PT What is the stupidest argument against the Prequels that you ever heard?

For me it is a toss between ''The prequels were nothing like the ones I came up with when playing with my action figures'' and ''Why did Qui Gone and Obi Wan not just walk to Theed instead of traveling with a bongo''.

 

That's a tough one.

I'd say the PT was all CGI, when one actually does their homework, the evidence speaks for itself.

Also, the PT was made for kids. One, ROTS is the darkest, it was the first PG-13 Star Wars movie for a, well many reasons. Secondly, I actually liked ANH more as a kid. I didn't like TPM much when I was a kid. I found it boring. Now I'm an adult and I like TPM more and ANH is my least favorite of the Saga. Plus I think ANH is the biggest kiddie movie of the Saga.

 

TSW as a kiddie movie, okay then.

The lamest argument I've heard against the PT is if you like anything about it you have no taste and aren't a 'real' fan. It doesn't matter *what* speaks to you or how you interpret SW if you like or find something interesting beyond passing you're a fan.

 

People bashing ROTS for being "too dark" is one that never fails to irk me. The "it doesn't feel exactly like the OT in every way" critique gets old as well. I'd also include writing off all of the PT acting as bad, because there actually were some pretty great performances.

 

For me it was when people compared the Prequels with the Hobbit Trilogy, because some LOTR fans were disappointed by the new trilogy, by saying: "the hobbit trilogy is a disappointment in a lot of ways because of how high the bar was set with lord of the rings, but it wasnt bad at all, certainly not as bad as the Star Wars prequels (Which WERE commercial profit squeezing)"

But the stupidest arguments I've ever heard, for me, were, when I was saying that I like the prequels on Youtube and they were more interesting than other superhero movies like the Marvel movies, I had a response like this one: "Please turn your brain on sir. Phantom menace KILLED the philosophy of trancendence in one moment of tiny ****ing cells that make the force. There is no depth in the prequels at all. You reference Avatar and Marvel in the same sentence? Shows how poor taste you have. Please, for the love of all that is unholy, please, watch "red letter media's" you tube "plinkett reviews" of the prequels, and many other **** movies that people think are good. Film experts doing all the hard thinking for those out there that can't or don't for themselves. Really worth the time. Short of that, have fun being taken for a ride by a man who's ego ruined any and all shred's of the "legend/mythos" which are actually the precepts you were looking for) Why do you think the Emporer's character (prequels) was the only one with any passion? Because george knows that character like he was looking in the mirror."

My answer to him was: "I would have liked to discuss with you, but I stopped reading the rest of your comment when you accused me for having "poor taste". If two people have different opinions, it doesn't mean that one is wrong or right, or one is lesser or greater than the other. As Plato once said: "When two people are face to face and that two types of beliefs clash, in an organized debate, this discussion is named dialog.

The fact that you've already judged for being lesser than you, simply because I have a different thought on a subject shows how closed-minded you are. So a debate or dialog with you will be useless and will lead to nowhere."

Then he replied: "wrong. round and round your tail you go. Just because your brain and or eyes don't work, just because you don't understand that something is terrible, just because you don't know good cinema,...doesn't mean that there aren't people that do. Even the person who made it, KNEW it was a piece of ****...But you're right. There IS no debate. It doesn't take a film student/professional to see what works and what doesn't. Objectively or otherwise. If you think the prequels didn't kill the entire spirit of the originals, you are a mindless automaton. You truly know nothing about anything, including dogma or legend. But good for you, I bet you're quite happy, that your world isn't incumbered by higher thought, and introspection. I envy you."

I replied to him: "You really don't want to let go do you? Like if there's an absolute truth on everything. I'm sorry to tell you this but there's nothing absolute on this world. Everything depends on our opinions and our perceptions. As Obi-Wan once said in ROTJ: "Luke, you'll find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view..."

And here's the final answer he gave me: "how dare you, you cantankerous ****. don't...you...ever..."

 

Yeah, as an annoying Disney song says, "Let it go."

Reminds me of a discussion I was involved with as well. Anyway another guy jumped in our conversation and pointed out to the person I was speaking (typing) with that "If they were so ****, why do you keep going to videos and articles related to them? You can't stop talking about them. You're more obsessed than people who loved them."

That's true! LOL

Of course, hate is an act of passion.

 

"Hate leads to suffering!"

 

Anyone who claims the Prequels are terrible but shows no credentials that he/she has made a film or written a story in the first place of the Prequels that is better than what has been given. Why waste so much time complaining and *itching about it, in the first place. Let it go.

MJ

 

You don't need to be a film maker or writer to comment on a film, please.

 

Sure you can comment. But incessantly moaning about it.....sheesh.

 

People can discern regardless what their living is.

 

Sure they can. I can also discern that most of today's pop music is too thin and has no meat (although it is entertainment) and I can explain why. But incessantly reiterating it's no good...NOT going to help me. Now, if you don't mind I going to ....move on.

 

Whatever, dude.

 

The problem isn't necessarily the constant moaning, but it has now lead to personal attacks against others who express different opinions than the more vocal group. It hasn't been shown in my earliest post above since the forum automatically hides swear word and insults, but he used that a lot in his comments.

I don't feel offended at all, besides why should I take a troll seriously? But the fact that conversations can become like this always leave me puzzled. We talked about "anti-intellectualism" on the other thread "Why do RLM Fan's Mock Rick McCallum" ( http://boards.theforce.net/threads/why-do-rlm-fans-mock-rick-mccallum.50031136/#post-52477872 ), I wonder if this is another example.

 

I pretty much share this view to a certain extent. I used to like "A New Hope" more. Now, I like "The Phantom Menace" more. But the 1977 movie is not my least favorite film.

 

I don't know about the stupidest argument, but one of the silliest things I've encountered -- and I've encountered this various times -- is people claiming that the prequels are wretched and awful, and that they're totally "done" with them. Only to then turn around and start talking about them the very next week or six months later, or whatever. And to then go and repeat this behaviour, ad infinitum.

There is something rather doleful about a lot of human behaviour.

That said, this thread represents a rather clumsy and potentially inflammatory way to try and legitimize the prequels: by de-legitimizing something else.

Even if that something else should be de-legitimized, or at least poked at, I am not sure about the felicity of this approach.

 

This.

Over in my part of the world these types are called "champion grumblers" .

True. Maybe I shouldn't have entered this thread in the first place. I like positive threads. My bad.

MJ

 

I find any genuinely angry and overly vitriolic anti-PT rant to be pretty weird in 2015. If you're still seriously losing your **** over some movies a decade and a half later.. you got bigger problems than Jar Jar and CGI

 

The big one is the one that goes both ways - that liking/disliking any of the six films has any merit whatsoever in judging what makes a 'real' fan, or god forbid your personal worth as a human being. That's crap. Different people like different things, some people (like me) genuinely enjoy all 6 movies, some more than others. Some really don't like the prequels at all. Some prefer them to the originals. Which of those is the 'correct' view? None of them. Or perhaps more accurately... ALL of them. There is no right and wrong, you like what you like.

This is why I always try and refrain from the phrase 'guilty pleasure.' Yes, I am a 26 year old dude. I still think 'Wrecking Ball' is a legitimately good song, and no-one's going to tell me otherwise. No guilt whatsoever. Same with movies.

Every thread that tries to 'rank' the movies basically comes down to one very wise man's words:

 

Saga Fan: Personal attacks happen for a lot more reasons than simply preferring the PT. I agree they shouldn't at all but singling this out is inaccurate. Yet, you are right response counts for a lot.

J89: Of course it does because people differ and that's hardly bad even though some presume to treat others poorly over daring to differ.

 

It kind of comes down, on some level, to whatever the dominant ideology or narrative is.

If tons of people like a film (online), if it has a rabid fanbase, then members of that fanbase will turn on anyone who expresses a dissenting view.

Similarly, if a lot of people are opposed to a particular film or film series, they often get very rambunctious and snotty to anyone expressing approval.

The really disturbing thing is group-think. And it is MASSIVE online. People don't often know how to respectfully disagree; and fringe opinions frighten them.

I've used it before, but it's a magnificent quote of Einstein's:

Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.

 

There are so many stupid arguments against Eps. I, II, III that I seriously can´t pick just one. But I would say that arguments against them in Red Letter Media "reviews" are definitely some of the stupidest.

 

"Why don´t they just start fighting all of them." Priceless.

 

"There's too much CGI! It all looks fake!"

Well CGI is fake.