Will Ep II move Star Wars even closer to us?

Whenever people ask me what my favourite moment in Star Wars is I'm torn between two options. One of them is the moment Obi-Wan presents the light sabre to Luke in ANH, and I'll tell you why - up until that point everything is treated so matter-of-factly, like robots, monsters, space ships, laser guns, floating cars are all just run-of-the-mill for this universe. Usually, narratives that deal with such immersive and other-worldly environments also have a 'fish-out-of-water' or neophyte narrator for the audience to tag along with. The idea is that the audience (be that reader or viewer) find out about the world of the story with the hero(ine). It was very important for Alice to be in Wonderland in order to put that place into some sort of accessible perspective, right?

Star Wars didn't do that and, while it was a risk, it paid dividends because... and the rest is movie history, and on and on...

Back to Ben and the Light sabre - the reason I love that moment is that it's the first time that something intrigues the hero - Luke doesn't know what the laser sword is, so as viewers we suddenly have an in-route. It's not just a spectacle any more - there's something we and the hero can discover together. Clever, very clever, considering the story overall is about the downfall and return of the Jedi and the balance of the Force [let it go...] - and what a rabbit hole that laser sword turns out to be! So there, that's one of my favourite parts.

The other is the very first thing you see at the start of ANH. Not the blockade runner, not the stars, not the scroll - but the words "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." Sheer magic, and to this day I still struggle to find a film or book that has absolutely no connection with our reality in the way that Star Wars consciously set itself up to be. It’s misplaced both in space and time, a pure and complete escapism. I loved the films for that the most...

Star Wars was a perfect, hermetically sealed fantasy and as such was unique. I loved it since age 7 when it came out - and knew even then why. Then I stopped loving it a little when Return of the Jedi came out - specifically the point during the battle of Endor when Chewie gives a Tarzan yell as he and two Ewoks vine-swing onto the roof of a scout walker. The bubble burst, reality rushed in - the whole thing was ruined, and for what? A stupid, irrelevant joke that had no place in the Star Wars universe.

And then the Phantom Menace came... It's full of jokes like that, silly asides and inter-textual references (ET at the senate for Gods Sake!) that just seem to take the shine off the films.

So, here's the discussion: has Lucas changed his mind about his sacred, escapist fantasy; has he re-directed it following the success of [so-called] post-modern cultural phenomena that thrive on cross-referencing (certainly the Simpsons, while constantly referring to Star Wars, has proved itself a successful formula - is Lucas trying to catch that wave?); does he believe his audience has changed, or does he just not care any more?

What are your thoughts? Are we happy to see lampoons on sports commentators and racial (accent) stereotypes invade OUR SPACE and take EP II even further from the premise of the series, or does anyone else agree with me that the Phantom Menace would have been a far better - and far better received - film if it had stayed true to the spirit of Star Wars and kept itself ‘a long time ago’ and ‘in galaxy far, far away’?

Now, go on - tell me I'm thinking too deeply about this... 😄

one thing: Chuwie doesn't make a Tarzan-shout, and it's posted somewhere that it's one of those Ewoks on a horn...

man, it's a sf-movie and GL puts stuff in it for fun, man , next time you are going to talk about those little aliens with their cameras??? give it a break!

anyway...

my favorite thingie, is Maul with his double-edged lightsabre:
there are two Jedi knights, and one Sith apprentice, so you think, easy done! but then he pushes another button and a second one comes out, saying: don't mess with me! I have TWO sabres at once!

Nah it is Chewie making the shout, and it is a mock of Tarzan

not doubting it comes from Tarzan, and believe me it's not chuwie

partly he realizes that people in general are satisfied with less substance in movies nowadays and partly he just doesnt care anymore. its a good thing hes NOT doing Episodes 7-9 in another 10 years because they would be complete crap

ow yeah, he doesn't care anymore, therefor he makes an entirely new trilogy 🙄

You've missed the point, Yerssot. It doesn't matter if the yell came from Chewie, an Ewok, one of the trees or a member of the crew - it was a reference to something outside the Star Wars universe and as such broke the illusion of a fantasy realm set as far away from our reality as possible - which was obviously Lucas' intention for the series or why else state, before anything else happens on screen, that it's far way and a long time ago?

How would people feel if the opening scene of Lord of the Rings featured Gandolf striding into the Hobbit village and asking the little poeple "Wazzup?" It's the same thing as far as I'm concerned. It cheapens the experience, diminishes dignity and integrity and - imho - is a crying shame...

But did you hear: there's going to be a PURPLE laser sword in Ep II - how cool will that be?!!

🙄

and in the next reply you are going to complain about Luke and Leia and the others resambling humans?
heck, it was put there as a joke, don't take it serious!

Your still missing the point Yerssot. I know what Darthyogi is saying and agree with him. Apart from the point about racial stereotypes. That's nonsense.

ROTJ had the "tarzan cry" and Landos "this'll be the shortest offensive of all time" line which Kasdan said was an American Football reference. Then TPM had a few.

But is it really a problem? Star Wars IS a part of modern day pop-culture. People(apart from kids) don't sit there all wide eyed and innocent anymore. We know too much. Star Wars is everywhere and Lucas is just joining in on the joke.

But I do think your taking it too seriously. When TPM was released I read people say that the pod-race commentators took them out of the Star Wars Galaxy and brought them back to Earth. The scene was on Tatooine, there were aliens everywhere, pod-racers were flying round a circiut at 600mph but some people had a problem imagining they weren't on Earth. 🙄 🤣

is there a point here?

Yes. But I don't agree with it.

Yes, there is no problem at all. And the LOTR comparison does not stand. SW was written with recognisable references in mind, which, as has been discussed, are sometimes strong enough to be directly said and/or done by the characters. SW is, in many ways, light-hearted.

LOTR is anything but...

It's just a bit of harmless fun. Although the Tarzan yell (but CHEWIE!!!!) was a bit awkward. I loved the ET's though since it IS a joke and not a very prominent one and borrowing from ANOTHER universe.

What Tarzan yell????

And even though i feel like a traitor....I'm going to see LOTR.

Star Wars wouldn't be the same without it's little jokes....better or worse....i dunno, but I do know that I love all the movies just the way they are.

The accents in TPM were different, but I have no probs with them ....esp the Nemoidians...I think the strange accent was complementing to their creepy characters.

Why feel like a traitor to watch LOTR?

I've posted a Thread about my dissapointment with ET in the Senate, with the same SPIRIT posted here.

The jokeso of OT where really good and don´t take me "out of the Bubble" except that tarzan yell.

I've paided to see a movie from "a long time ago, in a galaxy far away", and not a "malcom in the middle" episode, with the actors watching the camera to make a joke.

And this is not "take too serious", is about money that i've paided to the movies, to VHS, toys, and all what makes Mr LUCAS a very rich man, because i've seen a story (in the OT) that was serious, and still hope to see the coming episodes with the same spirit.

It's about a movies, yes, but movies that were something, and (as far as we see in this PT) they are not the same "LINE".

I keep my "faith" in ep2, and still like EP1, but i too think that it could very better without some "internal jokes". C'mon, i'm watching STAR WARS movie or not????? 😕

I see your point...but I kinda like the internal jokes....take comfort...epII and III will prob be dark and serious and 100% Star Wars.

As to why I feel like a traitor seeing LOTR...i don't rightly know. It's just a feeling. I have never read any of the books, but the movie looks good so in a couple of days.....I'll prob see it.

I feel like that as well because all I've been hearing this week is LOTR fans telling me that it's "the new Star Wars" or crap like this.

Whay aren't you allowed to like both?

The critic from the Daily Telegraph said of LOTR 'The only reason that this film is not better than ESB is that it owes so much to it'

Personally, I cannot think of any reasons why Star Wars fans should not proudly like LOTR.

I haven't yet seen it, but I will. I'll prob like it too....but It can never take the place of Star Wars in my heart 🙂