I have to agree with the Sessler about the whole 'new car smell' I was the same way, im a few years older than Sessler (23) and when i first saw the SE's i 'loved' them. Dont get me wrong, there were parts I didnt like (mainly Han/Greedo and the new ending of ROTJ). But now i think the reason i 'loved' them was that i more loved the expericence of seeing them in the theater, on the big screen and i overlooked all the other changes.. But looking at the changes now while i dont think all the changes are as bad as some people, i am against most, if not all of them. Not because they are all necessarily bad, or distracting from the storyline (at least not in my opinion) but its more of Lucas' mindset behind the changes that turns me against the minor ones that i normally/probably wouldnt mind if they were the only changes made.

as for the PT, I enjoyed the movies. I'd have to agree that they arent as 'Star Wars' as the OT, but honestly will anything ever be. I went into the movies knowing that no matter what happened, no matter how good they were, they wouldnt live up to 25 years of hype, its just not possible. While watching all the movies to get psyched up for Episode 3, I saw many plot points Lucas could have modified slightly, still done his 'the OT and PT have to tie in together in as many ways as possible cameos', ie Fett, Jabba, etc without it seeming forced and distracting from the greatness of those characters.

Whoever said that Lucas is somewhat right but just had the wrong age (paraphrasing) i somewhat agree with. Id probably put it a bit lower than 20, and again, exceptions to every rule type thing. But it goes to show (at least in my opinion) that Lucas lost touch with the fan base. He forgot what made sw so great. He is a pretty brilliant man when it comes to marketing, but I think he missed site of who his target audience should have been. Most of my friends who are no where near as big of a SW fan as i am hated the prequals, they thought they were childish, poorly written, etc. If had made movies that fans of the OT could enjoy across the board, im pretty sure that todays' "kids" would enjoy them as well. Instead he wrote movies for an age group that he is even less in-touch with than he is in-touch with the age group of people who fell in love with the OT.

As far the Lucas/Jackson comparison. I think its pretty accurate. As stated the actions of each were not being compared (changing a movie/supposedly molesting children). Jackson grew up in the spotlight, he became famous at a very young age and always had people taking care of him and what not. He never really grew up. His sense of reality is very different from most adults. Lucas' success came about rapidly, if im not mistaken, he didnt even expect the success brought about by SW. He's lived a very different life, and has as a result lost touch with what Star Wars really is. Even if SW was never actually 'finished' according to Lucas, he can never, no matter how much he tries, finish it the way he would have back in 1977 if he had todays technology and his virtually unlimited income to do so because he has changed as a person, and this is going to be reflected in his work. Does that make it wrong for him to do so, i guess not, it is his piece of art, but I think it is wrong for him to deny part of his past (the OT) because that event played a big part in making him who he is today, and put him in the possition to do what he does today. It was mentioned once in some other tread that Lucas is afraid of the Legacy of SW dying (paraphrasing) that the reason he is updating the movies is because he's afraid they wont last the test of time. Unfortunatly in his fear of his Legacy dying, and his attempting revival of it, he has actually done the opposite, almost as if he doesnt have the faith in the OT that the fans of it did/do. And his self proclaimed perfection, and (from what i hear/read/interprete) overbearing control of everything SW prevented him from making the movies that he could of when he decided to make the prequals. But his stubborness (and probably fans that throw egg in his face whenever he tries to say anything related, or even not related, to the topic) have put him on the defensive. Most people are going to defend their actions, if they start getting attacked for these actions its gonna put them on the defensive and they are (even if they eventually realize their mistake) continue to defend them to 'save face' because they dont want to look like they caved in to pressure or that their original action was a mistake.

So, will Lucas ever release the OT. If people continue to cast stones at him probably not. Like someone said in another thread, when he can make it seem like his idea, or that it was his plan all along, then he may.

I know I ended up rambling (ranting) a bit, and even got a bit off topic. But hopefully my points manage to get across through all that (despite its length and probably incoherence at times). But as far as the direct topic goes, I agree with whoever said that trying to group people on a generalization like that doesnt every really work. But if Lucas feels it necessary to do so (though i think its just him trying to rationalize\defend his actions), i think his age cutoff is a bit off.

-Darth Simon