“When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things.”

Who could have realised that about 2,000 years ago St Paul was actually talking about Star Wars?  I was about five when the original film came out and clearly remember going to see it with my folks.  It was every dream I’d ever had all rolled into one cinematic feast and put up there in real life!  I guess the effect it had on me was not unlike Father Dougal’s experience with the TV crew, where the bunnies of truth and fiction become so hard to distinguish. 

Star Wars was followed with religious conviction by me and my chums right through school and out again.  Even after Return Of The Jedi faded into distant memory we kept the dream alive with the Lucasarts games and the hopes that someday George would put the continuing tales involving Wedge and Admiral Thrawn up on the big screen.  Rumours abound that Luke turned to the dark side and takes the place of the Emperor, or that the Emperor had cloned himself and needed to be hunted down before he could re-establish his tyranny.

So imagine how much we laughed with joy at the wretched new prequel trilogy.  Imagine how happy we were with Lucas’ constant unnecessary tinkering with the original films.  Each change felt like a five-year-old scribbling with crayons upon the Mona Lisa, slowly killing off all the beauty within.  Ah, such bitter betrayal.  I guess we should have seen it coming when Boba Fett fell into the pit.

Still, how the ghost of nostalgia clings.  And to kill any sentiment dead, I would like to propose that Lucas uses the following as the Imperial March in any future releases.  That should just about do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jq617ENMd0