Star Wars On Home Video: A Retrospective

2004

Since the advent of DVDs in the late 1990s, Star Wars fans had been clamoring for the release of the original trilogy in the fan-friendly format. So, in the year prior to the release of the saga's final theatrical installment, the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set was finally offered to eager fans worldwide.

The films themselves never looked or sounded better, with newly restored and remastered imagery, and a soundtrack presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX. A commentary track was attached to each film, with discussions and explanations by Lucas, Empire director Irvin Kershner, actress Carrie Fisher, sound designer Ben Burtt, and ILM's Dennis Muren.

Far surpassing the content found on the Definitive Collection issued 11 years earlier, the set could be purchased in both widescreen or pan-and-scan, and included a fourth disc featuring hours of supplementary material. These included: a 2.5 hour documentary called "Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy"; an Episode III behind the scenes preview; three featurettes -- "The Birth of the Lightsaber", "The Characters of Star Wars", and "The Force is With Them: The Legacy of Star Wars"; TV spots and trailers (much improved since the Definitive Collection versions); production still gallery; posters and print campaign; Star Wars Battlefront game demo and trailer; a making of Episode III game preview; and exclusive DVD-ROM website content.

Even with all this added bonus material, the trilogy DVD set was still priced at only a fifth of what the Definitive Collection cost fans in 1993.

2005

With so many competing home video formats to emerge over the years, it seems fitting that the saga's final installment will be released exclusively on the one that is leading the industry into the new millennium. The Revenge of the Sith DVD provides the ultimate experience for Star Wars fans, finally able to view the entire saga in a single format.

In addition to being available in both pan-and-scan and widescreen editions, fans can look forward to all the features they've come to expect from a Star Wars DVD: a commentary track featuring Lucas, Producer Rick McCallum, Visual Effects Supervisors John Knoll and Roger Guyett, and Animation Director Rob Coleman; a 78-minute documentary called "Within a Minute"; "The Chosen One" 14-minute doc; "It's All for Real" 11-minute doc; 15 webdocs; 6 deleted scenes; trailers and TV spots; "A Hero Falls" music video; an Xbox demo and trailer for Battlefront II; trailer for Empire at War; and exclusive DVD-ROM website content.

Because of the Star Wars saga?s long relationship with the home video market, it has shared many of the growing pains felt by the industry over the years, shaping it into the leading property it is today.

Star Wars Saga Home Video Highlights:

May 27, 1982
First videotapes of Star Wars are released for rental only, although many dealers sell them outright
Price: $100-$125 for "lifetime rental", $80 retail after September 1

November 13, 1984
The Empire Strikes Back is released on videocassette, CED, and laserdisc
Price: $79.98 (for videocassettes)

February 25, 1986
Return of the Jedi is released on videocassette, CED, and laserdisc
Price: $79.98 (for videocassette)

1989-90
All three films of the original trilogy are released in widescreen on laserdisc
Price: $70 each

October 11, 1990
First trilogy box set offered on VHS
Price: $59.98

September 15, 1993
Definitive Collection laserdisc trilogy released, first domestic CAV widescreen presentation
Price: $250.00

August 29, 1995
Trilogy released on VHS in THX for the first time
Price: $49.98 (box set), $19.98 (individually)

April 4, 2000
Episode I released on VHS
Price: $24.98 (pan-and-scan), $39.98 (widescreen deluxe edition)

October 16, 2001
Episode I DVD released
Price: $29.98

November 12, 2002
Episode II released on VHS and DVD
Price: $24.98 (VHS), $29.98 (DVD)

September 21, 2004
Star Wars trilogy released on DVD
Price: $49.99

November 1, 2005
Episode III released on DVD
Price: $29.98