OK, this isn't off-topic, but just bear with me as I might take a while to get there. Oh, and I'm not going to see Episode 3 until next week, so don't complain and no spoilers please!
I was trying to work out why, despite dodgy special effects, bad dialogue and some dubious acting in places, the original films worked and the new ones don't. Since I like to think of myself as a writer, I would isolate the plot elements to understand what was wrong with them.
Partly, of course, it's the fact they're not true to the originals, where the Clone Wars (note the plural) are an "idealistic crusade". We infer that Obi Wan met Annakin, a young pilot from Tatooine, during these crusades, and, thinking he is as good a teacher as a true Jedi Master, teaches Annakin the ways of the Jedi religion. Due to this improper training, he succumbs to the temptations of the Dark Side, and uses his insider knowledge and the power of the dark side to hunt down and destroy most, if not all, of the Jedi Knights, leaving the way open for Palpatine, also a trained Jedi, to use his mind control powers and prophecy to control and dominate the senate and become emperor - something he would find hard to do with Jedi to oppose him. The clone wars would be fought either over cloning (either in support of or against it on moral grounds) or perhaps to free clones used as slaves. Since clones don't seem to feature by the time of the empire, we know that cloning seems to have died out after the wars. The Jedi are a cross between shaolin monks and templar knights, but not really like the samurai many have said are the inspiration for them.
Another problem for me is the "midichlorians", obviously mitochondria from the description. The problem with this is that unlike the bad-science in the originals, such as the "Kessler run in under 12 parsecs" or "point five past light speed" and sublight interstellar travel taking a matter of days/weeks in ESB, this impinges directly on the plot - Vader's children would have no genetic disposition to be force-sensitive since mitochondria are passed through the female only!
The other real thing I hated was that TPM and AOTC have the same plot - Palpatine causes a war he intends to lose to gain himself more political power. Whereas it works for TPM it makes no sense in AOTC as Dooku/Tyrannus is the man behind the clone army that stops Dooku wiping out all the Jedi once and for all!
The main reason, however, is not any of these - it is the fact that there is no central hero figure in the first two, whereas in the originals, Luke fits the Hero figure exactly.
In Star Wars, we find that the Galaxy (kingdom) is in a state of turmoil under the rule of an evil dictator. Our young hero has been fostered by his poor, unknown uncle in an out-of-the-way planet, and is ignorant of his heritage. The hero discovers his true history and destiny from the wise old wizard figure (Gandalf, Merlin, Odin) and recieves a lightsaber (magical sword - Frodo, Arthur, Conan, Finn Macool, Sigfried) that belonged to his father, a great warrior. He defeats the arch-enemy and destroys the super-weapon (slays dragon/giant) to save galaxy.
The ESB was for a while my least favourite of the three, but became my favourite as I grew older, and all for one reason - the hero doesn't win. He gets pursued by Vader because the Emperor has forseen he will destroy him (Moses, Jesus, Merlin, Lug etc). He fails to save his friends and in turn is rescued by them, though he avoids total defeat. This plot is only possible as a follow-up to a succesful film and as part of a trilogy, as it doesn't in itself fit the plot for either the hero triumphant or a tradgedy. As an episode in the hero's tale, however, it is no different than the failurte of the grail knight to ask the right question ("Whom does the grail serve?")
ROTJ sets all to rights - the evil ruler is defeated and destroyed, the kingdom (galaxy) is restored to peace and prosperity, and the hero manages this through the self-sacrifice of giving himself up to Vader and certain doom.
The problem with TPM (apart from the abovementioned flaws, and poor direction, and too much CGI and Jar-Jar f*cking Binks) is that Qui Gonn Jinn is the main character and yet he doesn't provide victory. You can die, as long as you save the day (Arthur, Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan, etc) but his death was in defeat. Obi Wan defeats Maul, but he is a secondary character throughout the film. Annakin is a mere boy, has his moment of triumph destroying the control ship (allowing victory) through accident, not design - and doesn't appear until half-way through the film!
In AOTC, Annakin is the hero, and yet again, he fails to prevail - it is Yoda and Mace Windu who provide victory - which is simply playing into the hands of Palpatine anyway.
It simply doesn't work. Jesus, on the other hand, despite failing to restore the kingdom, is in the gospels turned into a victorious hero as he saves the whole world and everyone in it (as long as you believe in him). What a guy.
I think I have a right to be disappointed when George Lucas has had 20+ years to work on the scripts and it looks like he's written them in 20 days instead.
I was trying to work out why, despite dodgy special effects, bad dialogue and some dubious acting in places, the original films worked and the new ones don't. Since I like to think of myself as a writer, I would isolate the plot elements to understand what was wrong with them.
Partly, of course, it's the fact they're not true to the originals, where the Clone Wars (note the plural) are an "idealistic crusade". We infer that Obi Wan met Annakin, a young pilot from Tatooine, during these crusades, and, thinking he is as good a teacher as a true Jedi Master, teaches Annakin the ways of the Jedi religion. Due to this improper training, he succumbs to the temptations of the Dark Side, and uses his insider knowledge and the power of the dark side to hunt down and destroy most, if not all, of the Jedi Knights, leaving the way open for Palpatine, also a trained Jedi, to use his mind control powers and prophecy to control and dominate the senate and become emperor - something he would find hard to do with Jedi to oppose him. The clone wars would be fought either over cloning (either in support of or against it on moral grounds) or perhaps to free clones used as slaves. Since clones don't seem to feature by the time of the empire, we know that cloning seems to have died out after the wars. The Jedi are a cross between shaolin monks and templar knights, but not really like the samurai many have said are the inspiration for them.
Another problem for me is the "midichlorians", obviously mitochondria from the description. The problem with this is that unlike the bad-science in the originals, such as the "Kessler run in under 12 parsecs" or "point five past light speed" and sublight interstellar travel taking a matter of days/weeks in ESB, this impinges directly on the plot - Vader's children would have no genetic disposition to be force-sensitive since mitochondria are passed through the female only!
The other real thing I hated was that TPM and AOTC have the same plot - Palpatine causes a war he intends to lose to gain himself more political power. Whereas it works for TPM it makes no sense in AOTC as Dooku/Tyrannus is the man behind the clone army that stops Dooku wiping out all the Jedi once and for all!
The main reason, however, is not any of these - it is the fact that there is no central hero figure in the first two, whereas in the originals, Luke fits the Hero figure exactly.
In Star Wars, we find that the Galaxy (kingdom) is in a state of turmoil under the rule of an evil dictator. Our young hero has been fostered by his poor, unknown uncle in an out-of-the-way planet, and is ignorant of his heritage. The hero discovers his true history and destiny from the wise old wizard figure (Gandalf, Merlin, Odin) and recieves a lightsaber (magical sword - Frodo, Arthur, Conan, Finn Macool, Sigfried) that belonged to his father, a great warrior. He defeats the arch-enemy and destroys the super-weapon (slays dragon/giant) to save galaxy.
The ESB was for a while my least favourite of the three, but became my favourite as I grew older, and all for one reason - the hero doesn't win. He gets pursued by Vader because the Emperor has forseen he will destroy him (Moses, Jesus, Merlin, Lug etc). He fails to save his friends and in turn is rescued by them, though he avoids total defeat. This plot is only possible as a follow-up to a succesful film and as part of a trilogy, as it doesn't in itself fit the plot for either the hero triumphant or a tradgedy. As an episode in the hero's tale, however, it is no different than the failurte of the grail knight to ask the right question ("Whom does the grail serve?")
ROTJ sets all to rights - the evil ruler is defeated and destroyed, the kingdom (galaxy) is restored to peace and prosperity, and the hero manages this through the self-sacrifice of giving himself up to Vader and certain doom.
The problem with TPM (apart from the abovementioned flaws, and poor direction, and too much CGI and Jar-Jar f*cking Binks) is that Qui Gonn Jinn is the main character and yet he doesn't provide victory. You can die, as long as you save the day (Arthur, Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan, etc) but his death was in defeat. Obi Wan defeats Maul, but he is a secondary character throughout the film. Annakin is a mere boy, has his moment of triumph destroying the control ship (allowing victory) through accident, not design - and doesn't appear until half-way through the film!
In AOTC, Annakin is the hero, and yet again, he fails to prevail - it is Yoda and Mace Windu who provide victory - which is simply playing into the hands of Palpatine anyway.
It simply doesn't work. Jesus, on the other hand, despite failing to restore the kingdom, is in the gospels turned into a victorious hero as he saves the whole world and everyone in it (as long as you believe in him). What a guy.
I think I have a right to be disappointed when George Lucas has had 20+ years to work on the scripts and it looks like he's written them in 20 days instead.
-----
A true samurai has only one judge of honour, and this is himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are.
You cannot hide from yourself. - from Bushido, the code of the warrior.
pub46.ezboard.com/bbiblebabble
A true samurai has only one judge of honour, and this is himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are.
You cannot hide from yourself. - from Bushido, the code of the warrior.
pub46.ezboard.com/bbiblebabble
