Abuse the Force: Star Wars creator George Lucas should not support the political dark side

The Calgary Sun ^ | May 29, 2005 | Paul Jackson

[quidnunc]

Irate fans of George Lucas' Star Wars juvenile romps have obviously spent too much time waiting in the freezing cold outside movie theatres with the result their brains have become permanently numb.

They're outraged at me following the column "Utter nonsense," (May 24) accusing me of trying to slur Lucas and of mixing politics with entertainment.

Excuse me, but it was Lucas himself, now an arch-foe of the democratically elected government of U.S. President George W. Bush, who decided to mix politics with entertainment.

That's when, at the official opening of the latest Star Wars movie, he said it contained a "wake-up" call to Americans to rise up against the Bush administration which, he insisted, was insidiously trying to take away their individual freedoms.

And, he said, when he conceived the first Star Wars movie that appeared in 1976, it was actually an attack against the alleged dictatorial aims of President Richard Nixon and his involvement in the Vietnam War.

So, the entire Star Wars series has not been solely about entertaining audiences — they have contained subtle political messages to back Democratic or lib-left candidates and oust the Republicans from power at every opportunity.

-snip-

[Bush gal in LA]

Lucas, as well as Oliver Stone and many other directors out here have been supporting the'' dark side ''for quite a while now.

[theDentist]

Wow. So subtle that few noticed, and those who did don't really care.

[BackInBlack]

Look, it's no secret that artsy people in general -- not just those in Hollywood -- tend to be liberals. Not all, but most. That's the nature of the beast.

It also shouldn't be shocking that each side of a political debate sees the other as the "dark side" -- to us, it's those who are apologists for appeasement against dictators; for the other guys, it's "moralists" and "imperialists" like us. Whatever.

[BackInBlack]

Does anyone remember John McCain comparing conservative Republicans to the Evil Empire?

[moog]

those who did don't really care.

Actually, I don't really care as the Hollywood Elite often are just snarfing apples when it comes to politics anyway. I DO care about things close to home and those fighting for our freedoms abroad.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Considering how poorly most of the series is written, it's no wonder it favors lefties.

[Paul Atreides]

And, he said, when he conceived the first Star Wars movie that appeared in 1976, it was actually an attack against the alleged dictatorial aims of President Richard Nixon and his involvement in the Vietnam War.

Actually, it was a pop culture version of Dune, with minor tweaks.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"..And, he said, when he conceived the first Star Wars movie that appeared in 1976, it was actually an attack against the alleged dictatorial aims of President Richard Nixon and his involvement in the Vietnam War..."

Funny, I thought it was actually an attempt to make a fortune in merchandising.

Seriously, any attempt at a political message in a movie today will be blogged to death, if anyone notices the message. Everyone sees their side as the right one and will take the message as they choose. I never made any connection with Nixon on the original Star Wars film and I bet I am not alone.

[xJones]

So, the entire Star Wars series has not been solely about entertaining audiences — they have contained subtle political messages to back Democratic or lib-left candidates and oust the Republicans from power at every opportunity.

How ridiculous, the first Star Wars movies in 1977, 1980, and 1983 were pure entertainment. Lucas really lost his talent with Star Wars Episode 1 (messa think so) in 1997, and his last effort, Episode 3, was his best SWs movie in 25 years. If he was attempting a political message in 3, he really overshot the target because of all the past history.:) Remember that the "Empire" vs. the "Republic" wasn't on his mind in 1977 when the saga began, and it's too late to change it.

[Paul Atreides]

By the time the DVD set, version 32.0, comes out, there is no telling what sort of metaphors will be contained in the storyline.

[Paul Atreides]

Wasn't it the Fr*nch, in Cannes, who seized upon any sort of allegories, absent any Michael Moore drivel to gush over?

[eagle11]

Fortunately, Episode III was too cheesy for Lucas to get out his fraudulent message.

[Kozak]

"..And, he said, when he conceived the first Star Wars movie that appeared in 1976, it was actually an attack against the alleged dictatorial aims of President Richard Nixon and his involvement in the Vietnam War..."

Yeah right. The "dictator" who had resigned 2 years earlier resigned, rather then drag the country through an impeachment trial ( unlike oh, the x42nd president). So Lucas has been an a##wipe for more then 30 years.

[xroadie]

I myself, feel that there were similar allegories to be noted in 'A Christmas Story"
Good guys, bad guys, an evil yet fumbling "Dad" character..
Let's not forget the Leg Lamp.

[Hugin]

Actually, it was a pop culture version of Dune, with minor tweaks.

Lucas ripped ideas from so many sources, including WWII and samurai movies, Asimov's Foundation series, old 30's serials, etc. that you can't really pin it down to one source.

[Paul Atreides]

I mentioned Dune only because I read that Frank Herbert counted several, possibly a dozen, or more, points of correlation between Star Wars and Dune.

[BenLurkin]

George Lucas' Star Wars juvenile romps have obviously spent too much time waiting in the freezing cold outside movie theatres"

Freezing in May, eh?

{snicker}