[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.

[gopwinsin04]

Hollywood has been out of touch for the last few months or so. This is the first time in about 10 years that there have been no 30 million opening grossers this late into May

[hmong]

Well, it is not surprising for Lucas to use idiotic lines that absolutes don't exist... I assume Lucas will think that his belief in a subjective universe is absolute.

[RepoGirl]

Comparing Bush to Darth Vader isn't a bad thing in my eyes (although its completely invalid, of course.)

Aside from my loyal love of Chewbacca, I think I was the only kid who saw Star Wars and thought the Empire was cooler than the rebels.

I was probably the only 10 year old girl with a shrine to Darth V in her room. He was just so dang cool, you know?

[bill1952]

Yes, master.

[SoCal Pubbie]

"Lucas claimed has was less inspired by the current political climate than ... how the French turned their backs on democracy to support Napoleon."

I guess Lucas likes The Terror better than war with the rest of Europe. I am always amazed how people try to make the French Revolution like the American Revolution. Try a history book George, or at least an hour watching the History Channel.

[Lord_Baltar]

"Have you ever tried getting your hands on some of that conservative money? Those funds are pretty tight with the purse strings."

Well, could that mean that there isn't a market for Conservative oriented films?

Is that what you're saying?

Or, are you just saying that Conservatives don't want it bad enough? Or that they aren't good enough to write a Marketable Script, or Produce a Movie that could accomplish the 2 goals, those being, inserting Conservative Politics AND Make Money?

"It's so SIMPLE!! "

Not at all. It's actually a HUGE task to get a Movie Produced AND Distributed. It requires a lot of People, working a monumental amount of hours. But obviously, there are some out there capable of doing it.

"Or a billionaire who finances conservative causes."

Ah, howzabout Rupert Murdoch... Oops, it's his Studio that's distributing Star Wars...

"Why didn't I think of that??!!!"

I don't know Jack, it seems like a relativly simple concept...

[gopwinsin04]

I thought Billy Dee was the coolest. The new movies really are awful so far...

[Tax-chick]

My 3-year-old takes his Darth Vader figure to church :-).

[niteowl77]

I can't for the life of me remember who said it, but I have no problem "smouching" it and paraphrasing.

I never got too excited about the Star Wars series, and no longer have anyone at home to wheedle me into seeing the latest installment, so I am here as an amused bystander. FWIW, I consider George Lucas to be a great cinamatic technical innovator, and a shrewd businessman. As a philosopher or theologian... I still think he's a shrewd businessman.

And now that I know he likes Barbara Boxer, I consider him to be an unscrupulous, unprincipled, hypocritical shrewd businessman.

[burzum]

Yeah, you always knew were you stood with Vader.

Now the emperor, you might be killed anytime he sees a more promising apprentice. Or the Jedi? They might think you're not trained well enough to fight with the big boys.

[billbears]

I think we should call for a boycott on everything we disagree with. The story was around long before George Bush came into office. If the similarities of the destruction of the Republic in Star Wars are reminiscent of the continuing destruction of the Federal Republic that used to exist in this nation of states, how is that Lucas' fault? I've spoken to more than a few conservatives (not Republican cheerleaders) that have seen the similarities in the Star Wars story compared to this nation of states past as well as current events in Washington.

[gopwinsin04]

The libs love the French Revolution. Porbably the only military conflict they have ever approved of!

[OKIEDOC]

It's hard to believe that individuals who call themselves mature adults would get so worked up over a kids movie.

I never realized that so many adults were still living in a fantasy world.

My sentiments are that Hollyweird produces bad movies and most of the so called actors can't act.

[RepoGirl]

That sounds like a fine boy you've got there! I approve!

Back when my daughter was just over a year old, I went to the MegaCon here in Orlando. We have pictures of her offering a biter biscuit to Darth Vader, and hugging an imperial storm trooper. Strangely, a guy dressed up as Bugs Bunny made her cry.

Just the other day, we were in Toys R Us, where she spied a large hanging Star Wars display of Darth Vader's mask. She grinned, pointed up to it and yelled, "WHO'S THAT?"

I felt so proud!

[gopwinsin04]

Lucas has said to think strongly before taking childen to this film because it was so dark in nature and subject matter.

[Tax-chick]

Episode IV ("Star Wars," to those of us who were children in the 70's) is his favorite. The action figures really belong to one of the older boys, but Pat carries them around and plays games with them.

[RepoGirl]

Yeah, I think that's what I liked about Vader. He had sort of a straight-forward nobility about him that the other characters just didn't have. Yoda was too busy trying to scam food and annoy you with meaningless, intentionally cryptic sayings (sort of like a miniature, green John Lennon...) and Ben Kenobi was just a creepy old hermit.

Besides, Vader had the cape and the voice. Can't go wrong with that. And... he could choke you just by pinching his fingers together (kind of like the, "I'm crushing your head" guy on Kids in the Hall.)

[yarddog]

Lucas has made it plain before that he uses his movies to push his leftist political ideas.

I still remember a little statement he made about "The Return of the Jedi". He said he based the Ewoks on the Viet Cong. The idea of the primitive people defeating the high tech "evil" forces.

What really is funny is all the people thinking it is silly to complain about the bias, but apparently think it is just ducky for the bias to be put in.

[montag813]

Lucas donated to Boxer way back like 15 years ago, was she as nutty then as she is now?

Nobody knew like they do now. It was her first Senate election. She was an activist wife of a ultra-wealthy financier.

[JAWs]

I'll see it. Already bought the tickets. Then I essentially divorce myself from Lucas. He's insulted my intelligence once too often, even for this fanboy.