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A Rebel's Ramblings

by: FAN4YRS

date posted: Dec 09, 2006 9:13 AM | updated: Dec 09, 2006 9:14 AM

Some Can Get by with It

When I think of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas I think of two very different people who enjoy working in similiar genres.

As a person, I much prefer George Lucas to Speilberg. It just seems to me that Lucas embodies more of my own personal outlook on life while Steven's values have often come into question with me.

However, Steven Speilberg seems to get by with a little more in my mind and I wonder why that is--especially considering that, overall, I prefer the "Star Wars" saga to anything Steven has done.

Take, for example, the special editions. I have made it no secret that I absolutely hate the "Star Wars" Special Editions. If all three of them died in a car accident today or were horrible injured beyond recognizition I would jump for joy! However, I LOVE the E. T. Special Edition. Every restored scene seems to make the film more enjoyable. I especially love the conversation between Elliott and ET in the bathroom, because I think it would be typical of a child and someone/something new. However, with one exception, in ANH when a pilot tells Luke "I knew your father", I absolute HATE EVERY SINGLE CHANGE that was made to the Trilogy.

Still, I can name another example. In E. T. when Greg says "Why can't they [E. T.'s people] just beam him aboard", Elliot replies: "This is reality, Greg." For some reason, that makes me laugh. However, in AOTC when Padme says "I'm a real person in the real world" it makes me groan. It seems like one is delievered to be funny while the latter is taking itself too seriously.

I laughed through MOST of the dialogue between Anakin and Padme during AOTC until some disgruntled fan snorted: "What's so funny!?!" Well, I thought the dialogue was. Here are two leaders, a former Queen and a Jedi Knight, exchange love-speak like two inexperienced high school students on their first date (maybe even MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS). It certainly isn't the clever banter we see in EMPIRE between Han and Leia.

I suppose Speilberg "gets by" with more because I don't expect as much from him as I do Lucas. Frankly, while Spielberg's films are often touted as "the greatest__________ever", to me, 90% of the time they are a let down. Lucas, on the other hand, usually scores even when the critics say otherwise. So, I guess it is a matter, mostly, of expectation.

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leia19886
Someone get this big walking carpet out of my way ...

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 10:08 AM

First, nice to hear from you again. Excellent point. There is a BIG difference between
Spielberg and Lucas. I think Lucas "gets it". In ATOC Anakin and Padme may have
been 19 and 24 but Lucas wanted Anakin to come accross as a whinny teenager.
It makes the difference in his character in ROTS more dramatic.

As for Spielberg's ET. There will NEVER be another movie that comes close to that one.
Well, Shindler's List did, but that was based on a ture story.

I think the differences between Spielberg and Lucas is what has kept them friends for so many years. They are good at exchanging ideas to make the other one better.
Leia

	fett2201980 Fettspawn
date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 10:20 AM I guess you would have been really tormented if Spielberg directed ROTJ. The director's guild was the only thing standing in the way of that one. Personally I don't think it would have been any better, but I guess we'll never know. I still have not seen the special edition E T, but I want it.

jedilily1026
Years Matter Not (Gone Crazy...Be Back Soon)

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 12:02 PM

Well, I thought the dialogue was. Here are two leaders, a former Queen and a Jedi Knight, exchange love-speak like two inexperienced high school students on their first date (maybe even MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS).

You made laugh here. But you must realize that neither had previous experience with the opposite sex much less falling in love and both were very nervous about the whole thing so even tho the dialogue can make one cringe, it's fun to watch. For me at least.

	jedilily1026 Years Matter Not (Gone Crazy...Be Back Soon)
date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 12:08 PM It certainly isn't the clever banter we see in EMPIRE between Han and Leia. Han was much older than Anakin and worldly also....Leia just seemed to think with her brains first and not her heart as Padme did.

padmeskywalker77
Padme's Legacy

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 12:54 PM

I agree with leia that there is a *huge* difference between the two...their styles are very different. I love ET, but have not seen it in quite a while. I have not seen too many of Speilberg's other films...but I could have done without War of the Worlds.

Well, I thought the dialogue was. Here are two leaders, a former Queen and a Jedi Knight, exchange love-speak like two inexperienced high school students on their first date

That got me laughing. I have slowly warmed up to the dialogue between Anakin and Padme' in AOTC...the fireplace scene always used to make me cringe, but it is not so bad for me now. I totally understand where you are coming from here.

	FAN4YRS A Rebel's Ramblings
date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 1:12 PM I'm surprised no one has commented about by remark that I would be happy if the special editions were killed or injured beyond recognition (this is a horribly evil sentiment directed a rolls of film)

Granny-Wan
I Am NOT an Old Fossil!

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 1:37 PM

I'm surprised no one has commented about by remark that I would be happy if the special editions were killed or injured beyond recognition (this is a horribly evil sentiment directed a rolls of film)

OK, I'll comment.... tell us how you REALLY feel! {LOL}

I love the SEs, but I don't care who knows it... except for the Han & Greedo scene, I HATE that... took all the coolness out of Han...

Oboe-Wan
Oboe-Wan's Hive of Scum & Villainy

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 2:28 PM

I'm surprised no one has commented about by remark that I would be happy if the special editions were killed or injured beyond recognition (this is a horribly evil sentiment directed a rolls of film) Actually, that's what I was going to comment on first!!! LOL!! I do understand how you feel & all I can say is I was thinking about this very same subject just the other day. Why could I live w/o the SE? Because the OOT is so ingrained in "who" I am sometimes I imagine the only thing that could compare would be the way it would feel if someone went back & changed some lyrics in a Beatles' song.

FAN4YRS
A Rebel's Ramblings

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 4:14 PM

I can just see three fun-loving reels of film out for a night on the town, when suddenly they scream out in terror as their car collides with an on-coming vehicle. Then, at the ER, Lucas is informed that one is dead and two are severe mangled and he's like: "My films, my beautiful films."

For some reason, in my mind, the films have little cartoon eyes atop their "heads" (which I guess would be the top end of the film)

Granny-Wan
I Am NOT an Old Fossil!

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 4:33 PM

Then, at the ER, Lucas is informed that one is dead and two are severe mangled and he's like: "My films, my beautiful films."

So, would he ask for life-support, or let them pull the plug?

I saw all the film in a theatre, in their original form... and I like how the updates make them look less 70s and more modern... they don't change the story and that's the important part. That being said, I understand how people want to hold on to bits of their childhood, I know because I do it all the time... I guess since SW is NOT part of my childhood that makes it OK to change it...

	FAN4YRS A Rebel's Ramblings
date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 4:39 PM If films got into a car accident would the airbags work? If not, I suppose they wouldn't be heavy enough to shatter the windshield and fall out.

Kenobi-fan
The Jundland Wastes Journal

date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 6:08 PM

I'm fine with the SE except for the insertion of 'Hayden'. If I never saw the OT in its original state (and I haven't in a very long time), I'd be just fine. As for Spielberg, I enjoy many of his films, but not one of them as altered my view of the world in the way Lucas' has. Although alter really isn't the word, I think its more like a filter that allows you to see beyond the obvious into something more symbolic and mythological - allowing you to see the world on a different level without clouding it with 'reality'. I know - it doesn't make any sense.

	FAN4YRS A Rebel's Ramblings
date Posted: Dec 09, 2006 6:26 PM I know what you mean about the Hayden bit, but I'd still take the entire OOT over ANY of the SE. To me, it's just a face-lift that didn't turn out to well. I agree with your summation of Speilberg vs. Lucas.

	darth maul517 Darth Jedi Maul Secura
date Posted: Dec 10, 2006 8:29 AM I wish I had something to add,]. Well Good Blog.

	GalacticBabe I Have a Bad Feeling About This!
date Posted: Dec 10, 2006 9:49 AM While I don't like all the changes of the SE, I like them as a whole because GL said that's how he would have made the films if the technology was available in the 70's-80's. If the resources were available and he had made them that way to begin with we wouldn't know the difference, now would we? I see where you're coming from, though.

The Stooge
Star Wars Joke-A-Day

date Posted: Dec 10, 2006 10:11 PM

E.T. is one of my top five films... but I didn't think its SE was an improvement over the original. They removed one thing which really took away some suspense (no more guns), and then changed another thing which diminished the film's meaning (E.T.'s reaction to Michael at the end). Also, I liked the alien when he was less cartoony.

But gotta love the DVD, which included both versions of the film... the FIRST time around. But still, only the laserdisk has all those deleted scenes. What's up with that?

Sorry for ranting like that.

FAN4YRS
A Rebel's Ramblings

date Posted: Dec 11, 2006 5:05 AM

I wish I knew what you were talking about when you say "ET's reaction to Michael at the end", I can't remember how it was different from the first. In a children's movie I didn't mind them getting rid of guns, I wish he had also axed Elliot's calling his brother "penis breath", I have always felt that was 100% inappropriate. I DO think Lucas should have brought about the original versions and the SE to begin with like Speilberg did for ET

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