Monday, June 13, 2005

can lightning bolts strike me from a galaxy far, far away?

With "Return of the Jedi" playing in the near foreground (I'm mobile! The laptop and I are in the living room), stealing most of my attention while I try to formulate something that isn't too boring, I have to wonder: Except for the redeeming presence of Darth Vader, Han Solo, the phenomenal soundtrack, and light-sabres, why do these have a cult following? Who on earth cast Mark Hamill (and why do the Ewoks scare me so)? And, more recently, why-oh-why was Hayden Christiansen cast as Anakin/DV? I couldn't stand him in Episode II (the little brat), and I still haven't seen Episode III, because I'm in no hurry to have to suffer through a couple hours of his stilted acting and any more cheesy love stuff (though one killing one's spouse isn't cheesy love stuff, I know) and DID YOU KNOW that he had to wear huge platform shoes so he'd be tall enough for Darth Vader's outfit? Isn't that a sign that they should've cast someone else? How about Ben Affleck?

Kidding. But not much. Oh, the mental picture...

I've never been a science-fiction buff, but I did harbour a little bit of Star Wars Appreciation (SWA) following a movie-viewing with my former music professor, who showed me how intricate John Williams' score is, how each character has his or her own theme, and how just by listening to the music, you can tell who's onscreen, and what's happening in the film. And, I've been told, at the end of the most recent one, when Baby Leia is onscreen, Leia's theme plays. But still, my SWA extended only to the soundtrack, I just realized.

I just heard Darth Vader's ragged breathing, as Luke removed the mask, showing the hallowe'en-style makeup job on his dad, and I had to laugh, because I remembered one of my favourite skits on "Whose Line is it, Anyway?" Something to do with Famous Movie Lines, the Rough Draft (they just don't pack quite the punch):
Brad Sherwood took the stage, did some convincing DV-type breathing, and then croaked out, "Luke, I am your second-cousin twice-removed."

(Right now, one Ewok partying at the end, providing the percussion by whacking the top of the Storm Trooper's helmets, is eerily reminiscent of Patsy doing the percussion for "Camelot!" in "Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail.")

Most "classic" movies I don't harbour an appreciation for, I just realised as I was typing this up: I can't stand "Gone with the Wind" (except for Clark Gable), "The Wizard of Oz" I hate, and there are many others on the Everyone's Favourite Classics! list that I don't like.

But give me a French movie (or an old Gregory Peck film) any day, and I'm happy as a clam.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's not exactly a 'cult' following when they're mainstream popular. "Red Dwarf" probably doesn't meet the criteria for 'cult' either - but that's much more debateable than SW.

I hated the kid Anakin's constant comments in Ep.1 "Now this is pod racing!"

But Hayden's acting was a bit better in the last star wars (ep 3), I thought it more believable. As far as wearing platform shoes to be tall enough for darth vader? Why? He's like 6.1 already, and I did notice in Ep 3 when he's with other characters that he's practically always the taller one, especially with Palpatine and Kenobi. Could be some movie tricks... but the RL Hayden is fairly tall.

Star Wars was kinda disappointing for me... since I didn't see them until I was 18 or 19. They didn't really meet with the expectations. "Indiana Jones" was better in that regard. But they're entertaining... and that's all they're supposed to be.

-C

Anonymous said...

Must you always correct or redefine? :P

Re. the platform shoes: I heard the info from his own mouth, and apparently they wanted him to be more impressively tall.

Oh, how could I forget Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan?! They helped me like the movies more.

I like the Indiana Jones movies better, as well.

kate said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
kate said...

I prefer Roman Holiday myself. Never made it through an entire Star Wars movie.

Anonymous said...

(heh, Roman Holiday was actually the one I was thinking of when I wrote that. :D )

Di said...

Episode 3 was much better in my opinion, though I love the old star wars movies so much more! I grew up on them and these new ones just about killed me. I can't stand Gone with the Wind either! It's the characters I think though; I don't like any of them..

Anonymous said...

Sorry... must be a techie-geekie sort of thing to ensure that information stays 'correct'.

Is this 'Roman Holiday', with Audrey Hepburn?

-C

Anonymous said...

Yes, it's with Audrey Hepburn The Beautiful (what, did she have, like, a 16-inch waist?). :)

Anonymous said...

Darth Vadar IS taller than Anakin. He's legs were cut off by Ben and replaced with mechanical counterparts so that's why Hayden had to wear something to make him taller. Sheesh.

I love Star Wars. Not a fanatic, but I could watch them over and over and over...

abbey

Anonymous said...

Ooh! A comment from someone qualified! ;)

Thanks, Abbey. :)