It’s no secret that there are many, many, many people who despise what Mr. Lucas has done with the Star Wars movies, well after they first debuted in theaters. In particular, many are enraged at the changes made to the original trilogy — Episodes IV – VI. Dialog changes. CGI insertions galore. Of course, let’s not forget the dreaded Han-not-shooting-first debacle. Childhood memories ruined! As far as I was concerned, that was the sole reason for the burning hatred for what Lucas had done. So what if there were corny CGI scenes and Han didn’t shoot first? It’s a new day — big deal.
Last week my copy of the Star Wars saga arrived on Blu-ray. Pride welled up inside me, as I knew my son was at an age I felt was appropriate to handle and appreciate this new galaxy far, far away. Many of you will be happy to hear I went with the more-popular vote here, and started him off on Episode IV: A New Hope. But, before simply diving into this movie all heavy-handed, I decided to make it a home-schooling experience, watching the movie in chunks and talking about different aspects of it. What made it so special at the time it was first shown? How were some of the special effects achieved, and how could we do it differently today?
Viewing the movie in this way made me understand quite quickly why Lucas’s continual fucking with the original films — and not providing the originals in a modern medium — is a big deal. In effect, the man is destroying history, and he apparently doesn’t give a shit.
Mr. Lucas cannot be so dense as to not know the epic influence the Star Wars francise has had on multitudes of filmmakers, novelists, video game developers and artists — hell, even scientists! By choosing not to provide the original movies as they were first presented to the world, he’s depriving students of art and science the chance to truly study where this influence originated. Without digging up degraded VHS and Laserdisc copies of the originals, it’ll be near impossible — at least legally — for anyone to see how filming an epic science fiction series first looked. It’s a damn shame … no, it’s a crime!
As I’m discussing Episode IV with my son, I find myself having to point out many times that, “that wasn’t in the movie when I saw it,” too many times. In fact, I shouldn’t have to say that at all! Instead of being a study of early filmmaking, it’s turned into a study of how obvious and cheesy CGI looks when it’s placed where it doesn’t belong. It’s a study about why having Han Solo shoot Greedo first changes the way we feel about the character. Most importantly, it’s a study of how some people can become so sickeningly obsessed with their work that they can never be pleased with the end result. Because, to them, there effectively is not an “end result”; they’ll never be happy with what they’ve made. Perfection can be admirable at some times, and many times it’s a sickness.
So, I now join the hoards of you with my own pitchfork and torch in protest. Shame on you, Mr. Lucas.
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Sep 20, 2011 @ 23:37 EST5EDT
Excellent points all around. Just wait til the 3D version comes out – there will be even MORE edits!! Needless to say, I won’t be buying the Blu-ray version. My son, when he’s old enough, can enjoy the originals – maybe i’ll have to go out and buy a vcr for that very occasion.
Most pathetic rant I’ve ever read.
. . . . .
Agreed:
Perfection, sometimes, can be a sickness. (If that’s indeed what he’s doing.)
*POST AUTHOR*
Wait, are you agreeing that it was a pathetic rant or that Lucas is sick? Or maybe it’s both.
There should at least be a choice. In today’s digital world, there is no reason not to have both versions on the disk. Let him play with it forever if he’d like, but allow a mode to skip the inserts.
I don’t know … I’m watching A New Hope now … Yeah, there are changes I don’t like. Greedo shoots first. Obi Wan’s new yell sounds stupid. Planets explode with much more umph.
But at the end of the day, it’s still John Williams’ score. It’s still Han saying, “It was a boring conversation anyways.” Luke still whines. Tarkin is still a badass.
Everyone still “has a bad feeling about this.”
To me, it’s still Star Wars.
*POST AUTHOR*
Even the corny CGI in Mos Eisley didn’t get to you at all? You don’t get why those massively CGI screens would ruin what I’m trying to teach about 1970s filmmaking? It’s a travesty.
The only thing that really bothers me was the stuff with the Stormtroopers in the desert on the Banthas.
Well, that’s not true. A lot of it bother’s me … Just not nearly as much as you. I do get how it would interrupt teaching the little man about the history of filmmaking; maybe one day I’ll have that problem one day (This was my “kid’s” reaction to watching: https://yfrog.com/nxrigyaj )
And (I’ll get myself in trouble for this), but I can probably count on one hand the number of 70’s flicks I REALLY like:
Godfather, Godfather II, Star Wars, M*A*S*H, American Graffiti … I still haven’t gotten around to All the President’s Men, but I suspect I’ll love it when I do. There’s other great stuff in there (Rocky, Jaws, and a whole bunch of others), but not really films I’d go out of my way to watch. But you’ve got to remember, too, I’m ten years younger.