Star Wars

Other fantasy movies, books, authors, news....

Star Wars

Postby Eldorion on Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:53 pm

Image

I am a great fan of the movies (not so much the Expanded Universe) and was wondering if anyone else is. It's my favorite SF/Fantasy "world" after Middle-earth, and I think George Lucas does a great job of blending the 1930s serial spirit with mythic ideas. I'll stop going on before I start fanboying though. :lol:

Tying this back in with Tolkien, I think that this is a good read about Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings.
This is madness!
Madness? This. Is. The-Hobbit-Movie Foruuuuuum!
User avatar
Eldorion
 
Posts: 758
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:30 pm
Location: United States

Re: Star Wars

Postby Dunadan on Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:31 pm

Yeah i love Star Wars aswell (well, the first 3 anyway, that is to say the first ones that were made, A new hope, Empire and ROTJ).
There are quite a few similarities between the two, Dark lords, mystic old men,knights/warriors and unfulfilled destiny.:0)
Dunadan
 
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:18 pm

Re: Star Wars

Postby Eldorion on Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:21 am

I definitely understand about the OT > PT. I'm not a PT-basher by any rate, but I think they have a much different feel to me. Probably because of the added emphasis on the world(s), as opposed to the myth. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing the SW galaxy fleshed out more, but for movie-watching enjoyment I prefer the originals.

Fortunately though I don't have to choose between one and the other. :mrgreen:
This is madness!
Madness? This. Is. The-Hobbit-Movie Foruuuuuum!
User avatar
Eldorion
 
Posts: 758
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:30 pm
Location: United States

Re: Star Wars

Postby Gandalfs Beard on Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:31 am

The thing I like best about the Star Wars films is the Political content. Lucas may have lost the ability to direct humans :roll: . But in both the the original trilogy and the prequels, he describes all too accurately how the Republic becomes an Empire, right down to showing how fascists use Agent Provocateur (false flag) operations to attain their goals.

I could go into more detail, but I fiound the following You tube video that explains it all very well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0fDUoudO7w
"It is like a finger pointing at the moon. Pay no attention to the finger or you will miss all that Heavenly Glory" -- Bruce Lee
User avatar
Gandalfs Beard
Moderator
 
Posts: 1355
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:17 pm
Location: Gandalfs chin

Re: Star Wars

Postby Beorn on Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:05 am

I too am a fan of Star Wars, and I'll tell you something more I prefer to watch it in it's original form. I finally have the non-edited version on DVD so I can watch it non-agitated. I would have liked it to have been digitally remastered and even to have it for blue-ray, but I'll take what I can get; my VHS at some point is going to fail.

I agree with Gandalfs Beard points and I am so glad he posted them. It would be great if more people in the world would be willing to open their eyes and minds.
Beorn
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:29 pm

Re: Star Wars

Postby Eldorion on Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:03 pm

That made for interesting viewing. Thank you for the link, GB. I was struck by this sentence in the video description:

Just as the original 'Star Wars' trilogy was modeled after folklore and mythology, such as the legend of King Arthur, the prequel trilogy was modeled after political history.


I thought that summed up the differences between original and prequel films rather nicely, though of course it is more complicated than just that. I'm not entirely certain what his political point about the real world was, but if the video was trying to say that all conspiracy theorists should be taken seriously than I disagree. In some cases though the video probably has a point.

Beorn - I would really like to have a DVD of the original versions. I have TESB and ROTJ on VHS in the original, but the ANH VHS is the Special Edition. And I have the doubly-changed DVDs.
This is madness!
Madness? This. Is. The-Hobbit-Movie Foruuuuuum!
User avatar
Eldorion
 
Posts: 758
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:30 pm
Location: United States

Re: Star Wars

Postby Gandalfs Beard on Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:23 pm

Yes, well I am the first to acknowledge that some conspiracies are kookier than others (Satanic/Alien Conspiracies, but they are still entertaining ;) ). But the key is that one should be both open-minded, yet skeptical. Some people are only skeptical towards one side, yet true believers when it comes to their own position. A real skeptic demands evidence from his/her own side too.

I'm not going to delve deeper than that because I don't want to open a can of worms :mrgreen: . Mainly I just wanted to point out that Lucas clearly had Politics on his mind when he developed the story.

Indeed, the original trilogy was very political too, but it's main focus was Myth and Philosophy (mostly Eastern philosophy, but Universal Myth ala Joseph Campbell).

Gaah. I have more to say about the Mythology and Philosophy of Star Wars but I have to go now.

GB
"It is like a finger pointing at the moon. Pay no attention to the finger or you will miss all that Heavenly Glory" -- Bruce Lee
User avatar
Gandalfs Beard
Moderator
 
Posts: 1355
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:17 pm
Location: Gandalfs chin

Re: Star Wars

Postby Show on Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:25 pm

HAN SHOT FIRST!
I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.
User avatar
Show
Moderator
 
Posts: 177
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:51 pm
Location: Woodridge (Chicago Suburbs) Illinois, U.S.A.

Re: Star Wars

Postby Eldorion on Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:50 pm

Gandalfs Beard wrote:one should be both open-minded, yet skeptical


I don't want to go too far off-topic :P , but I definitely agree with the above sentiment.

A while ago I read The Making of Star Wars which talked a bit about how the Vietnam War inspired the original trilogy: a failing/failed democracy taking on a small group of rebels hiding out in the jungle ... sounds familiar. I think that Lucas toned down the obvious allegory a bit though, but it was still interesting.

I look forward to reading your further thoughts. :D
This is madness!
Madness? This. Is. The-Hobbit-Movie Foruuuuuum!
User avatar
Eldorion
 
Posts: 758
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:30 pm
Location: United States

Re: Star Wars

Postby Eldorion on Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:51 pm

Show wrote:
HAN SHOT FIRST!


ABSOLUTELY.
This is madness!
Madness? This. Is. The-Hobbit-Movie Foruuuuuum!
User avatar
Eldorion
 
Posts: 758
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:30 pm
Location: United States

Next

Return to Other Fantasy Stories

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests

cron