PT An Essay on the Prequels (why I think they are just as good)

Hey everybody. I'm actually new to the forums but I have a Star Wars blog and I recently wrote a huge article titled "Star Wars: The Prequels are just as good." I've shared it with many of my friends and Star Wars nerds, but I'm looking for more input and probably negative feedback. Thus I've come to this forum and will likely visit some other forums trying to increase the reach of the article. If you have some time, please take a look at it

I'm sure a lot of the things I bring up in the article have been raised in previous discussions on this forum, but I also think I have some unique insights to offer. I hope you enjoy it.

Here is the link: http://www.brianonstarwars.com/2014/05/star-wars-prequels-are-just-as-good.html

- ch4meleon

 

Thank you very much for sharing this, it looks to be a great read! I unfortunately do not have the time to sit down and read it at the moment, but as soon as I do I will hop back over here and leave you some feedback.

 

Some major "flaws" that I found while reading your article:

I'm not american, but I remember the international buzz during the release of 'Episode I'. And it was an overall positive reaction. People that were leaving the theater were already buying tickets for the next available session. And I'm not talking about kids, which obviously were ecstatic about it, I'm talking about people in their 20s/30s. There were unusually huge lines outside during the first week, which got the press around the world to report it. The VHS and (almost 2 years later) DVD release broke sale records. Polls (already posted on this forum) show the overall positive feedback of the public coming out of the theater.

Sure, there was criticism (whose culmination didn't happen until years later). But per above, I really don't know how you can state that it was "received horribly". And making inaccurate generalizations like "everyone hates the prequels" doesn't help either.

I like the article overall, as well as some of the points you make, but I also don't understand what "extensive research" didn't brought out many well known positive reviews like the one from Roger Ebert (released for the Chicago Sun-Times), or USA Today, or Entertainment Weekly, or The New York Times, or Film.com, or Chicago Tribune, etc, etc...

 

For once, a nice article about the prequels, and on my birthday of all days. Thanks, I needed that.

 

Excellent points. As for my research, I pulled most of my information from my University Library, including some articles that highlighted the poor reviews received in the US at the time of launch. I guess I got so lost in the negative reviews that I missed some of the positive ones (and/or my school's library didn't have them on record). There's no excuse for missing Robert Egbert's review of the Prequels. I didn't realize it was positive, and I apologize. I really appreciate your feedback, as I hope to continue refining my article over time. You should also realize that whether or not the Prequels were initially received poorly or not isn't exactly the meat of my paper and I think the points I make still stand, even if I missed the mark in this one regard.

Thanks!

 

I know, and that's the part that I liked.

 

As far as I know Roger Ebert's reviews were positive for the prequels but he later praised RedLetterMedia's reviews.. also the thing about unsuccessful sequels isn't quite right. There have been many successful sequels, Terminator 2, Aliens, The Empire Strikes Back.. the last one a Star Wars movie. I haven't read your whole essay yet, but so far I'm enjoying it! Great work!

 

Source?

 

I loved it! yes there were quite a lot of positive reviews at the time of TPM's release. The hate for the movie seemed to start with cracks about Jar Jar after several months.
But you and i have basically the same feeling about the prequels. In my opinion the hate for them is completely irrational. 9 years after the last one and there are still people every day that post online how much they hate them . That says more about them than the movie they're talking about.

 

Awesome points. I haven't seen Terminator 2 or Aliens, so I can't talk about those at all, but I did think about Empire being widely regarded as an improvement of ANH, but ultimately since I was comparing the OT to the PT I thought this might not be the best comparison to draw. I might go back and re-work that section because it seems to be one of my weaker points. I appreciate that feedback! Thanks.

 

That's just what I heard. Don't take my word for it. But I did find these:

https://twitter.com/ebertchicago/status/21279809199935488
http://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/revenge-on-revenge-of-the-sith
https://www.facebook.com/redlettermedia/posts/141250732599123

No problems, just glad to help! There are also other several reasons you could add? Just some things I've been thinking about today, nothing I went into deeply (some of these things you already mentioned):

It's impossible to satisfy an entire fanbase of one trilogy, with a new trilogy 20-30 years later. Statistically speaking, there will be haters. Considering the amount of Star Wars fans, what is it, 50 million or more (just the FB-page for SW has 11 million followers!)? The amount of hatred for the PT isn't that surprising. The one video review that I know of with most views is RLM's TPM review, part 1 with 5,3 million views. That's not to say 5,3 million saw it, as people going back and forth answering comments/debating will open the video and start the video and count as a view. I myself must have added 1000 views to those videos, lol. Also, the haters will most likely watch it several times just because they like it. Part 2 of that review more than halves the views to a 2,3 million views.. meaning much less people found interest in the video review. If you count the "likes" of the first part, which has the most ones. It's under 30.000... that's only the real amount you could count into statistics showing how many agrees with what's being said. Why not add all these Likes/views from all the reviews together? Because it's most likely the same people! So when you think about it, 30,000 or heck, I'm being generous now.. even 1 million or 2 million people hating the prequels... is nothing compared to the total amount of Star Wars fans out there. The problem is that today people can preach their opinions on the internet, and usually dissatisfied fans preach it more than satisfied fans. And media, don't get me started on the media! They like to spread what is perceived as "popular opinion". Some even agree with these anti-prequel trilogy reviews blindly and creates their own reviews/points why the prequels "suck". On one review I found several arguments built on false information. Means they didn't even take their time to study the movies, they just wanted to cash in on the anti-PT bandwagon.

The story wasn't what people expected or wanted. The same issue will arise with Episode VII. It's already doomed for thousands of fans considering it's dismissal of the expanded universe which people grew to love over the course of 20-30 years.

In my opinion, the classic trilogy can be enjoyed by anyone. It's such a simple story, with magical music told in such an adventurous way focusing a lot on interactions between characters. I mean seriously, put Leia's theme, or the Force theme or even Yoda's theme in any movie and it will enhance that movie by 20 times. The prequels on the other hand are more complex and the story requires an intellectual to understand what's going on. And when I say intellectual, you only need to spend 1 minute or 2 reading what some of the haters have to say to understand what I mean. The prequels are like 10 movies in one trilogy. They are more serious (most of the time) and they have a completely different feeling to them. The music and the story is more tragic and dramatic. That people who fell in love with the OT would be disappointed with the PT.. is again, not that surprising considering the above points. That doesn't mean it's anything wrong with the prequels, but the issue really lies with the individuals hating them. What many people wanted, was in a sense, the OT all over again. At least that feeling of what was before. You mentioned this, nostalgia plays a huge part in the disappointment by many fans.

Also, one thing about what you said in your review:

Her heart was broken, no doubt. Her will to live, that's only a guess from a droid because they couldn't establish the cause. I think she not only had a broken heart, but was physically weak to go on living after being Force-choked by Anakin and then giving birth to twins, mix that with being emotionally broken in mind and heart. I don't think it's so weird that she could die. I mean this event takes place in a universe where the Force, prophecies, telepathy etc exists.. it's a fictional world. I'm sure someone could explain this better than me.. but I never had any issues with her death! I thought it was poetic. Also, didn't Qui-Gon say: "Your focus determines your reality." Anakin had nightmares about her death in childbirth, he literally made his focus reality, with the help of Sidious as well who reinforced the idea of her death. And ultimately he says to Vader: "It seems, in your anger, you killed her." Which to me implies that another cause of her death was Anakin's anger and his focus on her death.. I don't know, I'm just brainstorming!

 

That's a good point. I've never thought about it that. I still think they could have probably illustrated this better, but I see what you're getting at.

 

It's funny/ sad to look at that Facebook page and see posts from 2011 about TPM and referencing Simon Pegg. I'd like to tell these people "dude, you're an adult and you're ranting about a movie that's somewhat aimed at kids---over a decade after it's release. Get a life."

 

Just read it, very good man loved reading it Could not agree more with you !

 

That's a very good read and I 100% agree with you. Have a drink on me.

 

Not a fan of your article, sorry. Ideological nonsense for the first half, trying to explain to me why I'm seemingly biased about the PT - I know why I dislike the prequels, and it's purely for technical and cinematic failings. I made up my mind on the problems with the PT long before RLM came along.

I disagree with pretty much all of the misconceptions that you try to put right, too, but there are too many for me to really pick through.

 

I am inclined to agree with Arch Stanton. While there was some good research, and overall a well put together paper, you really didn't explain why the movies were good. You did a great job on elaborating on things that happened, both in the movie and in reaction to the movie, but it didn't really offer me any insight or sway my opinion. Your final argument seemed to boil down to "calm down, it's not that bad...", which is really just your opinion vs. mine.

As Stanton stated, there are many cinematic failings that hold the movies back, regardless of it being Star Wars. The opinion held by many that they are just bad "films" is only enhanced when coupled with the fact that they are Star Wars, which as you pointed out, is a beloved and cherished franchise. If the prequels were released in a vacuum, without any previous Star Wars media in existence, I do not believe they would have been recieved very well.

But yeah, opinions are opinions, and the paper was pretty good overall.

 

I think you raise some good questions about my article, though I would have to say I think that you are misunderstanding the purpose of my essay. As I say in the abstract, I hoped to argue that there is just as much value and enjoyment in the prequels as there are in the original trilogy. As such I didn't dwell on what are considered to be the technical aspects of film. In other words, I wrote the essay, for the most part, to combat the overly negative attention the films receive. You mentioned that you disliked the PT before RLM came along. For a lot of people, that's not the case. For a lot of people, their opinions were formed based off of what they read/heard about the prequels and I hoped with this article to persuade them to give the Prequels another chance.

I'm sad that you disagree with my article so heavily, but I am actively trying to improve and refine the essay, so if you have any specific insight on what arguments you thought were weak or strong, I would love to hear it! Thanks for reading it.

 

Thanks for the read! You brought up some really good points in regards to my paper and I hope I can address at least a few of them. First, I respect that I didn't sway your opinion at all. I realized in writing the paper that most people wouldn't be affected by anything I have to say. I mean, how often do words on a computer screen really impact someone's personal opinions (but a guy's got to try)? You'll notice in my essay that I don't at all address what are to be considered by critics as aspects of good film-making. The reason for this is because film, as with all creative works, is completely subjective. Even if it's written in every textbook that a "good," movie consists of x things, if I disagree, both I and the text books are correct (since it's all subjective). For example, a lot of people like to complain that Hayden Christensen's acting is very stiff and awkward. They say that it's bad. Even if everyone in the world agrees with that sentiment, I'm not wrong if I disagree because "good," acting is essentially determined on whether or not I believed it. Like you said, it essentially comes down to your opinion vs. mine.

That being said, however, my purpose in writing the essay was to offer people who formed their opinions uninformed an opportunity to rethink the prequels. The wave of negative criticism towards the PT is overdramatic in my opinion, and the only way that I can fight against it and show that the Prequels DO add value to the Star Wars saga is to argue in it's defense. I liken it to an experience I had in high school basketball. Early on in my high school career I had a problem with my shooting form; I released the basketball too early. In order to help me overcome this my coach forced me to make 100 baskets everyday where I, on purpose, released the basketball too late. After a month of over exaggerating my shot, my form naturally started to balance out. My point is, in order for me to adequately argue my points on why the prequels are enjoyable and valuable, I have to over exaggerate (in order to compensate) every complaint levied against them.

At any rate, sorry I'm rambling. Like you say, opinions are opinions and we're both entitled to our own. I do, however, disagree on this: If the Star Wars prequels were released in a Vacuum without any previous Star Wars media in existence, I think they would have been received significantly more favorably than they were. Thanks again for the read and if you have any other insights or arguments please don't hesitate to give them. I really do want to improve my essay and your feedback helps.

 

I've got no doubt that some people jumped aboard the RLM bandwagon, but that's also not true for a lot of people. Or alternatively, it just reinforced certain things for some who didn't know as much about cinema as Plinkett.

I wouldn't feel sad because of my disagreements, I have very different opinions on the prequels to you (and most of this forum from what I've read). I'm firmly in the dislike camp - TPM is awful, AOTC is maybe a 4/10, ROTS is a 5.

 

Definitely big respect to you for the effort and sticking by your guns. And I agree, like any pursuit, it takes practice to grow and improve.

PS, go watch Aliens and Terminator 2. Both good movies on their own, and great sequels. I also think Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls was better than the original Pet Detective, but that might just be me.

 

Well done on your article. When it comes to perspectives on the PT, there are two which really grate on me.

1. That the prequels are bad because 'everyone' says that they are.
2. Anyone who dislikes the prequels does so only because they are brainwashed by 'everyone'.

The vast majority of people should be given credit for judging these films based on what they saw on the screen when they watched them. The vast majority of filmgoers don't feel the need to pick a 'camp' to be in when they go to a movie. They just watch it and either enjoy it, don't or are ambivalent.

 

I really wonder how much PT hate would evaporate or at least subside if the original theatrical cuts were at least released in HQ versions on DVD years ago?

The reasoning is this. The OT was SE'd in 97 then 2004 then 2011 to conform more to the PT. The OT originals are not out because they do not line up with the PT.

So really the reason why the OT originals are not out is due to the PT because GL didn't want the incomplete versions out. I mean look at the vitriolic reactions to the PT where this rather vile unreasoning and ill-informed hatred spills out where they take delight in creating their own "SE" cuts of the PT to "make them better"

I think there is a real connection between the two things for many of the extreme haters and I don't use the term lightly but as a real description of how they view the movies. They just hate everything about them.

 

First, I would like to say that I respect the heck out of the amount of detail you were able to dredge up to back up your case. Bravo, truly... and to Blogger who provided the network that fortunately did not short-circuit due to the amount of space taken on the web page. That said, as a 'hater' of a few of the 'hated' things you mentioned I have this to say... ahem...
Jar Jar Binks and Anakin.
Jar Jar is awesome, no doubt, do not have a problem with Jake Lloyd as I honestly cannot remember ever hating his performance... as for Hayden's, well I am sure he tried, but that whininess that most people mention is due to the lack of clarity stemming from Darth Vader being nothing like that at all. Vader was nothing like Anakin, quite the opposite really, somewhat cold-hearted. Heck, he honestly barely even spoke in comparison to the long tirades that Anakin would tend to go on.
Padme and Anakin.
I am absolutely fine with how their story unraveled, as it lacked the usual lubby-dubby XXX schtick that movies show... so kudos to Lucas for toning it down. That I am most pleased with.
What is the plot?
Again... do not care about this one iota. It was provocative enough to get me to stay entrenched in the story.
The Main Character(s)?
I have no problem whatsoever with there being no 'central character, as the OT was technically about more than one person too. You mention in your article that single words could be immediately associated with a character like Han, but not prequel trilogy characters. Then, you proceed to prove this can so be the case with prequel characters by writing sentence long descriptions for each of them... what that proves is that you need an entire sentence to describe a prequel character... but I do agree that Han has been an icon for a lengthier time, and maybe single words will one day be given for Anakin... I can think of a couple.
The Little Stuff.
Well, that is your opinion, of course, but 'tis not little to me. I too complain about CGI overabundance, and the reason is because it does distract me when enjoying the film. When you see the OT in all its' glory, and then move on to the graphics of a video game, hundreds of clone warriors that look like avatars, a CGI-rendered Yoda that does not look real enough to pass off as a muppet and spaceships that look like they were Photoshopped into the scenes it really detracts from the experience you expected after having seen the original.
...and Midichlorians did demystify the Force, as it took what once was mysterious, and gave it an origin. Before it was a Force that surrounded, penetrated & bound everything, and now it is something that actually grows inside of a person, apparently... what? Kind of contradictive...
The Prequels aren’t perfect.
I agree. You should have started with this : ) (Kidding)
All-in-all, though, the prequels were good, and I would watch them again, and as for the hate stopping... I understand your point of view as it must suck to hear people bash something you enjoy, and it is not right to be cursed at for having a differing opinion... but at the same time those who do not like the prequels are Star Wars fans too, and maybe it is time that we do not get overly sensitive about hearing someone else say that the OT is greater than the PT or vice versa, and maybe it is time we see them for what they are to each of us. 'Tis a cliche, I know, but no matter how much we hate hearing criticisms all that matters is what you think.

 

Neither are the Originals. I have yet to see a perfect movie.