It's actually refreshing to see quality thoughts, even though I don't agree with most of your generalising, and it's even MORE refreshing to read posts from people who can spell.
I agree that things are a tad counter-productive when all some seek to do is insult rather than look for solutions.
It's true there ARE a great many angry fans who sometimes come down heavily on Lucas and this board lets a fair amount of crap go unchecked, just witness ANY of Jimbo's posts. But the rage and disgust at betrayal is not altogether unjustified. Lucas has ruined these films in order to update them to fit the world as it is now and in so doing has told his loyal fanbase (a member of which I can't say I've been since about 1997) that the films they loved are gone but the new films will do fine. The new films will do fine.
Well not all of us are falling for the old Lucas mindtricks. These new films will not do fine.
You may not have come down on one side or another in favour or against the changed scene/s but you're wrong in saying that its alteration affects nothing. The information is twice told, hammered home to the back row and at the very least it is a change that is indicative of the general dumbing down of society.
The scene worked perfectly fine before and while this is one of the least ruinous changes to the films it is certainly an unwelcome change. At least it is for this little black duck. I liked it just fine before and by saying that it is still EXACTLY the same as it was you ARE defending Lucas' unneeded/unwanted changes whether you know it or not and whether you care to admit it or not.
Can I name each and every artisan or actor whose work has been altered or erased? No of course not. Did I enjoy their work more before it was SpecialEditionised? Yes I certainly did. Is 80% a smaller percentage than 100%? Yes it is. Why should I accept less of something I enjoyed?
Do I know Sebastian Shaw's name? Is that a rhetorical question? (The second one sure was.)
Could your explanation of Hayden's appearance at the end of ROTJ be considered more Lucas 'apologism'? (Another rhetorical question.)
The change is an insult and the Lucas camp explanation is an insult, half finished films my arse.
Is VHS the best current medium to preserve a film?
DVD is the current medium for watching films without a machine chewing certain scenes. Lucas has shown that he isn't willing to release the Original films, as we knew them and loved them, onto this format.
The kind of revisionist history that Lucas is trying to pull IS resulting in bootlegs, I got mine, and I think we're all a bit peeved because we'd rather have an official set without Hayden's dumbarse stoned looking head floating on Sebastian Shaw's body.
The Original versions of the Original films deserve respect. The fans of these films deserve respect.
If Lucas isn't going to respect us I really don't see too much reason to respect him. Civility certainly, decorum and restraint absolutley but respect? Fuck that guy.