Stop saying that!

This is a Geeky Confession post- there is something that most geeks do that drives me up the wall. Not just drives me up the wall, but makes me want to start punching people.

These days, you can’t mention liking Star Wars in a group, without at least one person using the phrase “George Lucas ruined Star Wars” or the more vulgar/offensive “George Lucas raped my childhood.” While I completely understand people not liking the prequels or not liking decisions that Lucas has made, I’m going to make this point- he didn’t ruin Star Wars.

One’s enjoyment of the Star Wars Trilogy is based on the sum of their experiences. No matter how many times he releases Star Wars for home viewing or in theaters- with a bit of tweaking each time… how does that change what you felt the first time you saw Star Wars? Does it negate the memories of every subsequent time you saw it and it made you happy? No. It’s one thing to say you didn’t like the prequels, or that you don’t like the special editions. But Lucas hasn’t ruined Star Wars.

And to those who liken it to rape? Find a new phrase. Rape is a despicable act that utterly violates the victim to the core. George Lucas could not possibly ruin your childhood to that degree. If somehow these changes have… maybe you need to see a shrink. (If you think I’m being overly sensitive, I admit, I might. But really- the weight of the phrase doesn’t fit what you’re describing)

Honestly, I get it! Not everyone liked the prequels. But they don’t negate the movies that came before it, or everything that happened before. I don’t mind talking about people’s problems with the stories or what they didn’t like. Usually you can start some great conversations about where people would have taken the prequels, or what they don’t like about George Lucas’ style as a director. But the response has become so typical that it’s more like a form of geek hipsterism, where it’s trendy to put it down.

I loved the Original Trilogy, and didn’t mind the changes to the Special Edition (except for making Greedo shoot first. That was stupid). I liked the prequels, and while there were obvious problems with the execution, I can admit that there were some problems with the original prequel too. Re-releasing them in 3D? I’m not going to complain- I enjoy the opportunity to see the movies on the big screen. If you don’t like it- don’t go.

Hey, it could be worse. He could have followed James Cameron’s path with Avatar, in which case we’d be on the 50th edition of the original trilogy with all of them available on DVD- and in just about every newspaper and magazine talking about how brilliant he is, and informing you that you can only enjoy the movie in 3D. And whining that because of the popularity of 3D movies, his movie didn’t have a chance to make even more money. For Lucas’ inability to stop tinkering with his movies, he seems like a pretty great guy.