PT Is Hayden's Anakin iconic?

I think you'll agree, though, that PT fans almost always still love the OT while the same isn't always true for OT fans (especially on this site). PT fans are thus going to be more likely to refuse to vote in the poll because they consider themselves Saga fans above all else. Then there's people who will refused to vote out of principle because they're sick of perpetuating this PT vs OT business. Plus, you have to consider that anyone with an agenda could skew the poll results (and quite easily given the sample size). Granted, I don't have any data for the above statements either, but they're things you have to take into account when constructing a poll and selecting a sample, which we can't do on this site.

I'm not saying such polls can't be fun and used to open interesting discussion, but I hate when people try to pass them off as empirical fact. Extracting facts from statistics is freakishly difficult and it irks me to see people toss around such unscientific polls so casually as facts. It doesn't prove anything, besides that the individual making such statements is ignorant of how statistics actually work.

 

That PT fans almost always love the OT? Hmm, not sure if I do agree actually.

I agree with what your saying about statistics PH, but I think you need to separate the result of the poll and representative conclusions drawn from the poll, when considering what constitute facts. The result of the poll is a fact.

 

Would you say that PT fans are more likely to love the OT vs OT fans loving the PT? Again, as I admitted in my earlier post, I don't know and we have no empirical data from which we can say this is a fact, but it is something you have to take into consideration when constructing a proper poll and choosing a good sample.

What I'm saying is, though, that you can't generalize the conclusions of that poll which makes it largely worthless. All it tells us is that, of the small group that bothered to reply to the poll, there were more people who chose the OT than the PT.

But even that is limited by the phrasing of the question. You might very well get a different response if you phrased it:

"Do you like the PT as much as the OT?" or "Did the PT meet your expectations as well as the OT?" or "Do you think the OT is as good as the OT?" or "Which do you think is better: the PT or the OT?"

Depending on which question you used, you might get more or less skewed results.

 

One poll does not negate years of personal experience interacting with fans on this board, and said experience has taught me that the 'PT Hater' crowd is in fact a vocal minority.

 

Would you say that PT fans are more likely to love the OT vs OT fans loving the PT?

I'd say that some PT fans would be more likely to claim to, but I'd question that based on what they then say about the respective trilogies in their posts. Beyond that, I'll steer clear of that particular slippery slope, PH!

But even that is limited by the phrasing of the question. You might very well get a different response if you phrased it:

"Do you like the PT as much as the OT?" or "Did the PT meet your expectations as well as the OT?" or "Do you think the OT is as good as the OT?" or "Which do you think is better: the PT or the OT?"

Regarding the original poll, I think the major problem with it is the sample size. The wording probably isn't any vaguer than those that you've mentioned there.

"Do you like the PT as much as the OT?" Yes, I like them equally. No, I like it less. No, I like it more. Etc. There's room for different interpretations.

 

As if a ridiculously stupid parody of an entirely legitimate honorary recognition means anything.

 

It doesn't mean anything, but it's not a good sign either. If you look through the actors who win it they're all pretty bad performances. You won't find any great "iconic" performances amongst Razzie winning roles. Many of the actors put their hand up & admit they were bad & make light of it all.

What it is is one small example to show that Hayden's performance as Anakin had a "mixed" reception at best, & therefore is far from an iconic performance. Ledger playing the Joker is an example of a recent iconic performance.

 

^ Stuff like that means nothing whatsoever. It's a bunch of people sitting around wasting their time making fun of other people, and that's it. All it is is an indicator that some people have way too much time on their hands.

 

Do you really think Anakin Skywalker as-played-by-Anakin Skywalker is iconic? Does a 5-year-old kid normally recognize the Vader mask, or Hayden Christensen?

I'm not saying he's a bad actor. I'm just saying he's not iconic to the general populace.

 

Of course he's not. This thread is surely just asking the question of whether PT Anakin is a personal icon on an individual level. To suggest he, as a separate character to suited Vader is a cultural icon to the wider community is laughable.

 

To me, Hayden is Anakin. When someone mentions Anakin to me, I immediately think of and picture Hayden, no one else. Not sure what that means but that is my opinion.

 

Not really directed at anyone, but Hayden is Anakin because he's basically your only choice.

Who else would come up? Jake Lloyd? Sebastian Shaw's dying Darth Vader? Mat Lucas imitating Hayden's voice as the micro-series version of Hayden's Anakin? Matt Lanter's terrible monotone for the character-named-Anakin-that's-not-really-Anakin-but-still-looks-like-Hayden in TCW?

Really, you only have three choices. A child who plays Anakin for one movie and says things like "yippee", a dying Darth Vader, and the guy who plays an adult Anakin Skywalker for two movies, the guy who actually is a Jedi Knight, the guy who marries Luke and Leia's mother, the guy who turns to the dark side, the guy who "becomes" Darth Vader.

Hayden Christensen is your only choice.

 

THIS

Hayden Christensen is Anakin to me and iconic in my eyes. When I think of Anakin Skywalker, the first thing that comes to my head is Hayden's Anakin in ROTS.

So, yes he is iconic, to me at at least.

 

Looks like we've resolved the question of this thread. The portrayal of Anakin by HC is a personal icon to many around here, but this is a Star Wars forum full of hardcore fans. Seems we can generally agree though that he's not a cultural icon to non SW fans & the wider community. James Bond, Superman & suited Vader are examples of icons whether you're a fan of them or not.

 

Thank you for agreeing.
Too many people here think everything that is actually opinionated has to be factual. That's wrong. This thread is all opinion, not right or wrong. To us, Hayden is iconic.

 

His peformance does not get the credit it deserves ! So I say yes

 

I agree with this. Hayden may not be the best actor, but he definitely fulfilled the role of Anakin the way it needed to be fulfilled!

 

...but Hayden nor his specific portrayal of Anakin are icons to the wider community

This thread should've been a bit clearer with it's question & poll. Is it asking for views on whether he's a personal icon to each of us or if he's a genuine cultural icon.

 

in answer to your question

no I don't personally

do the majority of people outside the saga, dunno, probably not

 

Yeah, WAY too much time on their hands. Kinda like spending all your time defending a mediocre performance.

I find it hilarious when someone's rebuttal to something like this is, "oh he's got too much time on his hands," or, "get a life!" Just because they happen to disagree with a view on something.

RLM's epic and comedic deconstruction of the PT = Loser with too much time on his hands.

Wall of text overanalyzing the PT in a desperate search for meaning = Brilliant post by a, "true fan."

Sure.

 

Well what other anakins do we have to go by?? All posters, comics, cartoons, legos & action figures of Anakin are based on Hayden.

 

yea, but the character in the tv show is based on how Hayden looks as Anakin.

 

And yet there's something different. Something ... elusive ...

 

Epic? How on earth anyone could agree with RLM's nonsensical arguments is beyond me... but each to their own.

 

He has some excellent & insightful observations, mixed in with some crap also. His TPM review was very well regarded by many. It even received positive comment by directors & writers such as Damon Lindelof, Simon Pegg & Brian Singer.