How will the saga stand the test of time?

I read an article about the movie " Seven " which states that despite critical bashing at the time of its
release it is gradually being recognized by film scholars to be a work of genius and will stand the test of time better than other genre films that were released in the nineties that were received with applaud ( Silence of the Lambs in particular ). My question is how will a saga like Star Wars, which is hard to place in any genre, stand the test of time. As a whole piece it has been received with mixed reviews but as we know that means nothing.

 

the OT will always be classics, but i think in time, critics will come to appreciate the prequels and their place in the saga.

 

I think once the nuances of the PT are noticed and casual viewers put the pieces of the puzzle together, the PT will be viewed more positively by the general public as a lead in to the CT.

Who knows though really, in 10 years I might actually like the Matrix sequels. I doubt it though.

 

The OT is still huge after 20 years. I'd say that's a pretty good "test of time".

 

The OT has definitely taken its place in the pantheon of classic films, especially ANH. The PT, although I'm a fan, may never gain the type of widespread popularity that the originals did. TPM was bashed left, right, and centre when it came out, and AOTC was only moderately more successful with critics. I may be proven wrong by the next few decades, but I don't think the PT will ever gain the type of recognition the OT gets from fans and critics.

 

You may be right. I tend to think that the PT gets bashed mostly because it's new. It doesn't have the 20+ years of memories and love associated with it that the OT does. I imagine that new fans, fans who didn't grow up with the OT, will regard all the Star Wars movies equally. (not counting "favorites" etc.)

 

^^agreed, but episode III, if done the way it should be, could set the PT on a similar path to that of the OT...because lets be honest, more is to be told in III then just about all the other films combined


The success and staying power of the Star Wars SAGA as a whole rests entirely on how III is received and how well it is made, and to be honest i think its gunna deliver like no one expects

 

The success and staying power of the Star Wars SAGA as a whole rests entirely on how III is received and how well it is made, and to be honest i think its gunna deliver like no one expects

I have the same feeling .

 

Will it be regarded as an essay on the abuses of power;
will it be seen as a ground-beaking project in film creation ( special effects, editing, epic story telling, classic mythos incorporated into space opera )? I agree that the OT will stand the test of time because of its ground breaking nature and I also agree that whether the saga becomes a mainstream staple, not just cult status, depends largely on Ep3.

 

i will be remembered as it was; an exposistion of good and evil.

 

Its already proved that it has staying power.

I think it will eventually turn into a Wizard of Oz type thing, required viewing for anyone.

 

Well, staying power would depend a lot on fans like us. Tell me, wad is star wars without freakz like us??

 

The saga will last as long as people are willing to show the movie to those who have yet to see a Star Wars movie. But those who don't like it well it may not change for them.

But then again things are always moving. We never know what will happpen in 20 years from know. But what I do know is that I have been a fan sense I was 6 so I will still be a fan even when I'm in my 30's 40's etc.

 

Thats a good point anidanami124 - what will our society be like in 20,30,40 years from now and will it have an impact on the SW saga?

 

for me the prequels resonate with historical mythology - it is the tragedy half of the saga and while the original trilogy is actually much more joyous and full of (pun) "hope" traveling the known path that will lead to pathos of galactic proportions - entering the darkest of the dark side and watching as obi wan begins a 20 year watch and wait is so poignant- saying hello and goodbye to those golden years when jedi and knighthood were in flower - it doesn't get any better than this! and it's a story that will never grow old - it's been told for hundreds of years in a different form. it's what we will always be seeking

 

I think the PT will not be nearly as popular overall as the CT. I think most will only watch it if they want to know about the loose ends in the CT. The CT itself I think will live on for decades at least. I know this much, if I live to be a hundred, or 800, I may forget my family and who I am, but I wont forget Star Wars.

 

As a whole piece it has been received with mixed reviews

Geez, somebody tell these people that the Saga is not finished yet.

 

The saga is made up of two trilogies, but it is still one saga. The story is not complete without the prequels. What was overlooked by critics of TPM and AOTC is that the prequels have added considerable depth to the original trilogy.

 

What's Star Wars?

 

Think about in 20 years and then another 20 years, when youngsters in their late teens, early twenties, are looking for those old classics the way we look for Godfather and the such nowadays.

They'll see the SIX edition boxed set of Star Wars and wonder what the hype was all about (especially film students)... and oh what a viewing they will get starting from TPM and ending with ROTJ.

I'd say this whole series will have no problem standing the test of time.

 

I agree that it will stand the test of time as a complete story.

I think it would be an absolute travesty if history makes the mistake of permanently splitting the saga by deciding that the OT is worthy of 'classic' status, while the PT is at best an interesting experiment in backstory (and at worst one of the biggest blunders in cinema history, which some would have us believe). The world would be a poorer place if that happens...

However, I don't think it will. We're in a weird transitional phase at the moment, dealing with original fans' expectations, critics jumping on the 'backlash bandwagon', and the confusion caused by the media hype for all three prequels. But given a bit of perspective, and a few years of audiences being able to watch all 6 films in numerical order, I strongly believe that people will begin to see the truth - that the entire saga is an unparalleled work of cinematic and storytelling genius!

 

The Prequel Trilogy will just be seen as Star Wars. If we're talking about "common folk" and not the fans like us, I imagine they will hear great things about a movie or series call Star Wars and will watch Episodes 1-6 without really knowing which ones were well-received at the time.

Kind of like when I watched the Godfather trilogy. I never watched it until last year and I watched 1-3 in 3 days. Everybody said that 3 was bad, but having some distance I saw them all as one big storyline without a dip in quality. I think when something becomes a "classic" and the creator makes sequels (or prequels), the ones who bash them are the ones who want to "relive" another time rather than watching the rest of the story. I'm guilty of that sometimes, but I am aware that my kids won't be more attached to the OT than the PT.

The longer a filmmaker waits to make a sequel, the harder it is for the "fans" to accept. The originals gestate and become part of them, and they want the same feeling they got the first time around, even if there is a different part of the story to tell. Thankfully in Star Wars, it is the same film-maker, same composer, sound effects guy, and a lot of the designs are similar. So its not going to be like comparing "Wizard of Oz" with "The Wiz."

 

I think, if we let our children view the saga without telling them how we feel about it, then it'll survive and be loved for generations to come.

But if the people who hate the prequels and love the OT, for example, keep telling their kids their opinions on the saga, then the kids could develop fixed opinions that the prequels suck and the OT is great.

Future generations should be able to decide for themselves, without previous generations bashing or overly praising the saga. Just let newcomers view and decide on their own. This will create a completely fresh view of the saga for them.

 

Star Wars will be around forever. It's got millions of fans the world over, plus the EU keeps it going.

 

Well come back to these boards in 20 years and see if it did