I proudly say that I am a Star Wars fanatic. I would go so far as to dub myself a Geek. First film I ever saw in the theater and the love affair continues even today. But something happens when fans love a piece of work as much as we Star Wars fans do… we start to feel as if we “own” it. This has never been so apparent than it has been since the announced changes to the original trilogy coming on DVD.
People have been irrational, upset, up in arms… why? Because Greedo gets off the first shot? Because they updated a Jabba scene (That Lucas originally planned on having in the movie when he first shot Star Wars by the way)? Because the younger Anakin is added as a ghost at the end? Ok, I may or may not like these changes… but it begs the question…. WHO THE HELL CARES!?!?!?!
I mean really people! These are small details. Most rational people would say “irrelevant” afterthoughts. None of these coming changes alters in anyway the story of Star Wars (which is it’s heart and soul). None of these changes alter the film in any meaningful way… so what’s the problem here? I can understand not liking it. Heck, I can even understand being a little miffed about it (I am). But come on!!! These are MINOR changes that only fans as passionate as us Star Wars fans would get obsessed about.
As much as we love these films… as much as they are a part of our childhood… there is one inescapable fact we can not aviod… THAT DOESN’T MAKE THEM “OUR” FILMS. It’s still Lucas’ baby to do with as he pleases… and to be honest he hasn’t really changed things all that much.
So lets just all calm down, take a deep breath, and talk about the movies, talk about the changes to the DVD’s, talk about what we like and don’t like about them. But let’s stop the call to arms for a holy war just because for 2 seconds the Jedi Temple is added to the landscape shot of Coruscant. Uggg… ok… end rant.
