The 'trade tariffs' plot of TPM is an example of skewed thinking there. See, my older brother, who is very much into history and political theory, will happily tell you that is as great a way to start a crisis to bring about conflict and political change as any.
But how many kids will appreciate that? I fear GL is making fair points in an entirely inappropriate setting. Fact is, GL has 'grown up', moved on, he wants to make different points and say different things- like his surface analysis of democracy in AOTC. But what does he think he is going to do? Teach kids basic politics? Nuh uh! They don't care.
The OT was easy. Good guys and bad guys, hero Rebels and evil Empire. Now we are in a grown up world. But he SAYS it is still for kids.
So we have to ask... what IS he trying to say? I think he should have kept the political plot distant- maybe even cliched and unbelievable- and kept the main thing about Anakin's morality. I would rather my brother had to complain "that political plot was just nonsense" and the kids actually understand everything that is going on, than the other way around.
I liked the Phantom Menace a lot too ... that was an enjoyable movie ... AOTC was a weak movie because they concentrated the wrapping rather than the gift inside the box ... the visuals, sounds, effects etc. were terrific ... but in the making of the movie, they did not address those issues that are primary in making mainstream cinema ... strong plot, good acting, interesting script ... AOTC lacked in these respects, and so the movie was weak. The PT ... the story wasnt that complex ... but just the way the story flowed, and the different characters ... it WAS interesting, and is so even today ... even though I've grown up.
Originally posted by Ushgarak
The 'trade tariffs' plot of TPM is an example of skewed thinking there. See, my older brother, who is very much into history and political theory, will happily tell you that is as great a way to start a crisis to bring about conflict and political change as any.But how many kids will appreciate that? I fear GL is making fair points in an entirely inappropriate setting. Fact is, GL has 'grown up', moved on, he wants to make different points and say different things- like his surface analysis of democracy in AOTC. But what does he think he is going to do? Teach kids basic politics? Nuh uh! They don't care.
The OT was easy. Good guys and bad guys, hero Rebels and evil Empire. Now we are in a grown up world. But he SAYS it is still for kids.
So we have to ask... what IS he trying to say? I think he should have kept the political plot distant- maybe even cliched and unbelievable- and kept the main thing about Anakin's morality. I would rather my brother had to complain "that political plot was just nonsense" and the kids actually understand everything that is going on, than the other way around.
Good points Ush. And I agree with you on all counts there.
For me the problem is also that GL is way too subtle on Palpy's rise to power and all the political scheming he is doing. The fact that he is about to wipe out all power structures in the universe (banking guild, techno-union, trade federation etc. etc.) by massing them on one hand to oppose the republic and on the other hand to raise an army of the republic to destroy them and thus take over the universe is subtly told, very few have so far caught this very essential and crucial plot.
If you do bad guy politics, make it so blatant and obvious for all to see. All in all we have to wait 6 years to understand TPM and three years to fully appreciate Palpy's scheming in TPM and AOTC. That is pretty dumb filmmaking and if kids would at all care for this plot, they're certainly not getting it.
Huh? You have missed our point entirely, Member. My point is that the plot that GL has put in completely misses the kids audience, and so they find much of it irrelevant and incomprehensible. The new films are not endless action for the kids; he is devoting a lot of time and energy to an issue I think is pretty much a waste of time.
As he says, he makes them more for himself than anyone else. He will talk for ages about these subtle political plots. But then still says they are for kids... it does not tally.
I say 'waste of time'. I find it all rather engaging. BGut as I think queeq has pointed out before, we are die-hard fans; it is the casual viewer who will not care about all this effort GL has put into the background plot- and this is no criticism of the casual viewer, who was hardly expecting to have to THINK much about an SW plot. The original films were brilliant in their simplicity and hence their popularity.
In fact, this is almost the sort of more in-depth plot I would expect from a tv-series, rather than a set of films.