[Eruanna]

I seem to remember that the storyline involving Darth was known way back in the early days of the double trilogy...about his fall from grace and the whole volcano incident and the life-support suit/armour and mask/helmet. Lucas had this story in his head all these years and now the whole story is complete.

And I always wondered if there was a Lord Vader that there must have been a Lady Vader, too. (Ah, fan musings from my past...)

There is always some compelling tragedy about a sad, disfigured villain. Sometimes there is pathos and sometimes the character is just a 100% mean, evil S.O.B. Anakin's tale makes his transformation to Darth complex. Keep in mind his fall and later redemption...rewatch the first three films.

OK, ladies, we all know how we can fall...hard...for a pretty face! Beauty is our culture is an obsession...look at Calvin Klein ads! (The entire cast of the LOTR films is full of beauties!) Imagine losing one's face a la Darth Vader...or the Phantom of the Opera...or Dr. Doom (in the Fantastic Four)...and in real history the once beautiful Baldwin IV, the Leper King of Jerusalem. (Gosh, I am so glad the film Kingdom of Heaven gave him a little attention!) And for the latter, try reading his TRUE story of perseverance and guts...and then trying not to cry.

"A slightly aquiline nose and shoulder-length blond hair..." Read the chronicles of William of Tyre and only hearts made of stone will have dry eyes...

Sorry to be so depressing...

--Eruanna

[SilverMoonLady]

Ah, no!! Not depressing, but wonderful and inspiring! It is tragic to lose beauty, or to have a beautiful soul behind a face marred by Fate! And it is fascinating to watch the challenge cause growth and illumination, or turn all hope to bitter ash; that's what the finest tales are made of! A victory is nothing if it is not bought with some sacrifice, and heroes are those who overcome!

I've always *loved* the entire idea behind Darth Vader; that he once was a Jedi and had fallen from grace, consumed by the power he sought. It is even more poignant now, knowing that in pursuing the power of the Dark Side to save Padme, he caused her death, fulfilling the prophetic dreams he had.
And of course the heartbreak this fall caused those around him, I mean, Wow! I just wish the acting had been up to the potential of the story ....

[Eruanna]

If anyone wants to make an really compelling story/movie, they should just concentrate on Baldwin himself and make it his story alone.

The whole story of his short, tragic life: a disfiguring terminal illness, a powerful meddling mother, court intrigues, assassination plots, your country constantly at war, political in-fighting. Everyone knowing you are slowing dying and circling like vultures waiting to feast on your carcass and seize the throne. He died when he was only 24. (Yes, I know the magnificent Edward Norton is 30-something, but it did not matter in this role...)

I was SO excited to see the movie trailer of Kingdom of Heaven last year...because I KNEW the figure in the silver mask (yes, I know...Hollywood...) had to be Baldwin! I told my husband, "We have GOT to see that!" I am just so happy they gave him some screen time and an actor to portray the pathos AND the strength of his character. He was not a snivelling, bed-ridden monarch, but tried to rule for as long as he could.

A great biography came out on him in 2000 or so... be prepared to have a box of hankies.

--Eruanna

[HamsterofDOOM]

[SilverMoonLady]

Oh, I'll wager not everyone carrying twins looks like a watermellon in a sock (though I did towards the end... )
She certainly took risks not a lot of women would have, but then, she is rather formidable (or was meant to be).

[Eruanna]

First of all, keep in mind that Star Wars, like Tolkien's world, is just a big fairy tale.

Dialogue is "dramatic," situations are melodramatic and science/fantasy causes usual situations and responses.

Fantasy maidens always have nice figures after delivering twins. I am sure Celebrian left for Aman still a svelt knockout as when Elrond courted her! Not to mention Nerdanel and her seven pregnancies...plus she had to keep Feanor in line!

I just sit back and ENJOY....try not to analyse or get wrapped up in reality or you will get depressed. (See my post on Baldwin...)

--Eruanna

[Viv]

[HamsterofDOOM]

[Lanthiriel]

I am a Star Wars addict from way back and I noticed a fair few deviations from the original story line. First thing, Padme shouldn't have died in childbirth. Leia has "memories" of her mother when she was very young (Return of the Jedi, when Luke asks her about what she remembers about her REAL mother!) Then, of course, Han Solo - where was he? He would have been a young man (at least 16) and he had been adopted by the Wookiees. So why wasn't he in the Wookiee planet fight with Chewie? At least as a cameo?

Georgie boy, you wrapped it all up rather nicely, but you shoulda re-read the scripts of the original three movies - didn't you realise that your geek crew would spot the mistakes?

tsk tsk.

Still, gotta say, Anakin filled out rather nicely til he became a barbecued spare-rib...

[Eyborg]

I'm not sure that Han Solo was that old - I think (if I remember correctly) that he is only about 10 years older than Luke & Leia. But still, it would have been fun to see him as a kid (or even Lando).

And yes, that part about Leia remembering her mother also bugged me. I mean, okay, she has the Force and all, but... why didn't Luke remember anything? Hmmm... looks like our dear Mr. Lucas made a plothole there.

[NancyBrooke]

This past weekend, my husband and I got a sitter, went out for a nice dinner, and to a big, historic, single-screen movie house to see, RoS (Revenge of the Snits).

Not going to mince words - (please don't hate me because I'm cynical ...) we snickered and snorted our way as politely as we could through most of it.

To quote Luke Skywalker: "What a piece of junk!" Couldn't believe it. Sure, it looked pretty, but the dialog! could it have been more hackneyed? "Nooooooo!!!" don't think so.

I found this piece to be all about the technology (the special effects kind, not the space travel kind). There was so much action because the lightsabers and the ships could now look really cool, which they did. I think the characters and everything that expressed them, i.e. interaction and dialog, just wasn't really important to Lucas. Even Ewan McGregor (who I agree, did the best job of all), didn't really look that agrieved with the whole "You were my brother" spiel. I liked the last ten minutes, or so, though; when there was no dialog the operatic scale of the visuals was pretty effecting.

There was actually a pretty interesting interview by that know-it-all Michael Sragow in this past weekend's Baltimore Sun. Here's the obnoxiously long link:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/arts/bal-as.lucas19jun19,1,3094162.story?coll=bal-artslife-society&ctrack=1&cset=true


But the real problem with plastic acting, is that it makes you notice everything else, like:

How come every Lightsaber duel starts with that huge double-gainor flippy-thing?

Why does General Grievous, the original machine man, have a cough? Does he even have an esophagus?

How come, after she'd delivered the twins, dead Padme still looked like she's swallowed a bowling ball?

Since everyone else is travelling on pretty flying things, how come Obi-wan goes for the big squeaky lizard that can't swim?

Why, exactly, would anyone invent a droid that looked like a crab? What possible purpose could that design serve? and, it would have to move sideways ...

Just didn't get this one at all. Can't wait 'till it comes out on video, though; we're planning a "go ahead, say it out loud" party.

And to think, we were just laughing on another thread about how funny it would be to see a film or read a story which broke all the rules for being an EvilOverLord ... George Lucas is why there is an EvilOverLord.com in the first place.

[simon22cat]

I really did not care for the new series. Personally, I thought they sucked. I will admitt the lightsaber duel that us Star War geeks have been waiting on for the last 30 some years rocked! I still think George Lucas should have stopped after Return of the Jedi.




________
I have been having fun hunting down icons from the movies.

[HamsterofDOOM]

[Alassante]

I asked my husband about General Grievous too. I think he was partially human. The part that was wheezing was human.