ST JJ Abrams to direct Episode VII

I've always wanted to watch Babylon 5.

 

Oh I'm not arguing that they couldn't of made more SW films in the 80's, and I'm not stating that there wasn't a financial driver for the prequels... I'm putting it that the prequels created a new market for Star Wars by pulling in a new generation of Star Wars fans... and without that new generation that the prequels brought it, any prospective Ep VII would probably only appeal to 40+ year olds and be much more difficult to market. So for anyone to state the the prequels were not succesfull or are universally disliked (when clearly that is not the case) seems a bit shortsighted.

 

I still respectfully disagree. SW is timeless as each new generation would have fallen in love with the OT even if PT was never made and there would be just as much hype now for Episode 7. Just look at the last Indiana Jones movie as I took my 3 nephews to see it in 2008 despite Last Crusade hadn't come out in almost 20 years. There was so much hype for Crystal Skull for ALL generations that summer.

 

It's still a different matter to resuscitate a franchise after 8 years than one that has laid dormant for 30 years. You don't have to spend so much screentime establishing and explaining things for one thing. And you are probably more tied to the older films continuity-wise. A lately re-boot would probably have lots more leeway to play around with the source material, disregarding stuff and putting your own spin on it.

 

I'm not sure that's the case otherwise we might all be on a Tarzan, Flash Gordon or The Adventures of Robin Hood forum... Of course Star Wars will always be a highly regarded film, just as Citizen Kane or King Kong are... but commercial markets don't really work like that... mass markets die if not fuelled by new products. My kids, and my friends kids, are quite clearly more affiliated to the prequels and the characters of the prequels (and TCWC)... be that Anakin, Padme, Yoda or Asoka. They (the new generation of fans) will be demanding to see the new films not because of the films I saw, but the films that were contemporary for them.

Re. Indiana Jones. It's no coincidence that they were removing Indiana Jones toys from toy store shelves only weeks after the film was released. There was hype, there was nostalgia... but it couldn't be sustained. Whereas, for example, Star Wars Lego (I believe) is still Lego's biggest seller... and Angry Birds is now a huge seller. This is borne primarily out of kids being exposed to and still being into Star Wars (via the PT) due to their viewing experiences as opposed to their parents.

 

From ManaByte 's blog, hints that as expected, JJ will not be overdoing the lens flare in VII: http://furiousfanboys.com/2013/09/jj-abrams-admits-he-has-a-lens-flare-problem/

 

http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=13633

 

Aww no lens flares? I was looking forward to fans flipping out if a single lens flare is seen in the SW7 trailer.

 

I'm sure there'll be something froth-worthy along soon enough.

 

Since I have great memories of the Prequels, it should go well for me.

Not worried about VII, I'm cautiously optimistic. If it was just a Bad Robot show I'd have reason to dread. But it's not, it's Lucasfilm - Dennis Muren, John Knoll, Ian McCaig, Doug Chiang, Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood.

Abrams has/will have a few handpicked crewmates from his past but it's not the end of the Star Wars world.

 

Happy with what you have to be happy with

 

He's going to lens flares addicts rehab program

 

I'm pretty sure there's a 12 step for it.

 

One of them was looking to his lens flare 24/7 clockwork orange style

 

Just ducking in to see if we've all grown up and moved on from the lens flares. No? Alright then, I'll check back later.

 

We may not have, but it's sounding like Abrams may have!

 

I would get a huge kick if the very first lens flare in the movie is when a lightsaber ignites. Like the movie goes for 30 minutes without any lens flare and then, boom, lightsaber lens flare is the kick off to Abrams using lens flares and handheld like it's Star Trek '09!!!

 

This video explains why I have a lot of fears for EP7:

(warning, spoilers)

 

Those videos are great, but they are purposely over-the-top humorous overanalysis of various movies. While they do raise good points, the main point of those videos is mostly entertainment, and I'm pretty sure they could give a rough treatment to Citizen Kane and if people took it seriously, they'd certainly "have fears" about watching that guy Orson's movies

In fact, I'm pretty sure that if they went and analyzed Star Wars in a similar fashion, you'd find a lot of plot holes we just ignore cause, you know, we enjoy the movie and it really isn't that much of a big deal in the long run. But of course, if they did that to Star Wars, I'm pretty sure people here wouldn't be quoting them, but crucifying them

 

I agree. I find this kind of smug sledging from the sidelines cheap, lazy and annoying. You could nail most classics with the same approach and often it proves little.

 

I actually like the "Everything Wrong with So and So" videos, because I think it's fairly obvious that the guy is overanalyzing it into absurdity on purpose and for humor value, more than an actual, serious critique of the movies. The very nature of the approach he uses, as FinleySlade says, can be pretty much used on every masterpiece of cinema and make it look dumb. It's just poking fun at stuff by overanalysis - something we kind of do around here as well, don't we?

Many people don't seem to see it that way, thus the comments are usually filled with butthurt angry nerds.

 

Actually, that's a good way to look at it. Maybe I've been taking them too literally.

 

But isn't that exactly what we do here?

 

Yeah, I assumed that the "OMG there's a red ship when the rest of them are all gray!!" point wasn't meant to be taken seriously.