Thats a bit cynical dont ya think? I highly doubt that in 1977/78’, during his interview about his target audience, that he had the forethought to be that egotistical.
Sure, it’s cynical, but I still think that even young Lucas had a habit of presenting himself the best way possible, not as much as in his later years, but this behavious surely didn’t came from nowhere. So whenever things worked out in his favor, intentionally or unintentionally, he sold them as part of his “original vision”.
Regarding your original point, I don’t agree. I saw the OT at the age of 8, TPM at 10, and AOTC and ROTS at 11 and 14, respectively. And while I loved all these movies the first time I watched them, only my love for the OT, and Star Wars in particular, lasted for more than 2 or 3 years. So while Star Wars appeals to children and adults alike, the PT is intentionally aimed at children/teenagers, but loses this appeal for many people when they grow up.
You actually make my point! You saw the OT when you had already been immersed in contemporary film making and special effects. You are a product of your generation. The way you viewed a movie at 7yrs old is completely different than from myself, especially the SW franchise. The same can be said about me compared to a child or young person from the 40’s or 50’s. When SW came out, it was foreign to their theater going experiences and how they viewed or perceived movies. As a 7 yr old when SW was released, I had zero interest in movies from the 40’s or 50’s. It seemed archaic to me. It wasnt until I was older that I began to gain an appreciation and admiration for classic film making from that time period. When SW came out, I and the world, had never seen nor heard anything like that before. One could argue 2001: A Space Odyssey, but even that paled in comparison to the way SW was presented to us. SW had a profound effect on me, as well as others, which is something I dont think occurs in someone of later generations. Dont get me wrong, Im not saying kids today cant be bitten by the SW bug, but its unlikely it will be perceived/received the way it was back in 77’.