Unboxing 'Star Wars: The Complete Saga' on Blu-ray
What do you get with the newly released "Star Wars" Blu-rays? A surprisingly small box, and a very clean design.
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At last, the very long-awaited "Star Wars" Blu-ray box set has arrived in stores. Its arrival hasn't come without gripes: the newly remastered films feature even more controversial sound edits and visual tweaks, further distancing the classic Episodes IV-VI from their original '70s and '80s counterparts.
Since the box set doesn't include versions of the untouched original theatrical releases, if you want to enjoy any of the "Star Wars" movies in full HD, this is the set you'll turn to. It'll be a reference set for many, and undoubtedly a must-have Blu-ray. So, what sort of packaging comes with such high aspirations?
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The box is pretty minimal, actually. A clean-looking sleeve featuring Anakin from "The Phantom Menace" houses a book of all nine discs, like a little art volume. The book unfolds to reveal one disc per two-page fold, nestled among production art from the films. The thick card pages give the whole package a very attractive look, although I'd prefer plastic trays over cardboard sleeves for the discs. A single, small pamphlet of each disc's contents is tucked into the final back page.
Take a look for yourself. Is this enough for a "Star Wars" fan? Or, do you appreciate the surprisingly restrained design? I like the design, and it creates a feeling of tying all the films together into a unified cycle: something that the actual movies succeed far less adeptly at.
In case you're curious, the extras list is daunting indeed. Besides two sets of audio commentary for each film, the 40 hours of other special features including vintage and current documentaries and "90 minutes of spoofs," including Weird Al's music video based on "The Phantom Menace."
Are you planning on buying the $79.99 set of "Star Wars" Blu-rays, or have you had enough? Sound off below.