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Amazon Reviews (re the 2004 OT SE DVD release)

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Look this site is important and the message is important please post on amazon.com for the OT DVD boxset. This is probably the number one thing people the world over look at. As of right now its rank on Amazon is number and has 1236 reviews (including mine), interestingly it has 3.5 stars…many give 5 and many give 1 (not atypical). So about 30% are giving it one star in reviews and 70% 5. 3.5 already makes a statement. I would like to see this board make an impact on there. If you love it give it five, if not give what you want, but put something…OT.com needs to leave its mark. Let people know that they need to be prepared that these are not the movies they saw in the theatre or have on video, just remastered. Let them know about this site if they are mad. Let them know about the audio problems and Lucasfilms stance.

I am trying to rally the troops here…

Amazon.com’s 2004 Star Wars Trilogy DVD boxset

16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Good idea. For some reason they group any and all star wars trilogy reviews together, whether it's the dvds or the '95 THX release on vhs. However, a few months ago the overall rating was 4 1/2 (which it had been for the past 4-5 years), which just goes to show that dvds are fully responsible for it going from a 4 1/2 to a 3 1/2.
40,000 million notches away
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This one was great...

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(one star) It's like McCartney re-recording Beatles, September 21, 2004
Reviewer: Gregory Saracino (Malta)
Sorry folks. Releasing the versions like this is the EQUIVALENT of Paul McCartney going back and re-recording the Beatles albums with all the modern technology. That would be interesting and maybe even cool. However, it would TOTALLY BLOW if the *new* versions were the ONLY versions available on CD. DOESN'T THIS SOUND RIDICULOUS? I will never buy these and instead, give in to piracy. In fact, stuff like this makes me hope that piracy is the END of Lucas.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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Bossk, I read that one and I totally agree with it. I did my part and wrote a short review.

Keeping The Star Wars Hoiliday Special alive. Once person at a time. Stir, stir, whip, whip, stir, beat, beat.
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Cool, we need to be active in this. Like I said its the number one site for reviews in the world and a lot of people base their buys (many do not purchase from there) based on criticisms and ratings. The news might says some cursory statements of ignorance, like... "Its the greatest trilogy of all time, now with the DVD treatment and its number one for good reason." Not mentioning audio errors, things missing (more documentaries, deleted scenes), things altered and changed. It should be our mission to help people out there get the word. Further, Lucas needs to see a number of stars and a volume of reviews that reflect greatness and disgust with what trul is the greatest trilogy of all time (changed for the worse). Thanks guys.


BTW to Amazon's credit they do put this in their own summary...

What's Been Changed?
The rumors are true: Lucas made more changes to the films for their DVD debut. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) has been added to a scene in Jedi, Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replaces Clive Revill with slightly revised lines in Empire, Temuera Morrison has rerecorded Boba Fett's minimal dialogue, and some other small details have been altered. Yes, these changes mean that the Star Wars films are no longer the ones you saw 20 years ago, but these brief changes hardly affect the films, and they do make sense in the overall continuity of the two trilogies. It's not like a digitized Ewan McGregor has replaced Alec Guiness's scenes, and the infamous changes made for the 1997 special-edition versions were much more intrusive (of course, those are in the DVD versions as well).
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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People on Amazon (338 0f them) have commented on this critics review. But like was mentioned above it refers to the VHS edition (and which one - not the SE) so why is this on there. And it sticks towards the top because its been reviewed so many times. 5/5 stars, glowing review, they (the mass public) may think all is well. It is a travesty that this review is listed with the Boxset reviews. I understand with some more independent type movies that you may need old reviews, because there may be one or two total, but that is not the case here.


Below is the review.

I urge you to ask Amazon to drop the VHS editions reviews its destructive and while its labeled it shouldn't be factored in score-wise to these new DVDs.

Customer comments about the site for Amazon Link

The Best Trilogy in Film History, June 21, 2003
***** (5stars)
Reviewer: A. Ross "indy31" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

George Lucas' first instalment in the immensely popular STAR WARS franchise is generally regarded as the greatest movie ever made. Why? Well, what's not to like? From the opening shot of the Blockade Runner accompanied by that great theme tune by John Williams, you know you're in the unique world of the STAR WARS universe. Before George's prequels THE PHANTOM MENACE and ATTACK OF THE CLONES, A NEW HOPE was known only as STAR WARS. Audiences had never seen anything so original and amazing. Now, the series has entered into the fanboy culture all over the world. In comparison, Episode 4 seems somewhat tame compared to AOTC in terms of action, but it's still an astounding adventure filled with great characters and wonderful escapsim.
From Hero Luke Skywalker's symbolic journey from his home Tatooine to the moment of victory at the finale, we are greeted with a myriad of fantastic characters, especially Han Solo, played by a pre-Indy Harrison Ford and his buddy Chewbacca. And the ultimate incarnation of evil, Darth Vader. And that, more than anything, is what made TPM so hollow. While the action was good, the lack of good characters is disappointing. But AOTC has regained much of the sense of adventure that this film started off.
Lucas' grand vision illuminates the entire film, with inventive creatures and events. Several scenes that are my favorites are Obi Wan's conversation to Luke about the Clone Wars and Vader, Solo's disposal of Greedo, Obi Wan and Vader's last confrontation and the battle of Yavin. One of my all-time favorite films, STAR WARS is THE great adventure.
Directed by Irvin Kershner, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK moved away from the high-sprited antics of the first film and took a step towards the dark side. The Empire is preparing to seek revenge on the Rebel Alliance, C3P0 gets blasted to bits and Luke Skywalker finds out that Darth Vader is his dad! Even John William's score is much darker in tone than his previous efforts. But the film is an excellent adventure that many fans consider to be superior to the original. Mark Hamill returns as Luke, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia and Harrison Ford as the sardonic Han Solo. And we are introduced to the wise Yoda, who trains Luke about the ways of a Jedi. The action ante is upped considerably, with fantastic chases through asteroid feilds, battles between snowspeeders and the AT-ATs and Luke's rescue mission. And the Bespin Duel, where the confrontational battle between Vader and Luke ends with one of the most shocking revelations in movie history (Even if it's somewhat un-surprising for future fans who watch all the completed films in sequence).

RETURN OF THE JEDI starts off with Luke and Leia rescuing Han Solo from the crime lord Jabba the Hutt. While the film is less exciting than it's counterparts, it does have some good action, including the rescue on the desert skiff, the speeder chase through the forest of Endor, the dark final battle between Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine and Luke and the destruction of the second Death Star. The lightsaber fights are some of the best in the Star Wars cannon and Princess Leia is hotter than ever! John William's score is even more exciting than ESB.
If I were to place the Star Wars films in order from best to not-as-good, they would go THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, A NEW HOPE, RETURN OF THE JEDI, ATTACK OF THE CLONES and THE PHANTOM MENACE.
This presentation is very impressive, with added scenes and improved SFX. We see more of Jabba the Hutt, there are some great additions including the amazing Bespin City and the added celebration scenes at the end of JEDI. A classic trilogy, and a must-buy when it gets on DVD (Hurry up George). --This text refers to the VHS Tape edition
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Well this is what I just wrote amazon on the link above for customer suggestions about the site

Please drop the reviews of the videotapes from your reviews for the Star Wars boxset. They are different and while you do have that "this refers to the VHS edition", factoring in the review or the score is not appropriate here.

The versions are considerably different. It makes sense to mix when 1. They are essentially the same 2. There is a low volume of total reviews 3. People may not know much about the film

In this case none of those are true, with 1300 reviews total, we could pull out the hundreds that refer strictly to the boxset. There have been many technical chages to these film (many for the better) there have been many additions (many for the worse) and many things left off (the Original Films). Further it is being reported that there are audio issues with "A New Hope".

Please seperate these out. The reviews that stick to the top are one that are refering to the VHS tapes (The original theatrical cut, not the Special Edition of 1997). Ones that have 300+ comments, so those have very little bearing here.

I do appreciate that you do make mention in your own review about the changes, but I still think with your number one selling DVD and the something that attracts so much attention this should be considered.

Thank You.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Hey all,
I also added a one star review. I think we should write directly to Fox video and Lucasfilm. Is anyone good at writing letters?
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I thought there were letters to Lucasfilm about some of the NEW HOPE errors and they responded it was creative decisions (regarding audio glitches and video skips).

I would gladly write them. I think amazon is a good forum though. Especially if we could convince them to seperate out the reviews.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Ive been trying to post my review for a while, but Amazon has a message saying the system for reviews is unavailable.

GL must have gotten to them, and now only fanboys voting 5/5 stars are allowed to review. That bastard...

Ill be posting my review as soon as the system allows. I think its important for all our reviews to put emphasis on this release not being the original it is touted as...otherwise we might just sound childish.

Peace, Lethe
"You don't own space, so stop actin' like you do."