Lucas
has indeed claimed that as the film's director he has every right to go back in to update and revise their own work... in his recent years.
Yet before the Special Editions, back in 1988, Lucas also said things very much to the contrary, like this below, to the US Congress, on the subject of altering films...
“American works of art belong to the American public; they are part of our cultural history.”
“The public’s interest is ultimately dominant over all other interests.”
“It will soon be possible to create a new ‘original’ negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires.”
“In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be “replaced” by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.”
“People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians.”
“Attention should be paid to the interest of those who are yet unborn, who should be able to see this generation as it saw itself, and the past generation as it saw itself.”
^ An article with the full speech by George Lucas, at Force Material: ‘
George Lucas explains why you shouldn’t digitally alter films’
Also...
An abridged screenshot from JW Rinzler’s ‘The Making Of Episode III’ book; a quoted conversation between Frank Oz and George Lucas…
^ At the time of above conversation George Lucas had already made changes to directors Irvin Kershner’s ‘
Empire Strikes Back’, and Richard Marquand’s ‘
Return Of The Jedi’ - and would also make go on to make further additional changes to both their films.
Neither the
Empire Strikes Back or
Return Of The Jedi are available as their respective directors intended, or indeed made, on a modern and quality digital format.
Now, if George wants to forever tinker with his own film
(yet not fixing the mistakes he has introduced into the films by doing so), then cool... he should go right ahead. Although he really should be making all the different cuts he had released to the public over the years... available in the best quality possible on a modern digital format.
And George should really also stop with the lies and various disingenuous statements to the public
(even at Cannes last week). about the availability of the original cuts, the cost, the quality, processes involved, and sources available to Lucasfilm, for an official preservation release.
After all, if fans can come with something beautiful as 4K77/4K80/4K83 and Harmy's Despecialized etc
(to name but a few), based on 35mm prints... then surely Lucasfilm should be able to come up with something significantly better based on the superior sources and resources they have available to them?
In fact, all of the previous and differing cuts of all the PT and OT films could easily be released under the 'Vintage Collection' on Disney+
(along with other 'non-canon' material) - or packaged as 'Essential Legends'
(like other non-canon material is repackaged and re-sold) in a deluxe archival box set or something similar... and it would not affect the latest 2019 'Maclunkey' Special Editions being the 'official' version.
