I suppose I'll be the conscientious objector here. As far as "Who needs movies?"
I DO!!!!
ME, ME, ME!!!
We can perhaps better envision the author's crafts with respect to a Star Wars novel because of Lucas and Industrial, Light, and Magic (ILM)
I personally enjoy Sci-Fi movies the same way that someone enjoys a novel (I do happen to read alot BTW)
as an escape and enjoyable break from everyday life.
While I cannot comment of what George Lucas said at the Canne's Film Festival, having not personally seen or heard the comments, I personally respect his past business decisions that went against the Hollywood machine to create the Star Wars series the way that he wanted. (putting his own butt on the line while building a technolgical empire, much also in the way that moviemaking as well as computer sciences and medical technology are benchmarked today) Like him or hate him, the man pioneered the way films are made today.
What exactly did Lucas say at the film festival? Was it akin to the Dixie Chicks? I'm curious.
I personally have no problem enjoying an artist-be it a film maker or musician that posesses opinions that I do not necessarily agree with but I do take issue with these same performers when they turn it into a political platform to spew their own idealogy.
Just mt .02.