I Predicted This

[qos]

The big news in geekdom is George Lucas's announcement today that he is releasing the original theatrical versions of the Star Wars trilogy on DVD.

This is after he stated emphatically two years ago, when the "special editions" were released on DVD, that he had no intention of releasing the original versions because the later ones truly reflected his vision.

Legions of fans who remembered the original versions and preferred them to his "improved" versions -- remember the "Han Solo Shot First" campaign? -- grumbled but bought the DVD's anyway, because it was better than nothing.

And I wrote, at the time, that I was betting that once he was sure that everyone had bought the special editions, George, ever sensitive to another opportunity to wring more money out of his fans, would change his mind and release the original version.

And that's exactly what happened.

Except that he found another way to squeeze a bit more: the original versions will be released in two-disc collections with the special edition. So we can't just buy the original version. We have to pay for two discs and get another copy of the unwanted special edition version.

Also in the news today: the release of a stormtrooper action figure with George Lucas's face.

They should have put him in the Emperor's robes.

Comments

[blessed-harlot.livejournal.com]

:( Opportunism in artistry is so depressing.

[rachel-y.livejournal.com]

And then you have shinig examples of the other end of the artictic/sell-out spectrum, such as Bill Watterson...Aside form (I think) one or two calendars early on in his syndication career, he never licensed any Calvin & Hobbes paraphenalia.

[femalegamer.livejournal.com]

Personally, I think that he's so wed to being the only person who can be right, that they probably had to chain him down to get this edition out.