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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: DVD Brand: STAR WARS EPISODE V: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (DVD EAN: 0024543263838 Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Manufacturer: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Number Of Items: 2 Publisher: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Region Code: 1 Release Date: September 12, 2006 Running Time: 124 minutes Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: May 21, 1980 Sales Rank: 2535 MPN: 2236383
Description: For the first time ever and for a limited time only, the enhanced versions of the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi will be available individually on DVD. Plus, these 2-Disc DVD's will feature a bonus disc that includes, for the first time ever on DVD, the original films as seen in theaters in 1977, 1980 and 1983.
Amazon.com: The 2006 limited-edition two-disc release of The Empire Strikes Back is not only the first time the movie has been officially available by itself on DVD. It marks the first-ever DVD release of Empire as it originally played in theaters in 1980. What does that mean exactly? The film is without the various "improvements" and enhancements George Lucas added for the theatrical rerelease in 1997 as well as the DVD premiere in 2004. So no more of Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replacing Clive Revill with slightly revised lines, or Temuera Morrison rerecording of Boba Fett's minimal dialogue.
What do you lose by watching the 1980 version? Dolby Digital 5.1 EX sound, for one thing (only 2.0 Surround here), and digital cleanup. But for home-theater owners, the biggest frustration will be from the non-anamorphic picture. On a widescreen TV, an anamorphically enhanced (16x9) picture at a 2.35:1 aspect ratio will fill the screen with the exception of small black bars on the top and bottom. The original edition of Empire, however, on a widescreen TV will have large black bars on the top, the bottom, and the sides unless you stretch the picture (and distort it in the process, especially considering the substandard picture quality). If you're watching on a standard square-shaped (4:3) TV, though, you won't notice a difference.
Yes, it's true that serious home-theater lovers who want spectacular sound and anamorphically enhanced picture can always watch the 2004 version of the movie also included in this set. But chances are good that they already picked up the trilogy edition of all three films, so their decision to buy the 2006 two-disc edition depends on how much they want the original film. The official LucasFilm stance is that this is an individual release of the 2004 version of The Empire Strikes Back, and the 1980 version of the film is merely a "bonus feature." Common speculation is that the only reason the original versions are seeing the official light of day at all is to undercut the booming black market for the laserdisc version. Star Wars fans will have to decide for themselves if that's worth the purchase. --David Horiuchi
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Awesome Movie
This movie, and the other part of the trilogy, as well, are the best of Lucas Film.
This time the movie was re-edited and digital improvement helping you to see in the new format of DVD and ... Read More
Rating: - Greatest Movie Ever Made
This is by far the best of all the Star Wars movies.
It's darker and full of excitment. I would recommend this to
all sci/fi fans.
Rating: - Wow,
Just wow. This is one of the best films ever, better than the first, and that's saying a mouthfull.
Rating: - Start Wars (Episode V) - The Empire Strikes Back (Original Version & Update #1)
If you are any kind of Star Wars fan, this DVD is a must for your collection. I've heard that George Lucas did not want to produce a DVD of the original theatric version of The Empire Strikes Back but felt ... Read More
Rating: - This one a long time have I watched
I remember going to see THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK for the first time in 1980. I was 5 years old. I remember hearing the voice of Yoda and exclaiming, "That's Grover!" (i.e. Sesame Street). And it was (Frank ... Read More
- Awesome Movie 