Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace VCD release/Laserdisc release

Hi all,
In 2000 Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace was official released on home video. For a couple of weeks now, I’ve documenting all the releases for The Phantom Menace. This is what have so far:

-Laserdisc
-Year:2000
-Country:Japan
-Format:Widescreen

-DVD
-Year:2001
-Country:Worldwide?
-Format:Fullscreen and widescreen

-VHS
-Year:1999
-Country:Worldwide?
-Format:Fullscreen and Widescreen(Collector’s Edition)

Just a few days ago, I found out that in most regions of Asia and possibly Europe, there was a VCD release of The Phantom Menace. I already know that Hong Kong, Malaysia, and maybe Singapore and Turkey, had releases for The Phantom Menace. Now, I have several questions to ask about this as I have heard about many and all were different.

Q1: Was the VCD release of The Phantom Menace a bootleg, or an official release?
Q2: What other countries had the VCD release of The Phantom Menace.
Q3: I saw on a website that the Hong Kong release of The Phantom Menace on VCD came with 4 lobby cards
(similar to the Japan Laserdisc) but slightly different. Is this true and if so, did other country
releases have the same offer?
Q4: Apart from Ebay or Amazon, is there a website that sells VCDs. Like the Laserdisc database website but
for VCDs?
Q5: I’ve also red that The Phantom Menace was released on SVCD. What is it, was it released on SVCD, and
where can you buy it?
Q6: Is there a designated box for The Phantom Menace VCD? I’ve seen several online and none come with a
box/case.
Q7: Is there a particular way to identify which country it comes from?
Q8: Is it in Widescreen or Fullscreen?

Please let me know ASAP and if there is additional information that I have not mentioned, feel free to type in the chat below.

If I remember correctly the TPM VCD was an official release - as to the rest of your questions, the below info may be of some help…
 

Nathan Butler runs a youtube channel comprehensively covering many of the popular and also rare releases for Star Wars down the years.

It can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/user/ChronoRadio/videos
 

If you can type ‘The Phantom Menace VCD’ into the search bar on it… these videos will appear:-

https://www.youtube.com/user/ChronoRadio/search?query=The+Phantom+Menace+VCD

There is also some basic information that can be found for the VCD release, here:-

http://www.45worlds.com/dvd/disc/4717415111646

For info on the Star Wars releases in general (especially older releases) these are also insightful and informative sites:-

• Video Collector’s superb & informative ‘Star Wars on Video’ resource website (with images and info)

• projectcclarke’s quality & insightful ‘Star Wars On Home Video Reference Site’ (with images and info)

• DavisDVD•com’s Information Pages on OT VHS & DVD releases (from 1982 to 2004) - SW : ESB : ROTJ : Misc (may have mentions of the VCDs?)
 

Great, Thanks. I’ve red that apparently, that the Hong Kong of The Phantom Menace was an official release. I’m unaware if the legitimacy is mentioned by Nathan Butler but above, you mentioned that IIRC and TPM were official releases for VCD. The Hong Kong version of The Phantom Menace was distributed Deltamac? Is that official?

RUKUSBUILD3 said:

Q1: VideoVan Limited - Malaysia released the Phantom Menace and the SE Trilogy on official VCD’s - All of the official releases had matching art - see photo below
Q2: I do not believe there were any others
Q3: A few I saw had them some did not
Q4: PART 1 = Only Asian sites really offer them anymore if you can find one. PART 2 = No there is no real VCD database
Q5: No official release of any SVCD’s
Q6: Yes it came with a “loose slip case” - see photos below
Q7: Yes, there is an official tag on the bottom and back
Q8: PAL, Stereo DD 2.0, 4:3 Pan & Scan (Fullscreen)

Appreciate the help