AOTC: was it hurt by a waning SW fanbase?

I think not. This is kind of a spin off of the "media bias against SW" thread. IMO, the SW fanbase is stronger than ever. But the reason AOTC might not have done as well as TPM despite being the better film was not because of a waning fan base, at least not a waning SW fanbase.
You see, people like us are loyalists, and I noticed that a majority of the people giving ATOC repeat viewings and praise are SW fans. Problem is, I think that after TPM GL lost the "fair weather" fans. Basically, fans who grew up with the series, had the toys and all, but had their tastes and values change overtime. In short, people who were at one time SW fans but not lifelong fans like us. They liked SW at one point, but really couldn't care less about it now.
These people all went and saw TPM because it was a new SW movie and it was an event. However, when TPM was not what they wanted, they decided they had outgrown SW and didn't feel like bothering with more of what they had lost interest in already. Problem is, society judges almost everything on how well it clicks with a majority of the people, which is not a good measurement tool in the slightest. (Case in point: Britney Spears, N Sync, pseudo-country like Shania and Faith, you know what I mean.) The way I look at it, if a majority of society thinks SW is no longer worth their time, then screw em! I got something good to me that they have chosen to miss out on because of their collcective mindset. If GL is to be blamed because he wrote something for the people he KNEW would enjoy, then I think it's sad. Bascially, he's taking hits for not trying to make SW more mainstream. What a crock!
Okay, end of argument. Later!

 

I agree. I mean, if they don't like the prequels, or even Star Wars in general - fine. I think Lucas is giving us great Star Wars movies that are on par with one, two, or even all three of the OT movies. That's good enough for me. I'm enjoying the heck of out this time in my life. I'm actually witnessing the prequels finally being made. And I'm in my early 20's, and so it's a great time to live.

I never built up TPM to be more that what it was. I didn't necessarily "wait" 16 years for that movie like some people did. When it was around the time it was supposed to come out, I was like, "Oh! It's here! Cool." I didn't make it out to be "an act of God," to quote the director of "A Galaxy Far, Far Away." I didn't wait in line 42 days for the movie. I probably would've been let down somewhat also if I waited that long for that movie - or any movie for that matter. I went on opening day with my ticket and waited in line and that was it. And I wasn't disappointed at all with TPM.

I did the same thing with AOTC, only this time I was at the midnight showing. But even still, I didn't build it up that much. It seemed like more of an event because it was the midnight showing, and that was awesome. The hype is fun. It's ok to have the hype, just so long as the hype doesn't have you. Think about that for a minute...

Basically in the end, I was not let down by the prequels. I've enjoyed them highly. I was somewhat a part of the hype, but not fanatically like some people were. So I ended up enjoying the events of both prequels coming out, and also enjoyed the movies themselves.

 

As long as I love'em, that's really all that matters in the long run.

Nice thread, Darth Blasphemous. Your post sounds accurate.

 

AOTC was hurt by Lucas insisting on doing away with all of the elements that made the originals great.

 

NO I think the opposite. I think the only thing that has changed about Star Wars is the cast and the box office environment that it was released during.

But as adults we do perceive the originals through a childs eyes because we were children. We want the new ones to make us kids again which is impossible, but somehow we feel that Star WArs should be able to do that...when in fact it never did.

I've spoke to many people that were over 20 when the originals came out and many of them have said "It's just the same old thing. Those movies were always silly to me."

 

When the OT was originally in theaters there was nothing else like it. Pale immitations, yes, but nothing which succeeded in capturing the unique combination of elements in the SW films. Kids who watched the films religiously, dissected them etc... are now writing, directing and producing their own films. Your average video game has most of the basic elements that made SW so 'different' 20 years ago. There's much more competition. That's what hurts the PT most.

Plus, spoiler reports, super-early reviews and internet bootlegs. A review that comes out 2 or 3 weeks before a film is released saying "Only go if you're one of those fantatical SW nuts" is bound to turn some people away.

Also, the core fanbase is getting younger. Going to SW on opening night or in a nice theater is no longer a priority for a large section of adult enthusiasts (I woudn't call them Fans)who were put off by TPM. The biggest SW fans are too young to spend the kind of money their parents did in 1999.

Also, don't forget the 'middle movie slump'. ESB made considerably less than ANH. ROTJ outgrossed both of them. I think the same will happen with EPIII.

 

As for waning comment I really don't see where they get it. How often was Star Wars mentioned between Rotj and the release of the SEs? Definetly not as often as it is now. Waning? *sends the author a dictionary*

 

The fanbase is waning slightly in North America, but Fellowship Of the Ring only grossed slightly more in adjusted figures. The Rest Of the World is a different matter, where the fanbase is definately waning.

 

What about the future release of AotC on DVD? It would be out only a few short months after AotC, and I'm sure that many fans thought that a single viewing would suffice until it came out on DVD/VHS (VHS was always crappy, and DVDs weren't as big in the late '90s as they are now).

GO 'CLONES!

 

[In my closed minded opinion] AOTC was hurt by Lucas insisting on doing away with all of the elements that made the originals great.

There you go, guittarjedi. Just clarifying what your statement really meant. No, no, don't thank me. I'm always eager to help.

 

What a movie grosses doesn't much matter.

People who saw Fellowship of the Ring loved it, people who saw Attack of the Clones shrugged.

I'm afraid it was rather the opposite. I predict that while The Two Towers will be a good movie, it'll suffer one of the biggest drop-offs for a big budget sequel in quite some time. Honestly, I haven't seen much indication of the general public clamoring to find out what happens to Frodo and Co. I would not be at all surprised if it did at least $50 million less than AOTC, if not more.

 

Am I the only one who thought AOTC did well at the Box Office? It is, after all, the second most succesful sequel of all time (just behind TPM). What other film franchise can boast a fourth sequel to do so well?

Furthermore, I believe the comparison between Spiderman and AOTC is unrealistic. Lets wait for Spiderman V and see how much business that does...

Relatedly, I think just as many people saw AOTC as saw TPM. They just didn't see it as many times - because the film had more competiton. In 1999 people may have gone to see TPM multiple times. In 2002, perhaps they saw AOTC once, and Spiderman twice - because for the majority of the film audience, Spiderman was a "fresher" film. Without Spiderman, AOTC might have grossed $50m more (and vica versa).

In short, the true test of whether people liked AOTC will be the DVD sales. Roll of November!

In 2005, there doesn't seem to be much lined up to compete with Episode III. For this reason, it may gross around the same as II (and the fact that it will be the last one may mean it grosses even more, but only slightly...)

Oh, and in the top ten of movie sequels, all the Star Wars films appear; adjusted or not.

 

more excuses.

you try to say the interest isnt waning while giving reasons for why it is waning.

apologies and excuses will not hide the problems that these films have. but keep trying, its still funny to read.

 

I wonder if back in 1980, people wondered if ESB was hurt by a waning SW fanbase. Let's face it ESB didn't make as much as ANH, by today's standard, it was a flop.

 

What a surprise,Durwood resorting to personal attacks rather than intelligent rebuttle.
OrlandoT,I was there trust me NO ONE thought ESB was a flop. That would have been like thinking the Beatles were one hit wonders. And the only thing I was thinking back then was how is Lucas going to keep up this level of brilliance for a third movie?

 

Allow me to continue my tradition of welcoming new like minded people by say Welcome aboard Drayton.

 

Nobody wondered that during ESB because both it and the film it followed were wonderful.

I don't know. I can remember an aweful lot of folks complaining very loudly about Return Of The Jedi, not to mention the fact that it wasn't until the Special Editions, almost 17 years after its initial release, that critics finally recognized The Empire Strikes Back for the cinema classic that it is (and even then some hold-outs refused to give it any props!).

 

After Episode 3 is out and over with how will you feel since you spent the last 6 years whining?

Really enough already...get a life

 

Here's a question: Is Drayton a sock of TokyoXtreme? I must say, I find their general conduct suspiciously similiar.

 

Both Draytton and guittarjedi are going to have a har time what they're actually on these board for.

 

durwood, when youre not too busy throwing the thread off topic again maybe someone will respond to something you have to say.

 

300 million...SW isn't hurting. and guitar what did george do away with?

 

It didn't break the top 50 all time films (adjusted) it ONLY reached 74...boo hoo

Lucas is probably crying his eyes out and wiping them with 1000 dollar bills

 

A waning fanbase, maybe. But it was probably hurt more by TPM

 

If one watches documentaries like "A Galaxy Far, Far Away," one would realize what really hurt the franchise. Not that it was hurt that much to even matter anyways, but...