how the hell were you scared when watching Empire Strikes Back? there is nothing scary about the film whats so ever, but of course i was watching Friday 13th films when i was like 6 or something.

Rodney,

I’m not discrediting anything, and I don’t see how you can describe my definition as limiting. I just don’t think that collborative creative efforts can be labelled simply ‘art’. The elements used to make then up are, sure, but the final product is not.

I’m going to sidetrack here;
“And I don’t mind the artist wandering his gallery considering his own works.”
Exactly which works has Lucas created? Ralph McQuarrie designed most of the Star Wars universe. Lucas said ‘Yes’. Ben Burtt did the sound, ILM did the Special Effects, the cinematogapher decided on the shots which had been pre-planned by the storyboard artist (not lucas), the actors created the characters from a very thin script. The Plot of Star Wars is ripped off from The Hidden Fortress. Okay, so Lucas knew which movie plot to reuse. Many elements, Spice, Sand Planets, Gold Robots, Cowboy Spacemen, etc. were ‘homaged’ wholesale from many other sources. Lucas is the ultimate Magpie, the template for the Tarantino generation, but if I make a collage of postcards from the Louvre, can I really be called an artist?

3R!C…the point is that ESB especially is the most mature of the movies and quite dark for younger viewers. I was 10 when I saw it and quite scared.

THAT is EXACTLY what the series needed for the prequels, and needs for any future TV/movies.

Not CG cartoons or Ewok movies.

i thought it would be better to keep vader’s origins ambiguous and not reveal what really happened w/ him

Every time I have this discussion in the future I shall reference to your post.

I could never have summed it up as nicely as you have done.

GL is a great storyteller. That is to say, he comes up with great story concepts.

However, ESB and ROTJ were NOT directed by GL. And in fact, the best film in most peoples opinion(s), ESB was mostly not written by GL either.

I just imagine SW films (Mostly in the expanded universe) directed by Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Guillermo Del Toro, maybe even James Cameron!

Also, GL DID in fact, kid down the prequels way too much. Him and Spielberg also kidded down IJ4, too much.

Both franchises needed to push the envelope, and did in the 80s. In the 90s they became just another CG festival.

Fair enough, my opinion is that the scorn is well placed. This wasn’t an assumption though, it was a conclusion that I arrived at upon viewing the films and considering what is wrong with them – which of course is relative to my tastes to some extent. I certainly don’t suggest that you or anyone else can’t seek to enjoy them if you wish.

Most films have to be enjoyed despite the fact that there are flaws because every film has its shortcomings. The question is whether or not one can salvage enjoyment from a film despite this. Is it worth the time? For me, and many others, the prequels can’t be redeemed. The problems with the prequels were much greater than the inclusion of jar jar and the like. The central one for me was that this trilogy failed to tell a compelling story about the rise of Darth Vader. More than that it diminished the mythos surronding the character.

The strategy of focusing on the positive aspects only works if those aspects are really worth it. Otherwise its a waste of time. In your opinion it was worth the while, it certainly is not in mine.

i agree star wars does seem to just make merchandise lately

I have to agree Darren that IMO Star Wars has the better novels. I absuletly loved the Thrawn trilogy by Zahn.

There was a belching toad thingy on the rock in the approaching scene to Jabba’s Palace.

Just sayin.