Missouri Loves Company

This is continued from Facebook, believe it or not. Someone posted something to the effect that George Lucas is analogous to Michael Jackson, and editing Star Wars is his plastic surgery. I thought this was clever, but someone else posted a reply that said to let her know when I (or the original person who posted it, not sure) made as much money as George Lucas.

It's not a question of whether I 'make' the money, it's whether I 'spend' my money on yet another set of DVDs for the sake furthering an interest I've held on to for the last 33 years of my life for whatever reason. I have three sets of the OT on VHS (TV format, letterboxed, and "improved") and I have two sets of the OT on DVD already (the "improved" version, and the anniversary version with the original OT), not to mention the 3 prequels. I don't actually know why I hold on to the older versions other than for purely sentimental reasons.

As I look at the sneak peaks online of the extra footage, it makes me realize that the OT was REALLY good for all of its original editing, which begs the question: why is Lucas tinkering with this classic? Update the sound, okay. Restore the color to its original glory, fine. Get rid of some of those clunky green-screen boxes around the spaceships that I didn't notice the first time around, great. We already know that without his little special effects company, modern movies would not be what they are today in terms of technology or entertainment value. I could even go so far as to say if Lucas were to re-release the OT on Blu-ray, I could actually see myself shelling out cash for it (yet again) AND dropping down the dough for the newer versions. This would be the same as remastering old rock albums for sale on CD, and I would buy into that. I've seen me do it.

But he won't.

He says that it's his film, and that the new "corrections" are his updated vision, that he doesn't like looking back to the primitive versions, and we can take it or leave it. Okay. As I consider the versions I already possess, the only answer to this that makes any sense to me is that Lucas simply wants more of my money. I can respect that. I want more money, too.

But I don't have to buy the new trilogy.

By the way, from what I understand, you don't get the bonus footage unless you buy the special 6-disc set. So much for economizing by picking up just the "improved" OT for the behind the scenes stuff.