Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) (Packaging May Vary) [Blu-ray]

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Product Description Star Wars: The Complete Blu ray Saga will feature all six live action Star Wars feature films utilizing the highest possible picture and audio presentation.Please note:packaging may vary Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (32 Years Before Episode IV) Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master discover nine year old Anakin Skywalker, a young slave unusually strong in the Force. Anakin wins a thrilling Podrace and with it his freedom as he leaves his home to be trained as a Jedi. The heroes return to Naboo where Anakin and the Queen face massive invasion forces while the two Jedi contend with a deadly foe named Darth Maul. Only then do they realize the invasion is merely the first step in a sinister scheme by the re emergent forces of darkness known as the Sith.Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (22 Years Before Episode IV) Ten years after the events of the Battle of Naboo, not only has the galaxy undergone significant change, but so have Obi Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala, and Anakin Skywalker as they are thrown together again for the first time since the Trade Federation invasion of Naboo. Anakin has grown into the accomplished Jedi apprentice of Obi Wan, who himself has transitioned from student to teacher. The two Jedi are assigned to protect Padmé whose life is threatened by a faction of political separatists. As relationships form and powerful forces collide, these heroes face choices that will impact not only their own fates, but the destiny of the Republic.Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (19 Years before Episode IV) Three years after the onset of the Clone Wars, the noble Jedi Knights have been leading a massive clone army into a galaxy wide battle against the Separatists. When the sinister Sith unveil a thousand year old plot to rule the galaxy, the Republic crumbles and from its ashes rises the evil Galactic Empire. Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker is seduced by the dark side of the Force to become the Emperor's new apprentice Darth Vader. The Jedi are decimated, as Obi Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Yoda are forced into hiding. The only hope for the galaxy are Anakin's own offspring.Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Nineteen years after the formation of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet of Tatooine. Obi Wan begins Luke's Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire.Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Luke Skywalker and his friends have set up a new base on the ice planet of Hoth, but it is not long before their secret location is discovered by the evil Empire. After narrowly escaping, Luke splits off from his friends to seek out a Jedi Master called Yoda. Meanwhile, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and C 3PO seek sanctuary at a city in the Clouds run by Lando Calrissian, an old friend of Han’s. But little do they realize that Darth Vader already awaits them.Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (4 years after Episode IV) In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. .com Episode I, The Phantom Menace "I have a bad feeling about this," says the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace as he steps off a spaceship and into the most anticipated cinematic event... well, ever. He might as well be speaking for the legions of fans of the original episodes in the Star Wars saga who can't help but secretly ask themselves: Sure, this is Star Wars, but is it my Star Wars? The original elevated moviegoers' expectations so high that it would have been impossible for any subsequent film to meet them. And as with all the Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace features inexplicable plot twists, a fistful of loose threads, and some cheek-chewing dialogue. Han Solo's swagger is sorely missed, as is the pervading menace of heavy-breather Darth Vader. There is still way too much quasi-mystical mumbo jumbo, and some of what was fresh about Star Wars 22 years earlier feels formulaic. Yet there's much to admire. The special effects are stupendous; three worlds are populated with a mélange of creatures, flora, and horizons rendered in absolute detail. The action and battle scenes are breathtaking in their complexity. And one particular sequence of the film--the adrenaline-infused pod race through the Tatooine desert--makes the chariot race in Ben-Hur look like a Sunday stroll through the park. Among the host of new characters, there are a few familiar walk-ons. We witness the first meeting between R2-D2 and C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt looks younger and slimmer (but not young and slim), and Yoda is as crabby as ever. Natalie Portman's stately Queen Amidala sports hairdos that make Princess Leia look dowdy and wields a mean laser. We never bond with Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Obi-Wan's day is yet to come. Jar Jar Binks, a cross between a Muppet, a frog, and a hippie, provides many of the movie's lighter moments, while Sith Lord Darth Maul is a formidable force. Baby-faced Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) looks too young and innocent to command the powers of the Force or wield a lightsaber (much less transmute into the future Darth Vader), but his boyish exuberance wins over skeptics.Near the end of the movie, Palpatine, the new leader of the Republic, may be speaking for fans eagerly awaiting Episode II when he pats young Anakin on the head and says, "We will watch your career with great interest." Indeed! --Tod NelsonEpisode II, Attack of the Clones If The Phantom Menace was the setup, then Attack of the Clones is the plot-progressing payoff, and devoted Star Wars fans are sure to be enthralled. Ten years after Episode I, Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), now a senator, resists the creation of a Republic Army to combat an evil separatist movement. The brooding Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is resentful of his stern Jedi mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), tormented by personal loss, and showing his emerging "dark side" while protecting his new love, Amidala, from would-be assassins. Youthful romance and solemn portent foreshadow the events of the original Star Wars as Count Dooku (a.k.a. Darth Tyranus, played by Christopher Lee) forges an alliance with the Dark Lord of the Sith, while lavish set pieces showcase George Lucas's supreme command of all-digital filmmaking. All of this makes Episode II a technological milestone, savaged by some critics as a bloated, storyless spectacle, but still qualifying as a fan-approved precursor to the pivotal events of Episode III. --Jeff ShannonEpisode III, Revenge of the Sith Ending the most popular film epic in history, Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith is an exciting, uneven, but ultimately satisfying journey. Picking up the action from Episode II, Attack of the Clones as well as the animated Clone Wars series, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), pursue General Grievous into space after the droid kidnapped Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).It's just the latest maneuver in the ongoing Clone Wars between the Republic and the Separatist forces led by former Jedi turned Sith Lord Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). On another front, Master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz) leads the Republic's clone troops against a droid attack on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. All this is in the first half of Episode III, which feels a lot like Episodes I and II. That means spectacular scenery, dazzling dogfights in space, a new fearsome villain (the CGI-created Grievous can't match up to either Darth Maul or the original Darth Vader, though), lightsaber duels, groan-worthy romantic dialogue, goofy humor (but at least it's left to the droids instead of Jar-Jar Binks), and hordes of faceless clone troopers fighting hordes of faceless battle droids.But then it all changes.After setting up characters and situations for the first two and a half movies, Episode III finally comes to life. The Sith Lord in hiding unleashes his long-simmering plot to take over the Republic, and an integral part of that plan is to turn Anakin away from the Jedi and toward the Dark Side of the Force. Unless you've been living under a rock the last 10 years, you know that Anakin will transform into the dreaded Darth Vader and face an ultimate showdown with his mentor, but that doesn't matter. In fact, a great part of the fun is knowing where things will wind up but finding out how they'll get there. The end of this prequel trilogy also should inspire fans to want to see the original movies again, but this time not out of frustration at the new ones. Rather, because Episode III is a beginning as well as an end, it will trigger fond memories as it ties up threads to the originals in tidy little ways. But best of all, it seems like for the first time we actually care about what happens and who it happens to.Episode III is easily the best of the new trilogy--OK, so that's not saying much, but it might even jockey for third place among the six Star Wars films. It's also the first one to be rated PG-13 for the intense battles and darker plot. It was probably impossible to live up to the decades' worth of pent-up hype George Lucas faced for the Star Wars prequel trilogy (and he tried to lower it with the first two movies), but Episode III makes us once again glad to be "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away." --David HoriuchiStar Wars: The Original Trilogy (Episodes IV - VI) The Star Wars trilogy had the rare distinction of becoming more than just a series of movies, but a cultural phenomenon, a life-defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's original 1977 film is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi Knights, the Force, and droids.In the first film, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) gets to live out every boy's dream: ditch the farm and rescue a princess (Carrie Fisher). Accompanied by the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford, the only principal who was able to cross over into stardom) and trained by Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), Luke finds himself involved in a galactic war against the Empire and the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones). The following film, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), takes a darker turn as the tiny rebellion faces an overwhelming onslaught. Directed by Irvin Kershner instead of Lucas, Empire is on the short list of Best Sequels Ever, marked by fantastic settings (the ice planet, the cloud city), the teachings of Yoda, a dash of grown-up romance, and a now-classic "revelation" ending. The final film of the trilogy, Return of the Jedi (1983, directed by Richard Marquand), is the most uneven. While the visual effects had taken quantum leaps over the years, resulting in thrilling speeder chases and space dogfights, the story is an uneasy mix of serious themes (Luke's maturation as a Jedi, the end of the Empire-rebellion showdown) and the cuddly teddy bears known as the Ewoks.Years later, George Lucas transformed his films into "special editions" by adding new scenes and special effects, which were greeted mostly by shrugs from fans. They were perfectly happy with the films they had grown up with (who cares if Greedo shot first?), and thus disappointed by Lucas's decision to make the special editions the only versions available. --David HoriuchiDVD & Blu-ray Versions of Star Wars Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc) Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition Without Bonus Disc) Star Wars Trilogy Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episodes I - III) [Blu-ray] Star Wars: The Original Trilogy (Episodes IV - VI) [Blu-ray] Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray] Release Date September 21, 2004 December 6, 2005 November 4, 2008 November 4, 2008 September 16, 2011 September 16, 2011 September 16, 2011 Format/Disc # DVD (4 Discs) DVD (3 Discs) DVD (6 Discs) DVD (6 Discs) Blu-ray (3 Discs) Blu-ray (3 Discs) Blu-ray (9 Discs) + 16 page booklet Blu-ray 3D No No No No No No No Blu-ray No No No No Yes Yes Yes DVD Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Digital Copy No No No No No No No Original Theatrical Version No No Yes Yes No No No Bonus Features Star Wars, Episode IV: Commentary by George Lucas, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher Star Wars, Episode V: Commentary by George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher Bonus Disc: All-new bonus features, including the most comprehensive feature-length documentary ever produced on the Star Wars saga, and never-before-seen footage from the making of all three films "Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy" Featurettes: The Legendary Creatures of Star Wars, The Birth of the Lightsaber, The Legacy of Star Wars Teasers, Trailers, TV spots, Still GalleriesPlayable Xbox demo of the new Lucasarts game Star Wars BattlefrontThe making of the Episode III videogameExclusive preview of Star Wars: Episode III Star Wars Episode IV: Commentary by George Lucas, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie FisherStar Wars Episode V: Commentary by George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher None Star Wars, Episode I: Commentary by George Lucas and companyStar Wars, Episode II: From Puppets to PixelsState of the Art: Previsualization of Episode II8 deleted scenes with introsMusic VideoVisual Specs Breakdown12 Web Documentaries4 Trailers12 TV SpotsEaster EggStill Galleries DVD-ROM links Star Wars, Episode I: Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires, Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew Star Wars, Episode II: Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow, Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and CrewStar Wars, Episode III: Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Rob Coleman, John Knoll and Roger GuyettAudio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and CrewStar Wars, Episode IV: Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and CrewStar Wars, Episode V: Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew Star Wars, Episode VI: Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren, > Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and CrewSame as Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episodes I-III) [Blu-ray] and Star Wars: The Original Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI) [Blu-ray] plus: New! Star Wars Archives, Episodes IV-VI: Includes deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; and more Star Wars Documentaries: NEW! Star Warriors (2007, Color, Apx. 84 Minutes)NEW! A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later (2010, Color, Apx. 25 Minutes)NEW! Star Wars Spoofs (2011, Color, Apx. 91 Minutes)The Making of Star Wars (1977, Color, Apx. 49 Minutes)The Empire Strikes Back: SPFX (1980, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes)Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi (1983, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes)Anatomy of a Dewback (1997, Color, Apx. 26 Minutes)Star Wars Tech (2007, Color, Apx. 46 Minutes) P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); Set Contains: Despite how you feel about George Lucas's repeated tinkering with the Star Wars saga, this Blu-ray release could never be called disappointing. No, the original cuts are not included. Yes, he did add a few more touches (the most glaring one being an audio track added to Return of the Jedi such that Darth Vader now says "Nooooooooo!" when Palpatine is trying to kill Luke Skywalker). Yes, purists want the versions as they were originally released in theaters, where Han shoots first and the ghost of Anakin doesn't look like Hayden Christensen. But it's clear from the interviews with Lucas that he was frustrated that his original visions were hampered by the limits of technology ("I had an opportunity to pull out all the thorns in my side," he says of the decision to restore certain scenes with digital effects). If you can forgive that--and understandably, some will never be able to--the six-movie collection is a stunning achievement. The films make a spectacular transfer to Blu-ray, and included with each film's disc are audio commentaries from the previous DVD release. There are also three additional bonus discs. The navigation is a little clumsy (you must pick an Episode, then a planet, then the interviews menu within that planet, then each individual interview). A "Play All" option only exists across the entire disc, but there is a healthy mix of old and new material. Even the "Archive Fly-Through" is a thrilling walk through the saga by way of panning around a prop room. The truncated interviews with various cast members could have easily been edited into one piece and reveal little, other than the exchange between Samuel L. Jackson and Lucas when Jackson requested a purple lightsaber ("Good guys are green and blue, bad guys are red. That's just the way it works," Lucas initially tells him with a smirk). There's an arsenal of deleted/extended scenes, mostly unfinished and in the case of the prequels, completely unnecessary (it should be noted that deleted scenes from previous Star Wars releases are not on this release). But there are several notable deleted scenes from the original trilogy: Luke hanging out with his friends at--yes--Tosche station (where he wanted to pick up those famous power converters); a longer version of the Han/Leia argument at Echo Base ("I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee") and a near-kiss between Luke and Leia that, in hindsight, was wise to leave out, as it fleshes out a love triangle that would've made the sibling revelation particularly icky. A handful of scenes featuring Rebel leaders filming their flight scenes also make the cut (trivia: an A-wing pilot was actually female but her one line was dubbed over by a male voice). A 2010 bonus feature shows Lucas in a writers' room for the Clone Wars TV series doing a sermon on the Force; there's also a featurette interviewing scientists on the plausibility of Star Wars technology. Verdict? Landspeeders and Darth Vader are plausible ("[Anakin] could survive [losing his limbs and falling on a volcano] if he were in shape… I'd be concerned about his lungs burning" says one), but light speed and lightsabers--not so much.Star Warriors, a documentary about the global organization of Star Wars costume enthusiasts known as the 501st Legion, is a love letter to fans around the world, and a touching must-see for any superfan. "A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later" is a new documentary interviewing Lucas, the late Irvin Kershner (who directed Empire), and Lawrence Kasdan (who cowrote Episodes V and VI). Lucas reveals he brought in psychologists to assess whether the big "I am your father" reveal would seriously mess up the kids who watched the film (their conclusion: those who could handle it would, and those who couldn't would simply think it was a lie). Finally, a 90-minute montage of spoofs, tributes, and commercials shows the extent of Star Wars' influence on pop culture: Bill Murray's Saturday Night Live song "Star Waaaaars"; the numerous clips from Robot Chicken; the 2011 Super Bowl Volkswagen commercial featuring a pint-size Darth Vader; clips from Spaceballs, Fanboys, and Family Guy; Mark Hamill on The Muppet Show, and much more. What's missing? The stellar documentary Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy that was included in the 2004 DVD release, and the hidden bloopers from previous releases. Still, this set is one for the ages --Ellen A. Kim See more