Posted on 05/16/2005 2:07:19 AM PDT by Savage_Nation
CANNES — The last episode of the seminal sci-fi saga "Star Wars" screened at the Cannes film festival Sunday, completing a six-part series that remains a major part of popular culture — and delivering a galactic jab to U.S. President George W Bush.
"Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith" was seen ahead of a celebrity-laden evening screening to be attended by its creator and director, George Lucas, and its cast, including Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen.
Reaction at advance screenings was effusive, with festival-goers, critics and journalists at Cannes applauding at the moment the infamous Darth Vader came into being.
But there were also murmurs at the parallels being drawn between Bush's administration and the birth of the space opera's evil Empire.
Baddies' dialogue about bloodshed and despicable acts being needed to bring "peace and stability" to the movie's universe, mainly through a fabricated war, set the scene.
And then came the zinger, with the protagonist, Anakin Skywalker, saying just before becoming Darth Vader: "You are either with me — or you are my enemy."
To the Cannes audience, often sympathetic to anti-Bush messages in cinema as last year's triumph here of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" attested, that immediately recalled Bush's 2001 ultimatum, "You're either with us or against us in the fight against terror."
Lucas, speaking to reporters, emphasised that the original "Star Wars" was written at the end of the Vietnam war, when Richard Nixon was U.S. president, but that the issue being explored was still very much alive today.
"The issue was, how does a democracy turn itself into a dictatorship?" he said.
"When I wrote it, Iraq (the U.S.-led war) didn't exist... but the parallels of what we did in Vietnam and Iraq are unbelievable."
He acknowledged an uncomfortable feeling that the United States was in danger of losing its democratic ideals, like in the movie.
"I didn't think it was going to get this close. I hope this doesn't come true in our country."
Although he didn't mention Bush by name, Lucas took what sounded like another dig while explaining the transformation of the once-good Anakin Skywalker to the very bad Darth Vader.
"Most bad people think they're good people," he said.
The political message, though, was for the most part subsumed by the action and heroics the series — set "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" — is known for.
And for fans hungry for a last look at "Star Wars" elevated above the disappointing two other films that preceded "Sith," it was satisfying closure.
"Whatever one thought of the previous two installments, this dynamic picture irons out most of the problems, and emerges as the best in the overall series since 'The Empire Strikes Back,'" the Hollywood trade magazine Variety said.
The buzz meant the movie was the hottest ticket at Cannes this year. It also signalled the end of a cinematic era for a generation of filmgoers.
"Revenge of the Sith" is the last of three prequels to the landmark trilogy that burst onto the screens in 1977, 1980 and 1983.
It is in fact the middle episode of the epic story arc, explaining the events that led young Luke Skywalker to battle Darth Vader in order to save Princess Leia, before going on to vanquish the Empire.
Its success could be measured in the claps and smiles in the theatre, which were light years away from the tepid response engendered by the first two prequels, released in 1999 and 2002, widely panned for their boring exposition and wooden dialogue. (Wire reports)
The walking soft didn't do that, nor was the perceived lack of strength a major cause. Ultimately the only individuals responsible for those lives where the ones who took them.
The President is not a diplomat, isn't supposed to be a diplomat, and I don't want to waste time on a President who is.
Of course you don't, and neither does the great majority of the electorate, that was my point, and thats why he has to wave his dick around to the mob to show us he is bigger, but then has to play nice with foreign leaders. I don't think he should have to do either.
But in point of fact, the president has to be diplomatic if he wants to keep the people safe. The duty of a diplomat is not to be nice for the sake of it, there is a motive and a goal behind most diplomatic action. The reality is, strong-arming people works less often (unless you are prepared to pay with lives) and when it does the rewards are less permanent. This shouldn't even be a point of contention, any idiot knows humans don't respond well to threats. They may serenader now, but they'll brood. Better by far to eliminate them behinds the scenes without any fanfare at all. Strong arming them and threatening them may take a lot less time, but doesn't solve the fundamental problem. Any potential enemy who is smart (Saddam clearly wasn't) can just wait out a president, who is thrown into a chess game he didn't start and is expected to make one or two moves then give it up to some one else.
You are absolutely right that he needed to do things this way, because he has to do something, and given his limited amount of time it's either move the pawn on the one turn he has, or wait for the clock to run out. But he cannot set up the board in any meaningful way.
Suit yourself. It's a free country. You can be as stupid and as irrational as you like. You probably voted for Buchanan too.
Huh?
LOL!
No, you can thank me or blame me for President Bush. I don't care for Buchanan.
What's the sound and smell that my wife and kids hate...especially after a tex-mex dinner...yeah...that's it. I feel much better now...or don't you agree with that??
George Lucas has his new studio at the former Presidio military base in San Francisco, CA. He is also a resident of Moron County, which is the home of Ratboy John Walker, so that gives a frame of reference to how he thinks.
I could tell a ton of negative stories I've heard about his studio and affiliated companies.
I'm beginning to think that's because you live in a different world from me. Where I live leadership is required.
Ultimately the only individuals responsible for those lives where the ones who took them.
If someone raped my daughter I would only blame the rapist. But there are things I can teach her to reduce her chances of being raped. I am a negligent parent if I don't teach her those things.
We could have done some things to lesson the likelihood of 9/11. Recognizing that there are monsters in the world who only respect the willingness to react violently is one of those things. Lobbing cruise missiles into empty tents was not.
I agree to disagree with you. Have a great weekend.
Shalom.
Geez! It's a movie, people!
Lucas most likely doesn't get a cut of the concessions. That's how the theaters make money. They probably pay more for the showing of film at the matinee than they take in in revenue, even with a mostly full theater.
Perhaps. But more likely I just don't see the world the same way you do.
Where I live leadership is required.
What you call leadership I call demagoguery. But you're right, where you and I live it is required. I just don't like it.
Subtext ? So 'art' now includes subtext ? That must be why I usually end up laughing out loud when I walk through a modern art exhibit. Art is no longer art. Its subtext.
Andy popularized it. Made it the norm.
I was talking about Art in general. Movies, novels. Warhol's Pomo work is just one end of a broad spectrum.
Back in the very early days of computer special effects, there was a direct link between Silicon Valley Computer Manufacturers and Hollywood Special Effects Studios. The two were probably not looked at as seperate entities. Lucas probably moved north to get closer to the desk sized graphics supercomputers that were being made in the Silicon Valley.
Got ya. Heck some are even claiming that the Last Supper has hidden meaning. Look for the new 'Hollywood' movie coming to a theater near you (Da Vinci Code).
Well its one of the highest selling novels of all time. Are you really surprised a movie was made.
A couple of friends of mine went to see the matinee and asked me if I wanted to go. I politely declined. I'll be waiting for cable for this turkey.
Could you point us at a source for that. I kinda figured he would.
It was great. I was on the edge of my seat for pretty much the the whole 2/5 hours, and even after reading Lucas' comments I just did *not* see overt bashing.
"This movie was the only one I've seen where the battlefields in the souls and minds of the individuals dwarfed the real physical warfare."
Yep. The torment for Anakin was palpable, and knowing in advance where he was going to end up was very wrenching. Lucas has a lot of woodenness in his movies, but this movie was much better in that regard.
Revenge of the Sith was filmed concurrently with Attack of the Clones....so before the Iraq War.
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