From culture trendspotter Theo Nion:
Since her early childhood, a period sources said featured a Danger Mouse-themed birthday party that utterly baffled the assembled 6-year-old guests, Campbell's daughter has been fed a steady diet of marginalizing cinematic masterpieces from the world's very best filmmakers.Cool Dad Raising Daughter On Media That Will Put Her Entirely Out Of Touch With Her Generation [theonion]
Previously, and awkwardly related: C is for Cassavetes
I too find all the mods pretty jarring and disruptive but that's only because of my familiarity with the originals. I don't think any of these changes make the Star Wars universe any less magical for generations that are experiencing it for the first time.
I am bothered by Lucas' efforts only in the sense that it's a money grab. I don't fault him for trying to keep his employees busy nor for his drive to improve his masterpieces. What he doesn't realize is that what makes Star Wars so perfect has nothing to do with effects. Star Wars is better than Avatar, for example, because its just much more compelling. The effects in Avatar could not close that gap and new effects in Star Wars will not widen it.
My husband asked me if I was trying to do this to our son when he was younger. He watched Mr Rodgers and Fraggle Rock and had no idea who Dora was. I even made him sit through the Secret of Roan Inish on family movie night once. I think he fell asleep. :)
Starting when I was 6 we had no TV in the house and my primary entertainment was our Dad taking us all to see film noir and Marx Brothers, etc., at the Thalia on the Upper West Side.
Sure, I could not discuss the finer plot points of such cultural touchstones as "Charlie's Angels" and "Starsky and Hutch" with my classmates, but I got to see "Strangers on a Train", The 400 Blows", "A Night at the Opera", "Citizen Kane" and of course, Woody Allen's complete back catalog.
There were twinges at being out of touch with my classmates' obsessions, but I got over it. Whether there was lasting damage from seeing "The Postman Always Rings Twice" or "Kiss Me Deadly" at such a tender age is another question.
oops. my comment was supposed to go here: http://daddytypes.com/2011/09/21/mad_typing_skillz_roundup.php
no sweat, I moved it.