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People who don't like Star Wars

Started by Supreme Pizza Of The DPRK, 20 May, 2017, 02:15:18 PM

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Supreme Pizza Of The DPRK

I'm referring to the Disney era of Star Wars in particular. Although 1-3 could also fall under this category.

I was reading this (old) article on Star Wars merchandising (https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2015/12/16/how-disneys-star-wars-merchandise-is-set-to-make-billions/#1b051c1e7314) which helped to affirm my belief that the modern day Star Wars films are a vehicle for selling toys/clothes/theme park tickets. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I can't help imagine that the new films would be so much better without having these things influence the production of the film.

I know this is nothing new, just another reason for why perhaps the new films don't seem as good as the old ones.

(yes I know I seem to have a thing for moaning about how much better things were in the olden days, no need to point that out to me)


Professor Bear

It probably doesn't help that the new films aren't very good objectively.
"--but I like the characters/seeing old characters/and the Falcon" is not really a glowing recommendation for a film that recreates elements from elsewhere in the same manner as one of those Scary Movie-type comedies that go "this is a thing that you recognise" for 90 minutes, only those at least have the virtue of being motivated by a known business model rather than creative bankruptcy, even if they are arguably just as compromised by the demands of commodified nostalgia and witless populism as the new SW movies.

Some of Rebels is good, though.

SIP

Think I'll stay out of this debate......my blood pressure has suffered enough on the Dredd TV show thread.  I'll just put my opinion forward as "I like ALL of the star wars films with the exception of Rogue One. And i write that as an original star fanboy who was there in the cinema when it all started".

JOE SOAP

Long before Star Wars was an idea, the young George Lucas thought of himself as a toymaker who makes films.


Professor Bear

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 May, 2017, 03:27:01 PM
Long before Star Wars was an idea, the young George Lucas thought of himself as a toymaker who makes films.

And yet that compulsion to make new toys also meant that he pushed into new territory by necessity, rather than just recolouring Tie Fighter and X-Wing models and having them shoot it out against the backdrop of yet another Death Star.

JOE SOAP

#5
Quote from: Professor Bear on 20 May, 2017, 03:45:27 PMAnd yet that compulsion to make new toys also meant that he pushed into new territory by necessity,...

Yes, and George Lucas must be commended as a self-made man who got what he wanted – to be a financial success so he could attain the resources to make films by himself. After several years making films that pleased his more avant garde tendency, Star Wars gave him that independence – so with his more abstract nature now firmly bonded to his newfound ability for commercialism and money-making, he didn't need to please anyone else, thus the Prequels.

Supreme Pizza Of The DPRK

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 May, 2017, 04:49:42 PM
Yes, and George Lucas must be commended as a self-made man who got what he wanted – to be a financial success so he could attain the resources to make films by himself.

Don't forget Red Tails  ::) ::)

Mattofthespurs

I've seen them all since I was a 9 year old seeing the original in the cinema (no way I'm calling it The New Hope) and I find there is something to like/love in all of them.
Some more than others.
The last two, from Disney, are up there in terms of my delight for the first ever two.

Professor Bear

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 May, 2017, 04:49:42 PMhe didn't need to please anyone else, thus the Prequels.

I'm not sure the PT was Lucas getting away from his need to make cash - though he likely wasn't wanting for it at the time - so much as it was him doing what he usually does with Star Wars: blow it up every few years when interest is waning.  I got the impression that whatever his feelings about the franchise, he certainly liked to work and oversee the company he built.

WhizzBang

I'm a 'don't liker'. I don't like it now but did love it when I was a child. It is the opposite of 2000ad for me as I have found 2000ad a thrill to re-visit and have been happy to see how good the stuff today is and get my subscriptions going again.

When I last saw one of the Star Wars films I thought it was awful due to the dialogue, which I now think is pretty awful, and the changes that have been made. If it had stopped at Empire and the original films had never been edited then I think I would have a fonder view of it.

On the commercial angle, I think Star Wars was always about selling toys. George Lucas is a businessman first and a film maker second.

I suppose I should admit that I haven't actually seen several of them. I have seen the original trilogy of course and I think I have seen all the prequels but may not have seen the last prequel.

JOE SOAP

#10
Quote from: Professor Bear on 20 May, 2017, 07:13:33 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 May, 2017, 04:49:42 PMhe didn't need to please anyone else, thus the Prequels.

I'm not sure the PT was Lucas getting away from his need to make cash - though he likely wasn't wanting for it at the time - so much as it was him doing what he usually does with Star Wars: blow it up every few years when interest is waning.  I got the impression that whatever his feelings about the franchise, he certainly liked to work and oversee the company he built.

That's why I believe the Prequels were feeding all his and his company's needs of the time. Lucasfilm and Star Wars are inextricably bound – one has fed the other since their inception. It was Lucasfilm's fledgling R&D which allowed Star Wars to break ground; the success of which in turn funded the R&D for the digital FX, sound and video editing that emerged post-ROTJ (while also serving as the original home of PIXAR).

Jurassic Park and the Special Editions then gave Lucasfilm the boost in cash-confidence to dive into the Prequels while also giving Lucas an outlet for the type of film-making he was interested in – now free of the constraints he believes prevented him from making Star Wars the way he wanted.


Tony Angelino

I thought one of the main ways that George Lucas was able to achieve his independence from the studio system and continue with the Star Wars brand was that he held on to so many of the rights from the original film (such as toy rights).

Toys have therefore been inextricably linked with Star Wars from the very beginning. I had Star Wars figures before I had even seen any of the movies.

It also helped that Star Wars had so many classic designs that could be made in to figures or vehicles.

jacob g

But toys were always the best part of Star Wars... OT or NT.
margaritas ante porcos

sheridan

Quote from: Professor Bear on 20 May, 2017, 03:45:27 PM
And yet that compulsion to make new toys also meant that he pushed into new territory by necessity, rather than just recolouring Tie Fighter and X-Wing models and having them shoot it out against the backdrop of yet another Death Star.

I like The Force Awakens, and even the paint job the TIEs and X-wings got, but do recognise that they're lazy design.  I'm not influenced at all by my favourite TIE being the Interceptor!

sheridan

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 May, 2017, 04:49:42 PM
Yes, and George Lucas must be commended as a self-made man who got what he wanted – to be a financial success so he could attain the resources to make films by himself. After several years making films that pleased his more avant garde tendency, Star Wars gave him that independence – so with his more abstract nature now firmly bonded to his newfound ability for commercialism and money-making, he didn't need to please anyone else, thus the Prequels.

I love Howard the Duck!