Every new release of the Star Wars trilogy provides an opportunity for director George Lucas to alter or edit his films according to his vision. Since the Special Edition version came out in the late 90s, Lucas has made it a point to release both trilogies in DVD and Blu-ray formats and provide each with their own set of improvements (although some fans dislike the improvements).
Release History
The original trilogy was released on DVD for the first time in 2004. Apart from many enhancements and restorations done by Lowry Digital, Lucas took the opportunity to introduce many other changes that connected the trilogy with the prequel films.
In 2006, the original trilogy DVD special editions were again released, this time with re-mastered THX sound and video, plus the original unaltered versions of the films as a bonus.
Finally, the Blu-ray editions came out in 2011, containing yet more changes and improvements to the films. Below is a short guide to the differences between the DVD and Blu-ray editions, grouped according to trilogy. Please note that if you haven’t seen any of the movies ye, you’re in for some spoilers!
The Original Trilogy (Episode IV – A New Hope, Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Episode VI – Return of the Jedi)
Digital Effects
While the 2004 DVD release had already made many adjustments to the Special Edition versions of the original films, the Blu-Ray version allowed for some additional minor changes.
In A New Hope, for example, a new CGI model of the Millenium Falcon was introduced, correcting an underextended frame area problem during the scene when it escapes from the Death Star. Minor touches include additional CGI rocks when R2D2 hides in a little cave.
The Blu-ray edition of The Empire Strike Back adds additional color timing and digital sparks in the scene were Chewbacca searches for C3P0.
In Return of the Jedi, the doors of Jabba’s fortress have been extended to look larger than in the DVD. Additional CGI characters have been added as well, such as a Dug walking across the floor before Luke enters Jabba’s room. Ewoks have been given digital eyelids, giving them the ability to blink and thus look less like puppets.
Corrections
With the release of the Blu-ray, the production team had another opportunity to fix mistakes in the original trilogy. Problems with color timing in the 2004 DVD releases were addressed in the Blu-ray edition. As such, Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber color is now blue as originally intended, not green as in the DVD version. Also, lightsaber colors that looked washed out (or looking pink instead of red) and without cores were changed to look whole and more vibrant.
A short shot in A New Hope where a laser blast is partially cut was also corrected. In The Empire Strikes Back, a shot of the puppeteer arm animating a Wampa beast was covered up. Finally, in Return of the Jedi, the throbbing growths on the Emperor’s head were digitally removed to make the actor look more like the Emperor from the prequels.
Audio Changes
Lucas also made it a point to alter some dialogue for the Blu-ray version, adding a few words here and there or changing sounds altogether. For example, in A New Hope, Ben Kenobi makes different sounding Krayt calls in both versions when scaring off the sand people.
The most notable difference is found in Return of the Jedi. In the DVD version, Vader is silent. In the Blu-Ray, he screams NO! as he grabs the Emperor and hurls him down the reactor shaft.
The Prequel Trilogy (Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Episode III – Revenge of the Sith)
Digital Effects
The Blu-ray edition of The Phantom Menace I starts the ball rolling with more realistic Jedi speed visual effects and sounds than the DVD versions. You’ll also notice that with Blu-Ray most shots are wider and you get to see more detail on the edges of the screen. Some characters have been digitally replaced as well, like Senator Orn Free Taa’s human aides being turned into Twilek ones instead.
In the DVD and theatrical versions of The Phantom Menace, the Yoda puppet looked nothing the character in Return of the Jedi. The Blu-ray edition features a new CGI version of Yoda that better resembled his original incarnation. This is also the version used for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.
Lastly, in Episode II, during the wedding ceremony, Anakin looks more digitally enhanced as he holds Padme’s hand.
Corrections
Some scene compositions that were altered by image magnification in the original DVD release were fixed in the Blu-ray release. Also, the Blu-ray edition corrects a rendering error where a CGI character’s hand passes through his own clothes.
Audio Changes
The most notable change in the sound effects and dialogue occurs in Attack of the Clones, where there is extended dialogue between Anakin and Padme when he confesses to murdering all the sand people. When Padme falls out of a glider and is rescued by a trooper, she says a more realistic “Uh-huh” rather than a straight out “Yes.” Lastly, Anakin’s mother’s voice is heard when he wakes up from a nightmare.
There’s no doubt that additional differences will appear in time, because more changes are on the way, as Lucas has announced plans to re-release all the trilogies in 3D format. As technology changes, one can bet that Star Wars will change with it.
