Ladywriter
November 3rd, 2005, 09:47 AM
My life as a Star Wars fan began at a very early age; Episode 4 was out in the theaters the '80's were rushing up to stomp out the 70's in a blurr of self importance and cocaine, and I was just a stary eyed kid. Han Solo on the big screen was larger then life, the Falcon was the most awsome mode of transportation ever inveted and Princess Leia buns were a must have for all girls with long hair, myself included.
I remember reading The Empire Strikes back before I saw the movie (a trait I still carry around like luggage). Poor Han at the end, I was so upset I chucked the book across the yard. To my suprised delight the movie was just as good as the book (a next to impossible thing). I was ready and willing to join up with these cats and fight bad guys in the Falcon. I was the only girl in school with Star Wars toys on her Christmas list. My girl friends found it embarassing and they wouldn't play star wars with me. Good thing they had brothers and I had cousins. I was an obsessed fan by the age of ten.
I stood in line premire week for The Return of the Jedi. I vividly remember the line going out of the theatre, down the sidewalk and around the block when we finished watching the flick. I stepped out into the afternoon sunlight with my doors blown off. The movie had kicked ass, the ending was satisfying and conclusive. At that age I had no concept of 'closure' but that is what I got and it felt great. Seeing the mobs of other fans; my first experience with a horde of likeminded cool kitties, just fueled the sense of satisfaction I had with the story.
I spent childhood years anticipating the next Star Wars flick bideing my time with my Falcon and my Dagobah playeset. I had more Star Wars toys then half of the boys at school. The trilogy turned me tomboy and the concept of the force was something I started seeking knowledge on myself. As I grew up the toys went on a shelf but the search for a way to connect with the force never left the back of my mind. In between episodes six and one I became a writer, finished school and tried college, had a couple of kids, even got married once. My wisdom had grown exponentionally and I even found my own version of the force. (I don't mean I can force choke the guy across the room, but I can get in touch. After trying many different religions, I found the answers I was looking for literally in my own back yard.)
I heard Episode 1 was coming out and I was so excited. We were there when it opened at midnight, the theatre was jammin. As we seated and were darkened; the movie starts with the music and the scrolling yellow words. Everyone in the theatre screamed. There was 'whoo!' and 'yeah!' and excited cries of pure joy. I figured most of the cats up in the theatre with me were die hard fans from the old days. We had all been waiting twenty years for some more. (Imagine not having your favorite food for 20 years. Hmm now you see). The movie was goodish, it had it's moments and it did get the ball rolling, but it wasnt impressive. Personally I liked the whole pod racing thing but I have always been into the vehicles.
The second movie, ugh I dont even want to go there. If it wasn't for bad acting the movie would have had none. The characters were just not clicking with each other. In the original trilogy there is an almost immediant bond between Luke/Leia/Han because the (talented)actors worked well together, not the choopy hack shit we got in Episode 2. The acting just made the movie boring and lifeless, not that the plot was all that riviting. We didn't even see clones until the end.
Episode 3 I did not even see until just last night, thats how much I cared. It was better than 2 just because of the cg/special effects. I tried to feel compassionate for Anikin because I did love Darth Vader all through the original. I got down with the attack on the Jedi academy and how such a thing would warp Anikin's mind, but there was no lead to any of his real change. It's supposed to be his story, but we're still not getting it. They dragged the plot all through the second movie and then rushed to catch up in the end. The whole Vader screaming "Noooo!" and the way she named the babies and then dropped dead. Spare me. If you want to pull off a hokey scene like that you need a good actor, and they didn't have any avaliable that day.
So I'm all done seeing the first three episodes and what can I say? That was crap. For the most part I didn't actually enjoy any of the movies, I just watched them for the story, what shreds of it there were. There is no sense of satisfaction or conclusion, I'm just glad it's over. If any of the movies need re-doing it's these. Try again with real actors and put the revision of the script in somebody else's hands. I'll gladly wait another 20 years for that.
I realize that we're all spoiled when it comes to special fx and cg. When the original trilogy came out the fx were the newest and the coolest on film. That added to the movies appeal, but the original didn't rely on flash alone to make a movie. There was a defined plot, good characters, a cast and crew that worked well together. They had to deliver a good movie; they couldn't and didn't pass off crap and cover it up with cg.
I've been a Star Wars fan for a long time, even longer then I have been a Tower Junkie. The DT ended with a kick in the teeth but Star Wars just sort of whimpered and died.
Please George, just stop.
I remember reading The Empire Strikes back before I saw the movie (a trait I still carry around like luggage). Poor Han at the end, I was so upset I chucked the book across the yard. To my suprised delight the movie was just as good as the book (a next to impossible thing). I was ready and willing to join up with these cats and fight bad guys in the Falcon. I was the only girl in school with Star Wars toys on her Christmas list. My girl friends found it embarassing and they wouldn't play star wars with me. Good thing they had brothers and I had cousins. I was an obsessed fan by the age of ten.
I stood in line premire week for The Return of the Jedi. I vividly remember the line going out of the theatre, down the sidewalk and around the block when we finished watching the flick. I stepped out into the afternoon sunlight with my doors blown off. The movie had kicked ass, the ending was satisfying and conclusive. At that age I had no concept of 'closure' but that is what I got and it felt great. Seeing the mobs of other fans; my first experience with a horde of likeminded cool kitties, just fueled the sense of satisfaction I had with the story.
I spent childhood years anticipating the next Star Wars flick bideing my time with my Falcon and my Dagobah playeset. I had more Star Wars toys then half of the boys at school. The trilogy turned me tomboy and the concept of the force was something I started seeking knowledge on myself. As I grew up the toys went on a shelf but the search for a way to connect with the force never left the back of my mind. In between episodes six and one I became a writer, finished school and tried college, had a couple of kids, even got married once. My wisdom had grown exponentionally and I even found my own version of the force. (I don't mean I can force choke the guy across the room, but I can get in touch. After trying many different religions, I found the answers I was looking for literally in my own back yard.)
I heard Episode 1 was coming out and I was so excited. We were there when it opened at midnight, the theatre was jammin. As we seated and were darkened; the movie starts with the music and the scrolling yellow words. Everyone in the theatre screamed. There was 'whoo!' and 'yeah!' and excited cries of pure joy. I figured most of the cats up in the theatre with me were die hard fans from the old days. We had all been waiting twenty years for some more. (Imagine not having your favorite food for 20 years. Hmm now you see). The movie was goodish, it had it's moments and it did get the ball rolling, but it wasnt impressive. Personally I liked the whole pod racing thing but I have always been into the vehicles.
The second movie, ugh I dont even want to go there. If it wasn't for bad acting the movie would have had none. The characters were just not clicking with each other. In the original trilogy there is an almost immediant bond between Luke/Leia/Han because the (talented)actors worked well together, not the choopy hack shit we got in Episode 2. The acting just made the movie boring and lifeless, not that the plot was all that riviting. We didn't even see clones until the end.
Episode 3 I did not even see until just last night, thats how much I cared. It was better than 2 just because of the cg/special effects. I tried to feel compassionate for Anikin because I did love Darth Vader all through the original. I got down with the attack on the Jedi academy and how such a thing would warp Anikin's mind, but there was no lead to any of his real change. It's supposed to be his story, but we're still not getting it. They dragged the plot all through the second movie and then rushed to catch up in the end. The whole Vader screaming "Noooo!" and the way she named the babies and then dropped dead. Spare me. If you want to pull off a hokey scene like that you need a good actor, and they didn't have any avaliable that day.
So I'm all done seeing the first three episodes and what can I say? That was crap. For the most part I didn't actually enjoy any of the movies, I just watched them for the story, what shreds of it there were. There is no sense of satisfaction or conclusion, I'm just glad it's over. If any of the movies need re-doing it's these. Try again with real actors and put the revision of the script in somebody else's hands. I'll gladly wait another 20 years for that.
I realize that we're all spoiled when it comes to special fx and cg. When the original trilogy came out the fx were the newest and the coolest on film. That added to the movies appeal, but the original didn't rely on flash alone to make a movie. There was a defined plot, good characters, a cast and crew that worked well together. They had to deliver a good movie; they couldn't and didn't pass off crap and cover it up with cg.
I've been a Star Wars fan for a long time, even longer then I have been a Tower Junkie. The DT ended with a kick in the teeth but Star Wars just sort of whimpered and died.
Please George, just stop.