I Have to Wait Until September?

The Star Wars Trilogy on DVD

The good news is that it's finally happening: the Star Wars Classic Trilogy is coming to DVD.

There were rumors, of course, that this would never happen. I never especially believed those rumors, considering that the prequels were made for DVD (although there was a period of time when The Phantom Menace was only available on VHS, and that made me nervous). When Lucasfilm produced the Indiana Jones films for DVD, I figured it was a slam dunk for the Star Wars movies to be next. Everyone just needed to be patient.

Now that I know for sure it's coming, though, I'm going to have a hard time waiting.

Call me a dork if it'll make you feel better, but these movies have had a huge influence on my life. The first film was released in May of 1977; I was born two months later. I grew up watching these films, playing with the action figures, wishing I had the Force.

Hell, I still wish I had the Force.

Even now, Star Wars is huge in my life. I've seen both prequels on opening day and own both on DVD; I read the novels; I occasionally even indulge in video games or the roleplaying game. Again, you can call me a dork if you wish, but I still find great enjoyment in the spirit and imagination of the films and the related media spinoffs. It's a mythic struggle between good and evil, much like Lord of the Rings, and I truly think there's something about it that everyone can enjoy.

Sure, George Lucas could use Peter Jackson's flair for portraying raw emotion in the story along with all the flashy effects...but then again, Jackson was bringing to life a pre-existing text, whereas Lucas is coming up with this all on his own.

At any rate, the original trilogy coming to DVD will be a watershed moment both for fans of Star Wars and for fans of the DVD format. These are some of the most popular and celebrated movies of all time, and DVD will really make the visual and audio effects come alive. I can't wait.

Now I just need to get that big-screen HDTV.