And nothing George Lucas does can ever take that away from me.
I never got to see the original movies in the theater, I'm not from that generation. The first time I ever saw the movies was when i was around 10 or 11 and TBS was doing a Star Wars week. They showed Star Wars on Wednesday, Empire on Thursday, Return on Friday, and then all three of them on Saturday. I watched them all twice and was in love. I taped them, commercials and all(though i did my best to cut them out), and watched them constantly. As I got older I bought the actual videos(thx remastered), and began my work at wearing them out. I read some Star Wars universe novels and was convinced that the Zahn trilogy were going to be made into 7,8, and 9. I gave up playing Magic to devote all my resources to playing the new Star Wars CCG. My friends and I camped out in front of the theater to see the re-release of A New Hope. And when I first saw the trailer for Episode I, I was sure it was the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life.
Actually seeing Episode I in the theater was mind bending. I was seeing a NEW Star Wars movie! I don't think I thought about anything else but that fact the first time watching The Phantom Menace. And it took another 2-3 viewings for my awe to wear off and for me to realize that I didn't really like the movie that much. It had its moments, especially the lightsaber duel at the end, but for the most part it was just annoying. Alot of people downed it for various reasons, one being that they didn't like Anakin as a child. That part didn't bother me really, what bothered me was Jar Jar, and how everything good he did was the result of a mistake, and how Anakin's big contribution at the end of the movie is pushing a button by accident and saying "whoops!". Atleast in the book they really gave you a sense of Anakin's ability with the force and that the reason he did certain things was because of a feeling inside of him, that he couldn't really explain, but followed his gut on. And the whole idea of midichlorians is, i think, the worst invention in the star wars universe. Jedi are now suddenly some sort of elite cast of superbeings as a result of their genetics. There was a thread recently where Chris Bridges went over Episode I and just little things that could've made it alot better. I agreed with almost everything he said, The Phantom Menace really COULD HAVE been a great movie, without having to change the main plot points.
Attack of the Clones was better. That was nice. But was it Star Wars? Not quite. It was more adult, and I really enjoyed the seed of evil that was being planted, and watching how everything was really part of this big master plan being executed by Palpatine. Oh, and Yoda fought!!!! But the dialogue was horrible, the Anakin and Padme romance made me queesy, Storm Troopers are all suddenly clones, and R2 can fly???
So here I am, years later, sitting in a room with 4 star wars posters framed and hanging on the walls, small toy spaceships hanging from the ceiling by invisible wire, chasing eachother in an epic battle seen, collectibles of all kinds displayed, and no fewer than 50-60 action figures(still on their cards) pinned up around the room as a sort of wallpaper, and the last Star Wars movie I'll ever see comes out tomorrow at midnight.
My feelings are very mixed. Every ounce of logic inside me tells me not to get excited for this movie. That George Lucas should've handed over the reigns of these films long ago, like he did with Empire(the best star wars movie by along shot) and Return. That I keep setting myself up for dissapointment getting so excited for each new movie. But there's another part of me fighting for control. The part of me that loves Star Wars. The part of me that has been waiting years and years to see Anakin Skywalker go bad, to "hunt down and destroy all the jedi", to have his fateful duel with Obi Wan that leads to his encasement in the suit, to become Darth Vader.
More than anything, ANYTHING, I just want a good Star Wars movie! I want to go in, and enjoy myself for 2 hours. To come out not complaining about what was changed, and what was contradictory, or what just sucked, but to come out going, "that was awesome". I want the last Star Wars movie to be one that I can buy on dvd and actually watch, repeatedly! I want to sit in that theater and be a fan again. And I really really hope that will happen.
Posted by Satan (Member # 529) on :
Ooh goosebumps.
Nah, It'll suck.
Knights of the Old Republic is where the buzz is at now.
<I'm astonished that Satan would use such language --PJ>
[ May 18, 2005, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Papa Janitor ]
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
Strider I'm with you... not gonna happen, but I with you completely.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Why do you guys have to spoil my dreams?
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Hey, the rotten tomatoes score for this movie is hovering around 85%, while TPM and AOTC got 63% and 66%. I would say that's cause for hope.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
I'm with you, Strider. I think this movie will almost certainly be better than Attack of the Clones, and I think it definitely has the potential to be better than any of the original trilogy movies.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
better than the OT movies? That's a tough one to swallow. Because no matter how good this movie is going to be, it cannot escape being held back by the other prequels. Too many plot threads that in a perfect world would not have to be taken care of, but he's sort of dug himself into a little(big) hole.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
I know someone who has never seen any of the movies.
We've convinced him to see them in order. Starting with one and going to six. I don't think there are that many people who could watch them for the first time in order.
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
I'm very curious to see what someone thinks of the movies if they see them in 1-6 order instead of the 4-6, 1-3 order like most of us. In A New Hope, suddenly Vader vs Obi Wan is a cautious and feinting lightsaber fight instead of blazing acrobatics. The best line/big surprise of Empire Strikes Back would be met with "yeah, already knew that." Think about it.
I'm also curious to see if we make it through Ep 3 with no mention whatsoever of midichlorians, like Ep 2. I consider this a great example of George's "I don't listen to what critics and fans say about the movies I just make them how I want" seeming a little fishy.
Don't get me started on the Chosen One prophecy. I have a whole rant about that, but want to wait until I see Ep 3 to see if they address any of the ridiculousness of this one.
--Enigmatic
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Well, I must say it would probably make alot of the fights and plot points in the prequels seem cooler and more emotionally charged. It's just impossible to have the same level of "wowness" as when you find out Darth Vader is Luke's father, in a prequel trilogy where you know who lives and who dies and roughly what is going to happen. It would definitely make the prequels more exciting. Giving up some great moments in the original trilogy though.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 619) on :
The New York Times actually liked SWE3: RotS, which is a great cause for hope. The reviewer said it was the best of the four films directed by Lucas (which, of course, includes the original)!
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
You'll love my column for tomorrow, in which I compare Star Wars to an ex-girlfriend who keeps luring me back...
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
With so much emotional power at hand, I do not see how this production could be anything but amazing, and every bit less than amazing that it is, is a terrible failure by Lucas.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
quote:You'll love my column for tomorrow, in which I compare Star Wars to an ex-girlfriend who keeps luring me back...
Or a cheating spouse you keep forgiving. "It's okay baby, I still love you. I know it was only the one time and you were drunk. Okay, there was that second time, but I know you didn't mean it. We'll make it better."
Posted by dawnmaria (Member # 4142) on :
My husband saw it last week at a charity event. He loved it. And we too had reservations and problems with the 1st 2 so I trust his opinion. I didn't get to go. He said it is VERY dark. Little kids shouldn't go see it. But he thinks it tied up Anakin's fall quite nicely. I have to wait to see it 'til NaNa can watch the baby! Oh! Yah, he was really excited because Carrie Fisher was at the screening and he got to see her from an extreme distance! To his dismay fully clothed, sans metal bikini!
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
She is long past metal-bikini days, anyway. I now much prefer her fully robed.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
You know, my mother always said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
I'm pretty sure that should be amended to, "If you're a man, don't speak."
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
It's got to be better than Two. Two was terrible. All flash and no substance, I had to fast forward to the end of it, it was driving me so nuts.
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
quote:You know, my mother always said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
I'm pretty sure that should be amended to, "If you're a man, don't speak."
And assuming you're female, do you not see the contradiction in what you just said?
Cause that wasn't a very nice thing to say Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Of course I did. I wasn't trying to be nice.
His comment was just rude and offensive in so many ways, I thought it would be more polite and funnier than telling him what an insufferable ass he was being.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
dawnmaria - Did he see it in DC? I remember hearing about Carrie Fisher being at a charity showing last week.
Posted by Choobak (Member # 7083) on :
It's 3:30 AM and i just saw the episode III !!
Wonderful !!!! I like it ! I'll go another time in this week i think !
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
Passive aggressive insults are lovely, but when they are structured as to insult a whole group of people and then, by extension of membership, a solitary person, it becomes annoying, regardless of one's status in said group.
In other words, please find a less rude way of verbally thrashing someone whom you find distasteful. Your current way sucks.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
You know what, I thought about giving you a decent answer, but we'll never agree on this, so I won't bother.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Hey Everybody! I think we're moving off topic here. The question is not whether Carrie Fisher looks good in a bikini and has been the subject of a good many of my childhood fantasies...ummm, disregard that last part...it's whether i'm going to be happy tomorrow or not! Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Come on everyone, you know all women make rude generalizations about men.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Of course we do. Because men are rude.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Actually, in this case it was because a man was rude.
Posted by foundling (Member # 6348) on :
Isnt that just like a lawyer? They just cant resist grammatical corrections...
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
What would women talk about if they COULDN'T make rude generalizations about men? It'd cut their gossip by like 90%.
As far as Star Wars goes, I see it in 22 hours. I bouhght my tickets a month ago, and I'm more excited about this than most other things I've ever been excited about.
I'm prepared to settle in for a good movie, not an analysis session on what is right and wrong with it. I will skip my usual lecture of defense of Star Wars and George Lucas, anyone who remembers my previous ones would probably just skip over it anyway.
I don't plan to be disappointed by this movie, I think it could be one of the best yet. I've read a ton of good reviews, and I believe it will be very good. I'm planning for success.
I hope you all enjoy it too.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: What would women talk about if they COULDN'T make rude generalizations about men? It'd cut their gossip by like 90%.
Yes, dear. That's it exactly. Really, it's more like 95-98%, unless you count small talk about the weather.
Posted by Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged (Member # 7476) on :
I''m going to see Star Wars, not because I believe it will be a good movie, but because I have a free ticket to the midnight showing...
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Bring on the fall of the Senate!
Posted by dawnmaria (Member # 4142) on :
Miro, Yes it was in DC. She brought her Mom, Debbie Reynolds, too.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
quote:you count small talk about the weather.
:Claps hands:
Yes! Yes! Let's talk about the weather! How beautifully blue the sky, The glass is rising very high, Continue fine I hope it may, And yet it rained but yesterday. To-morrow it may pour again (I hear the country wants some rain), Yet people say, I know not why, That we shall have a warm July. To-morrow it may pour again (I hear the country wants some rain), Yet people say, I know not why, That we shall have a warm July.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
I'm going to see it tomorrow. It's the first time since the original trilogy came out (77-83) that I haven't seen the midnight showing on the day it opened. Unfortunately, my real job precludes the midnight showing, so I gotta wait a day or two.
Although I must say, seeing the prequels in the theater on opening day is a movie experience unlike any other. Everyone there has been waiting in line for hours if not days, everyone there is breathless with anticipation, everyone there absolutely loved the originals, and can't wait to find out where the story will go.
It's the only time I've ever been to the movies where the title sequence is greeted with raucous cheers. It's given me goosebumps every time.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote: It's the only time I've ever been to the movies where the title sequence is greeted with raucous cheers.
RHPS does it better. Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
I find it's much better if people are clapping and cheering at the END of the movie, not the beginning.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
I just saw the last few chapters of the Clone War cartoons and they were much better than Episodes I and II. I hope Episode III lives up to its hype.
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