I find this all rather interesting. First of all, who'd've thought it was Indiana Jones that ruined Star Wars and to be honest, I thought Raiders had that undercurrent Kutz speaks of. Maybe it wasn't as deep, but it was there, so why the hell Lucas thought it wasn't important baffles me.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I remember reading that quote about a year ago and it makes total sense, and it is how I have perceived the summer blockbuster for the past 10 years: All action and effects, and no substance or character development.
Just look at all the big hit summer blockbusters since Jurassic Park redefined CG, which I say is one of the few movies to use it correctly without making it a CG fest movie. Twister, Independence Day, Godzilla, Armageddon, The Perfect Storm, The Day after Tomorrow, Mission Impossible 1-3, The Prequels, and I am sure I am leaving some out.
These are all movies that would have no chance of being made in the 1970'/80's. They all heavily rely on CG to sell the movie, not the screenplay, not the characters, but just look at the trailers for all those movies an it is some CG effect that gets everyone up in arms to how cool it looks. I remember The Day After Tomorrow Trailer had the huge tidal wave over New York City that was the huge attaction. None of these movies will be even remembered 20 years from now because they will look outdated, and cause there is no attention to character development or a cohesive screenplay, there will be nothing redeeming about them in later viewings.
That is what Lucas & The PT fans miss about the OT movies, sure the effects & action were great, but the movies had great characters, an interesting story, and had heart & drama, and that is what I still love about the movies today, not the effects.
20 years from now nobody is going to be wowed about the look of Coruscant or the endless fight on Mustafar, cause that eye candy will be replaced by some new eye candy CG technology in 2010 or 2015. I think of so many blockbusters that have made huge money in the last ten years, but none of them will be remembered, other than say: Lord of the Rings & The Matrix, and probably Spiderman, cause they sold the movies on the characters and story, and the effects were just gravy. Just like the OT.