General Star Wars Discussion

[Suger Mag]

Curious if anyone has done the Star Wars DisneyLand After Dark party ? Getting sucked in by videos of light saber meets and cool characters like Seventh Sister.

 

[Dead2009]

STAR WARS: James Mangold's FIRST JEDI Movie May Have Just Got A New Title With Ties To THE LAST JEDI
https://comicbookmovie.com/sci_fi/s...-with-ties-to-the-last-jedi-a211044#gs.90a6st

 

[mdmost]

This is pretty cool

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792616784731734453

 

[wabbott]

Maybe pertinent to the discussion here.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ucas-cannes-honor-star-wars-films-1235907998/

George Lucas Says Ideas in the Original “Sort of Got Lost” in Post-Disney ‘Star Wars’ Films
Lucas reflected on his life in work in a wide-ranging chat in Cannes, where he received an honorary Palm d'Or.

by Scott Roxborough - May 24, 2024 9:29am

 

[BrianL]

Maybe pertinent to the discussion here.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ucas-cannes-honor-star-wars-films-1235907998/

George Lucas Says Ideas in the Original “Sort of Got Lost” in Post-Disney ‘Star Wars’ Films
Lucas reflected on his life in work in a wide-ranging chat in Cannes, where he received an honorary Palm d'Or.

by Scott Roxborough - May 24, 2024 9:29am

I like how he says exactly what I say all the time - Star Wars movies are kid's movies! They always were and always should be. That doesn't mean that adults can't appreciate them - I enjoy tons of kid movies. People didn't liek the prequels because they weren't kids anymore, but that doesn't mean that Star Wars should change for them.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

I also like how this confirms exactly what I say all the time, that George’s ideas from the originals got lost in the Disney sequels. I have always said Disney has mismanaged Star Wars horribly, and this pretty much confirms it.

 

[BrianL]

I also like how this confirms exactly what I say all the time, that George’s ideas from the originals got lost in the Disney sequels. I have always said Disney has mismanaged Star Wars horribly, and this pretty much confirms it.

Yeah, but notice he didn't just trash them or anything - he didn't even say he didn't like them. He visited the sets during hte making of most of them and has expressed appreciation for some aspects. He understands that they are not what he would have done, and that is okay. He has also lamented that audiences probably wouldn't have well accpeted what he would have done too - which I am pretty sure is 100% ture - which is why he just removed himself from the equation. I definitely see his criticism as very different than the, "How dare they do this or change that! They've destoryed my childhood! Fire everybody involved! Star Wars is doooooomed!" type of things that the many "fans" often spout.

 

[mdmost]

Hooray, everybody feels validated on their own viewpoints by Lucas. I always chuckle at the kids movies line from George to shield his movies from criticism. Genocide, maimings, wholesale destruction of planets, torture, war, famine, all popular themes of kids movies. I do agree with him that the prequels didn't hit for some because they were no longer their 12 year old selves. But to people who grew up in the prequels, that's your Star Wars. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug that's difficult for audiences and studios to overcome.

 

[BrianL]

Hooray, everybody feels validated on their own viewpoints by Lucas. I always chuckle at the kids movies line from George to shield his movies from criticism. Genocide, maimings, wholesale destruction of planets, torture, war, famine, all popular themes of kids movies. I do agree with him that the prequels didn't hit for some because they were no longer their 12 year old selves. But to people who grew up in the prequels, that's your Star Wars. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug that's difficult for audiences and studios to overcome.

Ehhh, in the 70's and 80's they were, possibly moreso in the 30's and 40's, which is what Star Wars movies try to emulate. They used to not shield kids from that kind of stuff. Pulp comics and stuff were considered normal stimulation for an audience of mostly young boys. But, you know, I'm an 80's kid and am desensitized to most things like that.

 

[mdmost]

Ehhh, in the 70's and 80's they were, possibly moreso in the 30's and 40's, which is what Star Wars movies try to emulate. They used to not shield kids from that kind of stuff. Pulp comics and stuff were considered normal stimulation for an audience of mostly young boys. But, you know, I'm an 80's kid and am desensitized to most things like that.

That's valid. You just can't convince me that Star Wars and Empire were devised to be kids movies at the time they were scripted and shot. He used to call them Space Operas up until the criticism of Menace happened. Sure, they were based on serials like Flash Gordon that he grew up watching. He even lost the rights to Flash Gordon which was what he really wanted to shoot so he then moved on to his own story set in space. Jedi was more of a tonal shift and yes, he had kids then and he wanted a kid element with the Ewoks. It was fine, I was 7 and I loved it. I still love it. So maybe then the movies became more aimed at kids after that and all the things he said in his Cannes talk.

I don't feel George ever had a fully fleshed out story that he knew a studio would pay for. That's why Vader went from villain to Luke's dad in Empire. Leia went from love interest to sister in Jedi. It was always a work in progress. He had an idea, he just didn't know how to get there. Anakin was supposed to return in Empire and was not actually dead. I think George likes to misremember things to his benefit. Everyone does as we get older. He wanted to do another trilogy before Jedi was in production with Luke's sister being on the other side of the galaxy and Boba Fett as the main villain before the reveal of the Emperor in the new trilogy. Then a lot of that got truncated into Jedi because he knew he didn't have the desire to do another series, nor did some of the actors.

All of that doesn't excuse the sequels which also had no fully fleshed out plan. But the sequels don't ruin my enjoyment of either the original movies, the prequels, and the new Star Wars shows and Rogue One.

And like me, Star Wars is 47 years old today. I only saw it in the late 70s because it was showing at a drive-in where my parents were watching Close Encounters in the front and my brother and I were watching Star Wars out the back of our station wagon.

 

[BrianL]

That's valid. You just can't convince me that Star Wars and Empire were devised to be kids movies at the time they were scripted and shot. He used to call them Space Operas up until the criticism of Menace happened. Sure, they were based on serials like Flash Gordon that he grew up watching. He even lost the rights to Flash Gordon which was what he really wanted to shoot so he then moved on to his own story set in space. Jedi was more of a tonal shift and yes, he had kids then and he wanted a kid element with the Ewoks. It was fine, I was 7 and I loved it. I still love it. So maybe then the movies became more aimed at kids after that and all the things he said in his Cannes talk.

I don't feel George ever had a fully fleshed out story that he knew a studio would pay for. That's why Vader went from villain to Luke's dad in Empire. Leia went from love interest to sister in Jedi. It was always a work in progress. He had an idea, he just didn't know how to get there. Anakin was supposed to return in Empire and was not actually dead. I think George likes to misremember things to his benefit. Everyone does as we get older. He wanted to do another trilogy before Jedi was in production with Luke's sister being on the other side of the galaxy and Boba Fett as the main villain before the reveal of the Emperor in the new trilogy. Then a lot of that got truncated into Jedi because he knew he didn't have the desire to do another series, nor did some of the actors.

All of that doesn't excuse the sequels which also had no fully fleshed out plan. But the sequels don't ruin my enjoyment of either the original movies, the prequels, and the new Star Wars shows and Rogue One.

And like me, Star Wars is 47 years old today. I only saw it in the late 70s because it was showing at a drive-in where my parents were watching Close Encounters in the front and my brother and I were watching Star Wars out the back of our station wagon.

Well, I guess I wouldn't necessarily call them "Kid's Movies" but rather "All-Ages movies" - the old, "8 to 80" demo. There is something for everyone in them. I do not thing they have ever been inappropriate for kids though (maybe not super young kids, but you know), but also have elements that adults can appreciate.

It absolutely was a work in progress - there was no plan. Many people call out the ST for not having a plan, but the OT didn't either. Certianly, one can argue about the execution and other merits, but not having a plan is not inherently a flaw itself.

 

[irlandaise]

Maybe pertinent to the discussion here.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ucas-cannes-honor-star-wars-films-1235907998/

George Lucas Says Ideas in the Original “Sort of Got Lost” in Post-Disney ‘Star Wars’ Films

That sure is a confusing headline. There have been no "post-Disney" Star Wars films. THR apparently meant, "the Star Wars sequels made after he sold Lucasfilm to Disney" (those words are from the article), but that would be post-Disney-sale, not post-Disney. They should have said "Disney's" or "Disney-made".

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Yeah, but notice he didn't just trash them or anything - he didn't even say he didn't like them. He visited the sets during hte making of most of them and has expressed appreciation for some aspects. He understands that they are not what he would have done, and that is okay. He has also lamented that audiences probably wouldn't have well accpeted what he would have done too - which I am pretty sure is 100% ture - which is why he just removed himself from the equation. I definitely see his criticism as very different than the, "How dare they do this or change that! They've destoryed my childhood! Fire everybody involved! Star Wars is doooooomed!" type of things that the many "fans" often spout.

Well there is no denying that Disney destroyed a beloved hero from many childhoods in Luke Skywalker. There is simply not way in H.E. double hockey sticks that Lucas agrees with how his main protagonist was handled. There is also no denying that Star Wars is not the pop culturally significant IP that it once was.

 

[Suger Mag]

it is hard for some to accept, but Star Wars has become bigger than just Lucas (and Luke).

I am someone who has enjoyed the new content post Lucas. I also enjoyed what Lucas created, it is not some scorecard for me. I am happy that the multiverse will continue to expand past Lucas' original vision. The Rebels and Bad Batch animated series have been wonderful. I also on the whole have enjoyed the various streaming series: Andor... Ahsoka Mandalorian.. Boba Fett.. Obi Wan. I am happy the Star Wars universe is expanding beyond just Skywalkers. Sometimes an idea is created that becomes bigger than the creator.. it lives on past them and that an amazing thing, (not that I want to wish him any ill will)... but Lucas could die tomorrow and it would not matter to Star Wars continuing.... and as always the older generation will complain about the next gen not being good enough.

LOL... I find it hard to believe, that anyone who has ever actually been to Galaxy's Edge in any of the Disney parks could ever claim it is not a significant IP. Every time I have been it is the busiest area of the park, merchandise everywhere, folks cosplaying... lots of folks making super pricy droids or building sabers.... $$caching, let those force coffers ring.