Mouse Wars

So, Disney has bought Star Wars and there's going to be (at least) another movie.  Now I'm a huge fan of the original trilogy.  So big a fan that I refused to buy the trilogy on dvd until there was a set with the pre special editions of the films (I think the added cgi sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb).
As for the prequels, well, they were decent enough.  Phantom Menace was a bit meh, but as they went on, they got better.  Mainly because the successive films has less of that floppy eared pain the arse Jar Jar Binks.  Now PM could have been good as well, except for the really irritating creation that was Jar Jar.  I mean, lets face it.  His reason for existing was to sell more action figures*

So, over to Disney.  Will they screw up?  I don't know.  I hope not, and I doubt they will.  I mean let's face it, how could they possibly come up with anything more cringeworthy than JJ Binks?  Just as long as they don't dumb it down to the level of a kiddie movie, they should be fine.

(*the only reason I can think of that anyone would buy a Jar Jar figure, is so they could ritualistically burn it.  Which would ironically possibly result in them becoming scarce, and hence highly collectable)

An open letter to George Lucas

Dear George.

I hope you don't mind me calling you George, Mr Lucas sounds so formal, especially since I've lived with your magnus opus since I was at school.  Yes, Star Wars changed my life, and is probably one of the reasons I have grown up with a love of science fiction.

I loved the original trilogy.  So you can imagine my delight when I heard that episodes 1 - 3 were actually going to be made.  I was like a little kid again, waiting impatiently for the movies, and when they came......oh dear. What can I say.  Three little words that really spoiled these movies for me. Jar Jar Binks.

Yes, the floppy eared, obviously thick, creature from Naboo was an utter abomonation.  The hate sites sprang up (Jar Jar Binks must Die), and I completely understood where they were coming from.

Binks aside (please lets leave him aside), I didn't think they were bad movies.  I enjoyed watching Anakins' journey to becoming Dark Helme.....Darth Vader.

Then there was the "special editions" of the original trilogy.  Utter travesty.  The races and creatures cgi-ed in, to tie in with the new movies, stuck out like a sore thumb.  I own them, of course I do, but do I watch them?  Nope.  I watch the original editions.

Now the point of this letter George.  You're releasing the movies in 3D.  In fact, as I type this, The Phantom Menace is already out.  Now, I know everyone in the movie business seems to have a hard-on for 3D, but believe me, if it's not been shot on a 3D camera, it pretty much sucks.

You're dry humping the cash cow now George.  Seriously, stop it.  Please.

Now here's the hypocritical part of this letter.  Will I go and see the movies in 3D?  Hell yeah.  You know I will.  I've bought into Star Wars since I was 12, and I'm almost 46.  Like a junkie I'm hooked. (I've managed to avoid the Clone Wars, but only because I hate the style of animation).  There's also the fact that the attack on the Death Star in A New Hope (if the 3D is done well) will be utterly amazing.  Just make sure it doesn't suck like the cgi additions to the special additions. And hey, if I'm going to see one, I may as well see the set.

So there you have it George.  A Star Wars addict pleading with you to please stop messing with my childhood memories.

Thank you and goodnight.