I saw Star Wars (no, not Episode IV: A New Hope; just plain Star Wars, you young wise-acre) for the first time when I was seven years old, and in Spanish. (Because my family was living in Madrid.) I didn't understand a word, and I don't think I breathed for the entire two hours. Like all boys my age, I was hooked and obsessed. But then Return of Jedi finally came out, it was okay, I was thirteen, and I moved on with my life. Then George Lucas re-released the original trilogy when I was in seminary in preparation for the prequel trilogy. With several classmates I went to see Star Wars (again, Star Wars, not Episode IV), and I was surprised to learn it was bad. I mean, bad as in not good, not bad as in "Han Solo shot first." This was my first inkling that maybe, just maybe, my seven year-old self was a tad lacking in aesthetic sophistication. Who knew?
Anyway. That's all to say that I am, by no stretch of the imagination, a Star Wars fan, but I was blown away by The People vs. George Lucas, which documents fandom's profound disappointment with what George Lucas did with the whole Star Wars franchise after 1983. It's a fascinating display of love and obsession. Every moment is compelling, and most of it is very, very funny.
Watch and wonder at the human condition. Highly recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment