I don't see how the addition of the Falcon taking off hurts the pacing but in every other aspect of what you say I agree with you. I have always defended Lucas's changing to the films as being the act of a perfectionist, a condition with which I sympathise, but when he adds rocks to Artoo's hiding place after living with the scene for over 30 years and yet still doesn't address the fact that Luke's lightsabre doesn't know what colour it is then I hold my hands up in dismay.