More Star Wars

Tonight was our screening of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. By all accounts, this is the movie that has been tweaked most for the DVD release. Most of the changes simply readjust some minor elements to match continuity with the prequels or tweak some technical issues. The only major material change in the movie is that George Lucas rewrote the dialog between Darth Vader and the Emperor, and if I may say, the new scene adds to the depth and overall coolness of the movies.

The benefits of the changes notwithstanding, obsessive fans are up in arms over the second round of changes to the original trilogy. They seem to fail to understand that these are George Lucas' movies to do with what he wants. If he wanted to add a line of Ewoks doing the Macarena to celebrate the destruction of the second Death Star, he could. He owns them, he made them, they're his vision.

Here's a link to an interview from CNN in which George Lucas defends the changes. Among the more notable points he makes:

"The special edition, that's the one I wanted out there. The other movie,
it's on VHS, if anybody wants it."

"It's like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I'm sorry you saw half
a completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it
to be. "

Now, assuming CNN is quoting him correctly, this may sound a little harsh, but he has a valid point. Not only that, but I'm sure if George Lucas had not dubbed in Temura Morrison's voice for Boba Fett, these obsesso-fans would be harping over why Boba Fett sounds nothing like Jango Fett even though they are clones.