Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and Lawrence of Arabia are just movies too.

But they are also more than that. Why else would people spend time and money on their preservation and restoration?

They and many other films are part of our culture. As is Star Wars. When Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union "The Evil Empire", it was obvious what film imagery he was invoking. When the Strategic Defense Initiative got nicknamed "Star Wars", even Lucas couldn't stop the press from using the moniker, much to his dismay.

That Superbowl ad with the kid in the Vader costume proves how powerful the original films are in people's minds even today. You're not about to see an expensive tv commercial with someone dressed as a prequel character! ;)