Review initial thoughts...I mean ramblings. **SPOILERS**
Well executed and hits the main points lobbed in this debate. Not sure if some of the harder hitting issues will stick with people as some of them are early in the film. Jay gets significant screentime as he reads the letter sent from Lucasfilm to this site about the future of the "original" Star Wars. Adywan kinda gets shafted as he's only shown talking about the death threats. The doc doesn't explain why his edits are getting this kind of attention. (but they do show the removal clip of the intro to Eisley sequence) Would add a minute or two explaining how it's a community of eyes all doing continuity and other changes under the one man FX team. Jambe's project titles get mentions and I think that's his voice, but again doesn't get into what his projects are about. They used TMBTM's Silent SW version primarily to explaining how he modified the originals towards a silent era look, to show off what fan editors do. and tBSWM got half a second of title time under the FanEdit.org banner. And a few other fan edits who's titles I didn't catch. Also some quick shots of the OT.com forums, where Puggo's icon registered but the camera was showing posts page scans and missed who else might have been shown.
Since the doc covers so much territory, there's only so much time you could spend. and many issues I felt could be elaborated on yet still remain interesting, but I guess for theater scheduling the ~90 minute window was set, so the doc is what it is. In the post Q&A they mentioned that the DVD contents are still being debated, so hopefully they'll either extend the cut or put in expanded segments or larger parts of the interviews. Lion's Gate is distributing the DVD so that's a good sign. (they're a big name right?)
In the Q&A the crew representative said that the goal of the film was to make a legitimate work which the director would feel comfortable watching with George on the same couch. For me it ends a little sappy. Like RotJ Anakin, there's forgiveness by the film, even though they launch serious criticism of his actions. Which again I feel need a few more minutes to provide a greater level of depth as to why these issues are important. Maybe there's a way to drop in some savestarwars.com stuff.
People reacted highly to much of the humor stuff. And some of the people really focused on the South Park Indy rape in the Q&A. Everyone wants to know what George thinks of that show. Most of the segments have a person framing the issue in an interesting way. The Jar-Jar segment comes to mind. There's also a section on the Holiday Special. Skot's site gets screen time. and a chapter about the Special Editions. and the different types of changes, from minor frame changes to well you know.
I'm kind of surprised a fan didn't emerge who split from SW after the ESB reveal. The whole the universe is shrinking debate. Then a segment on the PT and the disappointment and how the universe changed with the introduction of midichloreans and ideas like that.
Bunch of the segments focus on some exhuberant fans. Which should make the dvd/netflix make this something a wider audience will watch as they'll laugh and point at 'Those' type of fans. Inevitable, as it's part of the debate.
For whatever reason they didn't use the art they were using awhile back of two fans at George's feet. They're trying to get it back, but some internal something, so they had a few of these posters which were being given out.
But in many ways the revolutionary aspect of this project is it's construction. The willing submittal of material woven into a storyline tapestry. Using very little from the actual SW movies, the Star Wars Uncut clips allowed them to show off not only the movie memories but the devotion and creativity of the fanbase. And that's what could help this find a wider audience. and hopefully initiate people to the ideas and conflicts of the actions of George. There are animations of a very cute George periodically throughout the film which are delightful. Not sure if they had a change in production but the person's names and identification are in two sets of fonts. Think one for the HD material and one for the non-HD.
The cast is huge. Which unfortuantly makes it hard to remember everyone so when you go to talk to that person after the screening you can't remember their name and look like a fool. Kevin Rubio I think is the only Lucasfilm employee interviewed and he shoots down/poo poos some of the criticism, which is kind of refreshing when watching, but he's not involved in the more serious issues. Also interesting to see some of the fan edits not part of the OT.com/FE.o forums. One of the Phantom Editors and the early german SW edit. RedLetterMedia did a great cameo on the end of RotS controversy. The fan films arena was taken by the Raiders adaptation. So as pointed out, there are more SW fan films then almost any other category, they got glossed over.
Well it seems i'm just trying to remember everything then provide a set of opinions which usually makes up a review.