Star Wars Redux
*June 30, 2008
So Darth Vader kills the emperor to save Luke. Huh. Didn't see that coming.
Really, I truly had no idea how Star Wars would end. But, last night, I practically pried my own eyeballs open with my hands (it was only 9:30!) just to get the rest of the series over already, oh my god, it took me over a week to watch Return of the Jedi.
I wish they'd made a bigger deal about Luke fulfilling the prophecy that they thought Anakin would fulfill. But maybe that's the Harry Potter fan in me talking. Or maybe people in the eighties didn't need things spelled out as much as we do nowadays. Or, most likely, Lucas hadn't conceived that a prophecy would be involved somehow, and then created loose ends in the prequels that he couldn't tie up in the original three. Because they'd already been made.
But, if we're wishing, I'm going to go ahead and wish that all of the dialogue was different, because, man. Doesn't get much worse than that.
Mostly, though, I've spent hours wondering how they made Anakin look so much like Hayden Christensen in the last scene.
But I just found out via wikipedia that the movie was digitally remastered with Hayden Christensen's image in place of the other dude who originally portrayed Anakin. I thought it was, you know, the force, or something, predicting who would play Anakin in 20 years. Or, in the very least, some sort of cosmic coincidence. But digitally remastered? Not as cool.
Chad asked me last night what it's like to finally join the rest of the world in having experienced Star Wars. I will say that 25 years is a long time to be completely left out of any and all Star Wars references our society makes. Which is to say that, basically, I'm only now understanding why Austin Powers 2 might be thought of as funny.
You're not joining the rest of the world, since I'm still in the camp you were in this time last week. And I thought Austin Powers 2 sucked also! I never knew there was a missing link there!
- Posted by my life is brilliant | June 30, 2008 7:34 PM
When my friend Amy first saw Monty Python and the Holy Grail during college, she said, "Twenty years of inside jokes just started to make sense."
I was actually glad you kicked my ass like you did in your comment on my blog. I want to get beyond my slump and am not sure how to do it. No, I know exactly how to do it. I just need to keep writing shitty first drafts until they start to get better. Thanks for your words. And your thoughtful revoking of them. But really, I'm not easily offended and I appreciate your advice.
- Posted by Ann | June 30, 2008 8:32 PM
Don't worry - I'm in the same boat with you. A few months ago, I decided to watch the Star Wars movies for the first time. And I still have 2 movies left to watch.
I liked the new ones better than the old, but they're all pretty decent. Really I'm just glad that I finally understand what "may the force be with you" means, and who Obi-Wan is. :)
- Posted by Tootie | June 30, 2008 9:57 PM
Ya, well those of us in the 80's didn't need it all spelled out for us, but we were also expecting 6 more movies after RotJ. Which, btw, most of us have had 20 years to get over how "Return" ended and we still haven't.
Lucas crapped all over his film by imposing Christianson in his movie. Why not impose Ewan McGregor over Alec Guiness? I bet it was in Christianson's contract. The poor guy who played Anakin in the end, really got shafted on that deal.
So, if Lucas decides to make the last 3 movies, will you see them in the theater?
And Austin Powers II ... pure comic genius!
Knot
- Posted by Knot | July 1, 2008 7:42 AM
I wish Lucas would impose Ewan McGregor to my bed. That wouldn't make me sad.
Star Wars is awesome.
- Posted by Sarah | July 1, 2008 9:12 AM