Slate's best movies of 2003

[Ben Varkentine]

Good article:



slate.msn.com/id/2093334/



Wanted to call attention to this particular paragraph:

Quote:

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I was writing a story on all this for the New York Times and was lucky enough to talk to a young woman named Miriam Kriss, who put down her Tolkien book long enough to explain that she was here in tribute to Jackson, "a fan who understood." Then she delivered a rather stunning testament to the fan aesthetic. "The problem with the last George Lucas Star Wars movies is that he's not a fan of his own work," she told me. "You can't be if it's your work. He doesn't understand anymore why we loved Star Wars; he just sits and stares at special effects on his computers. I'd rather see Star Wars movies by people who grew up with Star Wars. A fan would get it."



I'm not sure I buy as a general rule the idea that fans have more insight than artists who create the work in the first place. But in the case of Star Wars, who can contradict her?

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Parallels, I'm always seeing paralells...

Ben



"Never be discouraged from being an activist because people tell you that you'll not succeed. You have already succeeded if you're out there representing truth or justice or compassion or fairness or love."

-- Doris 'Granny D' Haddock

[Hemiola]

Actually, Ben, I think the situation is a bit sadder than that. Allow me to explain...



Lucas has hinted in several interviews that, in many ways, he feels kind of "trapped" by "Star Wars". After all, he is a genuinely talented film-maker, who gave us "THX 1138" and "American Graffiti". Now, I think he feels he has to produce "Star Wars" films, since this is what his fans "expect". Besides, the films are obvious "cash cows", and he does have three (3) children to put through college. I think, though, that once he finishes the current "trilogy", he may try his hand a making other films (or, not impossibly, retire and enjoy his millions ).



With , I think the situation is different, and somewhat nastier. I think he truly considers himself to be "Hollywood Royalty", and that he is, in fact, a "genius" . When this is coupled to his frequently displayed "goofy-ness" and his basically adolescent interests (which an objective observer might almost cite as a classic case of arrested development ), I have no doubt that he is his own biggest fan (consider his behavior/statements in the wake of the fall of "Firefly" ). In short, I don't think JW's problems arise from his not being a fan of his own work, but rather from his being too much of a fan of his own works!



After all, why should he listen to anything the fans have to say when he is the auuuuuuuuteeeeeeeeur, the awesome genius whose ideas and/or words may not be questioned under any circumstances.

[Ben Varkentine]

Quote:

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Besides, the films are obvious "cash cows", and he does have three (3) children to put through college. I think, though, that once he finishes the current "trilogy", he may try his hand a making other films (or, not impossibly, retire and enjoy his millions ).

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I'm skeptical. Because Lucas had 22 years, give or take, between the first trilogy and the current one, to make other films. He used to say he wanted to do "experimental" pieces, but never did, even at the height of his power (for the sake of argument, the time between Empire and Jedi) when he could have done anything. What did he give us instead?



Ewoks. Not just in Jedi but in virtualy every film he had his name on since, when he had a choice between trying something different and following the path of most infantileization, he chose the latter. There comes a time when you start to suspect that's all he wants to do, or is all he can do.



I think you're right that the films now are the Lucas kids college payments; they're also money to keep expanding the ranch.

Quote:

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In short, I don't think JW's problems arise from his not being a fan of his own work, but rather from his being too much of a fan of his own works!



After all, why should he listen to anything the fans have to say when he is the auuuuuuuuteeeeeeeeur, the awesome genius whose ideas and/or words may not be questioned under any circumstances.

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With Whedon, I'm always hesitant to let speculation drift too far into concrete belief. I don't like it when fans claim to "know" he is a genius any more than I like it when ex-fans make dubious psychiatric evaluations of his supposed problems.



Not saying I don't think he has any (I honestly don't know), just that I don't think anyone can diagnose them from public behaivor or statements. Whatever his problems may or may not be, they're between him, his family, friends and therapist (if any). I also don't know if any of these possible problems stem from being "too much a fan of his own works."



I do believe he has too many fans who continually reinforce the idea that he is, as you say: "the awesome genius whose ideas and/or words may not be questioned under any circumstances." I just don't think that's healthy for any creator, no matter how much it may be desired (except, of course, when I'm working as a playwright, when you're damn straight that's the way it's gonna be! ). I often think of a line Aaron Sorkin wrote on Sports Night: If you're dumb, surround yourself with smart people. If you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you.



I'm more comfortable speculating on Whedon's professional fortunes post-Buffy. Being totally out of the loop I can't say for sure, of course, but I do think the problems Buffy had in it's final years and the faliure of Firefly established the audience ceiling for his work. So it'll probably keep bubbling along in some pot or other for the next few years, never again hitting the heights of Buffy but never completely spending either.

Ben



"Never be discouraged from being an activist because people tell you that you'll not succeed. You have already succeeded if you're out there representing truth or justice or compassion or fairness or love."

-- Doris 'Granny D' Haddock

[Sheridan]

I think Lucas and Whedon have something in common. Both began their careers in a relatively low key fashion, doing work that while it might have been well regarded in the industry and possibly enjoyed iby the public did not make their names well known. Each then has a success that puts them in the public eye, a success that has them covered with plaudits and attracts a ccrowd of faithful fans. Each could then gamble on striking out in a new direction, doing something utterly different but each has become too attached to that adulation, each afraid of losing it. Thus although each talks about 'experimenting' and 'new challenges' each has decided to stick where its comfortable, while grumbling about the limitations their success imposes.

Willow: ...I have to tell you....

Tara: No, I understand you have to be with the person you l-love

Willow: I am