imperialscum said:
...it is an awful close-up shot that captures nothing but one wall of the house.
while SE additionally relays information about natural environment
Interesting that this comes up in a discussion is about generational differences. I see this as a perfect example of one. All of your arguing is about how improved the visual stimulation is with the SEs. Story doesn't appear to enter into it. Even when the story has been damaged by the SEs, which it has several times. Style over substance.
Newer generations of fans have grown up on video games and seem to need every moment of every frame filled up with some sort of visual stimulation. The PT itself is a product of it's time and even more so in the hands of a director with a clear disconnect with the story. It's all visual stimulation, but no substance. It's no wonder the TFNers are so full of SE gushing. To them, all of that visual downtime they're uncomfortable with has been corrected.
In response to the first sentence of the example above, why in the world is the exact shape of the house or it's adjoining environment so important? We all know what the planet looks like and how sparsely populated it is. Why do we need need every moment of every scene showing us some sort of visual. I certainly don't need scenes created and added twenty years after the fact showing me that unnecessary visual noise.
The biggest difference I see with newer generations, Star Wars or otherwise, is their either inability, or possibly a lack of desire, to let their imaginations fill in the blanks. There are certainly exceptions, but for the most part I see SE changes being lauded regularly because of things like the more colorful, moving, alternate angle of the wipe as they enter a building.
It's ok to let a scene breathe. The audience won't lose interest in the story. In fact, some of the younger generation may discover they actually like it.