September 16th is pretty big day. What? You didn't think I was going to forget or not write something about it, did you? What's funny is that I wrote something in 2001 for Echostation.com (scroll down to "Start Saving your Pennies") now doesn't seem to far from the truth. Before we go any further and to answer your question, yes, I am going to be buying the BluRay release. However, I'm not buying it for the reasons you think. But we will get into that later.

Like most Star Wars fans, I already have a version for home viewing. In fact, I have several versions:

1990 VHS Original Trilogy (PS) with the cool box art.
1995 VHS Original Trilogy (WS) with THX remastering
19?? LD Original Trilogy (WS) Japanese import
2000 VHS Episode I (WS) with goodies
2001 DVD Episode I (WS)
2002 DVD Episode II (WS)
2004 DVD Original Trilogy SE (WS)
2005 DVD Episode III (WS)
5005 DVD Original Trilogy (WS) the non-SE version

So yeah, I really don't need another version. I especially don't need it if the rumors are true. But you know what, I'm going to give Uncle George the benefit of the doubt. I've been disappointed before (Episode I, Episode II, Episode III) so I guess I can't really be disappointed much more. Then again, I might be forced to eat those words sooner, rather than later.

The reason I want the this new release is for the goodies. I've been wanting to get documentaries made in 1977, 1980, and 1983 that were originally only available on Laserdisc (I may wrong on this, let me know if I am). I'd also like to see some of the deleted scenes that all hardcore SW fans know about and have seen bits and pieces of, but never the whole thing. I honestly don't have high hopes for this release. I will probably regret getting this release but I've spent more money and less things I've cared about.

I haven't seen Episode I (or II and III) in years. Nor have I really taken the time to sit back and really watch the movies. I'm thinking now is good time to do that. There haven't been any movies out that I've wanted to see, thus resulting in a lack of reviews. So I guess I'll knock out two birds with one stone. I'll be reviewing each disc in the set. There are certain things I expect to see with these new HiDef releases. There are certain video errors (SFX boxes, color-changing lightsabers, etc.) that better not be there anymore. I figure Uncle George and his minions have had plenty of time and opportunities to fix this. There are plenty of examples out there on how to do a release correctly. The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition DVD is the perfect example of a complete and well done DVD release. The Alien Anthology is the perfect example of a Blu-Ray release done right. The Star Wars release should be somewhere in the same neighborhood.

I am a huge fanboy. The lightsabers, TIE pilot helmet, posters, books and other goodies attest to that. Am I going to gush all over these releases? Maybe, but I doubt it. I'm going to try to be as honest as possible. Actually, I might be too brutaly honest after a string of disappointments. We shall see...

This wouldn't surprise me at all...