Star Wars Preview

Anyone who knows me would probably guess that I have any number of personality quirks that keep me outside of the category of "normal" but just outside of any DSM-IV diagnosis. Sometimes I think the APA needs to adjust their manual.

In preparation for the Thursday release of "Revenge of the Sith" the third installment of George Lucas' Star Wars prequel, I have been watching and reading every little bit of Star Wars I can find. I watched all three of the original episodes, both the original theatric release (on Laserdisc) and the 1997 special edition. I have not yet watched the recently released DVD set with more updates, but I cursed Lucas' name in a pre-emptive strike to make sure. I also saw the first two episodes of the prequels. I even tracked down copies of "The Ewok Adventure" and "Battle for Endor" both made for TV films. Heck, I even tracked down a couple of guys who had seen and were selling bootleg copies of the infamous "Christmas Special" that Lucas probably wishes never happened. I have had conversations centered around Star Wars with my other geek friends.

I visited fan websites and saw fan films and read fan fiction (...shudder...). And all I could think about was...

How did Tiger Woods miss the cut?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing episode three, if only not to cry like that pansy Spielberg. I was unable to get any press passes for this film (The Minnesota Daily just isn't a heavy hitter, and this blog needs more readers) so I'll be paying like the pathetic chap I am. I might even spend the night before in line somewhere, just to experience what life feels like to be a DSM-IV diagnosis. I'm also a little scared, this movie has gained a lot of acclaim. The NYT said it was better than the original series.

Would my grown-up longing for a return to the wide-eyed enthusiasm of my own movie going boyhood - and my undiminished hunger for entertainment with sweep and power as well as noise and dazzle - be satisfied by "Revenge of the Sith"? The answer is yeth. This is by far the best film in the more recent trilogy, and also the best of the four episodes Mr. Lucas has directed. That's right (and my inner 11-year-old shudders as I type this): it's better than "Star Wars." "Revenge of the Sith," which had its premiere here yesterday at the Cannes International Film Festival, ranks with "The Empire Strikes Back" (directed by Irvin Kershner in 1980) as the richest and most challenging movie in the cycle. It comes closer than any of the other episodes to realizing Mr. Lucas's frequently reiterated dream of bringing the combination of vigorous spectacle and mythic resonance he found in the films of Akira Kurosawa into American commercial cinema.

This is bad news, as my hatred for George Lucas grows much like the mighty oak, except a lot faster and a lot bigger. He should never be forgiven for what he did to his first remake of his films. Lucas is also taking a shot at G.W. Bush in his last film (so says that NYT reviewer) Here are some must reads before anyone sees this movie: There is a case to be made for the empire (and a good one at that) Lucas should be drawn and quartered? Maybe not