George Lucas is demented.

[Cramulus]

[...]seems less traitorous than taking it, post-release, and changing it in critical ways that diminish the reflection of what you were and what it was when you made it.

what if you take the world work, post-release, and change it in critical ways that enhance the quality or expression of who you are now?

see I think the word "traitor" here is way too strong. It's not like 2011 George Lucas stabbed 1977 George Lucas in the back and stole his IP. They're the same dude. The only people who feel betrayed are the Star Wars fans who expect the version they watched as a kid to be frozen in carbonite.

But the old one is an accurate reflection of who and where I was 20 years ago, and it would require me to hate that 20-year-old self to simply write over her expression.

I don't think it's mandatory for you hate your old self in order to want to update an artistic work for new audiences.


Personal flashback/tangent:
I recall having a gut HURK reaction when they announced the new Transformers movie in 2007. That was my favorite toy as a kid! I had a good twenty minutes of gnashing IS NOTHING SACRED over and over again. It slowly occurred to me that I was getting defensive about the commercialization of a toy commercial.  

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

A remake is a new artistic vision. Altering the original is just... an alteration of the original version. An erasing, a covering-up of something that was real when it was made. That's why I don't like it, and see it as a betrayal.

Keeping the original available lessens the treachery, but it's still a treachery IMO.

[AFK]

I don't necessarily look at it as a betrayal, more stubbornness.  Because it seems to be there is a big enough demand out there from folks our age and older who still want to enjoy the original version.  And as long as we have the VHS copies and working VHS players, we're all set.  If it is on DVD, that's fine, though eventually that technology is going to be antiquated.  The attitude I get from Lucas concerning the originals is that he's pretty much done with it.  That means in the not too distant future it will be impossible to view old Star Wars on new video technology.  In the end, I just think his stubbornness is stupid.  I don't really feel betrayed by it, because he obviously is under no obligation to produce what he doesn't want to produce. 

I just don't get why he is so stubborn in the face of the obvious large amount of admiration and love for the originals. 

[Elder Iptuous]

So what if some piece of artwork was made that, although complete, in its own right, is intended by the artist to be updated and improved upon?
is that artistically false?
if not, why is it artistically false for someone to reserve the right to do so even if it's not stated as such from the beginning?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I apologize for introducing pointless art angst wankery into this thread.

[Elder Iptuous]

 
i'm enjoying the discussion...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

i'm enjoying the discussion...

I'm bowing out because this is exactly the kind of discussion I hate more than anything other than colonialism and human sacrifice.

[Cain]

Lets just recall, Lucas did not create the Star Wars trilogy entirely on his own.

Yes, he may have "ownership" to do what he does, in a legal sense, but I'm fairly sure Spielberg may have an opinion on his hard work and vision for the series being dicked around with by Lucas.  As one example.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Good point.

[Triple Zero]

Some of it might have been bad choices, but come on the original Klingons looked so silly, how's that not an improvement? Just didn't like the bit where they sent the Borg back in time to kill Sarah Jones' son, the old ones couldn't even walk stairs!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Some of it might have been bad choices, but come on the original Klingons looked so silly, how's that not an improvement? Just didn't like the bit where they sent the Borg back in time to kill Sarah Jones' son, the old ones couldn't even walk stairs!

[Luna]

Some of it might have been bad choices, but come on the original Klingons looked so silly, how's that not an improvement? Just didn't like the bit where they sent the Borg back in time to kill Sarah Jones' son, the old ones couldn't even walk stairs!