different cut of the Mos Eisley cantina scene where you can hear the actors speaking in English accents behind their masks, see Han cozy up to a random girl and – yes – Han does shoot first. There are female X-Wing pilots, a mention of Boba Fett by name at the end of Empire and a sandstorm on Tatooine from Jedi. There are even some deleted scenes from the prequel trilogy which haven't been released before, including one that features a different Senator Bail Organa before Jimmy Smits was cast in the role.
Need more? How about a third exclusive bonus disc full of documentaries. Most of them have been released before, but they've never been collected together in one place like this. The exceptions are "A Conversation with the Masters", produced in 2010 and exclusively screened Star Wars Celebration, and the Star Wars Spoofs piece, which collects 90 minutes of every Star Wars send-up ever, from Saturday Night Live to Robot Chicken.
So that's the set. With the exception of Revenge of the Sith, the films don't look like they were made yesterday, but that's okay. For us, it only adds to the nostalgia factor. If only the original, unaltered version had been included, this would have been a must-buy for every Star Wars fan, but since they're not it comes down to each individual and their assessment of the added value you get from the special features and the improved audio and video. This may not be the best Blu-ray you've ever seen, but it is the best Star Wars could ever look and sound on Blu-ray. At least, until they get around to converting them all to 3D.
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