[Michael Medved]: W Bush-Whacked by 'Star Wars?'

NY Post ^ | 5/15/05 | Richard Johnson

[gopwinsin04]

'The Force' ins't with President George W. Bush, as least as far as George Lucas is concerned.

The blogosphere has been abuzz for days with reports that Episode III contains several barely concealed digs at the Bush Administration.

In a much cited scene, Ewan McGregors Obi Wan Kenobi decares, 'Only a Sith Lord deals in absolutes,' after Hayden Chirstensen's Ankin Skywalker/Darth Vader character says, 'If you're not with me, you're my enemy,' an obvious reference to President Bush's statements regarding the war on terror.

As the Senate cedes power to Palpatine under the guise of 'intergalatic security,' Natalie Portman's Princess Padme Amidala exclaims bitterly, 'So this is how liberty dies-to thunderous applause.'

No surprisingly, right wing leaning cineaste critic Michael Medved says George Lucas' script shows just how liberal Hollywood political sensibilities can infect a mass market fantasy like 'Revenge of the Sith'.

'What's striking about the Bush digs is not that they are that important to the film, but that they are so unimportant to it.'

None of this stuff is probably worth getting worked up over, but it's just another indication of the obvious and underlying partisanship of the entertainment industry coming out in places where you would least expect it.'

In an interview with the Associated Press last week, Lucas claimed has was less insipred by the current political climate than by the Nixon and Vietnam era, how the French turned their backs on democracy to support Napoleon and how the Romans did the same thing with Caesar.

[MadIvan]

All those who prefer the Empire to the Jedi should take a look at this -

My own humble contribution.

Regards, Ivan

[bootless]

I had the pleasure of meeting and working with George Lucas back in 1986 a couple of times ... I gave him two brush-up dance lessons. He was a real gentleman, a nice person, with a wry sense of humor. He even stuck around for the practice party afterwards. It was during the Howard the Duck production period ("We're having problems with the duck."), and I was happy to see the amount of respect with which he treated me, a normal, non-Hollywood dance teacher. In a previous visit to the studio, he had brought Linda Ronstadt, and left quickly with her when she became obnoxious and embarrassed him.

The way a prominent person treats the non-prominent tells me so much about their character. He passed, she didn't.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Awesome site...thanks for the link.

[Skywalk]

If you don't know the word was Ewok, it's hard to swallow your credentials on the subject.

That IS completely your opinion that Sebastian Shaw looked like a pedophile piano teacher. Tons of other people saw why he was chosen for the role(and how he appeared as a Force ghost.)

When I say "disappointing" I guess I mean it is supposed to be jarring. Let's be honest, as scary as the Vader mask is, it is majestic. It became iconic for a reason. ANYTHING(whether you believe it or not) is going to be a "disappointment." There is NO visage that can match the power of that mask(hence, the mask being the overarching marketing symbol used for the movies, both old and new.)

[Skywalk]

It's funny, the storylines of TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance were better than the prequels(up until now.) More entertaining, that's for sure.

In any case, though, the Zahn books did introduce two terrible concepts. The Dark Jedi clone on some outlying world device, and the ysalamiri--a lizard that negates the Force.

WTF??!??! ANYTHING that negates the Force in the Star Wars universe is the stupidest idea EVER.

[Skywalk]

Just found this, GL said a lot more than what this article seems to point out(unless I missed it)

"When I wrote it, Iraq didn't exist," Lucas said, laughing.

"We were just funding Saddam Hussein and giving him weapons of mass destruction. We didn't think of him as an enemy at that time. We were going after Iran and using him as our surrogate, just as we were doing in Vietnam…. The parallels between what we did in Vietnam and what we're doing in Iraq now are unbelievable."

---

Ok, when did we use Vietnam as a surrogate(and coordinating with them against the Japanese, when the commies were not the main part of the fighting force is not the same as fighting Ho's boys?)

And I wasn't aware we gave him weapons of mass destruction at all(thought that was Germany and Russia that gave him all the dual use stuff)...thanks for the news, George.

[CalRepublican]

<> You know, ultimately that's correct. Leia was a "princess" who seemed to think her status as such elevated her above Luke, Han, Chewbacca, etc. It's only now we find out that she likely was elected princess on some bizarre planet that elects its royalty. It's obvious that the guy has no real conception of how governments work. Han Solo is a smuggler for a mobster. We've always had to wait for the first trilogy to explain exactly why the Empire was bad and Lucas is doing a really lousy job of doing it. People aren't bad just because they wear black.

[Tax-chick]

As it should be. Adults (either gender) should stay away from kids (either gender).

[RepoGirl]

If you don't know the word was Ewok, it's hard to swallow your credentials on the subject.

Oh, MY! I have been served by a Star Wars geek! Cue the pulsing techno music now:

Credentials? You have got to be joking. I think you take this film just a little TOO seriously.

Atually, chief, I'll be honest: I did know the word ewok, I just thought it was funny, sarcastic and a little willfully perverse to call them Wik Wiks (wasn't the main Ewok named Wicket?). You know, some people can actually know a little about a film, and still not quote dialog by heart.

I was 8 when Star Wars came out, and I saw it about 10 times in the theater. The Lighthouse Point Twin in Tequesta, FL to be precise. I went down to Miami with my sister (I believe in late May, 1980) to see Empire.

By the time Jedi came out, I admit I'd started to move away from the whole experience. I saw Jedi (at the Smithfield 3 in Stuart, FL, now a rehab hospital). I thought it was a big, stinking pantload. I gave the entire trilogy a look-see again a few years ago in Boston, the first one was fun, Empire was a thing of beauty and Jedi was a big, steaming diaper-load. Sorry if that's blasphemy. I can yack myself silly on a thread about a film series I loved as a kid, but I don't take it that seriously.

Put the light sabre down and back away. Repeat to yourself, Skywalk, "It's ONLY a movie..."

[RepoGirl]

You know, you are exactly right.

Thinking about it, Leah is an absolute creep when we see her. She insults the people who have risked their lives to rescue her--she's boorish, rude and elitist.

Personally, I would have tossed HER in the garbage chute and then just turned to the Storm Troopers and said, "We got rid of her for you... can we have our ship back?"

People aren't bad just because they wear black.

Yeah, some people wear it because it camouflages food stains better! ;-)

[RepoGirl]

You know, you are exactly right.

Thinking about it, Leah is an absolute creep when we see her. She insults the people who have risked their lives to rescue her--she's boorish, rude and elitist.

Personally, I would have tossed HER in the garbage chute and then just turned to the Storm Troopers and said, "We got rid of her for you... can we have our ship back?"

People aren't bad just because they wear black.

Yeah, some people wear it because it camouflages food stains better! ;-)

[MarkL]

Let me see if I've got this straight...

Richard Johnson is writing a review of Michael Medved's review of Star Wars...

Mark

[Auntie Dem]

they've been running 'round in self-applauding circles for years.

Exactly, that's why I refer to liberalism as an "Intellectual circle-jerk"

[nutmeg]

bookmark bump

[Recovering_Democrat]

Exactly, that's why I refer to liberalism as an "Intellectual circle-jerk"

That is a good description: a self-centered, morally decrepit, illusion.

[The Duke]

What amazes me is that this much importance is being attached to any movie. As my grandfather use to say..."it's just shadows on the wall".