Box set containing these cassettes (Click to see more):

Box front
Box back
Box front
Box left
Box back
Box right

Box contents
Rear info sheet
Scriptbook front
Scriptbook back

ART PRINTS WITH SLEEVE:

Sleeve inside
Sleeve outside
Star Wars print
Empire print
Jedi print

PROGRAMME OF CONTENTS BOOKLET:

Front
Inside left
Inside right
Back

MATTE PAINTING PRINTS:

Star Wars Trilogy The Definitive Collection "Executor" Limited Edition Box Set, VHS, CBS/Fox Video, UK 1995

Known colloquially as the "Executor box", this monumental VHS set is exclusive to the UK and includes a plethora of bonus materials, something that was quite uncommon for the VHS format. This was a limited edition set of 20.000 units, and the outer tin box houses four tapes, one for each of the films (with extras), and one for the From Star Wars to Jedi documentary.

Each film is presented in widescreen with Hi-Fi Stereo sound. The release bears a 1995 copyright, but the replication dates of my tapes say they were manufactured between November 1995 and February 1996, so either it was released in 1996 or I have a later pressing. The contents of each tape is detailed under their separate entries. It basically replicates everything from the 1993 US Laserdisc set, but adds all the "making-of" specials as well. That's more than an hour of bonus video material for each film.

In addition there is a lot of printed material, something that adds signifcantly to the overall value. The major printed extra is a nice softcover book containing the screenplays. The rest are single-sided prints, apparently intended for framing. The John Alvin art prints are nice, but the matte painting reproductions have limited appeal beyond giving a "behind the scenes" peek. The selection is almost exclusively from Return of the Jedi, with one from Empire and none from the first Star Wars. I also question the decision to not center the images vertically. "Quality Art Prints of Matte Paintings used in the Star Wars movies" - not quite.

At the time of its release I was heavily into Laserdisc and shunned this (and all other) VHS sets like the plague. In the ensuing years I've acquired two of these, one where the tapes are still sealed. (My sets are #11005 and #13020 of the limited run.) The first one was bought on eBay in 2006. The other one I bought locally at a cheap price because it was missing the screenplay book, but I didn't make note of which year I bought it. These show up for sale relatively often, but the metal case is often dinged up, and some of the paper goods are usually missing. If you're going to buy one of these, hold out for a good condition set.