#29–TPM was the first Star Wars film released on DVD
Remember when fanboy nation had its undies in a twist over when the Star Wars movies would be released on DVD? Remember the angry rants, the petitions, the threats, the denunciations? First we were told it wouldn’t be until after Episode III came out. Then we were told it would be sooner, but it would be bare bones, i.e. just the movie on disc.
Then we were told since TPM was already in the can, it would be first.
The DVD was released on October 16, 2001 and it racked up $45 million in sales within a week. The DVD’s crowning glories are its blooper reel, its additional scenes, and the magnificent “The Beginning” documentary. It set the pace for future DVD and Blu-Ray releases.
Tags: TPM, TPM countdown
January 11, 2012 at 7:03 pm |
Ah yes, a day long remembered! “The Beginning” is still THE best documentary about any film I ever seen!
January 12, 2012 at 1:48 am |
I have once even read a comment by a OT only fan who said that he liked the documentary better than the movie. Well, at least he had a reason to keep the DVD even after the release of the BluRays.
(off-topic comment follows, sorry)
Seriously, it is IMHO completely o.k. not to like the prequels or any other movie. My only problem are the people (pun to a certain documentary intended
) who always have to bitch about how a movie they can ignore has ruined their childhood… Yes, there is a Star Wars movie I am disappointed about, and I think I even bitched it once, so I have not always followed what I preach – sorry for that 
. That’s why I can even understand (but not necessarily approve) some of the hostile reactions of fans towards the prequels. But in the end, it is important to get over it (disappointments are part of our life, one message of the Saga), to discuss in a civilized manner and to accept the other’s opinion. Don’t be trapped in the hater/fanboy loop.
By the way, I once read the phrase “If you help a people, it will not be thankful, but asking for more.” * I think that describes the reactions of some fanboys quite well: “Hey guys, Lucas produced three movies you think are awesome (the OT), but disappointed you with the following three (the PT). Why not accept that the new ones aren’t your cup of tea and continue to celebrate the old ones?” – “But we had the RIGHT that the new ones had to please us!” Okay, most fanboys are also angry at Lucas for not releasing the OOT, but still…
* Which does not mean you should not help people in need, just to be clear.
January 12, 2012 at 1:54 am |
Just a question: you write that the DVD “racked up $45 million in sales within a week.” Was this a new record or “only” an excellent result? (Just because it sold well does not necessarily mean the buyers were completely satisfied by the movie, but it still makes you think whether the PT is really so despised by everyone…)
January 14, 2012 at 10:13 pm |
I don’t think it was a record–can’t verify either way because there’s no info–but $45 million in sales is really, really good.
January 12, 2012 at 8:21 am |
I love The Beginning documentary too!
January 12, 2012 at 2:59 pm |
The documentary was epic. I still wish we’d gotten a “Republic of Dreams” or something on the Blu Ray that covered the prequels as well as “Empire of Dreams” covered the originals, though.
And Stefan, I just take the line of Geek Out Loud – it’s your safe place to geek out, but it’s not a safe place to hate on SW. It’s a safe place to “criticize” SW, but that’s a different thing. I would like to think we all know the difference, even those who feign ignorance.
But yeah, TPM was an EXCELLENT DVD release. I actually remember the day I got it. I really wished they’d completed some of the less ambitious deleted scenes from the Blu Ray set the way they did the ones here.
January 13, 2012 at 1:45 am |
I think you’re right. Criticizing is different to fanboy hate. And a “Republic of Dreams” and then a “Dream of a Saga” documentary would be great.