Creative control, the story of Star Wars.

[God ~blogs admin ~]

I caught sight - yes, imagine me fishing for videos in some loch.. with my eyes instead of a pole - of a video that hearkens back to the old feud between Lucas and the many a fan of his 'beloved' Star Wars. As you can imagine, it mentioned the usual gripes of the fans. Han shooting first, Vader seemingly being portrayed by crappy actors with sub-par writing compared to the originals. 

~Introducing angsty teen of the future! ~
~ Coming to a galaxy near you today! ~

~It's the only way to redeem Bella Swan..~

 

Personally, I grew up with the originals. There was no nomming monster at the pit, Vader didn't give it an old: " Nooooooo! " when he threw his boss down the pipe. Nope, there was but menacing silence before he did the deed and sealed old palp's fate.  Was that bad? I wouldn't say so. After all, if this pair knew the weight and meaning silence carries, you'd expect ol' Georgie to get the picture as well, right? In the end though, I've come to see Vaders 'immortal' yell to be but George's message to fans. Want the originals on blue ray? The answer was clear.

 

 

 

~ Think this is funny, huh? ~
~ Well guess whose beard he just fell outt'a.. ~

 

People will argue that fans of the franchise should buckle down and enjoy what's provided for us. Who're we to complain? After all, the rights do belong to Lucas. If he wants to burn the originals out of existence, his choice and right. Alas my dear push overs, it's not that simple. Call them whatever you want, movies and stories are pieces art work on display. Sure, SAW isn't exactly tasteful, but one only needs to compare it to Dante's inferno to notice it isn't that much worse. In the end, if you take this approach what stops other right holders to damage works of art?

Imagine if someone thought Lisa needed a trim...

 Would you really defend the right holders position that allows the defacing - or de-hairing - of a work of art?

As much as it pains me and other fans' I doubt we'll ever have digitally re-masted versions of the films we grew up with, at least until Lucas does a Palpatine. 

To put things on a final, and perhaps more relatable note.

Imagine if Hank and John went through their old videos.

Then inserted changes which included placement advertisement.

After all, their 'rights'; right?

~~~
Cheers for reading, my fellow Nerdians.

If you have an opinion on the matter, feel free to share it, I'd love to hear/read it.

I'mma right, or I'mma wrong? You know how to type and respond.

Also, I may start putting up a video/Audio of me future blogs, for those less inclined to read and prefer voices instead. With that said/wrote, there but remains one final thing to say:

Video that inspired this article.
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[Professional Griefer (Harry)]

Thomas, if you have a Netflix account, you should watch "The People vs. George Lucas". It's a fantastic film that addresses all the questions you've asked in this post! haha And I'm sorry my points weren't quite up to par. I'm in total agreement with you on all accounts, but it's fun to play Devil's Advocate on points such as these sometimes. :p

[Hutch Hogan]

I have some things that you might like: 
http://swrevisited.wordpress.com/

This is a fan working frame by frame to colour correct and fix the Star Wars series frame by frame.  He lists the changes he's made as well.  The quality is also better than the released Blu Ray as well. 

Another interesting thing was a complete reworking of Episode I, making you want to scream "WHY WAS THIS NOT THE WAY THAT IT WAS?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgICnbC2-_Y

[God ~blogs admin ~]

"I hate sand. It's coarse, it's rough, and it gets everywhere."

 

Tune in next time, for less sand!

~~~

"Great stuff, Thomas. The question comes to mind, though: to what degree should creatives lose control of their own work?"

 

Cheers Brian, glad ya liked it. As for the question. If they were to offer the same treatment for the older versions, then I couldn't care what he changes. He could give Chewwy an extra-witty-remark-throwing head for all I care at that point. What irks me, and most of the fans however, is that such a master piece in our childhoods is being warped and intellectually attacked for no good reason than the all mighty buck.

~~~~

 

I can see your point Harry, but let me quote a few sections if you don't mind. If you feel I'm taking you out of context, I do apologize.

"He didn't create a movie series, he created an entire world!"

 

Imagine J.K got bored with her world, her wizards. Turned Harry into a lassie, Ron into a talking bunny and Hagrid into a drunk Scotsman. Then imagine she no longer wished for the originals to be available. She has a good ol' book burning. Is that fair to those who fell in love with the series and made it what it is?

 

"We're hooked, but the movies aren't for us anymore"

 

This is where I tend to disagree. Can we no longer buy the re-mastered versions? Of course we still can and I've no problem with them. Those who like it will like it, those who wont, wont. But to go to the extent such as no longer allowing printing of the first steps on the moon - if you allow the metaphor - seems illogical if you wish to retake those steps and advance. You don't create a future without a past, rubbing the past away and pretending it never existed does nothing but cause hassle. For another metaphor, he's like a baby who forgot how he started walking.

 

At this point, one could be left to believe that he's suggesting that your memories aren't worth nearly as much as those of someone who watched the re-masted films. Or you could be left believing he's simply out to make quick buck at the expense of fans who made him what he is, who gave him that first chance and risk.

I'll leave it there. But I feel these words are rather fitting, considering what he does and continues to do with fans of the old and great. A mental stab in the back, therefore I have but to ask.

 

[Professional Griefer (Harry)]

This is a good argument. But the fact remains that the movies aren't ours. Their George Lucas' films. And frankly he can change them however he wants. George Lucas was an amazing avant garde film maker... in the 70's. But he made these wild "out there" movies because he honestly didn't know if he'd ever get to make another after the first film (episode IV). After making his first three films George Lucas has become the greatest entrepreneur that the modern world has ever seen. EVER.

Think about it. You can slap a Star Wars logo on ANYTHING and people will buy it! Toilet paper, socks, soft drinks... the list goes on. Years from now our trash heaps are going to be over flowing with tiny little plastic star wars toys because that is the legacy our generation is going to leave behind. George Lucas changing the films is just ensuring that his following grows as time goes on. Because though we grew up with the new remastered films (I grew up with the remastered ones, and frankly I LOVE them); children today are growing up with Jarjar Binks and Sebulba... And they LOVE that shit! Jarjar stepping in poop and all the wacky characters go over wonderfully with the younger audience. And that's because Lukas wants to get as many people on board as possible. He didn't create a movie series, he created an entire world! It's amazing. And the thing is, whatever movies you grow up with are the ones you're going to cherish and enjoy the most. I'll always love the remastered ones, you'll love the originals, and kids will love episodes 1-3. WHy? Because they're in the target audience, and we're not anymore. We're hooked, but the movies aren't for us anymore...

And that's unfortunate. I think that George is a big bloated billionaire, who still has the soul of an idealistic hippie. And inside that idealistic hippie is an alienated kid who used to go out to garage to work on motors, when he felt like he didn't fit in. And then all of that is inserted into a giant Death Star like corporation that grew up around him, and I suppose all of those four versions of him are battling it out. And I'm rootin' for the little kid, I'm rootin' that'll come out and make some more movies. And if he did, I'd be right there by his side, because that's the thing about fans, we're all pretty forgiving.

He gave us hours and hours of entertainment; a LIFETIME of enjoyment. If i saw him, I'd honestly give him a big hug and say thank you. Because he MADE my childhood. Starwars is an enormous part of my childhood. It's WHY i like science fiction at all! And though he may be changing things that you enjoyed as a child, maybe tarnishing your childhood films in your eyes, the fact of the matter is that he's doing these things to impact the next generation and the next and the next, in the same way that he has for almost 40 years! The fact of the matter is that he's a human being who's been placed in this extra ordinary situation. And when we get down to it, none of us have any right to complain about three movies we don't like, or changes we didn't like, because he gave us those three movies that we love. Forever.

We're the first civilization in all human history that made fun Important; and by that fundamental moral standard, George Lucas is a saint.

[Brian Beise (Books Ningmaster)]

Great stuff, Thomas. The question comes to mind, though: to what degree should creatives lose control of their own work?

[Krauss]

I hate sand. It's coarse, it's rough, and it gets everywhere.