George Lucas vs. the Stormtroopers

My thoughts below on the whiners who just can't seem to get over changes made by George Lucas to the Star Wars films are echoend in the Box Office Mojo commentary, "George Lucas vs. the Stormtroopers". A snip:

Before the DVD's release, there were signs of hostility -- not merely to the esthetics of his changes, a legitimate grievance -- but primarily toward the concept that the creator owns his work.

Foes had mobilized long before the trilogy hit the market, circulating an online petition demanding that Mr. Lucas reverse what he considers improvements. During the Hollywood DVD premiere, one reporter indignantly told a Lucasfilm executive that Star Wars does not belong to the man who created it.

When the DVD went on sale, a newspaper columnist's headline commanded: "Stop messing around with our Star Wars." Another dubbed Luke Skywalker's creator "Darth Lucas." When Mr. Lucas' detractors oppose his right to change Star Wars, they mean it; they oppose the artist who dares to regard his work as his own. They do not recognize rights.

Freedom is based on rights. Without the right to property, one has no rights. With generations being taught that stealing software, music and movies is acceptable, many no longer acknowledge private property. One Star Wars fan told a newspaper: "Each and every one of us thirtysomethings that spent our allowance on multiple showings of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi are now the true owners of this work of art."

Read the whole thing.

In other news, got the videos watched, but decided to enjoy the nice weather instead of cooping up in a dark theater to see "Shaun" and judging from the box office numbers, everyone else either had the same idea or went to see the critically-panned "The Forgotten".