What I do not like with the prequels and with sequels and prequels in general is the need to explain things from the original movie or series. I liked the mystery of the original Star Wars. What happened to the Jedi? What is the force? Why were the droids even needed? Is Lucas so untalented that he could not come up with new characters? Why include Tattooine at all? etc. The prequels in my opinion are destroying the reason I still enjoy the movie to this day.
Also, whats with the heavy handed foreshadowing. A few things were nicely done, such as Anniken on Tattooine with the Darth Vader shadow in the background. But most of the other stuff was so unnecessary. The movies, IMO should stand on their own and have little direct reference to the “later” series.
Then there is Lucas himself. He has said, I believe, that he does not like directing people. (Can’t find quote) And that is obvious in the latest series. Fine, just get someone who does. Natalie Portman can act, but her performance so far seems more fitting for Plan 9 From Outer Space. The scene where she drops on her knees and pleads for help is so wooden it looks like a run through. Also, in ep. 1, I do not blame the kid who played Anni. Lucas wrote the lines and story so all the nonsense (accidently blowing up the command ship etc) is his fault as well. I can suspend my disbelief so far.
He also seems to have no regard for the fans who put him where he is today. He won’t release the original versions (which is his right) even though many want it that way. While the extras are for the most part ok (excpet Greedo shooting first) it really does not add anything. Also, while the original SW appealed to all ages, ep. 1 was a kids movie, and seem to be more an excuse to sell toys than tell a good story. Another thing I remember, don’t have a site, is that after the US version of Godzilla came out, the SW website put up a banner saying “Story Does Matter” making fun of the “Size Does Matter” Godzilla promotion.
Unfortunately he fell into the same trap, put enough special effects and nobody will notice the weak story.
I cannot believe I have written all this, honestly I am definitely not one of those mega fans. I like the movies, but the rest (EU, games etc.) I have no interest in.
The very first time I saw the first movie, the absolute first day it was ever shown (in Houston), on the very first showing of the day (get the picture?), I was disturbed by this line:
“I made the Kessle Run in 12 parsecs.”
I was shocked, shocked I tell you! I almost broke down in tears at the amazing stupidity (in my young mind) of that one line.
No amount of back pedalling and explanations has made up for that faus pax, and nothing ever will.
First of all, Leia was driving, not Lando. But seriously, what I was saying is that I think Luke’s presence alone is what kept Han and Leia from dying–I have no doubts that they would have suffered some sort of pain/damage regardless of Luke’s plans. I agree that dropping the training was not bright, and that his talents would have been more honed, but I think that, had Luke stayed with Yoda, there wouldn’t have been a Han or a Leia (or a Chewie) to save.
This is, of course, my opinion, and as of yet, I’m backing this up solely on my interpretation of the dialogue in ESB. I don’t mean to say that anyone is right or wrong, merely that this is what makes the most sense to me.
No Clue Boy, I hate to show my stupidity over this mistake regarding parsecs but…I don’t get it. Is a parsec not a unit of time? I know there’s something wrong with that line (a few years of this fandom have gotten me that much), but I can’t find what, exactly, it is.
What he should do with the DVD release is have one version be the theatrical version and then have the “Special George Lucas Messing Stuff Up” edition seperately, so everyone could be happy. Though I don’t know anyone who likes the Special George Lucas Messing Stuff Up versions.
I really really really did not get the impression that we were supposed to think badly of Amidala. I think it was just piss poor writing with no respect for any prior character development. Amidala is the heroine of Eps I-III, and I lost all respect for her in that scene. She’s an idiot.
Do you really want me to list the reasons? OK:
Because I loved the original 3 movies. They were the emblematic movies of my childhood and they mean a lot to me. I have an emotional investment in the Star Wars franchise, much the way some people have an investment in, oh, say… the Buffy franchise?
I paid $7 to see the damn thing, for which I expect some quality. I don’t go to the movies that often, and when I do, I really want it not to suck, considering how much it costs now.
Frankly, I don’t know why, but I expected better from George Lucas. More fool me.
Vader’s lungs are too damaged for him to breathe unassisted in a normal atmosphere for very long so his helmet has a sort of respirator in it that cycles air into it under pressure. It operates independantly of his actual breathing but he can adjust it as needed.
I can’t believe I forgot this: Chewbacca doesn’t get a medal at the end of Ep IV. Luke and Han get them, but not Chewie. WHY? That’s just wrong and it’s always bugged me.
It’s never said that Chewbacca holds any sort of official role in the Rebellion. We KNOW Solo is “Captain Solo” by the end, but Chewie could very well not have a rank–he is, after all, there as a life debt to Han, so perhaps he thought official rank in the Rebellion would distract him from his duties to Han. I don’t see his lack of a medal to be wrong so much as…easily explained but not explained at all.
Here’s somethings I don’t like about the prequels. I really hate the farting animal in TPM. In AOTC, I think the guy with the “death stick” in the club scene was a stupid thing.
How about lightsabers? No one ever thinks to question lightsabers, but really, how stupid is this concept?
What is the beam supposed to be? If it’s light, then a.) how does it stop two feet from the source? and B.) why would it cut anything. It;s not a laser beam, what si it?
Also, why would light interfere with light (i.e. why would the beams crash into each other when they intersect? Why don’t they just go through?)
Mixing Spanish and English in a Star Wars rant hurts my head, DtG.
Didn’t someone explain that “light saber” is just their slang name? I swear I heard that before…
AFAIK, Lightsabers are somehow activated by energy being shot through a gem that is cut and heated and cut and heated etc until it is at the specific shape and size that will produce a beam of, IIRC, photons. AFAIK, photons are light, but I could be wrong in either my definition of photons or my recollection of what the beam is…
I’ve come to think that a lightsaber blade is the same a a blaster bolt, only thicker and longer, and is not discharged from the weapon itself.
But seriously, what I was saying is that I think Luke’s presence alone is what kept Han and Leia from dying–I have no doubts that they would have suffered some sort of pain/damage regardless of Luke’s plans. I agree that dropping the training was not bright, and that his talents would have been more honed, but I think that, had Luke stayed with Yoda, there wouldn’t have been a Han or a Leia (or a Chewie) to save.