tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post113107936440445277..comments2024-03-27T17:15:37.606-04:00Comments on Triablogue: Revenge of the SithRyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17809283662428917799noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-1131264655350632132005-11-06T03:10:00.000-05:002005-11-06T03:10:00.000-05:00I read Progressive Christian's "rebuttal" of Steve...I read Progressive Christian's "rebuttal" of Steve's "Sith" review:<BR/><BR/><I>On a side note, somebody recommended a poster named Sam Hays as a barometer of what fundamentalist thought is out there. I read his "review" of Star Wars. I wonder if we're watching the same film. I for one was appalled at the dearth of people of color and other underepresented people in the film. And, I happen to think that only bad people deal with absolutes. The fact that this reviewer didn't like that statement says a lot about his intolerance. I would advise him (he probably won't listen since he thinks he's right) to perhaps particapate in some sensitivity seminars. Another thing about the film is that it still acted as if light and dark were in opposition rather than 2 sides of the same coin.</I><BR/><BR/>First, and I say this respectfully, if Progressive Christian can't get something as conspicuous as a person's name correct (it's not "Sam"), one wonders how closely he or she read Steve's review?<BR/><BR/>The dearth of the people of color issue might better be taken up with George Lucas, I think, or at least someone involved in the production of the film. Ditto with the light vs. dark rather than being part of the same coin comment.<BR/><BR/>Also, I don't see that Steve dislikes the statement, "Only a Sith deals in absolutes." He uses it to criticize the film's own lack of internal moral consistency, but I don't know that Steve himself necessarily dislikes the statement.<BR/><BR/>But even if he did dislike the statement, I'm not quite sure how Progressive Christian would infer from it that Steve is intolerant?<BR/><BR/>Re: offending people: Truth by definition is exclusive, is it not?<BR/><BR/>And finally, it's just an online Star Wars review. Please, no need to get up in arms and all that, I would think.Patrick Chanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16095377877712197984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-1131198149839484362005-11-05T08:42:00.000-05:002005-11-05T08:42:00.000-05:00As to whether I'm giving Lucas enough credit or no...As to whether I'm giving Lucas enough credit or not, I'd say the following:<BR/><BR/>1. Assuming that your interpretation is correct, it is an artistic flaw for Luca to make the correct interpretation dependent on outside interviews rather than building that into his screenplays. The interpretation of the story should be integral to the act of storytelling itself.<BR/><BR/>2. The Buddhist-Jedi philosophy on the studied repression of natural, normal feelings is by no means limited to the prequels. It runs through the sequels as well on the lips of Yoda and Obi-Wan. So I don't see any dramatic before/after break.<BR/><BR/>3. So is the relativism. Remember when Luke accuses Obi-Wan of lying to him about the death of his father, and Obi-Wan counters that it's all a matter of perspective, like many other things in life?stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16547070544928321788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-1131138925993560782005-11-04T16:15:00.000-05:002005-11-04T16:15:00.000-05:00I appreciate the fact that you imply something I h...I appreciate the fact that you imply something I have always thought was true about Lucas: he gives lip service to idolizing Kurosawa, but he never really understood Kurosawa. The real samurai code is much harsher than the Jedi/western market vision Lucas hints at but never really fleshes out.<BR/><BR/>I think Star Wars -- these last 3 movies, anyway, which are actually the first three -- would have been better if they had been more like the Yojimbo, Rashamon and (of course) the Seven Samuri. Think about that: if Lucas had a real appreciation for Kurosawa and had modeled parts I-III on Rashamon, we might have been able to see the rise of the Empire from the perspectives of Yoda (who would see it as a fall from grace), The Emperor (for whom it is a triumph of the will), and Padme (for whom it is a tragic love story) -- and we, the viewer would have had decades of fun trying to sort out which parts were perceptions and which parts were realities.<BR/><BR/>Lousy hacks. I hate film school guys. They are like Star Trek geeks: they know all the niggling details, but they just don't actually get it.FX Turkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16798420127955373559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-1131127407761737872005-11-04T13:03:00.000-05:002005-11-04T13:03:00.000-05:00that's why you find a big wall in your house and b...that's why you find a big wall in your house and buy a projector and the suround system yourself :)Frank Martenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13962831912421867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-1131126234301921152005-11-04T12:43:00.000-05:002005-11-04T12:43:00.000-05:00I was actually disappointed with Ep. III. The act...I was actually disappointed with Ep. III. The acting, to me, was so bad, it took away from the action sequences and classic Star Wars landscape. McDiarmid stole the show as the Emperor, he was great. I found myself rooting for him because the Jedi were pathetic.<BR/><BR/>Nonetheless, I’ll by the DVD and watch it again. I saw it on the big screen (Cinerama, downtown Seattle), and the experience was great. The first three still hold my imagination though. I grew up as a kid on Luke, Solo, and Wookies, that’s all I need.<BR/><BR/>Great review, I agree with you 100%. The moral aspect is so lacking, I just could not engage the film the way I did with Lord of the Rings, where evil was evil, and good was good. There was a definite line in the sand. Lucas blows up that line with muddled messaging and weak dialog.Joe L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14415181787477765576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-1131102830862230262005-11-04T06:13:00.000-05:002005-11-04T06:13:00.000-05:00This is an excellent review. If I had to write it,...This is an excellent review. If I had to write it, this is how I would have said it. The thing is, I am not a master like you at dissecting movies. So, I would not have written it like you did!William Dickshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01211201729445913360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-1131081932987799612005-11-04T00:25:00.000-05:002005-11-04T00:25:00.000-05:00Hehe...nice review. I think Ep. 3 is certainly bes...Hehe...nice review. I think Ep. 3 is certainly best out of the three pre-quels (like you said, matching Empire Strikes Back).<BR/><BR/>It's odd that you didn't mention the (in)famous comment by Kenobi that, "Only Siths deal with absolutes". My initial reaction was that it was self-contradictory. What do you think?<BR/><BR/>BTW, I think the "youngkins" you mention should've been "younglings" (Unless I heard wrong?)lycaphimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14310741279438676739noreply@blogger.com