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Star Wars ... Mark Steyn
Steyn Online ^ | 19 Dec 2015 | Mark Steyn

Posted on 12/20/2015 12:35:06 AM PST by Rummyfan

Stabilize your rear deflectors! From a galaxy far far away - the summer of 1977 - Star Wars is back, rebooted for the 21st century and in hopes that after a decade's time-out the series has shaken off its turn-of-the-century "prequels", agreed even by hardcore fans to have been disappointing.

Not that it made any difference to the grosses: One of the remarkable features of the franchise is its resistance to quality control. Sci-fi wasn't boffo before Star Wars - if anything, rather the opposite: It was regarded as the upmarket intellectual end of genre fiction. Then George Lucas came along, and hijacked the entire field, with little more than a guy with a bucket on his head, a dog with a stick-on moustache, a talking garbage can and a princess wearing two cinnamon rolls on her ears.

But what do I know? Star Wars is the most successful movie ever. It's supposed to be "epic" and "primal", but, if so, it beats me. A film such as, say, High Noon, which takes place in real time — 90 minutes — on one dusty monochrome main street lined with plywood house fronts and whose only special effect is Tex Ritter's plaintive rendition of the title song, is truly primal: it's big at its core. Star Wars, it seems to me, is epic only in the sense that the telephone book is epic.

(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...


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1 posted on 12/20/2015 12:35:06 AM PST by Rummyfan
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To: Rummyfan

A spot-on analysis it is.


2 posted on 12/20/2015 1:03:18 AM PST by Cincinatus (Omnia relinquit servare Rempublicam)
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To: Rummyfan
Classic Star Wars analysis and particularly biting on Lucas. Who deserves nothing less.
3 posted on 12/20/2015 1:06:15 AM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: Rummyfan

One of Steyn’s few crullers. Lengthy, sneering critique of the previous six episodes; he hasn’t seen the new release. Psst, Mark: Shane is a much better Western than High Noon.


4 posted on 12/20/2015 1:06:24 AM PST by twister881
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To: Rummyfan

What is overlooked in all of the Star Wars hoopla which began in 1977 is that the entire series is basically anti-Christian at it’s very core. It pushes the idea of an all encompassing ‘Force’ with good and evil ‘sides’, and there is not even a scintilla of thought given to the idea of an actual Creator, not an Almighty God, not even multiple ‘gods’ whatsoever. It is a film that atheists should love except for the idea that once life ends, an individual becomes ‘one’ with the Force and gets to pop up in ghost form from time to time, depending on the occasion instead of blinking out into nothingness which is the final wet dream of every atheist.

It promotes the idea of individuals obtaining mystical abilities by learning how to ‘harness’ the ‘Force’, abilities which are supposed to enable one to serve good or serve evil depending on whether the warnings about the ‘Dark Side’ are heeded.

There are certainly good role models in the story line, just as there are truly evil characters, however the basic sociological idea being promoted is that humans are responsible for their own eternal fates, and that the only salvation needed is to just avoid the ‘Dark Side’, do some good deeds, blow up something valuable belonging to the Empire, and if necessary lose one’s life while fighting for truth, justice and the Old Republic.

Oh the movie(s) are fun, but the basis of them is nothing but metaphysical crap.

And for what it’s worth, George Lucas contributed to both Obama and McCain in the 2008 election. $300 bucks for McCain, $33,000 for Obama.

Do the math.


5 posted on 12/20/2015 1:43:54 AM PST by mkjessup
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To: Rummyfan

A fan, Mark is not.


6 posted on 12/20/2015 2:08:07 AM PST by Paladin2 (my non-desktop devices are no longer allowed to try to fix speling and punctuation, nor my gran-mah.)
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To: Rummyfan

Nail meet hammer. Awesome. It’s the computer graphics Mark. That is the whole ball of wax.


7 posted on 12/20/2015 2:09:33 AM PST by justa-hairyape (The use of the name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
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To: Rummyfan

I’ve never seen one Star Wars movie.
No need to start now.


8 posted on 12/20/2015 2:11:12 AM PST by onyx
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To: onyx
I’ve never seen one Star Wars movie. No need to start now.

LOL!

You and Trump(he has been on Twitter for a few hours this morning already!) are sure early risers.

9 posted on 12/20/2015 2:32:02 AM PST by exit82 ("The Taliban is on the inside of the building" E. Nordstrom 10-10-12)
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To: Rummyfan

I liked the first three. The rest got boring.


10 posted on 12/20/2015 2:45:09 AM PST by Lopeover (2016 Election is about allegiance to the United States)
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To: exit82

LOL.

Trump is an early riser, whereas I stay up late!

I’ve always loved the nights!

Beginning in grade school, I twice wrote essays and then campaigns to “save the city money by holding double sessions (morning start’s and afternoon start’s) instead of building new schools.” LOL. Actual “letters to the Editor” of both the Morning and Evening Newspapers AND BOTH were published!!! I was in the 3rd Grade when I wrote my first letter. WOW, was my Father SHOCKED when he found out ... oh boy! Not only that, but my sweet Mother was very active in the PTA, which only made it worse!

You see, I was often very tired in the afternoon “reading circle,” so once my “letter to the editor” was published, the dots were easy to connect. LOLOLOLOL.

I still maintain my idea was a solid one, because my “baby boomer generation” were responsible for the city’s new schools that were shuttered in later years with the expansion of the suburbs.

I still only like the days during daylight savings time and/or warm weather.

:)


11 posted on 12/20/2015 2:50:56 AM PST by onyx
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To: onyx

I saw a hilarious sign on a church billboard yesrerday: A long time ago, in a Galilee far, far away.


12 posted on 12/20/2015 3:17:50 AM PST by freepertoo
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To: freepertoo

LOLOL.
I love it!

VERY CLEVER!


13 posted on 12/20/2015 3:20:32 AM PST by onyx
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To: Rummyfan

I’m not going to piss in anybodies Wheaties this morning. Everyday life in these United States has sucked for a while now and any escapism that makes you forget TPTB is good for your sanity.


14 posted on 12/20/2015 3:43:20 AM PST by AU72
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To: Rummyfan

bflr


15 posted on 12/20/2015 3:47:30 AM PST by sauropod (I am His and He is mine.)
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To: Rummyfan
It's impossible to equal or better Steyn when it comes to observations on modern culture. You can't out-write him or be as funny as he is.

All hail Darth Steyn ....the destroyer of all pretentious drivel like the Star Wars movies.

16 posted on 12/20/2015 3:56:48 AM PST by driftless2 (For long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
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To: Lopeover
I liked the first three. The rest got boring

I started looking at my watch about halfway through the first one back in 1977.

17 posted on 12/20/2015 3:58:47 AM PST by driftless2 (For long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
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To: Rummyfan
Wish to see the latest Star Wars movie?
Get someone else to pay for your ticket.
That way you won't regret the wasted time.
18 posted on 12/20/2015 3:58:59 AM PST by StormEye
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To: Rummyfan
I liked the three original Star Wars films, but apparently George Lucas did not. He kept tinkering with them.

If the original versions of the three films released in the 70s and 80s were available, I might watch them. I don't bother with the revised versions. Just my opinion.

19 posted on 12/20/2015 4:06:31 AM PST by cvq3842 (Thanks for all responses, and flames, in advance.)
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To: onyx

start with ep 4, 5, 6, then 1, 2, 3


20 posted on 12/20/2015 4:07:49 AM PST by 4rcane
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