Star Wars and its faithful

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

I don't think anyone ever (seriously) considered it anything but a modern-day Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon. Certainly Lucas didn't, or the film critics. It's a popcorn movie, perhaps one of the best ever made, but that's subjective. For those of us that saw it when it first came out, I don't think it hyperbole to claim that it changed how we looked at movies. I know most of my friends were awakened to science fiction (which led to fantasy fiction and then to gaming) by it. It was certainly remarkable for its time, and combined a myriad of sources in a pretty original way. Not to mention the fact that it completely revolutionized the movie industry in terms of marketing, promotion, and special effects, and almost single-handedly (with some help from Jaws) created the concept of the 'summer movie season'.

Sure, it's just a movie. So was Casablanca, The Godfather, and Citizen Kane. But as Roger Ebert says, it's not what it was about, it was how it was about it.

What he said

 

[Arnwyn]

I've always asserted that the first movie was nothing more than a great take-off/update of the old 1930s Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials. My folks grew up on the serials and passed them on to me. By the time Star Wars was first released, I had enough late-night UHF reruns under belt to know a duck when it quacked.

Yes indeed.

For a long time, I've avoided expressing this opinion among the Star Wars faithful, because it generally annoys them. I've met so many fans who adhere to the belief that Lucas is some kind of sci-fi Tolkien, who had this expansive world and its structures already planned out in detail from the get-go.

Really? Where have you been hanging out?

There is no "canon."

Correction. There was no "canon".

 

[WayneLigon]

I've always asserted that the first movie was nothing more than a great take-off/update of the old 1930s Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials. .... When you realize that, you'll be able to drop all the angst and disappointment and "suffering" I keep hearing about, and you'll be able to just have some fun.

I don't know of anyone that ever claimed that the Star Wars movies, especially the first three, were ever anything more than an homage to the serials. The way ships move like planes, the fact that the well-known 'crawl' at the beginning of the movies was lifted whole and entire from a serial, etc. Even the communication screen the Nemodians use in Episode 1 has the same 'rippling mirror' effect used by Ming the Merciless.

 

[CarlZog]

Really? Where have you been hanging out?

Obviously not with you guys.

In no way was my little rant intended to reflect a negative opinion of Star Wars fans. I only meant to debunk what I perceived as a false belief among the most fanatical that Lucas had had started out with some detailed, grandiose vision of what’s become the Star Wars universe.

Judging from you guys though, such a belief barely exists anymore, and was probably only held by a very small constituency in the first place. So I guess that kind of does put me in the position of boldly declaring to a NASA conference that the earth is round!


Thanks for all the thoughtful responses anyway. Yes, I agree that Lucas deserves huge credit for his contributions to the movie industry. There's no doubt SW redefined movie marketing, special effects, etc.. I was also very excited to hear so much acknowledgement of SW's debt to the serials. I really haven't seen much of that before.


Yes, I know the meaning of the word, “canon”. But I think it’s grossly overused and not particularly applicable to any collaborative fictional settings -- due in part to the connotation of ultimate authority that it conveys. However, if the idea helps frame your discussions of material and distinquish between ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’, so be it.

<o ="">Thanks.</o>

<o ="">Carl</o>

 

[Desdichado]

You do realize that not all of us Star Wars fans run around griping and complaining about how Lucas ruined our childhoods, yes?

That's only because you're too young.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

In no way was my little rant intended to reflect a negative opinion of Star Wars fans.

No offense taken. Heck, I smacked a kid in 5th grade for daring to suggest that Battlestar Galactica was better than Star Wars. I really must be getting more mature.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

That's only because you're too young.

There are advantages.

And besides, I've been watching the movies since I was 3. So, he could have ruined my childhood just as much as anyones, I'd just remember WHAT he ruined better than you old farts.

 

[Desdichado]

Thats insane! I still watch my OT (and by OT I mean pre-special edition versions) two or three times a year. I remember quite well.

 

[Desdichado]

Thats insane! I still watch my OT (and by OT I mean pre-special edition versions) two or three times a year. I remember quite well.

And I'm not so old as to be losing my memory that fast!

 

[mojo1701]

However, if the idea helps frame your discussions of material and distinquish between ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’, so be it.

That's pretty much what it means. You need this kind of idea since there are various works that contradict each other, and whose authority in judging what is right is needed in fiction, at least, when there's so much work not coming from the same author.