AOTC/ROTS VHS....are they the Theatrical releases?

Considering that the VHS versions of these 2 movies aren't as readily available does anyone know if they represent the Theatrical prints or the DVD adjusted versions?

I own only episodes 1 &2 on VHS tapes.

TPM is a P&S version of the theatrical cut.

AOTC is a P&S version of the theatrical cut except the final scene. The final wedding scene is a widescreen version of the theatrical cut.

I don't think that ROTS was released on VHS, it definitely wasn't released on VHS HERE.

pittrek said:

I own only episodes 1 &2 on VHS tapes.

TPM is a P&S version of the theatrical cut.

AOTC is a P&S version of the theatrical cut except the final scene. The final wedding scene is a widescreen version of the theatrical cut.

I don't think that ROTS was released on VHS, it definitely wasn't released on VHS HERE.

As far as I know, ROTS was a PAL only release.

I'm trying to ascertain if the DTS audio would be better matched to the DVD/ Bluray versions or the VHS (since there were no LD releases of these, obviously).

I believe there were visual differences but I'm not sure how that affected the audio in either of them.

:)

I still have the AOTC VHS. It's not the theatrical version, it's the DVD one. I guess there's never been any home release of the theatrical version...

That's interesting. My VHS copy has the theatrical ending - http://www.dvdactive.com/images/editorial/screenshot/2009/8/anakinshandold.jpg

Damn, the picture's not on the site anymore... I'll check on my VHS someday, just to be sure.

Bewy said:

Damn, the picture's not on the site anymore... I'll check on my VHS someday, just to be sure.

Would you define "someday" or are you just being sarcastic?

Which picture ? "anakinshandold.jpg" ? It is there, it's just forbidden to show if your referer is not dvdactive.com :-)

If you want to see it, open it in a new tab and reload it from the server using CTRL+F5 (Firefox - don't forget to press CTRL, otherwise the SAME request will be sent and you will get the same error picture)

Jetrell Fo said:

Bewy said:

Damn, the picture's not on the site anymore... I'll check on my VHS someday, just to be sure.

Would you define "someday" or are you just being sarcastic?

 

Sorry, I meant "some time", no sarcasm intended :3

And @pittrek: I got it to work pressing F5 in a new tab where I opened the pic, just like you said (I'm indeed talking about anakinshandhold.jpg) ;)

Spectre8750 said:

I didn't realize they were still putting out VHS when those were released.

Anyone have A New Hope Soundtrack on 8-Track?

Strangely, this wasn't funny ...... even though I understood what you were getting at.  

I could've sworn I posted in this thread, but I guess not.

Anyway, in answer to the original post, I would think they'd be the same version as the dvd. I mean, the AOTC vhs was released day and date with the dvd, so it wouldn't have made much sense for THX to make two different digital masters with editorial differences. I would think they'd make a digital master first, and then make the dvd and the vhs from that master.

Also, there seems to be confusion in regards to the various versions of AOTC:

When the movie was released in theaters, most movie theaters still used film projectors. As such, the movie had to be locked no later than two weeks before its release, in order to give time to make the thousands of prints necessary and distribute them to the exhibitors.

The digital version was a different story. A hundred or so theaters in the U.S. had a digital projector by the time AOTC was released. The digital version of AOTC wouldn't need the lead time necessary for the 35mm prints. The filmmakers would be able to keep working on the film a little longer and, as a result, the people who saw the digital version would see a different version of the movie.

As fate would have it, the only theater in Virginia showing AOTC digitally was actually the closest one to me (the National Amusements Multiplex Cinemas in Merrifield, which has since closed). I saw an actual print of the movie in downtown DC on opening day, but I never got around to seeing AOTC digitally in Merrifield before they switched it out for Scooby Doo. As such, I cannot say this with absolute metaphysical certitude, but I'm pretty sure the only difference between the two versions is Padme holding Anakin's hand at the end. I'm pretty sure the extra bit of dialogue right after Anakin's confession to Padme about the Tuskens wasn't added until home video (dvdactive's article erroneously claims it was in the digital version).

Like I said, I slacked on going to see the digital version before Scooby Doo took its place, so I can't be a hundred percent sure of all this. But I don't recall reading online during the summer of '02 about any other difference aside from the hand-holding.

....Well, there was someone I remember posting online about how they could've sworn there were two different edits in theaters of that first part of the arena battle (when the alien monsters are first unleashed), specifically the ordering of shots when Obi-Wan and Anakin are talking to each other, "What about Padme?" "She seems to be on top of things," etc.

I also remember reading on the official website - and I think this was in regards to the dvd version - about how there were apparently 80 or so little differences sprinkled throughout the movie.

ETA:

SKot, here's the full page for the image that was linked to:

http://www.dvdactive.com/editorial/articles/star-wars-the-changes-part-four.html?post_id=79223&action=report

The writer doesn't mention where the screencaps for the other version of AOTC are sourced from, but comparison of that obi-wan speeder shot shows that it's spanning too wide of an area for it to be from a pan and scan vhs transfer (and I'm pretty sure there was no letterbox vhs transfer of AotC, right?). This leads me to believe it's from a bootleg of the 35mm version.