Han shot first!
That saying gives me the shivers, as it denotes fan entitlement. But there’s no denying that many of George Lucas’ changes to “A New Hope” he debuted with “The Special Edition” in 1997 continue to create frustration for a great many fans.
On this episode we dove into why, whether any of the changes are good, and how this problem came into being in the first place.
Welcome to the 84th episode of the WhoDatJedi podcast! This week, your hosts — Aaron Svoboda (@Aaron_Svoboda), Alfredo Narvaez (@NOLA_Fredo) and David Gladow (@davegladow) — start a deeper dive on the Star Wars special editions by talking about the 1997 re-release of “A New Hope.” The changes present in that film have resonated throughout the fandom for a long time (Han shot first?), but even beyond the more controversial choices, were ANY of the changes good? The group goes through each change and talks a bit about the bigger issues. Does a filmmaker reserve the right to change his work in perpetuity? And what’s the REAL reason the changes were made? Buckle up for a supremely nerdy discussion.
Listen on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Tune In + Alexa, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio, and follow us on Twitter & Facebook!
If you like what you hear, be sure to click that follow button and leave us a positive review!
Read more of Fredo’s musings here.
Read more of Dave’s musings here.
Song credit: Far, Far Away (Star Wars Jazz), by the Swamp Donkeys
Visit their website for more of their music!
—