Non-gaming post ahead.
Somewhere a little over 38 years ago, I sat in a theater watching Star Wars for the first of how-many-hundreds of times. I was the perfect age, the perfect demographic. I was a sucker for the toys, the comics, the books...everything.
OK. Not the Ewoks. Never the Ewoks. Those "movies" may be the only mass-market Star Wars product of which I've never participated. I hate those fuzzy little turds.
Seriously...they completely ruin Return of the Jedi for me.
But I digress.
I still remember—and feel—the awe as the docking hatch of the Tantive IV burns away and Darth Vader strides in. The same goes for the gut-wrenching anticipation of the trash compactor sequence and for the stomach-churning aerial acrobatics above and around the Death Star Trench.
I still remember the anticipation and dread and unbelievable angst of knowing it would be THREE! MORE! YEARS! for the next chapter in the lives of Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, and the droids. And I remember the lines—and standing in lines—for each of the three movies.
And then it was over.
Over the years we had the Expanded Universe as it developed and grew. I read the heck out of Splinter of the Mind's Eye, partly because it was a fun story, but partly because it was the only Star Wars we had for a long time after Jedi. We had the prequels; I don't hate them, but I'm not enamored of them, but they're still Star Wars.
But now we have The Force Awakens. I have heard a reviewer say that we, as a culture, will never experience this kind of entertainment event again in our lifetime. [Aside: Look, I realize that in the grand scheme of things, there are bigger things than Star Wars The Jedi and Sith mean nothing to my eternal salvation. But culturally, socially, it's huge. If I have to explain that to this audience, I'll lose hope. End aside.] I remember going to Star Wars with my father, Empire with my older cousin, and Jedi with my big brother. I have great and emotional memories of each of these.
Each of my children have seen at least one of the prequels in the theater with me, so it's really nothing new. But in one respect, it is. Look: I don't hate them, but the prequels don't seem like the same...storyline...to me. Yeah, they're still Star Wars, but they have a different feel. They were "new." The prequels felt more like backstory or explanation. We already knew what happened to Yoda, Vader, and Obi Wan; the prequels just showed us how they got there. This is..."new" but also "more." It feels like the continuation of beloved memories while also the start of something new.
Tonight I'm taking four of my five kids to see The Force Awakens. I can't express how excited I am. Anyone who grew up with Star Wars knows what it means for myself. But I'm also excited to experience this with my kids. It is a phenomenon. But I think it's a bonding experience too. My boys are about the same age I was for Empire and Jedi. My youngest just turned 8 yesterday, and so is a bit older than I was for Star Wars. [Aside 2: I think I may be more excited for her, just because I remember that feeling of wonder, awe, and imagination at that age. End aside 2.] She already loves Star Wars; I'm excited to see that, by every indication, there are some strong female roles she can look up to.
I hope it won't be "perfect." I want my kids to have their own version of the stormtrooper banging his head, their own version of (arguably the greatest line in the movie) "Look, sir! Droids!" (I'm also a bit afraid they'll have their own version of Obi-Wan being cut down, and that it will hurt.) But I hope it'll have all these things; the movies diminished a bit with all the polishing that Lucas did over the years. I'm honestly surprised that the head-bang wasn't edited out, or that there wasn't more exposition included regarding the droid's exact make and model suggested by the bit of desert detritus.
I'm tearing up just thinking about sitting there with my kids, watching them experience this for themselves. It won't be quite the same. After all, none of us—or our parents—could have foreseen what would have grown from those first scrolling yellow words. But I hope that these mean to my kids something close to what the originals meant to me because of how much my kids mean to me.
They mean the galaxy to me.
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
18 December 2015
06 June 2014
Abrams' Star Wars
I'm really trying to keep an open mind about all of this. I truly am.
You probably have guessed I'm a HUGE Star Wars fan. HUGE. The original trilogy (hereafter referred to as "the Trilogy")? Tops in my book. While I tend to disavow knowledge of the second trilogy, I can sometimes convince myself to watch them...usually by convincing myself they're simply part of the Expanded Universe. As for the EU, I'm not sure I've ever read a BAD EU novel, although I'm told by many that they exist and that most of them were penned by Kevin J. Anderson. I refuse to acknowledge the "Legends" label.
I had to do the same thing with J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies: I've had to convince myself that they exist in an alternate time-line. One with a madcap, out of control lens flare epidemic.
When Abrams was announced as the new director for the upcoming authorized movie(s)...I was scared. Then upset, then in denial, then scared again.
But now I've figured it out. I've learned to accept the possibility. You see, I've figured out what may very well be the plot to the next trilogy.
You see, these films are about a couple of misfit New Republic security agents who fly around the galaxy investigating reports of "weird science" occurrences, like missing star-liners and invisible polar bears. One of the agents happens to be Han Solo's son.... Han Solo travels with his son and the other agent because, y'know, he's flown from one side of this galaxy to the other, and he's seen a lot of strange stuff, but he's also gone just a bit senile from the lens flares caused by the Millennium Falcon's new warp drive.
Then there's the sub-plot--the time travel sub-plot--that involves the character of Wedge Antilles. Now, Wedge is a hero from the EU; after all, he's the only pilot other than Luke Skywalker to survive all the major battles of the Rebellion (at least, as shown in the Trilogy). The EU expanded upon the character and made him a fairly major player. Actor Denis Lawson has already stated that he won't reprise his role in Star Wars VII. HOWEVER: what if they were able to convince him to appear for one single solitary scene--a flashback to pre-Trilogy--in which he has been catapulted back in time to meet his younger self, played by another actor, and give his younger self advice pertinent to staying alive throughout the Rebellion period and into the New Republic Era? Then this new actor could take the reins and be shown (albeit aged) in the new films?
Then there's the sub-plot? R2-D2 is now (secretly) able to access security cameras from all over the New Republic worlds and can send anonymous information to the New Jedi Order to help save innocent lives. Thus Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3P0 race around the galaxy saving those lives (actually, C-3P0 usually stays on Coruscant manning the computer systems from a forgotten digital library because, well, he doesn't get around as quickly as you would imagine necessary).
When I ran this past a friend, he suggested that the time-travel sub-plot also allows for the cast to wear costumes from the 1970s in the new movies. An added bonus!
Does all this sound a bit too extreme? Maybe so. I just don't want to see this happen on the big screen:
You probably have guessed I'm a HUGE Star Wars fan. HUGE. The original trilogy (hereafter referred to as "the Trilogy")? Tops in my book. While I tend to disavow knowledge of the second trilogy, I can sometimes convince myself to watch them...usually by convincing myself they're simply part of the Expanded Universe. As for the EU, I'm not sure I've ever read a BAD EU novel, although I'm told by many that they exist and that most of them were penned by Kevin J. Anderson. I refuse to acknowledge the "Legends" label.
I had to do the same thing with J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies: I've had to convince myself that they exist in an alternate time-line. One with a madcap, out of control lens flare epidemic.
When Abrams was announced as the new director for the upcoming authorized movie(s)...I was scared. Then upset, then in denial, then scared again.
But now I've figured it out. I've learned to accept the possibility. You see, I've figured out what may very well be the plot to the next trilogy.
You see, these films are about a couple of misfit New Republic security agents who fly around the galaxy investigating reports of "weird science" occurrences, like missing star-liners and invisible polar bears. One of the agents happens to be Han Solo's son.... Han Solo travels with his son and the other agent because, y'know, he's flown from one side of this galaxy to the other, and he's seen a lot of strange stuff, but he's also gone just a bit senile from the lens flares caused by the Millennium Falcon's new warp drive.
Then there's the sub-plot--the time travel sub-plot--that involves the character of Wedge Antilles. Now, Wedge is a hero from the EU; after all, he's the only pilot other than Luke Skywalker to survive all the major battles of the Rebellion (at least, as shown in the Trilogy). The EU expanded upon the character and made him a fairly major player. Actor Denis Lawson has already stated that he won't reprise his role in Star Wars VII. HOWEVER: what if they were able to convince him to appear for one single solitary scene--a flashback to pre-Trilogy--in which he has been catapulted back in time to meet his younger self, played by another actor, and give his younger self advice pertinent to staying alive throughout the Rebellion period and into the New Republic Era? Then this new actor could take the reins and be shown (albeit aged) in the new films?
Then there's the sub-plot? R2-D2 is now (secretly) able to access security cameras from all over the New Republic worlds and can send anonymous information to the New Jedi Order to help save innocent lives. Thus Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3P0 race around the galaxy saving those lives (actually, C-3P0 usually stays on Coruscant manning the computer systems from a forgotten digital library because, well, he doesn't get around as quickly as you would imagine necessary).
When I ran this past a friend, he suggested that the time-travel sub-plot also allows for the cast to wear costumes from the 1970s in the new movies. An added bonus!
Does all this sound a bit too extreme? Maybe so. I just don't want to see this happen on the big screen:
| Cosplay by BelleChere; Picture courtesy of FirstPerson Shooter |
21 March 2014
On Ladyhawke and the Firing of Paralegals
To paraphrase Etienne Navarre, "This firm has never known dishonor...until now."
[Aside: Yeah, I know what the original line is: "This sword has been in my family for five generations. It has never known defeat. Until now." It just doesn't exactly fit the situation. End aside.]
My paralegal has been with me for a dozen years. The firm first hired her to answer phones, and she's learned and progressed until, well, frankly she's my office manager now. She knows her stuff. She's good at what she does.
I almost fired her today.
I spent a few hours this morning trying to find a reasonably priced legitimate copy of Ladyhawke on DVD. Not Blu-Ray, DVD. It ain't easy. Everything I could find online was either bootleg, "fair" used quality, or prohibitively expensive. I vocalized this grief and anguish to my paralegal.
She scoffed.
More precisely, she made a "PFFT" sound and then said, "It's not that great a movie. I'm not surprised you can't find it. I AM surprised that you WANT to find it."
My blood roils again just typing those words. You see, it was one of my favorite movies in the 80s. I remember seeing it as a teenager in the theaters. It's one of those movies, like Princess Bride that is often quoted at our game table. And my paralegal? She's not much younger than me, maybe five years. She's a gamer who worships at the altar of World of Warcraft and who played D&D in the past.
And she scoffed at this movie.
There's no accounting for taste, eh?
I've decided to leave it up to my readers: do I fire her for this? or do I just write a note for her personnel file? The poll is up on the right-hand side of the page, just below the "War Cry Generator," and my Followers list. Go to it. Let me know what should be done with the paralegal.
[Aside: Yeah, I know what the original line is: "This sword has been in my family for five generations. It has never known defeat. Until now." It just doesn't exactly fit the situation. End aside.]
My paralegal has been with me for a dozen years. The firm first hired her to answer phones, and she's learned and progressed until, well, frankly she's my office manager now. She knows her stuff. She's good at what she does.
I almost fired her today.
I spent a few hours this morning trying to find a reasonably priced legitimate copy of Ladyhawke on DVD. Not Blu-Ray, DVD. It ain't easy. Everything I could find online was either bootleg, "fair" used quality, or prohibitively expensive. I vocalized this grief and anguish to my paralegal.
She scoffed.
More precisely, she made a "PFFT" sound and then said, "It's not that great a movie. I'm not surprised you can't find it. I AM surprised that you WANT to find it."
My blood roils again just typing those words. You see, it was one of my favorite movies in the 80s. I remember seeing it as a teenager in the theaters. It's one of those movies, like Princess Bride that is often quoted at our game table. And my paralegal? She's not much younger than me, maybe five years. She's a gamer who worships at the altar of World of Warcraft and who played D&D in the past.
And she scoffed at this movie.
There's no accounting for taste, eh?
I've decided to leave it up to my readers: do I fire her for this? or do I just write a note for her personnel file? The poll is up on the right-hand side of the page, just below the "War Cry Generator," and my Followers list. Go to it. Let me know what should be done with the paralegal.
24 February 2014
[D&D 40th Anniversary Bloghop] Day Twenty-four
Dragonslayer would be the answer to this question.
Why? Well, let me count the ways.
- Hello, DRAGONS?!?
- It came out during my gaming youth.
- Umm... DRAGONS and DRAGON SLAYING?!?
On second thought, I'm firmly going with Dragonslayer. It edges out Clash of the Titans on several fronts. First, a golden mechanical owl. Secondly, Clash always gets all the love; Vermithrax Pejorative is due a little respect himself. Thirdly, you've got the bungling hero thrown at the dragon right off. First adventure, BAM! DRAGON.
Finally: "ten tons of rapacious reality. No maiden is safe."
Need I say more?
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