Actually, it turns out that there is probably bound to be a ton of controversy associated with this new release. It's a well-known fact that George Lucas likes to tinker with his work. When the original Star Wars trilogy was re-released in theaters back in the late 1990s, it came with plenty of updated special effects intended to clean up the rather dated look of the original films and give us all the version that Lucas allegedly intended to give us the first time around. Depending on who you talk to, the changes made to these films are either too minor to think about or the biggest travesty in the history of film. I was kind of in the middle of the road. While I appreciated some of the updated visuals such as the more impressive Death Star explosions, I was bothered by other changes such as the truly grating musical number that was added towards the beginning of Return of the Jedi or the infamous moment where Greedo shoots at Han Solo before getting killed in the first film. Overall though, I wasn't bothered too much by the changes. I certainly didn't think they ruined or improved the film. For the most part, the films that I grew up watching remained intact, and I gladly purchased the "special editions" on DVD simply because it was Star Wars on DVD.
I was mostly on board with picking up the Blu-Ray editions of the Star Wars saga when they come out later this month, or at least I was all for picking up the original trilogy. However, I changed my mind when I heard about some of the changes that were being made once again. For the most part, the changes that I heard about don't bother me a whole lot. I'm sure the CGI that was added in the first place will be redone with the latest technology so that it looks more realistic, and I have absolutely no problems with minor changes like having ewoks blink with computer-generated eyelids.
There is, however, one major change that I have a huge problem with. I could describe it, but I think it would be better to show you:
(Spoiler warning: I'm sure almost everyone who takes the time to read this blog has already seen these films many times, but the few of you who haven't are about to see the climax of the entire series. Stop reading now if you don't want to know what happens. Also, climb out from under your rock and rejoin civilization. It's not that scary out here. Trust me.)
(Note: Since this is a Star Wars clip I don't know how long it will be up on this blog before it gets taken down. If you can't see it, I apologize.)
Based on the controversy surrounding it, Darth Vader yelling "NOOOOOO!!!" as he tosses the Emperor to his doom seems destined to be the new "Han Shot First." I already mentioned the change made to the first Star Wars that turns Greedo's murder into self-defense, but in case you don't know what I'm talking about there is a moment in the original version of Star Wars where the space smuggler Han Solo shoots a bounty hunter named Greedo with absolutely no warning. It's basically a cold-blooded murder and a major character-defining moment for Han. It solidifies him as cold, ruthless, and willing to do anything to save his own skin. When the special edition came out, that character-defining moment was changed. Greedo takes a shot at Han at point blank and misses him, prompting Han to shoot back in self-defense. It's a minor change, but it softens Han's character too much. Also, it looked horrible. Harrison Ford's head shifts to the side to avoid getting shot in an effect that looks like it was done by an amateur with a laptop. The later DVD release changes it again to have Han and Greedo fire at each other simultaneously. It's better than the first special edition version, but in the eyes of many fans the damage had been done.
As for the change made to the pivotal moment shown above, fans are already saying how it has ruined their favorite film series for all time. Instead of "Han Shot First" t-shirts, we may be seeing something to the effect of "Vader Didn't Say No" shirts at some point in the next few years. In the original version, Vader doesn't say a word when he decides to save Luke from the emperor, but we can practically see the emotional crisis happening just beneath his mask. You can almost see Darth Vader become Anakin Skywalker again for the first time in over 20 years, and it is actually a very powerful moment because he does so without saying a word. It's a seemingly minor change, but it does cheapen a great moment in the film.
Will I shell out the money to buy Star Wars on Blu-Ray? I'm not so sure right now. I guess it would be nice to see these films in a high-definition format, but I've never really cared much about that before. I have Star Wars on DVD, and if I ever decide to purchase another version of the trilogy it will most likely be the original versions that don't have the "special edition" updates. Perhaps in the end, Star Wars doesn't need all sorts of fancy updates. The films have been as popular as they are for so long because they are fun, entertaining films. Good films don't age, no matter how long they've been around.
