Comment Re:A fandom i'll never understand (Score 1) 149
Grape,
I haven't heard of "Blockbusting," but will take a look at it on your recommendation.
A lot of people who are Star Wars fans who aren't offended by the prequels will give Lucas a pass by rationalizing that the new movies are geared for kids and the aged fans of the originals won't connect. If you watch that 70 minute review of Episode 1 on YouTube, that guy does a good job dismissing this perspective by highlighting all the focus on some trade embargo, ambassadors, and administrative gobbledy-gook that glazes the eyes of young viewers. It's hard to claim the movie was tailored for kids with all that stuff as the OPENING scenes.
I don't doubt that Lucas intended to cater the movie to young kids. The problem I have with his attempt is that Lucas comes across as pandering. New Hope caters to children in a FAR more clever manner. In Episode 1, he casts a kid in a central role so that children can project themselves into the story. In Episode IV, he cleverly puts a young pre-adult on the screen who is treated like a child, which is how kids connect with Luke Skywalker. Luke wants to do all these adult things like go to the Academy and fight against the empire, but his uncle is holding him down with chores and harvest. He's got a cool car, but life on the farm is boring until the friend of the family shows up and gives him a weapon and treats him like an adult. Kids can easily project themselves into Luke's character. That angle works on adults, too, because they can empathize with what it was like when they struggled to be treated as an adult at the end of their teen aged years.
Adults don't connect with the Anakin Skywalker character because he straight-up is a kid. To them (me), he's additional baggage for the adult characters in the story to have to contend with.
It's not impossible to make a fantasy movie that appeals to kids and adults. Last year's "Up" is a great example of storytelling to both children and adults at the same time. Unfortunately, George Lucas has lost that ability he once excelled in.
Skatepark Builder
I haven't heard of "Blockbusting," but will take a look at it on your recommendation.
A lot of people who are Star Wars fans who aren't offended by the prequels will give Lucas a pass by rationalizing that the new movies are geared for kids and the aged fans of the originals won't connect. If you watch that 70 minute review of Episode 1 on YouTube, that guy does a good job dismissing this perspective by highlighting all the focus on some trade embargo, ambassadors, and administrative gobbledy-gook that glazes the eyes of young viewers. It's hard to claim the movie was tailored for kids with all that stuff as the OPENING scenes.
I don't doubt that Lucas intended to cater the movie to young kids. The problem I have with his attempt is that Lucas comes across as pandering. New Hope caters to children in a FAR more clever manner. In Episode 1, he casts a kid in a central role so that children can project themselves into the story. In Episode IV, he cleverly puts a young pre-adult on the screen who is treated like a child, which is how kids connect with Luke Skywalker. Luke wants to do all these adult things like go to the Academy and fight against the empire, but his uncle is holding him down with chores and harvest. He's got a cool car, but life on the farm is boring until the friend of the family shows up and gives him a weapon and treats him like an adult. Kids can easily project themselves into Luke's character. That angle works on adults, too, because they can empathize with what it was like when they struggled to be treated as an adult at the end of their teen aged years.
Adults don't connect with the Anakin Skywalker character because he straight-up is a kid. To them (me), he's additional baggage for the adult characters in the story to have to contend with.
It's not impossible to make a fantasy movie that appeals to kids and adults. Last year's "Up" is a great example of storytelling to both children and adults at the same time. Unfortunately, George Lucas has lost that ability he once excelled in.
Skatepark Builder
