Okay, now that the preliminaries are out of the way, let’s get down to business.
As most of you know, I am a first-generation Star Wars fan. I was privileged to be alive when the original movie hit the theaters in 1977, and I was one of the many that continued to live inside the movie in the months afterward. I practically wore grooves through the soundtrack to the original LP, eagerly consumed “Splinter of the Mind’s Eye,” one of the first Star Wars novels (if not the first), started (but never finished) my own scripts for what was then known as “Star Wars 2.”
I mention this just to illustrate to any wayfaring strangers that my obsession goes back a ways. And like any meaningful relationship, there are periods of disillusion and wonderment, dissatisfaction and pure joy. So it is with me and the Yoda of Modesto, one G. Lucas.
No, I don’t hate George for the unforgivable sins of the prequel trilogy. I don’t hate the virtual air Jar-Jar breathes, am not scarred for life from the admittedly stilted love scenes between Anakin and Padmé, and don’t begrudge any of the other faults others have with the trilogy. For my part, I was glad to get three new Star Wars movies. I enjoyed all six viewings of The Phantom Menace immensely, like a good deal of Attack of the Clones while acknowledging its imperfections, and rank Revenge of the Sith among the top three of the saga.
I’m even willing to forgive George’s attempts at revisionist history with the Special Editions, although I am loathe to understand his reluctance to release quality versions of his original films. Still, as my nephew Avram has shown me, there is a substantial difference in feel from the original and SE versions. George can be extremely stubborn, and it's just possible he thinks that by giving the original films the treatment they deserve, he would be admitting he was wrong to do what he did to them — something he's not really good at admitting, in my experience.
No, my main objection to George is the way he’s reduced his outreach to his fans to simply fleecing their pockets. I understand he’s a businessman, and I understand there are scores of Star Wars collectors with plenty of disposable income and a need to follow in Steve Sansweet’s footsteps.
In the last few years, I’ve watched Star Wars fandom go over to the dark side of Star Wars collecting. The Force.net, which used to be one of the best fan sites on the Internet, is now almost entirely dominated by collector’s news; exactly when Hasbro is coming out with what limited edition 4½-inch figure, and what stores are expected to get them — that sort of thing. The President of the Official Fan Club (a fan-elected post) was won by a member of Rebelscum.com — the same collector’s site that seems to more-or-less run The Force.net now. The site’s podcast, when I last listened to it a couple years ago, was recorded by two members of Rebelscum, and as such, was biased heavily toward collecting news — nearly an hour of it, as I remember. Most of the e-mails I got from Starwars.com and website updates seemed geared toward getting me to buy stuff. After a disagreement with the Official Fan Club over the number of issues of Star Wars Insider they owed me, I wandered away from the faith.
Enter “The Clone Wars,” the two hour “movie” based on the first few episodes of a planned television series. I had been supremely cynical of the animated series, and am not a huge fan of the Clone Wars period. Even though it’s chocked full ‘o Jedi, which is a good thing in my book, I’m more of a fan of the rebellion period. I’m genuinely intrigues by the possibilities of the new live action series, but am not happy about a 3d cartoon being labeled as a Star Wars “movie.”
Not that it seems to matter what I think, since I don’t seem to have any free will at all when it comes to Star Wars.
Apparently, there’s some hidden switch in me that George can manipulate at will whenever a new Star Wars movie is coming out. When I first learned that “Clone Wars” was being released as a full-length movie, I said emphatically that I wasn’t going. Two months ago I told myself that I might go after a week or so, but I wasn’t going to make any special plans or anything.
Today I admitted to myself that I was going to go as soon as I could; opening night, if possible.
My wife, as usual, knew the truth all along.
“Like there was every any doubt,” she said “Please! You knew you were going to cave like wet tissu...sorry.”
Since then, I’ve watched “A New Hope” all the way through, and am watching the Echo Base scenes from “Empire” as I type this. I am proud to say that my daughter asked for “New Hope” rather than “Phantom Menace,” and wanted the original versions over the Special Editions. She is still young for a padawan, but apparently, I’ve trained her well.
And what woke up my enthusiasm? I think for Star Wars fandom, or any fandom for that matter, to be an active, vital thing, it needs to have the hope of new stories to feed it. At least, that is the way it is for me. Either that, or George really does have an “on” switch installed on me somewhere…
So what’s the verdict? Is anybody else reading this going to “Clone Wars?” If so, drop me a line and let me know.
Until next time, may the Force be with you all.
5 comments:
I will be honest when I say that I am waffling. I love Star Wars as much as the next guy, but I am pretty skeptical about the upcoming movie release. I am dearly hoping that it will be good, but I am expecting it to not be. I know that I will not be able to see it on opening night either way though, because I will be in the process of heading out to Virginia at that time. I planned that before I knew the date of the film's release. Then I will probably have to wait at least a little while, as Avram most certainly does not want to watch the film. Ah well.
I just realized that, aside from myself, this would be the first time in a while that you'll have seen a Star Wars movie alone. By alone, I refer more to the lack of another fanboy beside you, and not to simply being by yourself. That seems wrong somehow. Maybe you can rent a fanboy? *g* Okay, that came out wrong...I mean, you should see it with someone else at your level of fandom, or near it. Hmmm....we'll see what we can do.
In spite of what I have said I'd go for Samuel, but in general the fire of Star Wars doesn't burn in me strong enough to go see a cartoon set in a period I don't even like.
I don't know. I love Star Wars. You all know I do. But I can't seem to manage to bring myself to get excited like I used to. Part of it, I think, is that the parts of Star Wars that George Lucas (the ultimate source of all Star Wars) currently likes are not what I like. I don't feel like the Star Wars fan I used to be.
This was sort of a downer comment. It wasn't intended to be. I am not as conflicted as you are, Master, but looking at it, it seems like that is because I am still sojourning in lands away from Star Wars.
First of all, I want Veiltender to know that I understand and appreciate his diminished enthusiasm for Star Wars; I have been there myself many times. I know that we all have a little of a love/hate relationship with George, and that the Clone Wars "movie" will probably be nothing to write home about. However, I am excited because it is new Star Wars. It will not be as good as Empire, A New Hope or even Sith (and maybe not as good as Phantom or Clones), but it will be a chance to return to that world again.
Samuel, you and I are in the same boat. I will be going to a concert with my daughter that night, and don't really expect to be able to see it until the Sunday matinee.
As for bnfoldschool's comments, I'll be alright going by myself, if that is to be my fate. My daughter has said that she would go with me, although I don't plan to hold her to that, knowing her tastes as I do. I may enlist my friend Kenny, if he is available. Whatever happens, it will be alright.
I never meant to imply that I wouldn't go with you. I like going with you to these movies because, while not nearly as into it as you guys, I do enjoy the fandom, and like to be current within it.
You won't be alone in the theater, my husband, but I thought you might like someone else along besides me, someone that can discuss this at your level.
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