Saga Star Wars: Primarily a Kids Movie Adults Enjoy or Vice Versa?

To me, this is the key point in thinking about this question. Certainly, anyone of any age who is open to its basic genre (fantasy) can potentially enjoy at least some aspects of at least some of the films, but I tend to agree with PiettsHat:

Just in my own experience, I haven't found that many people who were already adults when ANH came out (say, people who are at least in their mid-50s or older today) who have any type of what I would call "special affection" for the films. There are always exceptions, of course, and adults (back then) who grew up enjoying other types of fantasy fiction, comic books, or films would have probably been more likely to have really "gotten into" the OT films as adults. And of course some people saw the OT for the first time as adults when they were taking their children to see it, but again, I haven't met too many people in that category who have that "special affection" for the SW universe that you tend to find with people who were first exposed to it (whether via the OT or the PT) as young children. I think that's only natural, because I think the things that we remember and love from our childhood make a special "imprint" on our affections that is very powerful and also very different from other types of tastes and interests that we develop later as adults. In my own case, I seriously doubt I would have the particular fondness for SW that I do if I hadn't grown up with it (I saw ANH in theaters as a 7 year old). (And that's not meant to criticize those who did first see it as adults and became big fans that way--just speaking for myself here.)

 

I could not say either. I will say that you need the heart of a child to enjoy it, not necessarily the mind of a child.

 

Star Wars: A movie for adults that all ages enjoyed
Empire: a movie for adults that all ages enjoyed
Jedi: a movie made for children that people of all ages who are fans of Star Wars enjoyed.
Menace: a movie that mixed elements of movies for adults and children that children and adult fanboys enjoyed.
Clones: a movie made for adults that fans of all ages who are fans of Menace enjoyed
Sith: a movie made for adults that people of all ages who are fans of the PT enjoyed.

 

The original film was the former I'd say. Its sequel was the latter. Ever since then there's been a bit of a battle for supremacy going on!

 

The Saga is for Kids and Adults, except maybe for ROTS which little kids shouldn't watch

 

My feeling is that GL made Star Wars as an all-audience type thing. The massive and unexpected success it enjoyed and the seriousness with which many took some of its themes led the group behind ESB (particularly Kershner and Ford), in some ways, to take everything a bit more seriously and to aim a little higher in terms of target age. When ESB proved another monster hit and SW now an institution permeating pop culture and many avenues of commercialism (predominantly children's toy products), SW/GL started to see itself as a Disney/Walt Disney of sorts, and veered into aiming itself not directly, but generally, at younger audiences, with "stuff in there for adults". I feel this attitude carried over heavily into TPM and was only abandoned after TPM received such harsh criticism. From there I think SW started aiming all over the place, and I think that is one of the factors that led to the poor quality of the PT films (obviously IMO, not stating this as a fact and don't want to start an OT vs PT debate!).

 

ANH was made for teenagers/early 20's SciFi geeks (hence they mostly marketed movie at comic-con in 1976). What happened was kids like myself fell in love with the movie in 1977 but it was NEVER made to appeal to kids. ESB took that a step further as it did not cater to kids, hence why I thought it was too dark in 1980. ROTJ was when SW movies started to TRY to appeal to kids in one way or another whether it was the Ewoks, Jar Jar, or just the way the movies were written in general. Again, its just not the body count or specific scenes that make a movie for a particular audience, its overall way its written, and I believe Lucas started writing these moves for kids beginning with ROTJ and continuing through the PT.

 

Made for kids but also enjoyed by adults.

Though If you want to get someone into Star Wars, do it when they are a kid, there is much more magic then!

 

you know I think this is a good topic. I have been thinking about this more and more with all the disgruntled 45 year old fans out there. Lucas has clearly stated when he started thinking about Star Wars 40 years ago he wanted to do a movie that taught kids classic values and morals. They're movies everyone can enjoy , but I think it's true there are fans out there that just can't come to grips that they're not darker and more cynical.

 

In all honesty, I often cringe when I hear the phrase "kids movie." I often hear it used in a derogatory context, as a dismissive statement. "Eh, it's just a kids movie." I watch Pixar movies and I never ever think of them as "kids" or "adult" movies. They're movies that people of all ages can enjoy. As a kid, I watched a ton of "grown up" movies and immensely enjoyed them.
Such labeling is something that I've always disliked. There is a vast number of films that both kids and adults can enjoy on their own terms.
I also often heard the argument that some of the more daring or darker ideas should be dismissed because "the kids wouldn't like it." I'm not asking for Tarantino or Saving Private Ryan violence, but y'know, it's not the damn Teletubbies either.
Yeah, I understand where that's coming from, sell the toys and all that, but still makes me cringe.

 

I think the success of Star Wars (in part) was the fact that it has something for everyone. Its a fun space shooter thriller full of cool starfighters, starships, creatures and places but at the same time it has a quite serious plotline behind (politics, conspiracy, etc)

 

I loved Star Wars as a kid primarily for the lightsaber battles. But now as a young adult, I really love the philosophy of it and in every watching I look for more implicit details. Star Wars also has much to say on morality, for example in Episode III, Palpatine claims that "Good is a point of view", and so morality is subjective. This is an issue that has troubled philosophy since the dawn of time! I also see Politics in Star Wars, for example the Galactic Republic can be compared to the Roman Republic and the Galactic Empire to the Roman Empire.
Ergo, I believe that Star Wars is excellent for kids and also excellent for adults, because a kid will appreciate the action and lightsabre battles whilst an adult will appreciate the dialogue, the characters and the real issues portrayed in Star Wars.

 

I'd say Star Wars is for anyone!

 

Agreed, star wars is made for whoever enjoys it. Like anything.

 

Star Wars has something for everybody.

 

my kids are 5 and not even 3 and they love the films...you should see my litte boy fly his Y wing about (i gave it to him) that brothers and sisters is what its all about not 40 year old nerds! tho i am one, icant wait to take them they will be 7 and 5 perfect!!!

 

I think they could be classified as family movies.

 

You can watch SW and just enjoy it superficially as a rollicking goodies v baddies family flick, or you can spend your whole life unpicking its deeper features, like we do! This is a pretty good thing in a movie.

 

Star Wars: A saga which focuses on younger children as the primary demographic but is to be enjoyed by all audiences.

 

Star Wars is neither for children nor adulds. It is for families, and for the young and the young at heart. Some parts are darker than others, but I believe that's what makes the entire adventure, from TPM to ROTJ so exciting and awesome.