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Deconstructing Star Wars and 'The Last Jedi'
Weekly Standard ^ | 5 Jan 2018 | Hannah Long

Posted on 01/05/2018 9:41:37 AM PST by Rummyfan

Star Wars’ roots in mythology are so well-established that they have become a sort of legend in themselves: Somewhere in a hallowed office in the ’70s, George Lucas, poring the ancient pages of Campbell's Hero With a Thousand Faces, struck the molten iron of the sci-fi zeitgeist to create a new myth, a fantasy set in the stars, with futuristic light sabers and a misty philosophy which feels like long, long ago.

Every subsequent Star Wars film has attempted to recapture Lucas' initial magic, with mixed success. Each trilogy is wildly different, from the archetypal myth of the originals to the shallow politics of the prequels to the meta, self-referential Disney films.

And yet they all share one thing in common: the failure of authority structures. In the original trilogy, Luke has to come to terms with the reality that he is the son of the most iconic villain in cinema history. The prequels loop back to observe the tragic rise and fall of that character, and his disenchantment with the stilted bureaucracy of the Jedi Order. The Last Jedi combines both of these anxieties—the crisis of absent, immoral parents and failed institutions. But having abandoned its mythic roots, TLJ has no way to handle these conflicts.

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


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chat; hollywood; moviereview; starwars
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To: SkyPilot

Not as bad as some of the others, where you had some line about ‘this is how freedom dies’, or something like that.

In this one, women had all the answers, men were either villains, or had too much testosterone.

I saw it a few weeks ago, and that ‘feels like it was made by a transexual’ thing hasn’t left me.


41 posted on 01/05/2018 12:30:27 PM PST by RinaseaofDs
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To: A_perfect_lady

Yeah, technically speaking he rejected the Dark Side, or at least the Sith method, he just didn’t go and join the Jedi in the process. He put a curse upon both their houses. Rey rejects him because she doesn’t want to be co-tyrant, she’s into the whole Republic thing.


42 posted on 01/05/2018 12:32:41 PM PST by discostu (let's do another bad one, cause I like it when the blood drains from Dave's face.)
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To: DiogenesLamp

The only reason it doesn’t bother me is twofold:

1. I finally applied the serenity prayer.
2. I battle it by mocking it every chance I get. I argue this stuff with liberals in forums, facebook and real life all the time. Mocking liberal lunacy is by far the best way to start the discussion.

You aughta see them come unglued when I say things like in the post you responded to. And when they do, I spam them with links and quotes that support and solidify my position.


43 posted on 01/05/2018 12:33:53 PM PST by robroys woman (So you're not confused, I'm male.)
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To: robroys woman
Mocking liberal lunacy is by far the best way to start the discussion.

This is the best way to deal with liberal ideas. I think the official methodology is called "reductio ad absurdum". I think Rush Limbaugh calls it "illustrating absurdity by being absurd."

There is another, what I believed to be famous, description of this strategy that I heard years ago, but I haven't been able to find references to it lately.

"Laughter rocks the Highest throne."

But they have a megaphone in the public's ear, and we just have these websites, and not much of the public sees our mockery.

44 posted on 01/05/2018 12:41:01 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: Rummyfan

we clearly need a thread for those critics who actually haven’t seen the film. LOL


45 posted on 01/05/2018 12:43:01 PM PST by morphing libertarian (Build Kate's Wall)
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To: DiogenesLamp

A more accurate depiction of what happens to unwisely aggressive women (Language warning)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w6UUkkOmgo


46 posted on 01/05/2018 12:43:14 PM PST by PapaBear3625 (Big governent is attractive to those who think that THEY will be in control of it.)
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To: RinaseaofDs
Yup.

Watch this 5 minute video. It is really well thought out and explains why the Star Wars franchise has gone so far off the rails:

SJWs Have Ruined Star Wars

47 posted on 01/05/2018 12:44:20 PM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: DiogenesLamp

TLJ was a good movie,good story, funny and enjoyable. Folks should let their hair down and actually take enjoyment from life and not look through a political prism in each and every corner. Only then will they truly enjoy a good movie.

I enjoyed the first originals as well but let’s not mince over today vs. yesteryear. The acting was absolutely abysmal then. Yes enjoyable but my god if anyone found redeeming qualities in the originals it was the score and the stories because it sure as hell wasnt the acting. However some will cling to it like a religion and swear up and down they were Emmy worthy performances


48 posted on 01/05/2018 12:47:08 PM PST by Jarhead9297
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To: PapaBear3625

I don’t think most women would be stupid enough to try that. But yeah, that is pretty much what would happen if they did.


49 posted on 01/05/2018 12:54:32 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: Jarhead9297
TLJ was a good movie,good story, funny and enjoyable. Folks should let their hair down and actually take enjoyment from life and not look through a political prism in each and every corner. Only then will they truly enjoy a good movie.

There is a "thing" in movies called "suspension of disbelief", that I regard as critical to enjoying the movie. It is the responsibility of the movie to put you in the frame of mind of suspending your disbelief in the fantastical things they are showing you, and it is in their best interest to do this well.

Putting things like pantless teddy bears with stone axes destroying super advanced technology weapons of war, is beyond nonsensical, and it is obviously introduced to attract children and create marketing of teddy bear doll products.

Showing movie after movie with average sized females going Super Warrior on much stronger and tougher men, is another such example where they make it impossible to suspend disbelief.

Unless you are as simple as a 14 year old boy, for whom it is my understanding movies target as their primary demographic, it is difficult to appreciate a movie with such jarring departures from plausible reality.

I enjoyed the first originals as well but let’s not mince over today vs. yesteryear.

I'm not. I'm mincing over a well told epic story versus narcissistic politically correct garbage. Have you ever watched Plinkett's reviews of the Star Wars movies?

They are literally far more entertaining than the actual movies they critique. Every criticism he makes is not only cutting, it is phenomenally accurate. He talks about the theory of entertainment and methodologies of successful movies and successful directors. The man has a deep understanding of the nuts and bolts of movie making, and he applies this knowledge as would a master swordsman fencing with a novice.

If you haven't seen them, do yourself a favor and look at his critique of the Phantom Menace, linked above.

50 posted on 01/05/2018 1:10:33 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: safeasthebanks; freepertoo
“I love the original 2, can tolerate the original third...hate all the rest.” Agree 100%.

Same here. It was all downhill from The Empire Strikes Back.

51 posted on 01/05/2018 2:13:32 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Rummyfan

Return of the Jedi could have been close to the first two, but the Ewoks ruined it.

I know they were just one part of the movie, but I felt it was just so egregious that it significantly affected the enjoyment of it.


52 posted on 01/05/2018 2:26:13 PM PST by safeasthebanks ("The most rewarding part, was when he gave me my money!" - Dr. Nick)
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To: ssaftler
I guess so. My major problem, besides all the PC bullcrap, is that ‘TLJ’ did little or nothing to extend the story lines of previous editions, but didn’t work as a stand-alone movie. Mainly because the writers assumed we all knew who the characters were.

My problem with it is that I didn't watch the three new movies made after the first three. I think I saw the film with Jar Jar Binks but it didn't do much for me. The little Darth Vader kid seemed the opposite of some role model. Star Wars never did hold much interest for me. I enjoyed reading Heinlein, Asimov, Norton, Verne, Wells, and even Anne McCaffrey. Drawn out, meaningless space opera with no link to Earth seems worthless to me. I will not be seeing the last Jedi warrior.

53 posted on 01/05/2018 2:53:27 PM PST by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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To: discostu
Rey rejects him because she doesn’t want to be co-tyrant, she’s into the whole Republic thing.

This is feminism's lack of imagination. You don't take that boy's hand to become a co-tyrant. You take it to become a softening influence.

54 posted on 01/05/2018 5:00:16 PM PST by A_perfect_lady (Play dhimmi games, win dhimmi prizes, nÂ’est-ce pas? -tomkat)
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To: ssaftler
My major problem [...] is that ‘TLJ’ did little or nothing to extend the story lines of previous editions [...]

Oh, it "extended" the franchise's storylines all right - in about the same way that a hypothetical sequel to "Casablanca" might have extended its storyline by - in the first ten minutes:

- showing us how Rick and Renault, while still disappearing into the fog on the tarmac, suddenly had a bitter argument and instantly parted ways, with Rick returning to New York and Renault continuing on to the garrison in Brazzaville alone;

- showing us how the plane on which Elsa and Laslo were flying to Lisbon suffered engine failure and crashed into the sea, with Laslo drowning and Elsa being rescued by an American ship which takes her to New York, where she miraculously runs into Rick and renews their romance;

- showing us how Signor Ferrari (Sidney Greenstreet) was actually a British secret agent the whole time;

- showing us how Ugarte (Peter Lorre) hadn't really died, but was actually a master American spy who then teams up with Ferrari to hunt down Major Strasser, who actually survived the bullet Rick plugged him with. They are able to "turn" Strasser, and so the three of them then journey to the Free France garrison over at Brazzaville, to "continue the fight."

Yeah, that would have really "tied up" all the loose ends and satisfied the audience plenty!

Regards,

55 posted on 01/06/2018 2:47:53 AM PST by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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To: A_perfect_lady
He kills Snopes (or Snork or whatever) and is left in the position of having an Empire before him with a sudden job opening at the very top, and himself as the most likely successor to the throne. This is not Dark in and of itself. He could take command and change the direction of the First Order. The fact that he holds out his hand to Rey and says, "Rule with me" indicates a willingness to do just that. Why she rejects him is beyond me.

Those are some very good points!

I would like to point out that, contrary to what the new movies are trying to imply and what everyone seems to have accepted, Kylo Ren is not actually evil.

He is a petulant, selfish Millenial totally lacking in self-control and self-confidence - but he is not evil.

He has actually evinced no desire for power, displayed no enjoyment of making others suffer, no real hatred of anyone.

What, superficially, might look like a desire for power is actually a desire for validation / acceptance.

What, superficially, might be mistaken for an enjoyment of making others suffer is actually a frustration with or attempt to compensate for his own inadequacy.

What appears to be hatred is actually envy or anger over being rejected / not loved.

Seriously: Where, in either of the two new films, does Kylo ever inspire true terror - either in the other characters or in the audience? When Snork finally chastises him for being weak and tells him to remove the "silly mask," he is speaking for the whole audience. Could you imagine him saying that to Vader, who was truly chilling?

As for "Mary Sue" not taking him up on his offer - She probably felt that she could "do better" than him / didn't want Snork's "sloppy seconds."

Regards,

56 posted on 01/06/2018 3:04:49 AM PST by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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To: SkyPilot
Since then I’ve come to the conclusion that without the John Williams’ soundtrack the movie would have not been nearly so popular.

I had seen that some time ago, but had forgotten how wonderfully funny it is!

I especially liked Chewy's "groans" - and the coughs and nose-blowing in the background!

But seriously: Almost any comparable scene in other movies would equally lose a lot of their grandeur and impact without the appropriate musical score.

Regards,

57 posted on 01/06/2018 3:11:45 AM PST by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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To: alexander_busek
But seriously: Almost any comparable scene in other movies would equally lose a lot of their grandeur and impact without the appropriate musical score.

Oh I agree.

Whoever thought of that clip (the one without Williams' music) was brilliant.

58 posted on 01/06/2018 3:28:59 AM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: DiogenesLamp
The Vandalization of Star Wars
59 posted on 01/06/2018 3:43:57 AM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: A_perfect_lady

That’s not feminism, that’s reality. Taking a boy’s hand thinking you’re going to change him is how women wind up in bad relationships.


60 posted on 01/06/2018 6:35:58 AM PST by discostu (let's do another bad one, cause I like it when the blood drains from Dave's face.)
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