New Disney Streaming Service: Disney+

[EricJ]

Ah yes, remember when clueless grownups thought the Clone Wars movie was an actual canonical film, rather than a Warner CN promotional pilot, for those who remember the He-Man/She-Ra pilot movie playing theaters?

It would be nice if we could get some of those reviews retracted for "...OHHHhhh!" value.

[ShyViolet]

Yeah but Ebert DOES mention that it’s for a CN series right in the first paragraph!

[gaastra]

Clone wars is a canon film. Like it or hate it, it is canon. Also secret of the sword did well in theatres leading to the "done less well" live action film 2 years later.

[Ben]

SW is basically, at the end of the day, one movie.

Just one.

There was never a trilogy. There was never a six or nine film arc plan. It was one movie that was George's throwback to Flash Gordon.

Star Wars wasn’t even Star Wars until he showed the rough cut to his director friends: Brian De Palma added the famous opening crawl that set up the backstory. And the film finishes and wraps everything up. The only thing that leaves the door open is that Vader doesn’t die on screen, though it’s implied in his ship spinning off into space.

There was never more SW until the first film hit so big. And then it became a business. Lucas was lucky he had a bunch of talented people around him: people like Leigh Brackett, who actually came up with most of Empire's story, and as it turns out, I only fairly recently found out that Vader himself, Dave Prowse, actually suggested the idea of Vader being Luke's father, so so much for it all being planned and the ideas for the prequels… In fact, going by production paperwork that I have from the time, Empire was written an in prep as "Star Wars Chapter II", not even using the word Episode — that didn’t come until the later reissue of Star Wars, which suddenly then appeared as Episode IV: A New Hope around a year into its run.

At the least, I would concede that SW does just about count as a trilogy, since after the success of the first film, Star Wars, the plan *was* to make two more, though there was no plan as to what would happen in them, hence by Han was "killed off" in Empire, in case Ford didn’t return for Jedi (and why his character is so woefully underwritten in that film).

Any idea that Star Wars was anything more than Star Wars is a bunch of bantha dung. It was only after it became *so* huge that the idea of sequels came about, and then it grew into this "nine film" thing, then up to twelve, and back to six. The only thing that was *ever* planned was a commitment to make two more films after the first one was such a smash…everything else came later.

And it shows.

So, for me, SW is just Star Wars, plus Empire and Jedi at a push. I do largely enjoy the other entries and bolt ons, but any idea that it was ever supposed to be this grand, all encompassing thing just isn’t right. It all only started, and was only ever initially meant to be…a one -off film that no-one thought was going to be even a moderate hit, which is why Fox thought Lucas was crazy to insist on sequel and merchandising rights, and why the studio decided to take a flat fee payment and not backend. Everyone, including Lucas, thought this was a one and one deal.

Until it wasn’t…!

[ShyViolet]

At the least, I would concede that SW does just about count as a trilogy, since after the success of the first film, Star Wars, the plan *was* to make two more, though there was no plan as to what would happen in them, hence by Han was "killed off" in Empire, in case Ford didn’t return for Jedi (and why his character is so woefully underwritten in that film).

Wow, that’s fascinating! . Makes so much sense, I always wondered why there was so little Han in Jedi. (Another BIG reason why it “wasn’t as good as Empire,” that’s for sure.).

It actually might have been really cool if Han HAD died, would have made the trilogy weightier and even harder to top; thus contrasting even more with the Prequels and Sequels.

***************************************************

Oh, can’t help but be reminded of “C-3PO’s” line in “Something, something, something Dark Side:”

“OK, even though we know where they’re taking him, we should rescue him in exactly three years!”

[Daniel]

Who else but Quagmire?

[ShyViolet]

Ha!

*********************************************

Lucas was lucky he had a bunch of talented people around him: people like Leigh Brackett, who actually came up with most of Empire's story, and as it turns out, I only fairly recently found out that Vader himself, Dave Prowse, actually suggested the idea of Vader being Luke's father, so so much for it all being planned and the ideas for the prequels…

Very interesting on it actually being David Prowse! I’d always thought it was Lawrence Kasdan.

Also, this may seem like a small thing, but Ford’s “adjustment” of Han’s line: “I love you too,” into “I know,” is pretty darn significant. Shows he had a VERY good understanding of his character. That line made the goodbye with Leia so much more genuine and even more heartbreaking.

https://youtu.be/DFCjTjEUTns

(Original scene)

[Farerb]

Growing up I thought I was a huge Star Wars fan, thought I was obsessed with the movies. But then the internet came along and showed me that I am nothing more than a casual fan compared to others. Turns out that what I'm a fan of is Luke Skywalker's story and the banter between C-3PO and R2-D2. All the stuff on D+ I am not interested in and honestly I like to pretend all the TV stuff doesn't exist and that there are only 10 movies in the series (still on the fence about admitting Solo exists). Honestly, cannot believe they made Boba Fett survive the Sarlaac.

To me Star Wars was always just okay, but after TRoS I don't have any desire to watch new Star Wars projects. This is just sad, I'm not interested in Star Wars, not in Marvel, not in Disney Live Action, not in Disney Animation. The only thing that remains is Pixar and Disney is trying to kill it off.

[ShyViolet]

Yeah, I actually agree with a lot of that.

I miss Hollywood of twenty years ago SO much. (At least you didn’t have to literally watch 12 movies in order to be up on what’s going in a current superhero movie! I have NO interest in watching the 20 or 30 films the MCU has put out by now just so I can understand their next one. To me none of them look remotely sophisticated or original which is why I couldn’t care less about “catching up” even though I have Disney + and all of it is available.)
God I miss moments like that upside-down kiss Tobey and Kirsten had plus Wolverine’s epic fights with Mystique and Lady Deathstrike….or sobbing my eyes out at the end of The Two Towers…

That’s all gone now.

(Heck, I’d even settle for Christopher Nolan’s pretentious treat-your—audience-like-idiots blather from Batman Begins…. )

[ShyViolet]

Hope my above post wasn’t too negative/cynical…contemporary Hollywood just frustrates me a lot, but I don’t mean to put down anyone who enjoys MCU movies…I guess they’re just not my thing. But I realize not everyone feels that way…to each his own.

[Randall]

That's okay. My wife doesn't care for MCU stuff, either. I'm glad to have buddies and a teenage son who like to watch those with me. (Though, she did really like Ant Man and Doctor Strange, and has a fondness for Spidey.)

[droosan]

I've only seen about ⅔ of the MCU films thus far, and I don't feel like I'm 'missing' anything, really. I have seen all of the Disney+ shows .. but none of the Netflix ones.

Prior to the Avengers 'Infinity Gauntlet' installments, they did a pretty good job overall of making their 'solo hero' movies accessible enough to be watched & enjoyed individually, AFAICT.

That's admittedly gonna be a bit less possible with the 'Multiverse' & 'Skrull Invasion' storylines that've been brewing in the D+ shows, and coming in the next few films.

-------------------------

Personally, my favorite superhero comics have always been the 'silly' ones that bordered on parody, anyway.

I'm still kinda bummed that Marvel's (soft-announced) Squirrel Girl project apparently fell apart.

I'd also love to see DC make an Inferior Five or Blue Devil movie .. but realize I'm probably alone, in that.

[Randall]

I'd love to see an Inferior Five project, just to get the comics reprinted!

[EricJ]

SW is basically, at the end of the day, one movie.

So....we have to count Rogue One, now? Can we just agree that Solo never happened, though?

I only fairly recently found out that Vader himself, Dave Prowse, actually suggested the idea of Vader being Luke's father, so so much for it all being planned and the ideas for the prequels…

Yeah, that would explain the discrepancy of Luke finally defeating Vader in Lucas's backup "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" sequel, if the original Star Wars didn't go over.

[Daniel]

Dropping today:

:
The Book of Boba Fett - Episode 3
TOTS - Episodes 1-13 (Season 3)
Betty White Goes Wild!
Catch That Kid
Eternals

:
The Big Leap – Episode 7
The Wonder Years – Episode 4
Bless The Harts - Episode 23 (Season 2)
Mixedish – Episode 22
Africa's Hunters - Season 2
Big Sky - Episode 2 (Season 2)
The Chi
Better Things
This Is Us – Episode 2 (Season 6)
Buried Secrets of Keros
Superstorm New York: What Really Happened
World's Weirdest Extreme Body Parts
Inside Costa Concordia: Voices of Disaster
The Raising of the Costa Concordia
The Real Queens of Hip Hop: The Women Who Changed the Game
Gifted
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
Fernando Nation
Four Days in October
Free Spirits
The Gospel According to Mac

:
American Horror Story (Seasons 4-9)
The Great North (Season 2, New Episode)
The Amazing Race (Seasons 1-25)
A Teacher

:
Queens – Episode 8
Gabby Duran and the Unsittables – Season 2
Out of the Shadows: The Man Behind the Steele Dossier
Chibi Tiny Tales
Puppy Dog Pals – New Episodes
Big Sky - Episode 6 (Season 2)
The Simpsons (Season 33, New Episode)
Our Kind Of People
Snowdrop - New Episode