Yes, the films are Lucas’ and he can change them if he wishes. But when will it be enough? When will he get it right? Someone said he didn’t get it right the first time, but he apparently didn’t get it right the second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. The only solace I can take right now is that maybe he’ll remove the NOOOOOO is the next version.

And for Jason Geyer, who asked if this kind of change really alters your perception of a movie you’ve seen multiple times, my point has always been not for myself, but for my son. He’s at that age where he can now sit down and watch Star Wars … and I was planning to buy the Blu-Ray and enjoy it with him, but I want him to see what I experienced so that I can give him some context and explain how much of an evolution of cinema Star Wars really was. Now I have to explain to him what happens when an adult reverts back to being an immature perfectionist who doesn’t understand that what he created has surpassed his own ownership, because legality aside, Star Wars is owned by US and has been for years. It has entered the lexicon in such a way that, for many of us, in one way or another, it is part of our lives … and I’m not talking about in a geeky, silly way, but in a wonderful way that only the greatest of entertainment can achieve. That should be an honor, but Lucas treats it like a burden.

http://bbqedmarv.deviantart.com/#/d490tqz

Star Wars is George Lucas’ property. He can do with it as he pleases. Some fans may like it, some may not. Same can be said about the new Camaro, the new Ultimate SpiderMan, the President, Britney Spears, or the new Torchwood. It’s all relative. So like it or not, it’s out there. Guess what? Your choice to buy and watch. Or not.

Again, Lucas is unique. He has the time, money, and established, passionate, market to drop it on. Many directors would do the same thing if they had the same level of control over their work and big market to justify it.

Doesn’t mean we have to like it. I just accept it for what it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry0UN0UmRnM

For the record, George Lucas does not own Star Wars. Nope. Because in my memories, I own it. It has been my favorite movie ever since the original release back in ’77 when I was four years old. The memories and the fascination I have had for Star Wars are mine, and I happen to share them with millions of other like-minded people. George can make all of the dopey pointless scene-changing tinkering he wants to. But every time he does; for every Greedo shooting first…for every Vader ‘Noooooooooooooo’, for every other brain-numbing fiddling and fumbling edit he makes, I shake my head and wonder. And I appreciate the original versions all the more.

Lucas might ‘own’ Star Wars, but he doesn’t own it. Any famous and world-renowned piece of art, from the Mona Lisa to (insert your particular favorite here) exists in the form it was originally created, and has been enjoyed by millions of people for decades, or possibly much longer. Now you tell me, who deserves the ‘ownership’ of such fine works of art? What if the original artists decided to alter their work in a way that was contrary to what made it beloved in the first place? Say, give Ms. Lisa orange hair and three eyes? Does that make it right? No, it does not.

We fans own Star Wars, and once it left Uncle George’s editing room in ’76/’77 it was turned over to us fans. And without those fans, Star Wars would not be what it is today, in spite of it’s creator and whatever oddball decisions he sees fit to make.

Solo shoots first, and Vader never says ‘Noooooooo’. Like the Force, these truths will be with us. Always.

George. SUCKS!

Not crazy about that addition. It’s still below Greedo shooting first which is the only addition that really bugs the heck out of me. (Though I do think the Jabba scene and pre-Yavin flight banter are unnecessary.)

But I’m not on the bash-Lucas bandwagon. While I might not agree with him, the movies are his; not mine. Not ours. He can do with them as he pleases and we can choose to not spend our money and bitch about it on the internet.

A lot of directors would go back and change little things about their movies if they owned them and had the funds and time to do with them as they pleased. Not to mention a pre-existing, large, rabid market to sell it to at every turn. Lucas is unique. The studio system, time, and smaller, less passionate markets are all that prevents others from doing the same thing.

And it’s sad that you don’t even realize how shameful and sad you really are.

For Christsakes, if something like this fills you with such contempt, how do you survive at all in the real world?

Truth be told, I lost faith in Star Wars after episode 2, so this news has little effect on me. But I feel for those of you who are true fans. I’m just saving my rant for the “Han weeps like a baby when being frozen in carbonite” re-edit.

http://io9.com/5835951/darth-vader-will-lose-a-little-more-of-his-dignity-in-star-wars-original-trilogy-blu+rays-listen-for-yourself

And being a huge fan of Queen I LoLed @ the last clip.

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/
http://fanedit.org/
http://www.fanedit.info/

p.s. the deleted scenes alone are worth the price to me.

Or maybe, just maybe, another director will get a crack at George’s playground. After all, the best movie was Empire and it wasn’t directed by him.

George thinks that his name will live beyond eternity. What he doesn’t realize is that it will, but as a punchline.

George will make changes because he wants to make changes. And he owns the film. And unlike Citizen Kane, he never felt he got it right the first time. You may disagree, but you do not own the film. I guarantee you that CK is the only one of Welles films he didn’t want to revisit, and had he the tools, he’d most likely be digitally jacking with them to this day.

I just don’t understand how one changed line of dialogue changes your entire outlook on movies that you’ve seen multiple times. I can only imagine when a tv edit of a movie comes on network tv how lathered up all the viewers get and threaten to burn down the studios. Oh wait. No, it’s just the “fans” who act that way.