Info: Finding Original Trilogy DVDs - for any of the original theatrical versions

My 15 year old asked me yesterday for $100 to buy copies of the theatrical versions of the original Star Wars trilogy.

While I’m impressed that he has an interest in watching the original movies, I really don’t want to drop that kind of money.

I would appreciate any advice that forum members might have regarding obtaining the original theatrical releases for a more reasonable price.

JP

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Harmys-STAR-WARS-Despecialized-Edition-HD-V25-MKV-IS-OUT-NOW/topic/12713/

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Harmys-THE-EMPIRE-STRIKES-BACK-Despecialized-Edition-HD-MKV-and-AVCHD-v20-NOW-AVAILABLE/topic/12511/

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Harmys-RETURN-OF-THE-JEDI-Despecialized-Edition-HD-AVCHD-DVD9-NTSC-DVD5-available-SEE-FIRST-POST/topic/12905/

Total cost: $0.00

On another note, what exactly was he going to buy for $100?

That's only $90. :p

I assumed that but wanted to make sure it wasn't someone selling Harmy's work, or dark_jedi's, or anyone else's.

Oh, and tell your son to get a job. ;-)

Thanks for the information.  Yes, someone was selling all three bonus discs on eBay for $100.00.

Yeah, pretty hard for me to justify spending $100 on 1993-quality transfers in 2015.

I vote for just getting ahold of Harmy's version like Frink suggested.

I just realized that 15-year olds these days were born in the 21st Century, damn. At least they can still appreciate a weird sci-fi movie from 1977.

Handman said:

I just realized that 15-year olds these days were born in the 21st Century, damn. At least they can still appreciate a weird sci-fi movie from 1977.

As much as I dislike this universe, at least I was spared that disgrace. A number of mes in other timelines weren't so lucky. 

Since socks are not allowed, I think we should ban your discussion of them as well.  That way we would all be spared from your constant posting about them.

It would be super easy.  Jay could just set up a filter that stops you from submitting the post any time you use a word with "verse" or "line" in it.

I suppose that would make it harder for you to talk about Firefly, but that's your problem, not ours.

Danfun128 said:

[offtopic]banning the word "line" would make discussing art and math impossible, as much of it requires the existence of lines.[/offtopic]

 Still his problem, not ours.

TV's Frink said:

Jay could just set up a filter that stops you from submitting the post any time you use a word with "verse" or "line" in it.

I have a line of verses I'd like to recite to you, but I don't think you'd appreciate them.

Maybe in another reality or dimension, things are a different matter.

Danfun128 said:

[offtopic]What do you call the things in our avatars (as of this writing) than Frink?[/offtopic]

 Start making sense.

I know what he's referring to, but it has nothing to do with me wanting Duracell to stop making every other post about alternate universes and timelines.

It's what this thread has become.

Davnes007 said:

What’s a ‘mes’ anyway?

Multiple Is.

Honestly, I would not buy them, for multiple reasons:

1. They’re out of print and only available used, so no more money would go to the copyright holders than if you simply pirated them. The only people who win are the price gougers who sell them to you for way more than they’re worth. In a way I think it may be slightly less ethical to buy them from these people, who are out to take advantage of you and others, than it is to download superior restorations done by dedicated fans who aren’t looking for a profit.

2. They are of pretty bad quality. They are watchable, and I made do with them for a few years before I discovered Despecialized, but now I can’t go back. If you own a widescreen HDTV like most people in the 2010s, they will not look very good on it. It’s an old grainy transfer in 4:3 letterbox, not anamorphic widescreen. Doesn’t look that much better than the laserdiscs sourced from the same masters.

That said, I’m glad to read that your son has done his homework and is more interested in seeing the film cuts with real historical value over butchered cuts with bad CGI. That’s an encouraging sign. And you really should get Despecialized for him to reward him for it, with the added benefit of considerably less taken out of your wallet. They take the best sources available for each scene and correct the colors to match the films as they were in theaters as close as possible, more so than the DVDs do. In some cases those are actually upscaled versions of the DVDs. The work of getting the most out of them has already been done for you. No reason to stick with the DVDs themselves.

You see what happens Larry? You see what happens when you bump a year-old thread in the Alps?

Larry sees but does not care. Larry does what he does for the sole reason that he can.