Posted on 05/15/2005 8:24:10 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
He looked cool in that show too.
"If you think there is a vast left-wing conspiracy, you are bound to find it. Its just that when you are looking for aliens/black helicopters/etc, they become apparent everywhere!"
Medved never said such a thing. He's just pointing out that GL's politics have slipped in. And apparently Medved's comments are upsetting the Star Wars virgins-for-life fan club. Movies don't exist in a political vacuum and its not surprising that movies reflect to one degree or another the politics of the time. Believing otherwise is naive.
" If you want new ideas, read old books; if you want to old ideas, watch new movies."
Great saying. you should make it your tagline.
With the retrocontinuity though, Lea would also become a jedi (first female?).
Perhaps Luke would also surrender to the dark side.
The stories are weak weak weak because they all focus on a single family that somehow control the fate of the entire universe. And conveniently every one of them meets up with the same counterparts again and again.
Existence is not that small. A space opera like this needed a bigger cast of supporting roles.
I've seen some pictures. I liked several of the actors in NYPD Blue, but with the language and nudity, it just wasn't what I watch.
And you know this how? Have you ever tried getting your hands on some of that conservative money? Those funds are pretty tight with the purse strings.
If you want "Conservative Movies" that rival the likes of Star Wars, then go make them.
Why didn't I think of that??!!! It's so SIMPLE!! Or maybe I'll just become president instead. Or a billionaire who finances conservative causes. Or a double-naught spy. Who'da thunk it was so easy???!
At least this part is an accurate reflection of this administration. The only difference is that Dumbya is calling for all this extra federal power so he can turn it over to Hillary.
I wouldn't doubt that some racist lefty would compare Ms. Rice to Jar Jar. There have been some horribly racist charicatures of her already.
Wow. And I thought it was a spiritual piece on the dangers of priests getting married -- especially if it's a secret marriage. Priests turns to the dark side and goes to Hell.
But isn't it the pulp-fiction convention for the hero to find himself in the center of Great Events, episode after episode? You just have to suspend disbelief, or you'll end up yelling at the screen half the time.
The Empire has always been directly analogous to Nazi Germany.
Are we now supposed to ignore that and assume Lucas is talking about us instead?
I won;t play that game. They've been Space Nazis since 1979, and I see no reason to assume differently until I see the film for myself.
Let your hate flow through you...
No one was calling for a "boycott" of Kingdom of Heaven. Some Freepers just said that they had no interest in going to see a liberal/politically correct take on the Crusades. Don't overreact.
Leia wouldnt be the first female Jedi. If you look closely at the battle scene near the end of the 2nd movie, there are several people that really look like females in the battles themselves....
With all his money, that looks like a rather tepid endorsement. Just enough to leave as a calling-card, but not enough to really make a difference. It may just mean that while he doesn't much care for pubbies/conservatism, he's not all that thrilled with demonrats. Just my opinion.
I thought I was the only person who noticed that. As soon as I herad that name it was obviously an intentional wording.
Bravo!!!!!
Im surprised Medved is seeing this stuff. The only people who have said that ROTS is anti-Bush are the Bush=Hitler people who are obsessed with finding parallels to how Bush is evil everywhere. The "if you arent with me, you're against me" quote is not a stab at Bush, its at the heart of Anakin's feelings that the jedi have betrayed him and are against him. He says stuff like this at least twice in the movie. Its in one of the TV ads. There are plenty of things in Star Wars that look bad on liberals (like the UN) if you want to make parallels. Its just a make believe world.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.