- Time
- Post link
I know that this will probably have very little impact, but I am going to try it anyway. I was inspired by the media thread, and in this thread I ask that you post any emails you sent or will send to Lucas Film along with thier responses.
Here is one that I sent just a few moments ago.
Dear Lucas Film,
If I remember correctly, a wise man once said, "The customer is always right."
Almost 30 years ago, the first Star Wars film was released and became the highest grossing film of its time. Since then, Star Wars has become the largest and most recognizable science fiction franchise in human history. I was rather disappointed when I heard that the original trilogy that I grew up with as a child would no longer be released for public viewing.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love special edition films and directors cuts, but I also love viewing the original films as they were shown in theaters, regardless of which one is better or worse. Both theatrical releases of all films and special editions are parts of film history.
When I heard a few weeks ago that the original trilogy was going to be released, I was excited. I finally thought to myself, "Finally, they're starting to respect the very fans who have made the Star Wars franchise the success that it is today."
Then, I heard the controversy around the films being released in a second rate, letterbox version taken from Laser disc Prints.
I understand how Lucas feels about the special editions being his vision for the Star Wars franchise. I myself am a 16 year old aspiring filmmaker. George Lucas and I are the same type of people: we're both perfectionists. I know what it's like to make a film and never being fully satisfied with the final results. I know the urge to go back and make changes until you're happy with it. I forget who it was, but someone once said (and I'm paraphrasing), "Films are never made, they're simply abandoned." I respect how Mr. Lucas feels about the special editions, as I am sure all of the Star Wars fans do. All we ask in return is that you respect our (the fans) wishes by giving us an anamorphic DVD release. All we want is a DVD release treating the original films with respect, not some second rate release that was thrown together in 5 minutes.
When I was 6 or 7 years old, for Christmas my parents got me the original Star Wars Trilogy on VHS. It was the last time the original trilogy was to ever be released to the public. I had quite a lucrative VHS collection at the end of the millennium of about 30 films (which isn't bad for a 10 year old). As of right now, I have sold all of my VHS movies and bought the DVD releases with the exception of 3 films, The Star Wars Trilogy.
Here is a quote from an email sent from Lucas Film to the web site www.originaltrilogy.com , a website devoted to getting the original trilogy on DVD for years, as a reply to their concern about the Original Theatrical Release of the films on DVD.
"So many fans have requested the original movies, we wanted to find a way to bring them to you. But since these movies do not represent George's artistic vision, we could not put the extraordinary time and resources into this project as we did with the Special Editions."
I am sorry to be blunt, but nobody really cares what George Lucas wants or his "artistic vision". As far as I am concerned, I don't see a reason why they should. As stated above, I certainly respect his vision and his wanting to release a special edition, but there is a fine line between respect and consumer demand. America needs the motion picture industry, but, at the same time, the motion picture industry needs America, and the part of America who have been devoted to the Star Wars franchise want the original trilogy released on DVD in a respectable transfer.
The only reason that Star Wars is the franchise it is today is because of the fans. If it were not for the fans, it would still be considered a second rate B science fiction movie. I ask, along with he rest of the original trilogy community, to respect the fans who made Star Wars what it is today and to respect their wishes for a original trilogy DVD release worthy of the original films instead of the second rate transfer currently in production.
Why is it so hard to show appreciation for the people who made Star Wars what it is today?
A fellow fan,
Jonathan Hensley
No reply as of yet, but will post it when/if one comes.
