Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray]

Well, my review will be a mix of my own thoughts and responses to this extremely detailed review at the top (the only one I have read so far). I must say there were some things said with which I strongly disagree.This guys obviously knows more techanical language in terms of picture quality and sound quality. One of the main reasons I spent the money on the complete saga was I knew if one wants some ultimate blu ray quality, Star Wars is obviously a place to look. ALL the movies look amazing!!! Star Wars will most likely be the best 1970s blu ray movie you will ever see. The only movie I hadn't seen before I got this collection was Attack of the Clones. This movie has the best scenery of any Star Wars movie!! That chase scene through the city after Obi jumps out of the window. The detail, and structure and lights AND everything about the imagery of that background is great. In terms of sound quality, I have no surround sound. But they all sound very similar and they are all great.I'm not real into romantice movies but I disagree with the remarks about the dialouge between Anakin and Padme. The story does a great job of showing the development of love between the two. Its a great story. Its dramatic. Drama is the key to any great film. The intensity of his love is part of what drives him to the darkside!!! Its an essential aspect of the prequels part in the saga.I'm sorry but....the two best movies in the whole saga are Revenge of the Sith and RETURN OF THE JEDI!!!!! The main reason for this being that they both represent the intense, climactic endings of their respective series!! First of all, lol.....how can u rush anything in a story divided into six long movies. How is that possible. The average dramatic movie is what, about 2 and a half hrs lol. I havnt added the total number of hrs of all the movies but I assume its longer then 2 hrs. The transformation of Anakin (who's anger actually appears to be somewhat angry towards the beginning when he said, "I'm not a slave, I'm a person, my names Anakin.") is documented throughout the first three movies. It isn't rushed in anyway (let alone only being present in Revenge of the Sith...).I can't believe I heard someone call Return of the Jedi the worst film....WHAT. If this is a common sentiment among hardcore Star Wars fans then I can just add this to the list of criticisms I have about their opinions and complaints. (Mainly referring to the some of the excessive complaints about insignificant changes in the original trilogy). 1. I don't think it was rushed. Palpatine had more time to groom Anakin because he was trusted senator. In Jedi he's the Emperor of the Galactic Empire and figured he had a one shot deal. Sometimes you just have to make sense of it with your own ideas. Maybe the Emperor was over confident in his ablilities at that point. Maybe he figured Darth being Lukes father woule help influence. Maybe he thought a tendency towards the dark side existed in the Skywalker bloodline. 2. The Ewoks are a great contribution to the story. Who can imagin Star Wars without the lovable Ewoks??!! First off, they didn't bring down the Empire. They played a minor role. It was done for the most part by the killing of the Emperor and Han and the gang deactivating the shield. Second, he says a small, less advanced force can't overwhelm a more sophisticated army. Have you heard of the Viet Cong? Lastly, I think its a great ending to the saga. Part of the saga ends on a little, forest moon called Endor. Its magical and mystical. Isnt this part of what Star Wars is about??!?!?Return of the Jedi did come out when I was three or four. But my peference for this movie is not based on "child blinders." Basically, I had seen the ending about five years ago when I was 30 and it was at this point I developed a deeper appreciation for the ending. When the empire is killing Luke, its a great movie moment. If I had to pick a least fav, it would be between Phantom Menace and yes....A NEW HOPE. I know I will be shunned for that. I know its the film that started it all. But if you think about it, its the least exciting and has the least exciting plot points. The story just needed to be started somewhere and the Star Wars phenomonom set in motion. As far as the Phantom Menace, Liam Neeson.... and that's all ill say about that one haha.Now for my short review ( excluding stuff I've already said). I liked Star Wars but getting this collection made me a huge fan. I realized how great the story is and its so cool having all the movies together. The case the movies are in is great in and of itself. I refer to it as a book. I love the artwork. Each movie has specific artwork dedicated to it next to its sleeve (the best ones being REVENGE OF THE SITH AND RETURN IF THE JEDI. And one of the special feature discs with a drawing of Han Solo and the Ewoks!). I havnt watched the special features. I'm not just not much of a special feature guy. I just love movies. In conclusion, its worth the money!!!

The original theatrical editions of the classic Star Wars trilogy, particularly Episode IV-A New Hope, while they contain many amazing moments, do have their warts, that AREN'T THAT GREAT. I can see why, and am glad, that George Lucas changed some shots. I like some of the changes Lucas made. I don't like others. But, overall, I feel Mr. Lucas has impeccable taste, the tweaks are justified, and the stories and rich entertainment value of this galactic space epic are intact, which is what's important.Obviously, too many of you rabid, fanatical purists are holding on too tightly (rumble and creaking sound of clutched gloved-hand Vader stranglehold tightening around your own necks) to the original theatrical cuts of Star Wars IV-VI as one of your most cherished childhood memories (they were an important part of my childhood too). The painful fact is: YOU have changed. YOU are no longer children. You've lost that tender, innocent, idealistic core of youth, where the universe is all open and new, and have become jaded, nit-picking adult cynics. It happens. Get used to it. Deal with it.Some of you are truly an ungrateful, spoiled, "glass is half-empty" bunch of brats, who are too busy nit-picking what you feel are "faults" in these latest versions of the films, instead of enjoying the rich entertainment legacy that is right in front of you! If YOU have the talent, which I doubt, make your own films. YOU then will explore this creative process. YOU then will be in control. YOU then can make exactly the films YOU want to see.Meanwhile, you should be THANKING Mr. Lucas for offering his groundbreaking, legendary Star Wars saga AT ALL on blu-ray, especially in the stellar high-def transfers that he has offered! These look and sound gorgeous. These are the finest transfers, especially of Episode IV-A New Hope, that I've ever seen outside a cinema, and I saw New Hope, in particular, in A LOT of cinemas as a kid.Yes, it would be nice to own the classic, unaltered versions of Star Wars Episodes IV-VI on blu-ray in superb HD transfers from pristine film prints, IN ADDITION to these "tweaked" versions, just to see the evolution of ideas in Mr. Lucas' mind, to compare today's visual-effects technology with the more "quaint" visual-effects technology of the time they were made, as well as to enjoy the tighter, faster, more kinetic ride of the original theatrical versions (the original theatrical versions are shorter).With the recent acquisition of Star Wars by Disney, we may just get our wish! There may just be pristine prints of Episodes IV-VI somewhere, begging for Disney to archive and do a proper HD transfer and blu-ray release of. If that happens, I will proudly add the original cuts to these cuts. If that happens, hopefully that will finally put an end to this incessant bitching, by some of you, for the original versions. You will then have to find something new to bitch about.Meanwhile, try to relax, calm the clutter of your minds, hear the Meticlurians of the Force speaking to you, and, with time and training, Ani, you too will get back to that tender core of youth, that is still inside you. It's called suspension of disbelief.+++++The special features are pretty comprehensive! We get a tour inside Skywalker Ranch, interviews with all the artists involved in the making of these films, documentaries, spoofs, 2 commentary tracks, as well as a "descriptive audio track", per film, and many, many other goodies.I really enjoyed watching the vintage documentaries, particularly SP-FX: The Empire Strikes Back, a treatise on the evolution of special visual-FX in cinema, which Star Wars is certainly an important part of. I also enjoyed watching the various Star Wars spoofs, spin-offs and references! Obviously, Mr. Lucas isn't too precious with his creation; he doesn't mind having others poke a little fun at it (as long as they pay licensing fees to Lucasfilm, of course).One spoof that was ommitted, or perhaps wasn't available, and would've been nice to have, was Ernie Facilius' Hardware Wars, which the youngster helmed right after the original Star Wars was made in 1977. Hardware Wars shows ordinary household appliances, like irons and toasters, zapping lasers at each other in space. Thankfully, a few shots of this "opus" CAN be seen in SP-FX: The Empire Strikes Back!Also (scratching head) curiously omitted from the extras on this blu-ray set, and that would've been nice to have, is the excellent Empire of Dreams documentary, produced and directed by Kevin Burns, found on disc 4 of the Star Wars original Episodes IV-VI trilogy DVD set released in 2004. It chronicles the dismal state the world was in BEFORE the original Star Wars was released in 1977, how Hollywood movies were equally grim, and the rags-to-riches story of George Lucas and his struggle to get the original Star Wars on the screen, as well as his struggle to make the successful sequels, or, rather, parts of its continuing story.Also (scratching head) curiously missing from this blu-ray set are all the wonderful web documentaries, found on the previous DVDs of Episodes I-III, the prequels, chronicling each and every aspect of the making of these films. These short web documentaries were originally shown online, on Lucasfilm's website, as the prequels were in the process of being made, to generate excitement for their upcoming release. I and other tech-heads and artists found these quite fascinating. If you've already purchased the Star Wars movies on DVD, hold onto those DVD sets, as they are the only way to see and enjoy these great special features!Meanwhile, these are a generous offering, and a powerful ride. Fire up the HDTV and surround sound system, with subwoofer, and enjoy those massive, rumbling Star Destroyers!