At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, George Lucas announced that the Star Wars movies would finally make their way to Blu Ray. But it's not all good news:
The original movies will be the Special Edition versions, with their extra “funny” SFX creature-shots and stupid stepping-on-Jabba's-tail scene. Speaking to the New York Times, Lucas said that, due to time and cost concerns, only the special editions were transferred to digital media. It looks like the original movies will never make it to HD.
Not to refight this battle, but it's hard to overestimate the extent to which the Special Editions are a stain on the Star Wars narrative, especially in the original film. By giving Greedo the first shot -- to use one prominent example -- and turning Han Solo into a hero from the very beginning, Lucas ruins an important narrative thread.
Like the Western protagonists he's clearly modeled on -- or, alternatively, Toshiro Mifune -- Solo is a clear anti-hero. There are no subtitles in the original release of Star Wars, so when Han shoots Greedo, it looks like a cold, unprovoked killing. He helps Luke and Obi-Wan for the money, and his main attraction to Princess Leia was her wealth. By introducing Solo with casual violence and a preoccupation with money, Lucas presents him as an amoral actor and sets the stage for his future growth. Through his actions on the Death Star, we begin to grasp a heroic side to Solo, and when he assists in the Battle of Yavin, we grasp his capacity for good.
By giving Solo the second, defensive shot in the Mos Eisley Cantina, not only does Lucas bend the laws of physics -- apparently, Han Solo can dodge light -- but he destroys Han's character growth. Han Solo enters the movie as a good guy and leaves the movie as a good guy. That might make George Lucas feel good, but it takes away the story's emotional force.
I'd get started on the disrespect Lucas shows to the memories of Declan Mulholland and Sebastian Shaw by editing them out of the films, but this is enough nerd outrage for one day.
-- Jamelle Bouie
