Losing interest in SW?

I have turned really mean; I am not sure why. I'll grow out of it soon I hope, though my hatred for the flick is not going to help my growing reputation for being an angry little boy.

 

Tukafo, since you think FOTR was all that and a bag of chips, why not leave behind SW, which you don't like, and focus on that?

I will never understand why FOTR acolytes waste their time on a forum devoted to movies they consider inferior.

 

It is definitely very concerning to me, that the critics are the ones that I believe have ruined the SW movies for alot of people.
Let's remember that SW started out as a sleeper word of mouth movie back in 1977. Now with the time that it has taken to make the movies has not helped. But let's face it, GL has had to create alot of the CG work from scratch in order to get these movies done.
The other thing that p*sses me off, is that everybody classifies the movies as seperate films...guess what!!!!...you are WRONG!!!!!
The movies are a 6 part thing. It is a long movie, a miniseries of sorts.
If you watch the movies like the way I do, as part of the story, and not this has no plot or this shouldn't have a love story in it...etc.
Star Wars has always been an opera about the life story of Anakin Skywalker. With a beginning and an end. You start with TPM and end with ROTJ.

 

Shelly:
--I will never understand why FOTR acolytes waste their time on a forum devoted to movies they consider inferior. --

I don't know how Rukafo feels, but here is my response. I don't think of myself as a LOTR acolyte, but rather as a sci-fi/fantasy acolyte. Any movie that furthers the cause of making the sci-fi/fantasy film a credible box office cinematic hit certainly deserves support. FOTR and Spider-man are prime examples.

Sure I enjoyed AOTC, but only marginal marginally more than TPM.

In the late 70s early 80s, Lucas made sci-fi/fantasy a credible box office film genre. It allowed the opportunity for F/X to improve as studios made the investment. Now, in the 21st century, maybe the sci-fi/fantasy genre can become a credible award winning genre (other than F/X) with films such as LOTR, Matrix, and Signs.

In that regard, Lucas has mis-stepped and I think that is the point that some fans are making. Lucas isn't keeping up with Peter Jackson, Cameron, or others. Lucas is simply producing the same type of film he did 20 years ago.

 

I love Star Wars and Fellowhship of the Rings. Someone reconcile that. On the one hand I have supposedly bad taste (who could like the prequels?), while at the same time I have great taste for being able to see the greatness of LOTR.

If Lucas is producing the same films he did twenty years ago than by that logic all fans should embrace the new movies.

 

AL
Registered: Aug 98
Date Posted: 5/18 11:36am Subject: RE: Didn't like AOTC? See it again! Here's why

I was disappointed with the film when I first saw it. I then saw it at the International Charity Premiere where I was more impressed.

I then saw it on the opening night performance with the fans and I loved it!!!!!
---------------------------------------------


EXPLAIN.

 

Did you see it at a press screening?

If so, I understand. I saw it at a press screening, and as usual, the press just don't react to anything. I had a great time. I then saw it opening night too, and it was a helluva blast. I loved AOTC even more. I've only seen it 5 times, but I'm going again tomorrow.

 

I didn't see it at a press screening (shudder)


I pasted a message that our resident AOTC hater AL (the irony) made early in AOTC's release.


I would just like to know which is the REAL AL?

The disappointed....The content......the gusher......or the latest incarnation.........HATER.


AL really ran the gamut of emotions for this film (LOL).

 

I don't know how Rukafo feels, but here is my response. I don't think of myself as a LOTR acolyte, but rather as a sci-fi/fantasy acolyte. Any movie that furthers the cause of making the sci-fi/fantasy film a credible box office cinematic hit certainly deserves support. FOTR and Spider-man are prime examples.

And AOTC and TPM are both credible box office cinematic hits.

Sure I enjoyed AOTC, but only marginal marginally more than TPM.

OK. So why are you still hanging around discussing them?

In the late 70s early 80s, Lucas made sci-fi/fantasy a credible box office film genre. It allowed the opportunity for F/X to improve as studios made the investment. Now, in the 21st century, maybe the sci-fi/fantasy genre can become a credible award winning genre (other than F/X) with films such as LOTR, Matrix, and Signs.

I don't understand why awards are needed to make sci fi credible. Awards are, IMO, mostly meaningless popularity contests.

In that regard, Lucas has mis-stepped and I think that is the point that some fans are making. Lucas isn't keeping up with Peter Jackson,

Lucas is head and shoulders above Peter "Shaky Camera/Nostril Shot" Jackson.

Cameron, or others.

What sci-fi movies has Cameron made lately? He won all kinds of awards for Titanic, but that wasn't a sci-fi movie.

Lucas is simply producing the same type of film he did 20 years ago.

In some ways, he is--he's telling other chapters of the story he began 25 years ago. In other ways, he is innovating like mad. He's creating whole new worlds which weren't possible to realize 25 years ago. So I don't understand why you're saying he's behind the times--simply because you don't like what he's put out.

 

"Lucas is simply producing the same type of film he did 20 years ago."

I agree, and that's seems to be a major reason the prequels have so many bashers. I think some fans don't just want the new films to live up to the original trilogy, they want them to be better. People like Cameron, Peter Jackson, and even Lucas's old buddy Spielberg have evolved as filmmakers and taken sci-fi/fantasy to the next level. Lucas is still making the same cheesy, B movie homages that he made in the late seventies and early eighties. Only the special effects have improved. Personally, I love Lucas's style, and I wouldn't want him to change. But I can understand why some people think the prequels are lacking compared to serious "epics" like Gladiator and Fellowship of the Ring.

Back to the locations discussion, I don't really think the matte paintings or other visual effects in FOTR were any better than AOTC, and were actually worse in some cases. I thought the opening battle had a blurry, video game feel and many of the other settings, such as Rivendale, looked too much like paintings to my eye. I know Jackson did more location shooting than Lucas, though, and the spectacular New Zealand scenery worked well for that film. However, AOTC isn't set on Earth, so the exterior locations shouldn't resemble places on our world too closely. If Naboo was just filmed on location in Italy, with no digital backgrounds, it wouldn't really have an otherwordly feel.

 

"Now while all this may seem off topic to some of you, I think it's a great example of why some people are losing interest in Star Wars. It's because rather than just sitting back and enjoying the magic that is the Star Wars saga, they instead nitpick the new films to death while remaining suspiciously oblivious to the fact that many of the same criticisms apply equally to the original films."

i think people are looking at the effects and quality of them because the films are not engaging anough to hold ones attention from being distracted by them.

hmm... none of the characters are interesting, im getting bored... OH LOOK! MORE EFFECTS! ill just watch those since everything else is boring. wait, the effects are boring too... there are alot of them but they are kinda haphazard... whats happening in this battle? who just got killed? wait who the hell was he?

 

DrEvazan aka Gary Kurtz

 

actually they are VERY similar... they are both fantasies in fantastic worlds of epic proportions, both come from the world of myth and mythology, they contain all the same story elements, i can go on and on.

im actually kind of baffled at how one doesnt see the similarites.

I only just saw that, and well, all I can say is If thats what makes the OT and LOTR similar, then the PT are similar to LOTR too, and basically anything that has any "fantasy" elements. ANH, ESB and ROTJ are nothing like LOTR.

 

As Christopher Lee put it, "There is no comparison - one takes place in outer space and one takes place on earth"

Also, I just have to comment on this: Once again for no good reason other than money

So using CGI instead of a real set automatically earns Lucas money. I thought people hated CGI, so how would using it help Lucas in that respect? And here I thought using that sort of technology cost a pretty penny, too.

 

People like Cameron, Peter Jackson, and even Lucas's old buddy Spielberg have evolved as filmmakers and taken sci-fi/fantasy to the next level. Lucas is still making the same cheesy, B movie homages that he made in the late seventies and early eighties.

So true, so true.

One of my friends said she saw Minority Report recently and thought that it was the best film this summer...as opposed to others that she said really didn't excite her that much (and yes she did see AOTC and Spider-Man). Ouch.

Of course, she might be a little biased to Spielberg considering the fact she graduated with him from LBSU this May

 

People like Cameron, Peter Jackson, and even Lucas's old buddy Spielberg have evolved as filmmakers and taken sci-fi/fantasy to the next level. Lucas is still making the same cheesy, B movie homages that he made in the late seventies and early eighties.

Errr cause that's what SW is? SW isn't minority report. SW is the cheesy B movie. Most of you are complaining from high heaven to low hell that the PT doesn't mesh with the OT. Imagine if Lucas sudenly made SW into some modern sci-fi movie. Oh yeah. That'd mesh real well. :rolleyes

 

I was watching Gladiator on DVD again this weekend, and I was upset because there wasn't a lot of "teenage potty humor" in it-- you know, like American Pie humor. The movie was missing that so I conclude that it was a bad movie.

 

Try instead of :rolleyes. Too ghetto for these JC boards

 

Oh, and I also watched Rat Race this weekend too. It would have been great, but it didn't have any epic battle scenes. Therefore, I was disappointed.

 

Rat Race was funny...up until the final 10 minutes. That Smashmouth concert was totally out of place--but I DO like that scene where Jon Lovitz acted like Hitler at that WWII veterans rally. Classic

 

"There is no comparison - one takes place in outer space and one takes place on earth"

and that is about the only difference.

sounds to me like he was making a joke. sorry it wasnt as obvious as jar jars fart huffing or threepios "im beside myself"... thats probably why you dont get it.

if you cant see that the tolkein saga and the star wars saga are cut from the same mythological cloth, and have the same storytelling roots, well i dont know what i can do for you.

 

"Lucas is still making the same cheesy, B movie homages that he made in the late seventies and early eighties. Only the special effects have improved. Personally, I love Lucas's style, and I wouldn't want him to change."

When the OT came out, they were movies for the masses. They were avant-garde for their time. But hardly anyone (except us star wars fans, of course) understood the great storytelling aspect of the movies. Thus, here we are during the time of the PT, which focuses much more on storyline and has a much more mythic feel to it, and naturally people are turned off. Now, with crazy bullet-time effects from movies like the Matrix and Spider-Man (how disgusting was that!), even the amazing digital motifs aren't impressive enough.

But Lucas has apparently had the integrity to keep his style of filmmaking intact. He has always stated that every movie is just a chapter in the overall story. If you look at it, that story is amazingly powerful in itself: the decay of a well-established (1000 years) galaxy-wide democracy into a tyrannical regime, AND the overwhelmingly human downfall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker, all in a very short period (around 40-50 years).

So the saga as a whole is all about depth and meaning; a sort of symbol reference to humanity itself. No wonder the masses don't get it. They can't appreciate complexities of such nature. Star Wars has done things that have previously only been done in books. And unfortunately, since movies are still regarded as entertainment for the masses, people just can't appreciate the saga. But George Lucas has certainly accomplished something that is wonderful. And I, as a Star Wars fan, feel happy in knowing that I can truly appreciate what Star Wars is about. Thanks George, and bring on Episode III!

 

MECHA-SUPERIOR
I pasted a message that our resident AOTC hater AL (the irony) made early in AOTC's release.


I would just like to know which is the REAL AL?

The disappointed....The content (Do you know what this means? )......the gusher......or the latest incarnation.........HATER.


AL really ran the gamut of emotions for this film (LOL).

I cannot change my opinion.

I am sorry for the fact that I have made it obvious on these boards that I, after all, did not like the film. I am sorry that it hurts fanboys. I am sorry that my posts have been taken out pf context. I love the fact that my reactions after every screening have not been mirrorred and I find it a victory for the cause of the deluded bashers..

On another note, I feel bad that an old ally, Mecha-Superior, has to start using dirty tactics.

Find a boyfriend love.

 

I love this forum cause you know you've won when the enemy ignores your posts

 

The PT movies are not the same kind of movies as the OT. If anything, they come close to ROTJ in tone and style. Slick entertainment devoid of emotional content. Only Harrison Ford, even with his lackluster performance in ROTJ, still had twice the charisma and screen presence of all the PT cast members combined.

Even the writing quality of ROTJ, with by far the worst script of the OT, still runs circles around the best-written moments of the PT.