ST JJ Abrams to direct Episode VII

That is all true, but I meant not an exact copy of ANH, but the light adventure, swashbuckling tone of the movie that sets up mysteries that can be explored in later movies but has a true ending and not a cliffhanger.

 

I don't know... I think audiences have changed, and so too their expectations, and many muti movie franchises now develop an overarching/branching story that runs parralel to the featured self contained one... Some have to do it this way because of the source material being books e.g. The Hunger Games, TLOTR, The Hobbit, Harry Potter... But some are designed that way specifically from the off e.g. Spiderman, Captain America/Iron Man, Batman, the recent Planet of the Apes et al. It's something that seemed to start (in my cinema going experience at least) with TESB, and has grown increasingly popular over the last 10/15 years. Ironically, JJ's Star Trek being a noteable exception.

As I say... I don't think it's mutually exclusive. I think it's entirely feasible to give a given film a sense of closure whilst leaving things finely balanced (from a story/character perspective) which creates a sense of 'what happens next?' with the audience (examples above).

 

I have a similar position. ANH is my favorite movie overall... out of all movies. Yet TESB is my favorite Star Wars movie. Yes, it seems illogical, but oh well.

 

Not illogical at all. I still think ANH is overall the best SW film and my heart absolutely belongs to it, but the one I usually return to over any is TESB. It's got more depth/detail and replay value (IMHO).

 

The fact that Abrams was chosen to write and direct VII makes me think that LFL is looking to ANH.

 

Makes sense. ANH is the best standalone movie, I think. I think that's why I don't enjoy it as much, since I view all the movies as a Star Wars movie.

 

Totally irrelevant to the thread, but the episode I enjoy the least is ROTJ.

 

I used to feel similarly about it, but my opinion of it has grown in recent years.

Sorry to continue off-topic.

 

Another thing to consider is that Marvel has been very successful with the "ANH approach".

 

Gosh, I could have written this, word-for-word, myself.

 

Here's my advice to Abrams: Guardians of the Galaxy worked, Man of Steel didn't.

 

That is kind of random lol.

Either way, I liked Man of Steel.

 

I saw Guardians of the Galaxy last night. Is it just me or was it totally derivative of Star Wars? I wasn't aware Darth Ruin and Asajj Ventress were in it.

 

I can't wait to see it. Trailers have looked fantastic.

 

Same here. Everyone that I have talked to who has seen it has only good things to say about it. They even say that the WWE guy did his job well.

 

I have to say I was massively underwhelmed by it. Whilst it's certainly not a bad film, it's just yet another story featuring the usual Marvel ultimate weapon/power source plot device. It's strength, apart from the very good CGI/effects, is that it's quite funny and has a tongue firmly planted within it's cheek, but it's massively derivative and the dialogue/characterisation are pretty weak. I did however like Howard the Duck's appearance.

 

Never heard of Guardians until recently, but based on the trailers it kind of saddens me that mass audiences will immediately embrace it while shunning something like John Carter. Figures that the only Disney-related film I ever really dug flopped hard. Hopefully Abrams can deliver Disney film number two that I really dig, as surely it will be flop proof.

 

Even if VII is the worst movie of all-time it will still break the $700 million barrier without even trying.

 

I actually thought John Carter was a better movie. I think what GOTG has got going for it is that it's 'self aware'. It doesn't take itself too seriously and you can laugh at it/with it... but in cinematic terms (IMHO of course) it's no better than John Carter and absolutely no better than any SW movie to date.

 

The first Guardians comic was released in 1969.

My point was that being "dark" is not the answer.

 

TOTALLY agree with you on that.

 

So did Lucas pinch the idea of Sith Lords etc. from Guardians of the Galaxy then?

Baa... Baa... To paraphrase the late, great Bill Hicks... "Go back to bed America. Let popular opinion do the thinking for you".

 

Was the Original Trilogy not a sacred legacy before Episode I came out? Episode I was able to use ANH as a template.

 

Doesn't matter. The movie version of GotG is nothing like the original concept in 1969. Nor is it much like the second variation that appeared in the comic books, or the third or possibly even the fourth. It wasn't until around the 1990s that you saw a version of the Guardians of the Galaxy that matched what you get in the film. That later version introduced characters that are now used in the film and added already established character to the group. The tone of the series overall was altered and the timeline was adjusted too. So that 90s version in the comics had plenty of time to be influenced by the SW franchise. In fact the Peter Quill character that had been created decades earlier and added to the new Guardians comic as leader did not have the type of funny bad boy with a heart of gold personality that apparently the film version has. His personality is a blatant ripoff of Han Solo, I don't think the filmmakers have even argued against that. The same goes for the lead in Firefly/Serenity. These current tentpole filmmakers were almost all influenced by Star Wars and apparently Han Solo was their favorite character. So yes there is apparently high derivative nature to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie based upon what I know. Not too much originality in its premise.

I somewhat get the bashing going on of anything that is "dark" in tone in big budget movies these days, but seriously is what GotG offer much better? The whole self-aware/be-in-on-the-joke/wink-at-the-camera-and-make-sure-you-don't-seem-to-be-taking-anything-too-seriously is JUST as annoying and even more played out. There is a difference between humorous moments that appear to come organically within the plot and forced attempts at levity through countless, silly jokes.