MovieChat Forums > Star Wars > Sad day....the force within me has died....

Sad day....the force within me has died....

posted 7 years ago by artguylarry (498)
9 replies | jump to latest

Well that's not as dramatic as it sounds. But I am an original fan of Star Wars. I was 10 when the first movie was released, making me the perfect target for these great movies. If you're an original fan like me, you're probably somewhere around 50 now.

There was no greater fan than me. I had every toy, every word memorized from the movies, every record album, dramatic ones included, every t-shirt, novel (official and unofficial), trader card, comic book, ship, weapon, figure, every promotional product, you name it, I had it. I lived and breathed Star Wars for years and years, with the most ridiculous, NERDY passion I could possibly summon up.

Then in 1999 when the prequels were released, I was 32, and tried very hard to maintain my loyalty, and hoped like hell for the nostalgia of the 70s. But like many others my age, I came away somewhat disappointed, but forced an appeal for it anyway, much like I would bad pizza.

Then in 2015-2016, at 48 and 49 years old, at the beginning of a new trilogy, and the first of the stand alone installments, I knew it was over. Especially when you take into consideration that the new trilogy (and new technology) is bringing back the characters and actors I loved so much the first time around. I have gotten old and so have they. This year will be the first of the Star Wars universe I will care nothing of to even make an effort. Granted, that's not as sanctimonious as it sounds. They will go on without me, or any knowledge OF me. I don't flatter myself important to it. I'm just saying....DAMN I was such a fan. Now not only to I dislike it so, but I am also heartbroken to dislike it the way I do.

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU
....(fades away)

[–] Renovatio (2990) 7 years ago

well.. i understand feeling nostalgia for your childhood experience of your favourite movie... but at 32 years old when the prequels were released you should have taken it as a sign if you had to try so hard to be "loyal"... I hear many people make similar comments about comicbook movies and other older filmd that are being recycled for their branding. I have never been a fan of anything to that extent, so I probably can't appreciate fully the dedication and emotional investment, in particular as it relates to characters in these movies...

I'm happy for you that you have let go of this attachment to StarWars as a recurring franchise, perhaps it will help you enjoy your fond childhood memories without having to agonise over what version of Star Wars is being sold to kids today... Even the most horrible remake can't take away the real joy you had about this when young.

[–] lordbishop34 (1442) 7 years ago

Well I am approaching this point I think as well. I really love the OT while I was disappointed in the PT I wouldn't say I had to force my loyalty to them. Their were elements I liked, and characters. The books played mostly well with the 6 films at that time too which helped. But with the wiped away EU, the so so TFA film, the approaching end of Rebels, my near complete lack of interest in the Solo film, low expectations for TLJ and with the announcement of a new trilogy to further the over-saturation of Star Wars its really hard to say if I can hang with it. The one thing that keeps me interested is the possibility of an Ewan McGregor lead Kenobi film. We shall see. But its certainly not as exciting as it used to be.

[–] GnatNitpicker (52) 7 years ago

I feel like this is what Alec Guinness was warning about when he allegedly signed an autograph for a kid on the condition he never watch Star Wars again. 50-year-old men consumed by a fantasy.

[–] McQualude (4231) 6 years ago

We are the same age, both saw the original in the theater at 10 years old. You became a hardcore fan. I was a casual fan. To me, SW was never more than a simplistic action movie. I enjoyed the sequels. I really enjoyed TFA. TLJ is awful in so many ways. But I don't understand the vitriol spewed by warsies for the prequels and sequels. The originals were fun but they didn't change my life.

[–] 000 (471) 6 years ago

i think if we were 6 or so (as i was for star wars in 77) and saw a prequel instead of the original, we'd find it amazing too

[–] artguylarry (498) 6 years ago

You're probably right. I was 10 years old in 1977 and lived for Star Wars back then.

[–] overseas7 (4229) 3 years ago

I understand what you mean. It is not easy to get the "Star Wars feeling" with the new trilogies as it was withthefirstone, specially watching the movies at the cinema.
However, there are also a couple of good movies/ series like "Rogue one " "The revenge of the Sith " or "The Mandelorian". Let's see how the Obi- Wan serie will be.

[–] chilidoggg (14261) 3 years ago

This will put you in a better mood. There's always "A New Hope" around the corner...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEq-KYcj7Rs

Number 60 on Billboard 100 summer of 1983...

"In the Return of the Jedi arcade game released in 1984, the song plays when the player makes the high score list." Was this in the arcade in The Karate Kid?

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14379) 3 years ago

Star Wars isn't completely dead. We still have "Star Wars the Old Republic" and "The Mandalorian." That, and the bitch who was responsible for nearly killing the franchise has lost all creative power at Lucasfilm. The Disney executives couldn't get rid of her, so they did the Japanese thing and "corner-officed" her. A number of her current film projects have either been shelved or delayed/sabotaged lately.

I still have hope something can be done to salvage the franchise. Word on the street is, John Favreau and Dave Filoni (the real guys in charge of Lucasfilm) are planning to de-canonize that horrible sequel trilogy, using that thing called "the veil of the Force," which shows other universes and realities, showing that the events of the ST took place in an alternate reality, and don't count as part of official Star Wars canon anymore.