Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes 4-6) (6 Discs)

Ok, so the films are great, they've been released in every format ever available...(give or take) you'd have thought that a release like this in the year 2008 would have been the best of the best...well...i'm sad to say...i'm slightly let down, now don't get me wrong, i love this trilogy (and only this trilogy...let's not talk about those other 3 in the series)
Firstly why the hell is this box set in a closed card box with slim amaray cases inside? It's quite annoying having a box which you have to open up to slide out the film you want, (i guess that's why it's only £17.99)

What i don't understand about this release is the lack of features, ok you get the usual commentary track, but what got the most was the lack of a 5.1 soundtrack for the original theatrical version, that was quite shocking when i looked at the back of the box today (when it arrived) i don't understand the idea of releasing a trilogy box set (millions of years later) and not giving the original versions… more »

Ok, so the films are great, they've been released in every format ever available...(give or take) you'd have thought that a release like this in the year 2008 would have been the best of the best...well...i'm sad to say...i'm slightly let down, now don't get me wrong, i love this trilogy (and only this trilogy...let's not talk about those other 3 in the series)
Firstly why the hell is this box set in a closed card box with slim amaray cases inside? It's quite annoying having a box which you have to open up to slide out the film you want, (i guess that's why it's only £17.99)

What i don't understand about this release is the lack of features, ok you get the usual commentary track, but what got the most was the lack of a 5.1 soundtrack for the original theatrical version, that was quite shocking when i looked at the back of the box today (when it arrived) i don't understand the idea of releasing a trilogy box set (millions of years later) and not giving the original versions the same dedication as the remastered versions, you can always have the 2.0 soundtrack with a 5.1 soundtrack...and on to the 5.1 thx sound quality...i haven't watched the films in full yet but had a quick run through earlier...i found that quite a lot of the sound was quite tinny, but then i never had any earlier version of the films on dvd so have no idea what they sounded like before, or if these are the same discs that were in those sets...

Still, for £17.99 it's not all bad, i would have loved to give this 5 stars but we all know what the films are, so i'm rating the actual box set.

Doc

The original Star Wars saga is easily one of the best Sci-fi trilogies that cinema has ever produced and certainly some of George Lucas best work. Kicking the story off with that fantastic shot of a giant empirial cruiser attacking a smaller ship, Lucas gives us a great story with interwoven themes of love, family, power, destruction and sacrifice which has rarely been matched. Sure this trilogy may not have the big budget effects of the prequels or other modern day films but it certainly has a strong story which most recent films lack.

A NEW HOPE (1977) 5 Stars
The first Star Wars film (or fourth depending on which way you look at it) kicks the series off to a strong start. The acting is class, the effects are brilliant (especially for the time) and chemistry between Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Alec Guinness (an older Obi Wan Kenobi) is unforgettable. The sets are all impressive and we get out first glance of… more »

The original Star Wars saga is easily one of the best Sci-fi trilogies that cinema has ever produced and certainly some of George Lucas best work. Kicking the story off with that fantastic shot of a giant empirial cruiser attacking a smaller ship, Lucas gives us a great story with interwoven themes of love, family, power, destruction and sacrifice which has rarely been matched. Sure this trilogy may not have the big budget effects of the prequels or other modern day films but it certainly has a strong story which most recent films lack.

A NEW HOPE (1977) 5 Stars
The first Star Wars film (or fourth depending on which way you look at it) kicks the series off to a strong start. The acting is class, the effects are brilliant (especially for the time) and chemistry between Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Alec Guinness (an older Obi Wan Kenobi) is unforgettable. The sets are all impressive and we get out first glance of Darth Vader (brilliantly voiced by James Earl Jones) one of cinemas most threatening villains. A brilliant start to the original trilogy setting things up for what followed. A cinematic classic.

EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) 5 Stars
Who said sequels arent better than the original? Empire is easily the best film of the original trilogy as it builds on the great story started in the first film, yet this time there are bigger and better special effects, more great chemistry between the lead characters, the great cloud base set and battle and of course that one line that almost everyone knows. As with the original its hard to find fault with Empire, the scripts great, the sets are great, the effects are great and the acting is great, a brilliant sequel and film.

RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) 4 Stars
The weakest of the original trilogy, Return Of The Jedi, sees the saga come full circle. Luke (Hamill) is now a Jedi Master, Leia (Fisher) is falling in love with Han Solo (Ford) and the rebels success is now starting to show as the empire crumbles. Sadly this final film feels like it is lacking something that the first two had. Thats not to say that the effects, acting, sets and script arent good because they are, theres just something missing from this thats all. The introduction of the Ewoks (the teddy bear things) didnt help either! That said the final is still a grand affair being better than all three prequels and it brings all the strands together (even from the prequels) to round the series off nicely.