Maister said:
Ok, there are some really important questions that require the world's best and brightest minds' attention, but as they are occupied and as I don't have a clue what those questions might be, I will have to resort to the Throbbing Brain instead to answer the following:
1. Is the Star Wars series (or franchise for the more cynical souls out there) the greatest achievement in cinematic history? Or does Jar Jar negate all claims to that title?
2. Why does the original 1977 title film still resonate today (I'm particularly interested in what folks have to say who were too young to remember seeing it in '77)
3. Is the storyline thread winding through the series more classic Greek drama or kiddie matinee cliff hanger?
4. Who will be bold enough to step forward and predict the storyline for Episode 3 (and you'll have to do better than saying 'Anakin turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader')
woo hoo Star Wars discussion.
Now that my official star wars club member hat is on....
1. Greatest Achievement? No. Greatest Marketing and Franchise, you bet. The movies capture mass appeal because of the music and the special effects and an ageless plot. You take the music out of star wars and the movie is not as exciting. You take the high-end effects out... and the poor script starts to take the lime-light. Lucas couldn't write himself out of a box, yet he is a special effects genius with an awesome team of specialists. Kids are easily wowed by his simple story of a young, naive boy destined for greater things and the evil, in-human looking darth vader. The toys were a perfect fit to the action in the movie. Toys were a major hit with the Planet of the Apes a few years earlier.
2. It still resonates today because seeing the movie has become a right of passage, it's become our heritage...to an extent. I wanted to make sure my son got to watch the star wars movies because I remember being young 2 for Empire and 5 for Jedi and being in awe. Sure enough, he loves star wars. He even plays with my 20 year old
action figures.
3. Greek drama. Which.. is the kiddie matinee. A good-hearted protagonist, an evil, often mis-guided, antagonist, and other supporting characters.. like the maverick, and the supporting female lead.
Example. Pokemon movies. I often watch these (gotta collect them all!!!) with my son. There's the protagonist who like Luke skywalker is good-hearted, naive, and is sometimes bullheaded. There's his female, like Leia, companion who is supportive, helpful, and has more spunk than we originally expect. There's his male companion, Like Han, who plays by his own rules but learns to value honor and respect a great cause. The antagonist varies, but is like Vader. He was once a good person, grew strong and became wildly intelligent, successful, or other. His quest of dominance and strength drove him to the brink of insanity where he became evil for the sake of self-fulfillment. Only after a near disaster occurs, he realizes the error in his direction and takes action to amend his relationship with the protagonist and eliminate what symbolizes all that is evil. It's a timeless and often repeated story line.
4. So much has to occur in the 3rd installment that I don't know how it will be under 3 hours. 1. Luke and Leia will be born in the first 1/4 of the movie. Padme will disappear with Leia, but not before Annikan learns that his son was born. She will send Luke to Tatoonie to live with Annikan's relatives. Annikan will continue to fight in the clone wars with Obi Wan. Count Duku will turn on the rebel planets and with the emerior will use the clone army to destroy any revolutions. Annikan will nearly die and be resuscitated by the Jedi...becoming mostly machine...he will succumb the the Emperor. The jedi will disband and spread amongst the galaxy.. most will be killed. The Empire will take complete control of the senate and govern with an iron fist. Leia will grow up princess of Alderron and Luke will grow up on Tatoonie dreaming of a more exciting life. Annikan, now Darth Vader, will receive the Emperors blessing to begin his pursuit of his son............