Read about how in the late 70s, there were renegade Italian television stations and one called 'Teledrog' played a pirated version of 'Star Wars'.

http://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=64166

The best article i've read on this FBI prosecution of a TPM copy.

Prosecuted for enabling illegal downloads of "The Phantom Menace," Jason Spatafore says he’s a scapegoat. The FBI insists it has cornered a real threat to the movie industry. Staff Writer Jason Thompson examines the case that evokes big questions about the role of copyrights in the digital age.

By Jason Thompson
Posted on May 30, 2001

In the fall of 1999, a 25-year-old computer technician from Phoenix, Ariz., discovered that "Star Wars: Episode One" was available for free download at NataliePortman.com, an unauthorized fan site for the "Phantom Menace" star. Jason Spatafore (a.k.a., the Disman, due to his love for Disneyland) posted the film at his home page, Spata4ent.com.

http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/Hot_TPM_bootleg_market_in_New_York_City_80203.asp

Hot TPM bootleg market in New York City

Posted By Paul on May 29, 1999
Disclaimer: while Star Wars-related bootlegging news interests many of our readers, theForce.net does not condone the unlicensed sale of Star Wars bootlegs.

Reader "Darth Venus" sent this in, regarding Episode I bootlegs:

Just wanted to let you know that this is THE HOTTEST thing in nyc right now..Dealers are sellin out in minutes ...i waited on a LINE to get it on 8th ave. The bootleg i've seen all over town is pretty good...very washed out though not much color..but the audio is very VERY good, even the box was nice..looks real!...I asked The guy how its been ..He said He gets about 50 then there gone in minutes...His pager was going OFF for requests on where do get it..as i walked down the street.people were walking up to me asking if i could it for them or point them in the right direction...was very surreal, He said that the word on tha street is that a BETTER quality copy is hitting soon..with the audio dubbed straight to tape instead of it just being recorded in the theater...all an all if u want it its there ,but its hard to find..The guy i asked said he wasnt puttin it out to display..but if u asked he'd sell it..IF HE HAS IT!...also I saw a few vcds in china town going for about 7-10 bucks..but everyone i talked to about it was VERY VERY shady about it, even to the point of pretending to not know english when i spoke about it..but when i bought a john woo film..PERFECT english ..ha!...feel free to post all this..

Reader RojBlake7 also sent in some information from the southern U.S.:

Wanted to let you know that Bootlegs have hit the south! I picked up near Atlanta GA and a friend of mine a little south found some! $10 each and not as bad looking as i would have thought

Also, Shannon Opiela sent in an alert that http://www.vcdvision.com is openly selling copies, and even sending soliciting email to increase sales.

Finally, reader "BathTub" pointed us to an online story here about an online MPEG version.

http://www.isonews.com/misc/news/news.htm Article about MPEG version. (link inactive)

http://boards.theforce.net/the_phantom_menace/b10007/15911776/r15921475/

I saw it before in a bootleg version from the net..

Of course, I saw a bootleg version in June. Again, all stupid Germany's fault. Cool movie, but a ******* bootleg

http://www.theforce.net/holonet/story/Star_Wars_Prosecution_for_Kazaa_63797.asp

Jason Spatafore, 25, pleaded guilty to posting just one movie on the Web--"Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace"--in December 2000.

http://www.theforce.net/episode1/story/Russian_TPM_Bootlegs_80156.asp

Supposedly this version is the movie with a voice over translation in Russian!

http://www.theforce.net/episode1/story/Lynne_Hale_Comments_on_TPM_Net_Bootlegs_80177.asp

Lynne Hale Comments on TPM Net Bootlegs From the Hollywood Reporter ...

Star Wars: The cybermenace

Full-length copies of "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" have been discovered in downloadable form on Internet sites as film piracy enters the cyberspace era. Other complete motion pictures, including "The Matrix" and "Payback," are finding their way onto the Internet within days of release or, as in the case of "The Blair Witch Project," sometimes even before the film hits theaters.

"We're taking a very aggressive stance and working with the FBI and the MPAA to go after anybody who has put or intends to put our film on the Web," Lucasfilm spokeswoman Lynne Hale said, noting that the copies brought to Lucasfilm's attention thus far have been "of very poor quality." While that may be true, particularly in the case of bootlegs obtained by sneaking a camera into a movie theater, some observers claim to enjoy downloaded dupes with crisp imagery and pristine digital sound.

Stopping Bootleggers

Anyone with information pertaining to the selling and distribution of bootleg copies online, or in any format, please send it to hotline@mpaa.org, the MPAA's anti-piracy hotline. (The MPAA rewards program could earn you $15,000 if you report someone.)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/1999/jun/02/news

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/1999/jun/03/news

Film Unlimited however has been informed that the internet copy - which has apparently been copied directly from the movie reel, not shot from the screen as originally suggested - is of a satisfactory quality.