The Problem with Star Wars

[Stone Angel]

Well Lucas himself had said that he forgot how to make movies. But I think the biggest reason that people feel the movies are lacking compared to the first trilogy is that it wasn't new like the 4,5, and 6 were. I mean they blew a lot of peoples minds kind of like the first Matrix. You had to sit back and say "Woah". That is an incomparable feeling. The prequels had to compete with that.

And even though I feel like the prequels are superior in almost every way besides story i.e visually, action, fx and even gives it a run for their money in the talent department I also feel that these movies feel so serious compared to the others maybe it that is supposed to be the mood but even as dark and hopeless the originals were they were always light and refreshed with humor from time to time.

Just a couple credits for my thoughts.


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[evildmguy]

I remember this old Archie comic from years ago. It was a simple statement how asking four people their opinion about a movie got four different answers. (And, of course, Jughead's was about the popcorn not the movie.) Reading through this thread reminded me of that even more.

I think that everyone is right. We are all different from when Star Wars first came out and our expectations are very different.

I think the world is different now. When I watch most current tv shows or movies, I don't think they waste a second. There never seems to be a point where I can talk because missing anything will mean I missed something important. However, thirty years ago, it seemed as if that wasn't the case. There were vast tracts of some (not all, but most) tv shows or movies where it was "easy" to talk because it was obvious nothing important to the plot was happening. Star Wars is that way for me. The first ten minutes are so visual that no matter how much I like the soundtrack, I can talk and others will respond and we don't feel as if we are missing anything. So, I think Star Wars had to "adapt" to the current style of movies that we have today. And, in that, I think they did lose a lot of the themes of the movie, which others have said better than I.

However, I still like 'em. I like them for what they are. I might nit pick them at time, but overall, I still enjoy watching them. And that, for me, is the most important thing.

Good points all!

Have a good one! Take care!

edg

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

It seems like I might be the only Star Wars fan that doesn't care for the story in the movies, good or bad, it gives nothing to me. I don't dislike it and I don't like it. The only thing I get out of the movies is additional background to deepen my appreciation of the setting that I experience in the Star Wars CRPGs and FPSs.

So to me, the problem with Star Wars (IMO) is there is too much effort put into the movies.


Regards,
Eric Anondson

 

[mojo1701]

However, I still like 'em. I like them for what they are. I might nit pick them at time, but overall, I still enjoy watching them. And that, for me, is the most important thing.

Good points all!

Good point, yourself! That was beautiful.

 

[Orius]

Actually, every factual claim in Ranger Reg's post was wrong; the biggest wasn't even the one you pointed out, it was his saying Spielberg had anything to do with RotJ (he had no involvement in any of the SW movies, including that one).

It was so wrong he pretty much must have been doing it on purpose, as some sort of joke, though personally I don't see what's supposed to be funny about it..

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Ranger knows every single "fact" in his post is totally wrong. Not sure what the point is myself. Maybe it's his way of saying that a lot of people who rant on the net prove just how much they don't know with the content of the rant.

 

[Orius]

Does anyone remember any cool or memorable quotes from the prequels?

Here's my nominations:

TPM:
"The ability to speak does not make you intelligent." Qui-Gon to Jar-Jar
"No one can kill a Jedi." Anakin Skywalker (love the irony).
"Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi." Nothing else really needs to be said here.
"We will watch your career with great interest." Palpatine to Anakin.

AotC:
"You don't want to sell me death sticks." That was a fun little scene.
"Go back to your drinks, this is Jedi business." Yeah, sounds cheesy and kind of out of place, but a fun line anyway.

None from Sith, yet, because I've only seen the trailers.

 

[fanboy2000]

Its as though Lucas owes [Star Wars Fans] something by virtue of the fact that he entertained them with some great films almost thirty years ago.

I realize that this is going to sound weird comming from someone who's handle is fanboy, but you've hit upon the very thing I hate about fandom. I hate the idea that corporations/entertainers/writers/artists owe the fans anything. Really, is it that hard to buy what you want and not buy what you don't want? Do fans really need to whine about every other thread?

That said, I love movies and I like threads like this because it can be fun to discuss when people aren't resorting to calling filmakers incompetent. (I just came back from a film festival, I've seen incompetence and it ain't Lucas.)

 

[Vocenoctum]

main line I liked, and I can't recall the exact wording. In AotC
"Someday you'll be the death of me Anakin."

 

[Darrin Drader]

Then it is probably time to find a new avatar.

No, I think I'll keep this one.

 

[Pbartender]

"Poor" is an understatement. There are few worse ways that storyline could have been carried out. I liked AotC. I thought Obi-wan's subplot was great. I liked the bad guys. They were actual villains as opposed to that one-dimensional hackery they called Darth Maul. The visuals and action sequences were fantastic. The love story, however, was abysmal. He seemed like he was going for some kind of Victorian forbidden love, and missing completely. Combine that with a total lack of chemistry between the leads, and a stalkerish performance out of Hayden (who did just fine in scenes where he didn't need to interact "romantically" with Portman), and you get one of the worst love stories ever put to film.

I picked up a slightly used copy of the AotC DVD a while back. I quickly discovered that I liked that movie a lot more than I thought I did. You see, I've gotten into the habit, whenever I watch it, of hitting the 'skip forward' button on the remote every time there's scene featuring Anakin and Padme together and alone.

Cut the creepy love story and the resultlant idealistic politico pillow talk, and it's a really good movie.