Star Wars - 40 Years

[spuwho]

While the Star Wars Celebration 2017 just ended down in Orlando today, this post isn't about....

- Jacksonville should host these (not this type of event!)
- What crass commercialism has become (because we are already there actually)
- Yet another Star Wars movie is coming out (it's true!)

https://www.youtube.com/v/zB4I68XVPzQ


It's the changing scene of movie marketing that triggered this.

At one time, a movie trailer, a newspaper ad and a TV ad days before was enough to get a movie out the door. Much of the rest was based on critical reviews, word of mouth, number of screens available, yada, yada, yada.

But now, movie releases are becoming more and more "experiential".  It's like the marketing is reaching further and further into getting the general populace actively engaged in the marketing activities themselves.

The use of social media to get people engaged in movie discussion, opinions and fan boy yelling.  The proliferation of "everyone is an expert" breakdowns of every single trailer looking for the smallest of easter eggs and analyzing the minutiae of the smallest lens flare.

Star Wars is obviously larger, it was and is a big hit and still rolling 40 years later. The stars are still somewhat relevant if not old (or dead) and has no problems introducing yet more characters, like a factory, that can distill yet another interesting alien or two that can bring broad appeal.

The Orlando Convention Center hosted this years celebration and Disney is reporting that this one was the largest yet, completely beating last years Celebration in Anaheim by a significant margin.  People just don't want to "see" a movie now, they want to "experience" the movie and know all about the process to make it, the actors and how they felt doing the work, see their reaction when the crowd starts cheering.  They get to meet the director (Rian Johnson) while they are in long lines, as he goes through and indulges everyones whim for a shared selfie.

I think back to Richard Wise, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock and other movie directors of yore. Would they get up on stage to plug their work in front of thousands? Would they trouble themselves to walk the queues in a convention center to reach out to the fans of their material. Somehow I don't think so.

It's like with JJ Abrams, Justin Lin, Rian, there is a new list of directors who actually "like" fan engagement. Rian said this week, "you guys give me all the energy to excel....but at the same time, you scare me to death...afraid I might really screw it up".

When old time directors worked and the impression was they didn't really give a fart what anyone thought except for their peers when Oscar time came around. This time, we have a new approach coming where there is a new sense of accountability to what the fans actually like to see and to make it really well.

The Marvel universe (as well as Star Wars) is showing that sequels (which historically have declined) are actually taking it the other way now. Comic Con and other fan events where the leading actors come out and talk has become the largest marketing tool in the arsenal now.

This years Star Wars Celebration had for the first time ever, a reknown convention avoider, Harrison Ford.  Odd he would start coming now.

He did mysteriously avoid the Carrie Fisher Tribute. But Mark Hamill shared some great stories. The emcee even asked Harrison if he landed his plane out on I-4. Ouch!

Everything was covered in this event. Games for XBOX and PS4, Animation series (Rebels), new toys, new gadgets, BB-8 rolling around for pictures, outfits to wear, Leia bun wigs, you name it, you could get it.

For those of you who didn't get to delve into the "Celebration", the whole thing is now available on replay on the Star Wars You Tube Channel and the more detailed stuff is on the Disneyland YouTube Channel.

"May the Force be with you....always"

[thelakelander]

I just spent the weekend in Orlando.  I stayed across the street from the convention center. I've never seen so many people dressed up in Star Wars gear in my entire life!

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

... And get the hell off my lawn while you're at it.

Hmmmm......

Seems like you're realizing this more and more after your rants. 

[Adam White]

I hate Star Wars, which is a shame, because when I was a kid, I loved it. There was nothing cooler than Star Wars toys. I remember having trouble sleeping because I'd just lie there thinking about Star Wars and hoping my parents would take me to see the Empire Strikes Back. But somewhere along the line I just lost my love for the movies. Actually, I know when that was - it was when Lucas re-released them in the 90s with extra CGI stuff added to them. I overdid it and wore myself out.

Anyway, one of the things I cannot stand is the amount of fan engagement with Star Wars. It is one of those things that you're expected to love and think is really profound or important. And the fans just never shut up about it.

It's great that people have interests, but I really don't need to hear what some socially awkward, unwashed virgin in a Stormtrooper costume has to say about Captain Phasma, Kylo Ren, Snoke or some other idiotically-named character from a shitty movie I couldn't get through.

[peestandingup]

^ Couldn't agree more. I actually didn't mind the re-release special editions of the 90s (it was easy to avoid them), and I even liked some elements of the prequels. Lucas sucks at dialog but is great at world building & imagination, and they at least still felt like Star Wars movies. Was always funny to me he got so much shit since he's the reason people were Star Wars fans in the first place. I'd prob say "fuck all y'all" too & sell to Disney so they can shit out a new forgettable turd every year.

The Force Awakens was a POS with hardly anything imaginative & was a string of happy coincidences coupled with fan service. She can fly the Falcon like its nothing even though she's a slave, oh there's Han & Chewie after decades in hiding (how convenient! I remember them lul.). Luke's saber just happens to be in the basement of the bar they're at (wow, what are the odds!). Despite establishing in the previous films you need tons of training, both Rey & Finn not only use sabers but actually defeat the bad guy who's actually trained (Yeah! Girl power & shit!).

Lol, GTF outta here. I was never a huge fan (and you're right, the man-boys taking this stuff so seriously need laid more often, a war to fight in or something), but I'll prob never watch another one. There's just no point & I'd prefer to never hear about them, which obviously isn't happening.

[Adam White]

^ Couldn't agree more. I actually didn't mind the re-release special editions of the 90s (it was easy to avoid them), and I even liked some elements of the prequels. Lucas sucks at dialog but is great at world building & imagination, and they at least still felt like Star Wars movies. Was always funny to me he got so much shit since he's the reason people were Star Wars fans in the first place. I'd prob say "fuck all y'all" too & sell to Disney so they can shit out a new forgettable turd every year.

The Force Awakens was a POS with hardly anything imaginative & was a string of happy coincidences coupled with fan service. She can fly the Falcon like its nothing even though she's a slave, oh there's Han & Chewie after decades in hiding (how convenient! I remember them lul.). Luke's saber just happens to be in the basement of the bar they're at (wow, what are the odds!). Despite establishing in the previous films you need tons of training, both Rey & Finn not only use sabers but actually defeat the bad guy who's actually trained (Yeah! Girl power & shit!).

Lol, GTF outta here. I was never a huge fan (and you're right, the man-boys taking this stuff so seriously need laid more often, a war to fight in or something), but I'll prob never watch another one. There's just no point & I'd prefer to never hear about them, which obviously isn't happening.

I really enjoyed the re-releases in the 90s. But I think I kind of binged and maybe wore myself out on Star Wars. That said, I did see the three prequels. And although I wasn't crazy about them, I didn't "care" that Lucas had gone and done three prequels. I don't see the point in new Star Wars movies - not because I think the original three are sacred or anything, but because it all seems so "meh" (to use the favorite expression of a former MJ'er).

Lucas is clearly pretty clever, though. I don't fault him for cashing in.

[spuwho]

Chill out Francis........just like the westerns, courtroom dramas, and war movies, the "comic book" trend will run its course over time and eventually people will have enough and movies will shift back to material less seen.

There will always be fandom whether it be Star Wars, Star Trek or Star Search.

A little seen niche movie called Somewhere in Time has a fan club for crying out loud and meets every year in Mackinaw Island. 

Everyone has their form of escapism, some watch movies, some people smoke it, some people do both.

[Adam White]

A little seen niche movie called Somewhere in Time has a fan club for crying out loud and meets every year in Mackinaw Island. 

I am (almost) embarrassed to admit I really liked that movie in high school.

*Mackinac

[spuwho]

A little seen niche movie called Somewhere in Time has a fan club for crying out loud and meets every year in Mackinaw Island. 

I am (almost) embarrassed to admit I really liked that movie in high school.

*Mackinac

Yes, Mackinac Island. Good catch.

[Todd_Parker]

It's great that people have interests, but I really don't need to hear what some socially awkward, unwashed virgin in a Stormtrooper costume has to say about Captain Phasma, Kylo Ren, Snoke or some other idiotically-named character from a shitty movie I couldn't get through.

"I don't mean to be an a-hole, but...."

[Adam White]

It's great that people have interests, but I really don't need to hear what some socially awkward, unwashed virgin in a Stormtrooper costume has to say about Captain Phasma, Kylo Ren, Snoke or some other idiotically-named character from a shitty movie I couldn't get through.

"I don't mean to be an a-hole, but...."

It's okay if you're an a-hole, Todd.

[spuwho]

A little seen niche movie called Somewhere in Time has a fan club for crying out loud and meets every year in Mackinaw Island. 

I am (almost) embarrassed to admit I really liked that movie in high school.

*Mackinac

Not to get to far off the path here, spelled different, but they mean the same thing. Indian name for "turtle". (mikinaak)

Where I grew up it is based off the Colonial French sound of "mackinois" which was slurred to mackinaw. Where as in Michigan they went off of the English sound "mackinack".

Both mean "land of turtles".

So ends the lesson in the colonial midwest.

[AKIRA]

I was there on Sat.. fun time, it was a hoot.

[Adam White]

I was there on Sat.. fun time, it was a hoot.

Did you go dressed as Akira and troll the Star Wars fans?

[peestandingup]

Since this topic came up, been doing a bit of research. Seems Mark Hamill is the only one calling out the latest installments. I think I read somewhere too that Harrison would only do it if they killed him (and I'm sure a boatload of money). I also had no idea that Mark signed on before Lucas sold to Disney. Here's a couple gems:

https://youtu.be/JBstE89j_7w

https://youtu.be/3S2zsCaOOmE

https://youtu.be/OMXOg-APbGc