Star Wars Despecialization

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Apr 24, 2016 8:06:52 GMT -5 ICBM said:

George Lucas is in my opinion, entitled to be choosie on how His creation is used. He is not a horrid person for this. Should he shut down any notion of releasing the original? In my opinion no. But ultimately he created it. It's the Wayne's World crux. You as a complete amateur, crate magic. Then the big tv/movie machine gets hold of your product and wishes to change it. You want to be in control of how it is changed. I get it. I prefer he not introduce jar jar, intro Han shooting last etc. but I didn't write Star Wars. I won't shit talk him for wanting to protect his vision. If his vision was cut short by technology, than he isn't wrong for wanting to perfect it. Steven King couldn't release the Stand whole and entire the first go. Years later when he had the equity to do so, he released his true version and yes he made some changes. Guess what, some people liked it some people didn't, but he is not a horrid person for doing so. Anne Rice lost control of her own work and saw Queen of the Damned absolutely destroyed on film. I do not hold it against them for wanting control. Lucas did cede control to Disney after us fans kicked his ass about his own creation. That is an awful thing to do to an artist in my opinion

An awful thing is for an artist to say "What you like...you can't have, because THIS is the way I want it to be."

Then a few years later turn around and say.."No, I changed my mind...THIS is how I want it to be."

Then a few years after that turn around again and say "No...THIS is how I want it to be."

I'm pretty sure if he was still in charge he would still be pointlessly tinkering with them.

I will never accept the argument that they're "his". Legally that may have been true prior to the Disney sale, anyway, but its a disservice to people like Gary Kurtz, Ralph McQuarrie, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan, and many others.

[ICBM]

I'll concede the points on the directors. Larry Kasdan certainly. His input on any change should have been taken heavily into consideration

[corndog]

Apr 24, 2016 9:33:05 GMT -5 Bob Schlapowitz said:

Apr 24, 2016 8:06:52 GMT -5 ICBM said:

George Lucas is in my opinion, entitled to be choosie on how His creation is used. He is not a horrid person for this. Should he shut down any notion of releasing the original? In my opinion no. But ultimately he created it. It's the Wayne's World crux. You as a complete amateur, crate magic. Then the big tv/movie machine gets hold of your product and wishes to change it. You want to be in control of how it is changed. I get it. I prefer he not introduce jar jar, intro Han shooting last etc. but I didn't write Star Wars. I won't shit talk him for wanting to protect his vision. If his vision was cut short by technology, than he isn't wrong for wanting to perfect it. Steven King couldn't release the Stand whole and entire the first go. Years later when he had the equity to do so, he released his true version and yes he made some changes. Guess what, some people liked it some people didn't, but he is not a horrid person for doing so. Anne Rice lost control of her own work and saw Queen of the Damned absolutely destroyed on film. I do not hold it against them for wanting control. Lucas did cede control to Disney after us fans kicked his ass about his own creation. That is an awful thing to do to an artist in my opinion

An awful thing is for an artist to say "What you like...you can't have, because THIS is the way I want it to be."

Then a few years later turn around and say.."No, I changed my mind...THIS is how I want it to be."

Then a few years after that turn around again and say "No...THIS is how I want it to be."

I'm pretty sure if he was still in charge he would still be pointlessly tinkering with them.

I will never accept the argument that they're "his". Legally that may have been true prior to the Disney sale, anyway, but its a disservice to people like Gary Kurtz, Ralph McQuarrie, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan, and many others.

Exactly he would continue to tinker with the films until they became nearly unrecognizable. I can understand some of the updates to the effects, and even redoing the Jabba scene(even though it weakens the effect of seeing for the first time in "Return of the Jedi"), but the changes to the storyline and dialogue were too much.

For the most part, it seems he wanted them to fit in more with the new trilogy and that is the real reason for many of the changes and of course the fan fiction(especially with Boba Fett dying and "Han shot first").

The changes to Return of the Jedi were nearly all pointless and just Lucas's hard on for CGI. Ironically enough, due to fan backlash of his overuse of CGI, he went to more models in "Revenge of the Sith". It's very odd that Lucas refused to re-release the originals yet has often done things for money and to try and/or please the fans. Kurtz quit Lucasfilms, because Lucas actually changed "Return of the Jedi" making the movie more marketable for merchandise and children. Kurtz said "The Phantom Menace" was fully geared in the same direction and it's hard not to agree with that statement.

If Lucas was willing to change his entire direction of his films gearing them towards making more money, why would he be unwilling to release the originals, which would make a lot of money? The only thing I can think of is the "hardcore" Star Wars fan backlashed against his direction of the newer films, which he geared more towards children than the fan base of the originals. Obviously, he did this to make as much money as possible off of merchandising, mainly toys and cartoons. This backlash upset him, and at the same time, the people backlashing were the same fans asking for the re-release of the original films in HD. He has made enough money in his career, so he rather give those fans a slap in the face than make a few more million dollars to make them happy.

The good news is with Disney in control of the franchise, they will eventually give us what we want. But it probably won't be until after the new trilogy is completed.

[Cela]

Apr 24, 2016 8:06:52 GMT -5 ICBM said:

George Lucas is in my opinion, entitled to be choosie on how His creation is used. He is not a horrid person for this. Should he shut down any notion of releasing the original? In my opinion no. But ultimately he created it. It's the Wayne's World crux. You as a complete amateur, crate magic. Then the big tv/movie machine gets hold of your product and wishes to change it. You want to be in control of how it is changed. I get it. I prefer he not introduce jar jar, intro Han shooting last etc. but I didn't write Star Wars. I won't shit talk him for wanting to protect his vision. If his vision was cut short by technology, than he isn't wrong for wanting to perfect it. Steven King couldn't release the Stand whole and entire the first go. Years later when he had the equity to do so, he released his true version and yes he made some changes. Guess what, some people liked it some people didn't, but he is not a horrid person for doing so. Anne Rice lost control of her own work and saw Queen of the Damned absolutely destroyed on film. I do not hold it against them for wanting control. Lucas did cede control to Disney after us fans kicked his ass about his own creation. That is an awful thing to do to an artist in my opinion

He's not a horrid person, but there comes a time when an owner should lose their creation. If it were just sharpening special effects and adding a Dewback, then fine, cool. But he changed stuff that had no bearing on special effects because he changed as a person, namely Greedo shooting.

Technically Paul McCartney could deem that all Beatles songs should be redone with dubstep, or add a vegetarian message to the lyrics, but there comes a point when the art is more important than the artist, and the public should be able to enjoy it as such.