MOVIES: The Star Wars DVDs, Take 2

George Lucas has taken a temporary break from sucking.

That's right, for the first time on DVD (and for the first time anywhere for, what, over a decade now?), the original versions of the first Star Wars trilogy will be available. And I mean original original: the first film won't even have the words "Episode IV" in the opening crawl, which were added shortly after Empire first hit movie screens.

I don't know why I still care. I've been over this before, when the revised (and re-revised) versions of the trilogy hit DVD almost two years ago. I haven't watched any of those three films for almost ten years. I relinquished my Star Wars fan license long ago.

And yet... I think I'm going to have to get these DVDs. It's impossible to deny the appeal of having these films back in the form in which I first saw them as a child, back before Lucas trampled all over his own creation. I think most fans make that kind of a connection: Star Wars = childhood. So I don't want to grow up. So I'm stuck in adolescence. So what? As long as Han Solo shoots first, I'm fine with that.

Of course, this second DVD release is surely a crass marketing ploy on Lucas' part. "I'll never release the original versions!" Two years later: "Has the money from the DVDs dried up? Let's release the original versions!" (This new release, by the way, will take the form of 2-disc sets which also include the revised versions of the films released on DVD two years ago -- which is Lucas' way of saying to all of you who bought those DVDs: BURN!! Total burn.)

Well, you win, Lucas. You got me. I'll buy the new DVDs. I'll chase my childhood memories. And frankly: I'm happy to do it. I'm more excited about the Star Wars franchise than I have been since that monstrosity Phantom Menace damaged my eyeballs. Wow, actually looking forward to a Star Wars movie. How novel!