Why do Anakin and Padme end up together? Some argue there is no chemistry. I've got a theory:
Why do good girls like bad boys?
In The Outsiders, why in the world does Cherry Valance like Dallas Winston? Is there anything in that book that explains why? Why does Gatsby and Daisy's relationship work? Forget any film version of The Great Gatsby. [Fitzgerald's regret?] If we accept these other relationships purely on rooting for the underdog, then why not believe Anakin and Padme's relationship?
Do deleted scenes help? Does a film's novelization help? Does either count? The great teaching tool in this argument, is the case for textual support. Go into any fan forum for any TV series or film series and you will see fans arguing over characterization, themes, motives, predictions, etc. What do all of them base their arguments on? The text (aka TV show or film). They will point to dialogue, symbols, body language, conflicts with other characters, conflicts with themselves, music cues, visuals... Everything based on specific examples from the text. Snoke is Plagueis because of his appearance/what he says (especially how long he's been around) and the fact the same music played in a Palpatine/Anakin scene in ROTS is the same as what's used in a Snoke scene in TFA. Rey is Rey Kenobi because she has a British accent, Anakin was, allegedly, channeling real life politics ("if you're not with me...) in ROTS... on and on. The point here is that the little things count. Every last detail can be examined for meaning. And that's why so many people love Star Wars. A little bit of this or that can go a long way in creating meaning.
That being said, let's take this little details approach back to Padme and Anakin. Perhaps, they are kindred spirits. Look at the facts, er, details. They both come from strict, governed backgrounds. You are told, perhaps ordered, to talk and act a certain way. Is Padme's geisha-like demeanor and public senator persona any different than Anakin's public jedi persona? Maybe there's a good amount of empathy between them. Neither has had any real opportunities to date, so why not fall for the first person who shows interest? [Director Kevin Smith does a great analysis on this very topic in Film Comment July/August 2002.] Who else out there in cyber space has done the same? Raise your hands...Um, OK, maybe we don't want to admit it...AAAANYWAYS...
Ultimately, like any human emotion, sometimes reason never comes into play. You feel what you feel, and sometimes you can't control it. In Ordinary People, Dr. Berger says the "body doesn't lie." Sometimes your brain will not be able to hide or reason why you should, or shouldn't, feel the way you do. Sometimes you see someone you like struggling and your instinct is to help (or change them) overrides reason. The whole Knight in Shining arm thing takes over (Rey to Finn: "Quit holding my hand!") for guys and we want to rescue the Damsel in Distress. Meanwhile, the gals want to help that bad boy overcome his badness because, deep down, he's got a heart of gold, right? Wouldn't Princess Leia agree with that (winking at Han)? And love is blind, right?
So why are Padme and Anakin's relationship any less believable?
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
Imagination is Catalyst for Learning
I am a teacher. It's what I do. Before that, I was an English major. So it's suffice to say I like to think. And I like to think a lot about literature and music. It's easy to trace this line of enjoyment in over-analyzing (my students' words, not mine) stories and tunes back to the original 1977 Star Wars film.
Long before Blu-Ray, DVD, and even VHS, there was only two ways to see a movie. See it in a theater or on television. The problem was trying to catch it whenever it was available. Past seeing a movie in a first or second run, the only way you could see it again is through a revival or film society. Catching a movie on television was the equivalent of catching your favorite animal not sleeping at the zoo. Then came cable television. Then, hopefully, it was only a matter of time before your favorite movie showed up on cable movie channels. Thus was the experience for so many of us growing up, waiting to see the original Star Wars (ANH aka Episode IV) on TV.
I went a good three years between seeing Star Wars in the theater (circa 1978 - it played many months in the theater - remember those days?) The next time I saw it was post-Empire Strikes Back when it ran in the theaters again (circa 1981). All the years between viewings, playing with the toys, memorizing the trading cards, reading the books (including the proverbial record/book read-along), listening to the John Williams soundtrack, and drawing countless interpretations created a movie in my head that couldn't be matched.
Then Star Wars premiered on HBO in February 1982, I saw a movie I did not recognize.The movie I videotaped and watched endlessly was not the movie I remembered seeing in 1978. Where was the scene where I thought R2-D2 walked through a wall? Where was the scene with Biggs (there were pictures of this scene in my Scholastic Book version)? It just felt...different. It seemed shorter, not as grandiose... I was convinced I was seeing an edited version. HBO shafted us! It was years before I realized my imagination took what I saw in 1978 and ran with it.
The whole concept, themes and characters and Star Wars Universe led to questions that pointed me back to the movies. The re-watching, the questions, the waiting for answers between movies (remember that?) was just as much fun as the films themselves. I wanted to recapture that feeling long after the OT ended its run. So I turned to music. The Who, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Joe Walsh, Santana, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young... All these artists took me down the same Rabbit Hole of Analysis that Star Wars did. What does that song mean? Why did he write those lyrics? Is Joe Walsh aware that his Barnstorm resembles a concept album? Then...there was FILM. I started to understand what makes a classic/great film. Sitting through Apocalypse Now and Woodstock for the first time made me appreciate Heart of Darkness and the music of Pink Floyd. Some would say classic literature, baseball and Pink Floyd are all acquired tastes. But I learned it's the journey. You can't take the short cuts [ahem! Spark Notes] or you'll miss the beauty of the ride.
Then along came college and hardcore theory analysis. I took classes that questioned gender, reality and society. Just like music, the literature always had something to relate to. It's there if you think about it and can see it. Like using the force. Questioning and critical thinking opened doors to all kinds of ideas, concepts and possibilities. Suddenly, analyzing Jean Luc Godard and Ingmar Bergman wasn't such a stretch in my adult life. I've learned to appreciate the eye, thought and choices of the artist.
And, yet, I see those "kid-friendly", "marketing heavy" movies about good vs evil, Skywalkers, Wookiees and droids and I'm still thinking about them. The best part? Just like with literature, music, art and film, as you grow older you can read, listen and view with different eyes. Different themes are emphasized the longer you stick around. You care about different things and understand more than you used to. It's a joy to experience!
And so I have to thank George Lucas, for all of it. That one film rippled my imagination to all kinds of wonderful places and ideas.
Thanks again, George.
Long before Blu-Ray, DVD, and even VHS, there was only two ways to see a movie. See it in a theater or on television. The problem was trying to catch it whenever it was available. Past seeing a movie in a first or second run, the only way you could see it again is through a revival or film society. Catching a movie on television was the equivalent of catching your favorite animal not sleeping at the zoo. Then came cable television. Then, hopefully, it was only a matter of time before your favorite movie showed up on cable movie channels. Thus was the experience for so many of us growing up, waiting to see the original Star Wars (ANH aka Episode IV) on TV.
I went a good three years between seeing Star Wars in the theater (circa 1978 - it played many months in the theater - remember those days?) The next time I saw it was post-Empire Strikes Back when it ran in the theaters again (circa 1981). All the years between viewings, playing with the toys, memorizing the trading cards, reading the books (including the proverbial record/book read-along), listening to the John Williams soundtrack, and drawing countless interpretations created a movie in my head that couldn't be matched.
Then Star Wars premiered on HBO in February 1982, I saw a movie I did not recognize.The movie I videotaped and watched endlessly was not the movie I remembered seeing in 1978. Where was the scene where I thought R2-D2 walked through a wall? Where was the scene with Biggs (there were pictures of this scene in my Scholastic Book version)? It just felt...different. It seemed shorter, not as grandiose... I was convinced I was seeing an edited version. HBO shafted us! It was years before I realized my imagination took what I saw in 1978 and ran with it.
The whole concept, themes and characters and Star Wars Universe led to questions that pointed me back to the movies. The re-watching, the questions, the waiting for answers between movies (remember that?) was just as much fun as the films themselves. I wanted to recapture that feeling long after the OT ended its run. So I turned to music. The Who, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Joe Walsh, Santana, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young... All these artists took me down the same Rabbit Hole of Analysis that Star Wars did. What does that song mean? Why did he write those lyrics? Is Joe Walsh aware that his Barnstorm resembles a concept album? Then...there was FILM. I started to understand what makes a classic/great film. Sitting through Apocalypse Now and Woodstock for the first time made me appreciate Heart of Darkness and the music of Pink Floyd. Some would say classic literature, baseball and Pink Floyd are all acquired tastes. But I learned it's the journey. You can't take the short cuts [ahem! Spark Notes] or you'll miss the beauty of the ride.
Then along came college and hardcore theory analysis. I took classes that questioned gender, reality and society. Just like music, the literature always had something to relate to. It's there if you think about it and can see it. Like using the force. Questioning and critical thinking opened doors to all kinds of ideas, concepts and possibilities. Suddenly, analyzing Jean Luc Godard and Ingmar Bergman wasn't such a stretch in my adult life. I've learned to appreciate the eye, thought and choices of the artist.
And, yet, I see those "kid-friendly", "marketing heavy" movies about good vs evil, Skywalkers, Wookiees and droids and I'm still thinking about them. The best part? Just like with literature, music, art and film, as you grow older you can read, listen and view with different eyes. Different themes are emphasized the longer you stick around. You care about different things and understand more than you used to. It's a joy to experience!
And so I have to thank George Lucas, for all of it. That one film rippled my imagination to all kinds of wonderful places and ideas.
Thanks again, George.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Questions and Observations (Q & O) Part I: The Force Awakens
From a certain point of view, the English teacher, here are my questions and observations for The Force Awakens:
Questions
What if Rey is a natural? Is that why she is so strong with the force with no training? Therefore...
Is Rey the true Chosen One? Does that mean that a possible ... of Anakin Skywalker brings balance tot he force...Does that mean that, technically, Anakin did bring balance to the force by breaking Jedi Code and having a family?
Observations
Sequel Trilogy (ST) is the Original Trilogy (OT) in a mirror:
- Kylo is a dark side believer trying to fight off the light/Luke is a light side believer trying to fight off the dark (see: The ESB Cave, ROTJ duel with Darth Vader)
-
Motifs:
Helmets/Masks
Keepers/Protectors
- Lor San Tekka is keeping/protecting a map...and, perhaps, Rey (a la Ben Kenobi and Luke Skywalker in ANH)
- Maz Kanata keeping Luke's lightsaber (p.s. Rey doesn't just coincidentally end up at Maz Kanata's castle, HAN SOLO TOOK HER THERE!!)
Stairs (love this one)
- Rey goes down a set of stairs in Maz Kanata's castle and receives the Skywalker lightsaber and goes up another set on Ahch-to to hand said lightsaber to Luke [ahem! SYMBOLISM!!] Can't you hear Joseph Campbell somewhere: "X descends into the abyss and transcends into another being..."
speaking of lightsabers...there are dozens of symbolic interpretations to the lightsabers throughout the films...and yet...
Kylo handing over his lightsaber (representing force identity) to his father, Han Solo/Rey handing over Anakin/Luke's lightsaber to Luke (offspring and father in reverse, perhaps?)
Originally written 1/22/16
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Take What They Give You
If I am going to talk Star Wars on any level, I have to start with this golden rule: "Take What They Give You." My internal interpretations of Star Wars initially function on a new critic/formalist approach to make sense of the overall STORY and meaning of the films. Then I am able to connect to other sources for the larger meaning. Start inside, then go out. Everything I have to work with, my puzzle pieces, must be seen or heard in the films. But first, let's flashback...[cue Wayne and Garth]
The reason I like Star Wars goes beyond my own personal connection with the original 3 films. Yes, I grew up on action figures, books and trading cards...My mother made me a Han solo vest and a Vader cape...blah blah blah.
However, as a teacher, I like what Star Wars DOES and SAYS. All six seven films (yes, I said all seven) get me thinking about a lot of things: mythology,politics,storytelling, social commentary, fate, faith and on and on. Rather than getting quote up in the debates about what all seven films do or don't do. I'd much rather focus on what's actually in the films rather than what they lack. And I like what they have to say...
Recently, I came upon a an online post that included this video about Star Wars as "poetry." It demonstrates quite a few ways that the six films echo each other in thematic and visual ways. It includes one of the examples I use in my Cinema Studies class. Once I was able to obtain a DVD copy of ROTS I commenced to breaking down what I thought I'd seen in the theaters. I saw something pretty amazing.
It's very clear, and seems clearly intentional, that the scene where Palpatine begs Anakin to save him from Mace Windu mirrors ROTJ when Luke begs Vader...er, Anakin to save him from Palpatine. This is where you have to give George Lucas some credit. Someone took the time to make sure those two scenes are painstakingly matched. From Anakin/Darth Vader being caught in the middle, to Mace/Palpatine's "angry face", to Palpatine/Luke's incessant begging from floor, to both times he chooses the person to his right and get rids of the person to his left. [Please, don't make any political jokes with that.] That. Shows. THOUGHT. Things like that give you something to think about...And there's a ton of that in Star Wars.
Here's another story...
Confession: I, too, was a little disappointed with Episode I. However, when it was first released, I felt I had some perspective on it. I wasn't ready to throw all my memories away because it was some terrible movie that didn't match my pre-conceived notions. Truth be told, I had no idea what to expect. But my housemates did. And they were mad, peeeeeeeved. As we rode home in the dark, they complained about everything. They pointed out the major goof when Qui-Gon died he didn't disappear like Obi-Wan and Yoda did. Somebody obviously hadn't done their OT homework. OK, maybe there were some legit gripes...Maybe there were some un-Star Wars-like things. Like that two on one fight between Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul. That seemed a little un-jedi-like. That didn't seem like a fair fight. [But later viewings of ANH told me this wasn't unusual.] And there was too much Jar-Jar...Waaaaay too much. I understood this film had to be a little light-hearted and marketed (?) to kids, but suddenly an interesting ground battle broke out into a Keystone Cops routine. [Aside: My hope was Jar-Jar was going to redeem himself in the next couple films. I think he did...did I miss it?] So I tried to talk some sense into my disgruntled housemates. I told them this episode had to be a fairy tale in order for it to go where it logically would go in Episode III. They ignored me and, in hindsight, probably made a lot of Jar-Jar and podracing-is-just-selling-video-game jokes. [who didn't?]
Flash forward to the VHS comes out. I buy it and never watch it. As much as I still believed the tone of TPM was purposeful, I had no desire to watch it. It just wasn't my thing. Then one of my best friends made me watch it with him. He's ten years my junior and was barely out of his teens at that time. Young padawan had much to learn about REAL Star Wars. Or saw I thought. We watched the film and he started pointing out things I would never have noticed. The most striking, and subtle, was Anakin's reaction to when the Jedi Council shoots down the idea of Anakin becoming a jedi, and Mace moves on to "new business." Anakin squints. Oooo, he's mad. YES, that poor little Jake Lord who everyone swears is the worst kid-actor of all time just did something that was well-directed. At first I thought I was seeing things. But as each successive episode came out, it became more and more clear Anakin and Mace just don't like each other. Like, haaaaaaaate each other. Go back and watch every scene in the Prequels where they interact. Watch the eyes [I see your eyes - sorry, couldn't resist] and body language (TPM: "No, he will not be trained", ROTS: "Take a seat, Master Skywalker". It's very clear. Then along comes Anakin in Episode III, trying to do the right thing. He tells Mace the truth about Palpatine. Mace tells him to stay out of it and says "fear" is clouding his judgement. And then there's the payoff...The callback, from all the way back to The Squint, Mace says, "If what you told me is true, you will have gained my trust." Whaaaaaat? Gained his trust to confront Palpatine together? Gained his trust that Anakin should be a master?Gained his trust that Anakin is the Chosen One? All of the above? Is this a multiple-choice quiz?...Or is it that Mace never trusted him in the first place? I'm taking what GL is giving me and I like it.
To Be Continued...
Originally Written: 9/23/15
It's very clear, and seems clearly intentional, that the scene where Palpatine begs Anakin to save him from Mace Windu mirrors ROTJ when Luke begs Vader...er, Anakin to save him from Palpatine. This is where you have to give George Lucas some credit. Someone took the time to make sure those two scenes are painstakingly matched. From Anakin/Darth Vader being caught in the middle, to Mace/Palpatine's "angry face", to Palpatine/Luke's incessant begging from floor, to both times he chooses the person to his right and get rids of the person to his left. [Please, don't make any political jokes with that.] That. Shows. THOUGHT. Things like that give you something to think about...And there's a ton of that in Star Wars.
Here's another story...
Confession: I, too, was a little disappointed with Episode I. However, when it was first released, I felt I had some perspective on it. I wasn't ready to throw all my memories away because it was some terrible movie that didn't match my pre-conceived notions. Truth be told, I had no idea what to expect. But my housemates did. And they were mad, peeeeeeeved. As we rode home in the dark, they complained about everything. They pointed out the major goof when Qui-Gon died he didn't disappear like Obi-Wan and Yoda did. Somebody obviously hadn't done their OT homework. OK, maybe there were some legit gripes...Maybe there were some un-Star Wars-like things. Like that two on one fight between Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul. That seemed a little un-jedi-like. That didn't seem like a fair fight. [But later viewings of ANH told me this wasn't unusual.] And there was too much Jar-Jar...Waaaaay too much. I understood this film had to be a little light-hearted and marketed (?) to kids, but suddenly an interesting ground battle broke out into a Keystone Cops routine. [Aside: My hope was Jar-Jar was going to redeem himself in the next couple films. I think he did...did I miss it?] So I tried to talk some sense into my disgruntled housemates. I told them this episode had to be a fairy tale in order for it to go where it logically would go in Episode III. They ignored me and, in hindsight, probably made a lot of Jar-Jar and podracing-is-just-selling-video-game jokes. [who didn't?]
Flash forward to the VHS comes out. I buy it and never watch it. As much as I still believed the tone of TPM was purposeful, I had no desire to watch it. It just wasn't my thing. Then one of my best friends made me watch it with him. He's ten years my junior and was barely out of his teens at that time. Young padawan had much to learn about REAL Star Wars. Or saw I thought. We watched the film and he started pointing out things I would never have noticed. The most striking, and subtle, was Anakin's reaction to when the Jedi Council shoots down the idea of Anakin becoming a jedi, and Mace moves on to "new business." Anakin squints. Oooo, he's mad. YES, that poor little Jake Lord who everyone swears is the worst kid-actor of all time just did something that was well-directed. At first I thought I was seeing things. But as each successive episode came out, it became more and more clear Anakin and Mace just don't like each other. Like, haaaaaaaate each other. Go back and watch every scene in the Prequels where they interact. Watch the eyes [I see your eyes - sorry, couldn't resist] and body language (TPM: "No, he will not be trained", ROTS: "Take a seat, Master Skywalker". It's very clear. Then along comes Anakin in Episode III, trying to do the right thing. He tells Mace the truth about Palpatine. Mace tells him to stay out of it and says "fear" is clouding his judgement. And then there's the payoff...The callback, from all the way back to The Squint, Mace says, "If what you told me is true, you will have gained my trust." Whaaaaaat? Gained his trust to confront Palpatine together? Gained his trust that Anakin should be a master?Gained his trust that Anakin is the Chosen One? All of the above? Is this a multiple-choice quiz?...Or is it that Mace never trusted him in the first place? I'm taking what GL is giving me and I like it.
To Be Continued...
Originally Written: 9/23/15
Thursday, January 7, 2016
There's Symbolism Everywhere...in The Force Awakens
If there's one thing my students goof on me, besides my Star Wars references, there's my penchant for pointing out symbolism. In delivering a hint at symbolism, my favorite method of choice is to cough into my hand (these days I should probably should be using the crook of my arm) while exclaiming SYMBOLISM!! And then acting like I was just clearing my throat...Most likely, I'm the only one that finds it funny...
So imagine we're reading Lord of the Flies aloud in class. Jack hits Piggy in the face and Piggy's glasses are partly broken. [ahem! SYMBOLISM!]
Simba is walking behind Mufasa and find his foot touching down inside his father's enormous footprint. [ahem! SYMBOLISM!]
You get the idea...
I got a chance to see The Force Awakens a few weeks back and couldn't help but go all English teacher on that film...[aside: No, I did not do my coughing/Symbolism thing...I did lean over to tell my buddy, "I didn't know Voldemort was in the this movie" when Snoke appeared on screen. Forgive me.]
So here are some moments of symbolism I couldn't help noticing... later I will add what I think they mean...what do YOU think these mean?...:
- Rey goes down some stairs in Maz's castle and opens Pandora's box...er, a trunk and finds Anakin/Luke's blue lightsaber. Later, she is seen going up some stairs, actually a lot of stairs on Ahch-to (sp) to find Luke and attempt to hand over the lightsaber.
- Speaking of handing over lightsabers...Did anyone notice the yin yang of Kylo (Ben Solo) Ren refusing to hand over his lightsaber while Rey is, seemingly, begging Luke to take hers?
- I think everyone who saw this movie saw the symbolism of the "dying of the light" that leads to Kylo doing that bad thing to Han Solo [spoiler alert!]
- The fact an Empire First Order superweapon is done in again by the same Achilles heel as the previous movies. Other than the Lucas rhyming thing, is there more to this "same as it ever was" approach to Star Wars plots?...Or is there some symbolic reason these bad dudes keep going back to the same technological terror well and never get it?
- Several of the characters have a talisman: Rey and Anakin/Luke's lightsaber, Kylo with Vader's helmet, Finn with Poe's jacket [waitaminute, didn't Chewie hand Han his jacket...what is it with jackets in this thing?], BB-8 and R2 with maps, Captain Phasma with...uh...er... Man, why didn't they give her more to do?!
- Kylo removing his helmet for his father,
- Kylo's wounds (from Rey) [I'm sure they will leave a mark]
- That gaping chasm that, seemingly, just happened to open up between Rey and Kylo and ends their duel.
I only saw TFA once [April 5th can't come fast enough]. What did I miss?
So imagine we're reading Lord of the Flies aloud in class. Jack hits Piggy in the face and Piggy's glasses are partly broken. [ahem! SYMBOLISM!]
Simba is walking behind Mufasa and find his foot touching down inside his father's enormous footprint. [ahem! SYMBOLISM!]
You get the idea...
I got a chance to see The Force Awakens a few weeks back and couldn't help but go all English teacher on that film...[aside: No, I did not do my coughing/Symbolism thing...I did lean over to tell my buddy, "I didn't know Voldemort was in the this movie" when Snoke appeared on screen. Forgive me.]
So here are some moments of symbolism I couldn't help noticing... later I will add what I think they mean...what do YOU think these mean?...:
- Rey goes down some stairs in Maz's castle and opens Pandora's box...er, a trunk and finds Anakin/Luke's blue lightsaber. Later, she is seen going up some stairs, actually a lot of stairs on Ahch-to (sp) to find Luke and attempt to hand over the lightsaber.
- Speaking of handing over lightsabers...Did anyone notice the yin yang of Kylo (Ben Solo) Ren refusing to hand over his lightsaber while Rey is, seemingly, begging Luke to take hers?
- I think everyone who saw this movie saw the symbolism of the "dying of the light" that leads to Kylo doing that bad thing to Han Solo [spoiler alert!]
- The fact a
- Several of the characters have a talisman: Rey and Anakin/Luke's lightsaber, Kylo with Vader's helmet, Finn with Poe's jacket [waitaminute, didn't Chewie hand Han his jacket...what is it with jackets in this thing?], BB-8 and R2 with maps, Captain Phasma with...uh...er... Man, why didn't they give her more to do?!
- Kylo removing his helmet for his father,
- Kylo's wounds (from Rey) [I'm sure they will leave a mark]
- That gaping chasm that, seemingly, just happened to open up between Rey and Kylo and ends their duel.
I only saw TFA once [April 5th can't come fast enough]. What did I miss?
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
History Repeats... Because We Forget
So, yesterday, I made my very first The Force Awakens analogy in class. As I am notorious for making Star Wars references in my classroom, my students only knew it was a matter of time before the new movie entered the conversation. Even though the new film hasn't come out, I'm intrigued by a theme TFA trailers are insinuating: true history can be forgotten and/or mythologized [is that a word?]. I can't help but think of how that relates to the history I've read about or experienced, topics from my class, and my own life. Can true history be forgotten? Do we remember what we want to remember? Is it just human nature for the wackier things to stick to history and the mundane gets dropped? Why does today's "very big deal" become tomorrow's afterthought. [Sometimes asking a classroom full of teenagers about John Wayne, Watergate, The Civil War can be frustrating] Can we handle the truth?
Every year, I show my seniors an episode of My So Called Life called "Guns and Gossip?" (aside: what is it with teens and weapons? [ahem, rhetorical question] Rebel Without a Cause, Over the Edge, The Outsiders, A Bronx Tale...check it out) At the very beginning, while watching John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech, Angela laments her parents' generation having that single communal event/moment where everyone remembered where they were. In this case, the event being the Kennedy assassination. She wishes she had something like that. [Be careful what you wish for, Angela] Now, in my lifetime, there was a time when people insisted that The Challenger explosion was our generation's moment. In hindsight, has it matched the impact of November 1963? Should I remember where I was for that event any more than when President Reagan was shot? What about all the positive moments: the Miracle on Ice?
Here's a question, do we believe what we want to believe? Do we want our historical narratives to fit a template? We like good guys vs bad guys, underdogs who overcome adversity, cloned heroes and remakes... [how many "The Next Michael Jordan" or "That person is The Michael Jordan of..." can we create?] What happens when actual events don't fit that model? Why do we get so upset when someone isn't the next Wayne Gretsky, Michael Jordan, John F. Kenndedy, Martin Luther King?... Or the next Empire Strikes Back?
In the mid-90s I worked at an after-school program. The kids ranged in age from 5 to 12. I brought in the three original Star Wars movies (on VHS no less) for them to watch. I was so sure they'd want to watch the original Star Wars, or would like the action in The Empire Strikes Back. You know which movie they wanted to watch? Return of the Jedi? You know why? Ewoks. Now here's my historical context, remember when Return of the Jedi was the punching-bag of the original three films? In the present context of prequel-bashing, did we forget that Return of the Jedi was once the outcast of the OT? I remember my peers referring to it as a muppet movie. People hated, hated the ewoks. Never mind the whole they-couldn't-afford-wookkie-costumes reasoning, or the Vietnam analogy, people couldn't stand the cute little furry guys stealing the spotlight from our oh-so-serious heroes. They couldn't stand the "this-one-is-not-like the-others" glare coming from ROTJ. Yet, so many would argue ROTJ is superior to the PT. You'd think ROTJ was Close Encounters to Empire's Saving Private Ryan, as compared to the prequels' 1941. Personally, I'd say ROTJ is more Hook than Close Encounters...But why ruin everyone's joy in going all Keith Moon in The Phantom Menace Hotel? Is it because those movies didn't fit the template?
The easiest answer to any of these questions can be found in an HBO's ATP (abbreviated). Host Robert Wuhl make a great point that "history is pop culture." Basically, today's media creators are tomorrow's historians. Therefore, we will remember the fiction over the truth because it's more interesting and meaningful, right? The collective oral history in American culture is based on we believe what we choose to believe? Wuhl nicknames this phenomenon the "Liberty Valance Effect" ("When the legend becomes fact, print the legend" - John Ford) What a great way to encapsulate what happens to history over time. The episode has some great examples with Christopher Columbus, Paul Revere and others. The Liberty Valance Effect is the reason why so many history teachers loathe Oliver Stone's JFK. So, how does this circle back to Star Wars and The Force Awakens?
Consider this: is it possible that in TFA, the Liberty Valance Effect works in reverse? What if nobody wants to believe the truth (Luke Skywalker's heroics, the Rebellion vs the evil Empire) because it seems like a myth or fairy tale? That whole good triumphs over evil thing is too easy for a universe that is so ambiguous, complex and gray... What if nobody believes that one quasi-jedi was able to defeat the baddest baddies who ever ruled the universe? On the other hand, what if people grew up to believe [ahem, Finn] the Empire was good and the rebels/jedi were bad? Isn't there evidence to prove that? [I'm looking at you, Mace Windu] What if Luke never told anyone what happened to Vader and Palpatine before the Death Star 2.0 met its demise? What if no one knew that the Luke Skywalker who destroyed the original Death Star also had a hand in defeating Vader and the Emperor? What if everyone believed that Vader and Palpatine died in the destruction of the Death Star 2.0? Does that mean Luke Skywalker becomes a footnote? Is that what TFA trailers are insinuating? Sure sounds interesting and historically relevant to me. Let's wait and see...
Originally Written: December 1, 2015
Every year, I show my seniors an episode of My So Called Life called "Guns and Gossip?" (aside: what is it with teens and weapons? [ahem, rhetorical question] Rebel Without a Cause, Over the Edge, The Outsiders, A Bronx Tale...check it out) At the very beginning, while watching John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech, Angela laments her parents' generation having that single communal event/moment where everyone remembered where they were. In this case, the event being the Kennedy assassination. She wishes she had something like that. [Be careful what you wish for, Angela] Now, in my lifetime, there was a time when people insisted that The Challenger explosion was our generation's moment. In hindsight, has it matched the impact of November 1963? Should I remember where I was for that event any more than when President Reagan was shot? What about all the positive moments: the Miracle on Ice?
Here's a question, do we believe what we want to believe? Do we want our historical narratives to fit a template? We like good guys vs bad guys, underdogs who overcome adversity, cloned heroes and remakes... [how many "The Next Michael Jordan" or "That person is The Michael Jordan of..." can we create?] What happens when actual events don't fit that model? Why do we get so upset when someone isn't the next Wayne Gretsky, Michael Jordan, John F. Kenndedy, Martin Luther King?... Or the next Empire Strikes Back?
In the mid-90s I worked at an after-school program. The kids ranged in age from 5 to 12. I brought in the three original Star Wars movies (on VHS no less) for them to watch. I was so sure they'd want to watch the original Star Wars, or would like the action in The Empire Strikes Back. You know which movie they wanted to watch? Return of the Jedi? You know why? Ewoks. Now here's my historical context, remember when Return of the Jedi was the punching-bag of the original three films? In the present context of prequel-bashing, did we forget that Return of the Jedi was once the outcast of the OT? I remember my peers referring to it as a muppet movie. People hated, hated the ewoks. Never mind the whole they-couldn't-afford-wookkie-costumes reasoning, or the Vietnam analogy, people couldn't stand the cute little furry guys stealing the spotlight from our oh-so-serious heroes. They couldn't stand the "this-one-is-not-like the-others" glare coming from ROTJ. Yet, so many would argue ROTJ is superior to the PT. You'd think ROTJ was Close Encounters to Empire's Saving Private Ryan, as compared to the prequels' 1941. Personally, I'd say ROTJ is more Hook than Close Encounters...But why ruin everyone's joy in going all Keith Moon in The Phantom Menace Hotel? Is it because those movies didn't fit the template?
The easiest answer to any of these questions can be found in an HBO's ATP (abbreviated). Host Robert Wuhl make a great point that "history is pop culture." Basically, today's media creators are tomorrow's historians. Therefore, we will remember the fiction over the truth because it's more interesting and meaningful, right? The collective oral history in American culture is based on we believe what we choose to believe? Wuhl nicknames this phenomenon the "Liberty Valance Effect" ("When the legend becomes fact, print the legend" - John Ford) What a great way to encapsulate what happens to history over time. The episode has some great examples with Christopher Columbus, Paul Revere and others. The Liberty Valance Effect is the reason why so many history teachers loathe Oliver Stone's JFK. So, how does this circle back to Star Wars and The Force Awakens?
Consider this: is it possible that in TFA, the Liberty Valance Effect works in reverse? What if nobody wants to believe the truth (Luke Skywalker's heroics, the Rebellion vs the evil Empire) because it seems like a myth or fairy tale? That whole good triumphs over evil thing is too easy for a universe that is so ambiguous, complex and gray... What if nobody believes that one quasi-jedi was able to defeat the baddest baddies who ever ruled the universe? On the other hand, what if people grew up to believe [ahem, Finn] the Empire was good and the rebels/jedi were bad? Isn't there evidence to prove that? [I'm looking at you, Mace Windu] What if Luke never told anyone what happened to Vader and Palpatine before the Death Star 2.0 met its demise? What if no one knew that the Luke Skywalker who destroyed the original Death Star also had a hand in defeating Vader and the Emperor? What if everyone believed that Vader and Palpatine died in the destruction of the Death Star 2.0? Does that mean Luke Skywalker becomes a footnote? Is that what TFA trailers are insinuating? Sure sounds interesting and historically relevant to me. Let's wait and see...
Originally Written: December 1, 2015
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