SomethinSomethinDarkSide said:
Seven years is plenty of time for a first-time viewer to become a devoted fan, so yes. Also interesting that it’s the one version never to be released on DVD.
That was me. Saw the movies for the first time when I was 7 in 1997 and grew up with the SEs. Most of the 2004 changes rubbed me the wrong way.
Most of the 2004 changes rubbed many of us up the wrong way, mate. 👍
And that’s before we get on to those awful ‘deliberate creative decisions’ for the 2004 release (which were magically fixed for the 2011 release!) 😉
It is surprising that the 1997 Special Editions haven’t been made available on Disney+ - in the same way other content like 2003 Clone Wars has, or other ‘non-canon’ releases have - via their ‘Vintage Collection’ section. They even have pristine prints of the 1997SE at the ready.
They do form an integral part of Star Wars history - and were how many fans saw the films on the big screen at the time.