Re: Its just a movie...

Posted by Dietrick from proxy-311.public.rwc.webtv.net on September 20, 1999 at 11:46:39:

In Reply to: I don't understand George Lucas at all... posted by ROB T. on September 20, 1999 at 01:51:58:

: This occurred to me as I was reading through the
posts about whether or not we like Short Round and
also because I saw "Phantom Menace" at the dollar
theatre this weekend and I wanted to throw it out
there and see if anyone has any insights on this.
: George Lucas seems to want to point "Star Wars" in
a more kid-friendly direction by putting in Jar Jar
and lots of childish humor. In "Temple of Doom" he
put in Short Round to appeal to the kids. I have no
idea if he intends to kiddie up Indy IV or not but I
hope he doesn't.
: I don't have a problem with aiming these films
towards kids but if you look closely I don't
understand his methods. While we're at it I guess
Spielberg has to take some of the blame for this
trend also since a lot of his films are the same way.
: Both filmmakers seem to put children in their films
to appeal to the kids in the audience. On the surface
this looks like a good idea. My problem with this is
the situations that these kids are put into.
: We have Indy dragging a child into a dangerous
situation and putting that child's life in grave
danger.
: We have two Jedi knights putting a child into a
death defying race in order to solve their troubles.
: We have a host of adults dragging children onto an
island full of dinosaurs and putting them in danger
in the "Jurassic Park" films.
: Notice a trend here?
: On one hand, putting children into these adventure
flicks does broaden the films' appeal for children
but on the other it casts the adult characters in a
bad light.
: Indy looks reckless and irresponsible in "Temple of
Doom."
: Qui Gonn looks foolish and immature in "Phantom
Menace."
: In real life no adult depends on a child to solve
his problems and no adult puts a child's life in
danger on purpose.

: I'd be interested in hearing what you all think
about this. Please don't dismiss it with 'it's just a
movie.' We nitpick every little detail of these films
when it comes to unimportant things like Indy's
clothes so I think we can treat this as a serious
subject.

You know what else?? thereare some really odd parallels between The Phantom Menace and the Beatles Yellow Submarine. The underwater chase through the sea of monsters; The underwater chase through the watery planet core of Naboo. An annoying kid-friendly tag along who talks funny and never shuts up,(Jeremy); An annoying kid-friendly tag along who talks funny and never shuts up,(Jar-Jar). A race of people who are being held hostage by tyranny,(Pepper-people); A race of people being held hostage by tyranny,(the Nabooese). The bad guys use an army of odd, look-alike autoumotons,(apple-bonkers,turks,and glove); The bad guys use an army of odd, look-alike autoumotons,(Battle-droids,destroyer-droids,and droid fighters). Wierd, eh?

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: 
: : This occurred to me as I was reading through the 
: posts about whether or not we like Short Round and 
: also because I saw "Phantom Menace" at the dollar 
: theatre this weekend and I wanted to throw it out 
: there and see if anyone has any insights on this.
: : George Lucas seems to want to point "Star Wars" in 
: a more kid-friendly direction by putting in Jar Jar 
: and lots of childish humor. In "Temple of Doom" he 
: put in Short Round to appeal to the kids. I have no 
: idea if he intends to kiddie up Indy IV or not but I 
: hope he doesn't. 
: : I don't have a problem with aiming these films 
: towards kids but if you look closely I don't 
: understand his methods. While we're at it I guess 
: Spielberg has to take some of the blame for this 
: trend also since a lot of his films are the same way.
: : Both filmmakers seem to put children in their films 
: to appeal to the kids in the audience. On the surface 
: this looks like a good idea. My problem with this is 
: the situations that these kids are put into.
: : We have Indy dragging a child into a dangerous 
: situation and putting that child's life in grave 
: danger. 
: : We have two Jedi knights putting a child into a 
: death defying race in order to solve their troubles.
: : We have a host of adults dragging children onto an 
: island full of dinosaurs and putting them in danger 
: in the "Jurassic Park" films.
: : Notice a trend here?
: : On one hand, putting children into these adventure 
: flicks does broaden the films' appeal for children 
: but on the other it casts the adult characters in a 
: bad light.
: : Indy looks reckless and irresponsible in "Temple of 
: Doom."
: : Qui Gonn looks foolish and immature in "Phantom 
: Menace."
: : In real life no adult depends on a child to solve 
: his problems and no adult puts a child's life in 
: danger on purpose.

: : I'd be interested in hearing what you all think 
: about this. Please don't dismiss it with 'it's just a 
: movie.' We nitpick every little detail of these films 
: when it comes to unimportant things like Indy's 
: clothes so I think we can treat this as a serious 
: subject.

: You know what else?? thereare some really odd parallels between The Phantom Menace and the Beatles Yellow Submarine. The underwater chase through the sea of monsters; The underwater chase through the watery planet core of Naboo. An annoying kid-friendly tag along who talks funny and never shuts up,(Jeremy); An annoying kid-friendly tag along who talks funny and never shuts up,(Jar-Jar). A race of people who are being held hostage by tyranny,(Pepper-people); A race of people being held hostage by tyranny,(the Nabooese). The bad guys use an army of odd, look-alike autoumotons,(apple-bonkers,turks,and glove); The bad guys use an army of odd, look-alike autoumotons,(Battle-droids,destroyer-droids,and droid fighters). Wierd, eh?

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