'Star Wars' arrives on Blu-ray

I couldn't help but laugh at how "Star Wars" fans at last August's Celebration V in Orlando, Fla., applauded when they saw a never-before-seen, deleted opening scene from "Return of the Jedi" (1983). It accompanied the announcement from creator George Lucas that both the original and prequel trilogies were coming to Blu-ray in late 2011.

Unlike those excited fans, I saw no reason whatsoever at hearing that the original trilogy was coming to Blu-ray because they aren't the original 1977, 1980 and 1983 versions that will be released, but the unnecessary 1997 special editions.

Everyone over 40 who remembers seeing episodes IV-VI has a story of when they saw "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" the first time.

I am sure most recall the long lines outside movie theaters. Back then, blockbuster movies were not released on 2,000 screens nationwide. They were released on only 500 screens, if that many, and they weren't released three months later on Blu-ray and DVD like they are now.

I still remember the packed theaters and cheers from the audience as the Death Star was blown up at the end of "Star Wars" and the laughs from the kids who embraced those little teddy bears called Ewoks. My sister couldn't look at the screen when Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) removed Darth Vader's mask near the end of  "Return of the Jedi" so his father could look at his son with his own eyes before dying.

I remember the scene in "The Empire Strikes Back" when one of the Imperial officers tells Captain Needa that Lord Vader wants an update on the pursuit of the Millenium Falcon. I heard someone in the audience, knowing full well that officer was about to meet an early demise courtesy of an invisible choke-hold from Darth Vader, yell, "He's dead now!"

My parents did not take me to see "Star Wars" until August 1977, a few days before I was to begin second grade. We arrived about 10-15 minutes late, so it wasn't until we stayed for the next showing to see what we missed that I was able to figure out what the story was about. Until that time, I was more in awe of all the visual effects and Han Solo's sarcastic self-assuredness.

When I saw "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980, I was disappointed that the film ended on a cliffhanger. I got a little emotional seeing Han Solo (Harrison Ford) being put into carbon freeze and taken away by bounty hunter Boba Fett. I'd have to wait until the summer of 1983 for him to be rescued and for the Empire to be defeated.

While I admit "Return of the Jedi" could have gone out with a bigger bang, I still look back on that film with a sense of nostalgia. I was going into second grade when I saw "Star Wars" and for the next three to four years, my interest would be in "Star Wars" toys.

I was going into eighth grade when I saw "Return of the Jedi." The following year I was a freshman in high school. With the original trilogy ending in 1983, I saw it as a closing chapter of my grade-school years, especially since by the time I was in eighth grade my interest in "Star Wars" toys was already fading.

I liked how the special edition of "Return of the Jedi" ended on a more dramatic note, showing celebrations of the Empire's demise on a few planets. But, I did not need to see Hayden Christensen from episodes II and III (2002-2005) replace Sebastian Shaw, playing Anakin Skywalker's ghost at the end standing alongside the apparitions of an older Ben Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and Yoda.

George Lucas has made millions constantly re-merchandising an old product to death the past 30-plus years. Restoring the originals on Blu-ray would no doubt cost his "empire" millions but surely he realizes he'd get all that money back if he'd release those along with the special editions.

I won't lie and say I won't double-dip and buy the 9-disc Blu-ray set Sept. 16 like I have done with several old personal favorites released on the format. I'll watch all those never-before-seen deleted scenes. I'll also enjoy seeing those "Making of" documentaries of the original trilogy again.

They haven't been seen since their release on VHS before I put the box set on the shelf, never to open it again.

The only time I will watch the six films will be when Spike TV shows them every few months. I'll just have them on in the background just to have something to listen to while I am doing something else.

Until the founder of The Force changes his mind, which at this point I predict will be never, I will settle for those less-than-technologically stellar 2006 DVD theatrical versions of the original trilogy Lucas released that were reportedly the laserdisc transfers if I really want to watch them again.

The picture quality isn't great. Some scenes were darker than others, but these are the versions I'd much rather see than the Blu-ray set everyone's going to be buying Sept. 16.

I'll watch a group of dancing teddy bears sing "yuck-yuck" at the end of "Return of the Jedi" any day over seeing Greedo shoot Han Solo in the cantina or crimelord Jabba the Hutt  called a "wonderful human being" when he, or it, is not a human being but a huge, lumbering, slobbering, alien space slug.