The Last Guy in the World to See Star Wars

[stiltman]

http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/commentary/theluddite/2007/05/luddite_0524

OK, I promised myself not to judge this movie as high art. Clearly it wasn't intended to be that. As a couple of hours of mindless entertainment, it's ... harmless. But to have burrowed itself so deeply into the American cultural consciousness? That bothers me. Are we really the simpletons H.L. Mencken said we were? (Rhetorical question.)

Here was my takeaway from Star Wars:

· Uncouth, venal, wisecracking Americans exist in every corner of the universe. For reasons that escape me, they’re tolerated wherever they go.

· Jewish princesses seem to travel well, too. In this case, she really was a princess.

· Even when he’s spewing bile, James Earl Jones has a great voice.

· It’s possible to go from being a whiny, spoiled, self-involved teenager to a crack fighter pilot capable of taking down the Death Star with absolutely no training whatsoever. I know, I know … it was in the kid’s genes.

· Big fat guys who look like bikers can cut it in the Rebel air force.

· There are bars in San Francisco with more interesting characters.

· Nice try on the quasi-SS uniforms worn by the Empire guys. The Nazis had better tailors, though.

· Bad writing is bad writing, and bad acting is bad acting. And ever the twain shall meet. At least in Hollywood.

· No matter how great an actor Alec Guinness was, he couldn’t have saved this picture. No one could have.

· Annie Hall was the deserving recipient of best picture for 1977.

· George Lucas' best movie? American Graffiti.

· As I said up top, I can understand the pop culture ripple effect from this movie. I will never understand the flood.

· I should have waited for the 50th anniversary.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

all of his points are valid.
all of his observations are quite astute.
Star Wars is a really bad movie.
Without a doubt, one of my all time top 3 favorite bad movies.
George Lucas has sold it to me on VHS, LaserDisc, VHS again, and now DVD.
I haven't made the "leap" to BluRay or HD-DVD yet because Star Wars hasn't either....

When I go to the movies, I'm not looking for "art". I'm not a snob, I haven't been an artist for almost 2 decades, and I'm not a film critic.
I'm a regular old normal everyday guy, and when I go to the movies I'm looking for entertainment. That's why I almost never watch "dramas". My life is hard enough, my life sucks as it is -- why would I want to pay $10 to see how bad somebody elses life sucks?
I want entertainment and 2 hours of escape from life. Give me some comedy, some action, some adventure, some Science Fiction.
Better yet, give me all of that at the same time...

This is what Star Wars is all about baby!

[ozymango]

I was 14 when Star Wars came out. I went and saw it in the theater with my best friend, Bob. We both watched as the opening credits rolled, and this giant spaceship comes zooming across the screen, and ...







Changed my life, in a great way -- got me interested in films at a level that has stayed with me to this day.

[guns1inger]

It was of it's time in style and attitude, ahead of it's time in effects and technology, and was meant to be an adventure film, not great art. It was also aimed at 10 year old kids. Out of it's time it looks simplistic, badly dated, and is still aimed at 10 year old kids (who still find it entertaining). The generally poor reception to the last three films, made much in the same vein as the original three shows just how badly they have dated.

Personally, I don't think George Lucas is much of a film maker. He is a great marketer. His best film, for me, is THX1138.

[bendixG15]

I gave up on "critics" serving a useful purpose a long time ago.

Akin to asking a computer store clerk for computer advice.

Good night........

[SquirrelDip]

The comments are very valid but you have to recall when the movie came out. For the time the special effects were fantastic. I was also very (okay, fairly) young when it came out so, at the time, I thought the story/acting were good.

In some ways it reminds me of Titanic - The special effects were also fantastic and the acting/story blew chunks.

Spoiler Alert!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The boat sinks.

[lordsmurf]

Since when did the lardass comic owner from The Simpsons get his own online review page?

Worst. Review. Ever.

I'm not even a Star Wars fan.

But clearly this guy is a jackass looking for racist-style comments.

[BJ_M]

2001 was better -- and older --- but SW has/had great entertainment value to be sure .... a lot of the points are valid, but can be said about most anything really ........................all that matters is if YOU enjoyed it

[Marco33]

50 Kajillion Star Wars fans can't be wrong.

[yoda313]

I think bj_m and marco 33 said it right

[AlecWest]

In case anyone's interested, there'll be a 2-hour special on Star Wars tomorrow on the History Channel ... 9PM PDT in my area. Here's what my TitanTV schedule says:

Star Wars - The Legacy Revealed - The enduring impact of the "Star Wars" films is assessed by film critics, filmmakers, scholars, politicians and journalists, who examine the themes and archetypes and the films' connections with politics, popular culture and myths. Among those commenting: Peter Jackson; Tom Brokaw; Newt Gingrich; Joan Breton Connelly; Kevin Smith; Nancy Pelosi; Elvis Mitchell; and Carl Silvio.

[Abond]

I am really tired of the specials of StarWars. When I have something like sucking pain in the chest (well, I am still not DeadMan) I watch the DVDs starting (always!) from episode 4.

[AlecWest]

I am really tired of the specials of StarWars. When I have something like sucking pain in the chest (well, I am still not DeadMan) I watch the DVDs starting (always!) from episode 4.

Funny you should mention that. My enjoyment of Star Wars goes on a downward spiral. I like Episode 4 the best ... better than 5, which is better than 6, which is better than 1, which is better than 2, which is better than 3.

BTW, a correction on what I posted earlier. The special won't be broadcast "tomorrow" like I said. Locally (PDT), it's shown on the History Channel at 9PM on the 28th, 1AM and 7PM on the 29th, and is repeated at 8PM on June 3rd and midnight on June 4th.

[Marco33]

I don't know if (The reason) I didn't like 1 & 2 & 3 that much is cause I expected too much.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

I think the reason most Star Wars fans don't like eps 1-3 is because they saw 4-6 when they were young.
Those earlier films had a certain impact on you when you were young, and as you grew the films also grew in your memory as being something bigger (and most likely better) than what they really were.
"A New Hope" came out about 1 month before I turned 3.
I never saw any of the Star Wars movies until I was 19. We're talking 1992 folks, really not that long ago. I wasn't as young/implressionable as most 'established' Star Wars fans, and although I thoroughly enjoyed the films, they haven't had the chance to become monumental to me.
I guess what I'm saying is that by the time I saw them, I had already lost a great deal of my sense of wonder.

The thing that I disliked the most about the original films was the Ewoks. For me, they were what most people felt about Jar-Jar (don't get me wrong, I can't stand him either, and I'm glad that it turns out that all the bad shit is his character's fault).
I really feel that Lucas stayed quite true to the originals when he made eps 1-3.
The problem most Star Wars fans have with eps 1-3 is that 4-6 were aimed directly at them. You're all just pissed off that 22 years later when he made 3 new Star Wars movies, he still aimed them at the exact same demographic as the originals, instead of aiming them at the exact same people.
Whereas you have grown and "matured", Star Wars didn't.

BTW, my faves are eps 5, 1, & 2, in that order of preference.
And I ******* HATE Luke Skywalker. What a whiny ******* cry-baby.....

[Heywould3]

• Uncouth, venal, wisecracking Americans exist in every corner of the universe. For reasons that escape me, they’re tolerated wherever they go.

That’s where i stopped.. I almost never rant and even more rarely get involved in this sort of thing but that comment made me more than a little mad. Those qualities exist in every damn country around the world. and to me that’s a raciest comment he made. i know Americans aren’t a race but some people from other countries comment like we are. So i ask him this.. Why did the "Uncouth, venal, wisecracking” person have to be American?

I know this was a quote but that guy can kiss ass and i hope his wife cheats on him with his father

ok all better now lol