I was watching Revenge of the Sith tonight with my brother and his girlfriend when I realized how defensive Star Wars fans really are. For some reason she didn't catch on until the end that Chewbacca was in the movie and when she did she commented, "Well he aged good." She was of course referring to the original trilogy and how he hasn't changed much. In my mind I thought that was a dumb question, he's a Wookie for Christ sake. Wookies can live up to 350 years, so what is a 20 year time difference in the movie going to make?
My brother paused the movie to let it sink in. To let he realize that it is a Wookie and not a human but she didn't catch on. That's how I knew she wasn't a true Star Wars fan...when she questioned it, rather than just accepting it. That's when I realized how personal I take Star Wars. It's really odd because I'm not a die hard fan. I do enjoy it, but I can't quote the movies, I can't tell you what planet is which and I am not very good at identifying what race each creature is. I can tell you that if you try to deny that Star Wars isn't a part of our culture or if you refer to it as stupid, I will get defensive as hell.
I know it's just a Sci-Fi movie...I do realize this. I'm not saying that you HAVE to watch it, worship it and spread it's word on to others. I just want you to respect it and what it has done for pop-culture. I want you to stop asking me if I like Star Wars because I have a Storm Trooper on the rear view mirror of my car. I want you to stop thinking that Star Wars fans are complete fucking goons (I will have to say that there are a lot of people out there that keep that statistic high. GOONS!!!).
It is a two way street. Star Wars fans...get over the fact that the new movies didn't live up to your childhood experience. Remember that you are an adult now and that there are a million kids who LOVED them, like you did the original trilogy. Get over the fact that he's not going to release "your version" of the movie EVER on DVD and that it's his movie and there's nothing you can do or say to change that.
We have a long distance to go before both sides of the Star Wars battle field call it a truce. So until that time gets here, let us go about our way today, enjoy the sunshine, our friends, family and neighbors and may the force be with you. Yes, you person who is too fat to dress up like Darth Vader…you are ok too.
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27 comments:
I just had to bitch slap my wife for the very same comment about Yoda.
what is star wars
Nice try Christine but I know you know what it is. Your attempt...Failure.
dave, so true man. My wife didn't even realize the concept of a prequeal. She really thought these movies were sequeals to the old ones. It took a long time to explain that these movies take place before luke sky walker, and that Darth was once a little kid, etc.
I echo dan's statements. Not just about Star Wars but Sci-Fi epics in general. Like the Matrix. You may not understand, but you have to respect it. No affence Christine, but it is usually girls that say "That movie was stupid, I didn't get it!" Well the simple fact that this MORON "didn't get it" probably makes the movie that much better. I am not only defending SW, I am defending all Sci Fi pop culture.
no affence taken
You're right. These movies will never live up to my expectations. I should let it go and realize I'm old, and it's wasn't created entirely for me (though it felt like it a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...).
But seriously, the debates will never end.I mean, how many times do I have tell the random novice that a true fan loves 2,1,3,6,5,4...in that order?
I just want to point out that the person who is most to blame for any of these squabbles is none other than "The Grand Poobah" himself: George Lucas.
First, from a purely objective standpoint, his skills as a filmmaker/screen play writer/director/producer simply HAVE NOT grown or developed in the last thirty years! The dialogue and plot line of the original trilogy were silly and awkward, but due to things that are completely unkown to Lucas now (things like budget restraints, studio demands for 90 minuet features, and under-paid unkowns for actors) the story was crisp and moved at a pace that kept people entertained and informed, but allowed them to do other things that evening!They're still just as ridiculous and stupid and trite, but worse(!), because now they're bogged down with confusing plot lines that get too involved with the politics and business (read:tediousness)of Trade Federations and Council's and the like. But, hey, this is for kids, right?
Lucas is the man in the high castle that no one can approach and suggest some QUALITY CONTROL. He's too big for the studios, the fans, or even shareholders in Industrial Light and Magic/Lucasfilms.
Do you know why 'Empire' is consistantly everyones fave SW movie? He didn't direct (or produce) it!! He turned the reins over to Irvin Kershner, who was able to evoke more of the downbeat mood of the script; he turned Darth Vader from a rampaging,incoherent maniac to a slow and deliberate form of black elegence, making him more sinister.
Okay,fair enough, you have to let a chap have his vision, and let him see it through. But the dumbass Lucas let the idea of prequels and epilogues marinate in SW nuts minds for years without giving them a nugget to chew on. So what you have is a nation of grown up kids who have waited for this moment for all there lives,oh lord, they can feel it coming in the air tonight..... instead of "Howard the Duck" he should of been feeding his fanbase from his hairy teet.
"Well, he had to wait for the right technology, to do it properly," I hear many enthusiats retort. Perhaps there is some truth to it, but there's more to it than that. GL's ex-wife recieved a HUGE pay day when they split, what with the merchandising and all. So to ensure that this wouldn't happen again, he had to wait for the appropriate time to release his next cash cow,i.e. when the ex couldn't get her hands on any of the revenue generated from what was going to be an obvious string of hits, due to the age of there children and the terms and conditions of their settlement. Don't say I entirely blame him for thinking that way, but he screwed his fans as well as his ex.
George Lucas is an out of touch hack who hit it big, and being big has proven to be his undoing. 'Sith' is no doubt a close return to form, and it was great to tie everything in together and come full circle, but let's face it...we should be glad it's over.
Quaig, even though I disagree with your comment in general, I think you are right about one thing: the prequels will never live up to your expectations.
The first time we saw the original trilogy we were blown away. Those are three amazing movies that were unlike anything anyone had ever seen until that time.
But it was a long time between Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In that time the movies soaked in. We had watched them 100 times, and we had seen 100 other movies try to be as good. The special effects that blew us away in 1977 were being outdone every summer, until we were no longer impressed. We expected good special effects, and we saw them everywhere. And now some of us are even a little bit spiteful of movies with special effects. "It's too easy that way," some might say.
But when it came time for a new Star Wars trilogy some people expected to be blown away again just as they were in 1977. Unfortunately the thing about first impressions is that you can't get them twice. And so we don't feel the the wonder and amazement we experienced for the new three that we did for the original three.
Our expectations are too high. But the current generation of kids is experiencing this all for the first time. They haven't had to wait twenty years while their imaginations wandered, and they never had to wonder what Darth Vader was like before he became the most feared villain in the galaxy. It's still fresh to them. But for us it's old hat, and it's too bad. Imagine what it would be like to feel the wonder again.
Maybe the problem isn't George Lucas, or his money, or his power, or his ex-wife. Perhaps the problem lies with our own expectations and our own imaginations.
"If I am not Luke Skywalker, I'm going home."
the superficial commenting on an article from page 6 of the NYP:
"Carrie Fisher admits to being a whore. Star Wars fans everywhere break open their piggy banks, only to be disappointed when they find out she only meant it in the figurative sense regarding selling her autograph at shows."
For the record, Lucas was Executive Producer for Empire Strikes back. He was pretty much responsible for greenlighting the screenplay, director...pretty much everything. He had is fingers in everything so to say that he wasn't invovled, that's a big understatment because he was a major force in the way Empire turned out.
You be Moe and I will kill you.
I wonder if Doc was the one who posted as Mitch? HMMMMM.
First, Christine, sorry I am such a terrible speller, I mean to say "offend" with and "O". I will spell check next time. Quiag and J both make very good points and support them well. I obviously don't know enough about the enter workings of the movie to totally agree with Quaig. I think everyone can relate to J on some level though. i was the same way with The Matrix. I had it built up in my head so much that the 2nd and 3rd could never live up to the first. I like them, but it isn't the same.
The worst offense of any filmmaker is revisionism. A filmmaker losing sleep over Han Solo shooting Greedo or US Marshals having shotguns drawn at kids racing around town with an alien is idiotic. Maybe in 20 years Spielberg will feel bad about Tom Cruise's character in War of the Worlds killing Tim Robbins' character, so they'll both emerge from the basement after talking things out.
I don't want to debate Star Wars. I heard debating religion or politics is much more rewarding.
Jon C, come on, if any one could debate this topic, it should be you!! get your hands dirty, man!!
That's pretty funny that he said he'd get more out of talking about polictics or religion because it seems that when eitehr of those are debated, the same outcome happens as if we were to talk about Star Wars...NOTHING.
Sorry for the misspellings, folks.
I agree with you whole-heartedly, John C. Lucas committed the ultimate sin when he decided to inject CGI into the original trilogy. I can look past clunky dialogue and convoluted plotlines for the sake of a franchise that helped develop my imagination. But revisionism is blasphemous!
Who among you didn't wince during the "Jabba" scene in 'A New Hope'? When Han circle around him and walks on his tail, it looks awful. Not even Boba Fett, walking into frame and turning to the audience to take up the shot (always a tacky device) redeems this scene.
And in 'Empire', after the famous dual scene, a somber Vader walks briskly with his sycophants hurring behind him. It's a short scene in which James Earl Jones simply says "Bring my shuttle." For whatever reason, my Darth impersonation always included this throwawy line.
But good ol' GL decided this 10 second scene needed more:"Inform my Star Destroyer to prepare my shuttle...blah blah blah" Not really a big deal, until it dawns on you that the voice sounds nothing like JEJ in 1980! Then, they show the damn shuttle, that wasn't supposed to be until 'Jedi'!!!!
I may be a "conservative" SW fan trying to preserve and protect his youth, but all of you...search your feelings...you know it to be true!
I know John C agrees with me on this. He stretches out with his feelings. He let's go.
I really don't mind so-called sfx "enhancements" to scenes if they achieve what was originally intended. Cleaning up matte lines and the occasional redone shot is fine by me if it stays completely true to the existing footage. Changing the entire composition and tone of scenes is a huge no-no to me, though. Jabba looks a bit better on rev. 3 of Star Wars but he still doesn't sound like he did in episodes I and IV. With all the technology at his disposal Lucas still can't seem to get it right.
My comments regarding politics and religion were sarcastic ones, by the way. I hope people will come around to my way of thinking about politics and religion, though. I could really care less what they think about Star Wars. Don't like it, fine by me.
Here's the ultrasecret breakdown of Episodes 1-3, which closely reflect our times.
Episode 1 is all about shady politics and machiavellian schemes to gain power. It foretold the stolen elections of 2000.
Episode 2 is all about staging terror for your own political game ala Bush on 9/11.
Episode 3 is about all out war declared so the already powerful leader can achieve dictatorial powers ala GW, Cheney, etc. Anakin's line "You're either with me or against me," was no coincidence. Darth Sidious is Dick Cheney.
Discuss...
You've got to be kidding me.
the guy who did the music for jaws also did the music for star wars. talented guy. john williams
John c, you are a fucking genius...I am NOT putting you on, dude...
We're on the same wavelength. Email me when you have time...
maybe John C and Quiag should get a chat room together or go make out somewhere. jeez you two. JK
I love it when John gets in his "conspiracy theory" mode. It is always well thought out and interesting. Thought provoking to say the least. Jon williams also did the music for the first Batman with Keetan. Even though Prince stole the show. Correct me if I am wrong but I think he did the music for Superman too.
qhunt: It was Danny Elfman who did Batman. He scores all of Tim Burton's films. You are correct about Superman.
And any man who can see Star Wars like that has a right to ask me: "Syrup or Jelly?"
Quiag, halarious man. do i know you?
thanks for the correction on the movie music. Also, thanks for not belittleing me in front of all my friend because I screwed up on movie trivia, it takes a big man to make a subtle correction.
Are you a friend of the blogger or just a passer-by?
I think my next comment should say it all...
And you're welcome.
I should write about Star Wars all the time. I feel like Mick Foley getting a cheap pop when I say what city I'm in.
quaig, where is your next comment??? who are you?
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