One More Bush/Vader Perspective
Thank goodness For Alex Jones… he brilliantly puts the entire Bush/Vader thing in proper booby hatch perspective.
And as soon as he gets out of the booby hatch, he’s heading for The Alamo Drafthouse. Yahoo!!!
April 18, 2024
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
As someone who isn’t a fan of the SW movies, I found that to be an interesting, informative read.
Seconded, thanks for the link Dave. I found that to be an informative piece that did did not seem to be a proponet for or against this whole Vader/Bush similarity.
I remember an old interview Lucas gave to Rolling Stone magazine, where they asked about the parallels between the Rebels and the Empire in “Star Wars”. Noting that the rich, bronze-looking empire, lost to the poorer and feeble rebels because the rebels had more will, a la Vietnamese versuses the US troops. I believe his answer was that wasn’t his real source of inspiration, but found that to be an interesting analogy. (In that same interview he did give details about Vader fighting Obi Wan and falling into a volcano)
An art teacher of mine once told me this and if you look at history it seems to always be the case: the “bad guys” in any war (Nazis, British, Romans) always have the nicer uniforms. Not just more expensive but nicer design and better looking. As it goes in life, it goes in the movies.
stella i’m still waiting to hear what films ur a fan of. i got my money on french foreign films
As a big fan of Star Wars, I got to say the references to the Rebels being the North Vietnamese is making me like the films less. I ahte when bad analogies get thrown into popcorn movies because people feel the need to make something out of nothing.
That article was disturbing on a lot of levels. Conspiracy theorist wackos. Getting a good laugh from it though.
bob, just tell me where to send them. I’m not going to post them here. It has nothing to do with the topic. And you have my taste all wrong. Big surprise. You don’t know me. Why pretend to?
joefitz, you should be more disturbed at Lucas for ripping off imagery from Triumph of the Will for the end scene of the original movie than for parallels to Vietnam.
I am pissed that Swingers ripped off that Reservoir Dogs scene!
Stella’s Boy, I would like to hear what sparks your passions in regards to films too. I
I would be happy to share a list with anyone who cares. I just don’t want to post it here. Not the proper forum. So if you give me an email address, I’ll send it to you.
This is a movie blog website. Whats a better forum for a list of a few movies? Unless you’re embarrassed that Dude, Wheres My Car? cracks your top five.
Mark, post yours first, and then I’ll consider it. Otherwise, this isn’t the proper place for a list of my favorite movies.
I like all kinds of movies. Well, I should say love since I can spend a day, and have to sometimes, watching movies. I can watch a Hitchcock movie from the 50’s and I can watch a comedy from the 80’s like Revenge of the Nerds. I like the 70’s era films like The Godfather, French Connection, Rocky, Star Wars, Taxi Driver, etc. I like great drama’s like Citizen Kane and Casablanca. I like goofball comedies like Stripes, Old School, Billy Madison, Karate Kid and Better Off Dead. I like indie films like Trainspotting, Pulp Fiction, and Chopper. I like directors like Hitchcock, DePalma, Spielberg, Tarantino, and Zemeckis. I got ecletic tastes that go around all types of cinema. Basically, I like anything that is involving, entertaining, and fun. Crossing over all types of genres.
Not that anyone cares but here’s a list of my favorites. Not a list of what I think are the greatest films of all times, just of what I find myself watching at least once a year.
Fight Club
Star Wars
Empire Strikes Back
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Boogie Nights
Magnolia
Sweet Hereafter
The Matrix
Casablanca
Bound
LA Confidential
Out Of Sight
Road to Perdition
Moulin Rouge
Seven
Platoon
Savior
Band of Brothers(mini-series)
Saving Private Ryan
Go
Pulp Fiction
Chinatown
Requiem for a Dream
Guilty Pleasures: The Warriors, Bring It On, Blade 2
When Star Wars came out in 1977, did anyone compare Darth Vader to Jimmy Carter? This is fucking ridiculous. The movie has dialogue that sounds like an eighth-grader wrote it. How could Lucas possibly have the sophistication to make a George Bush allegory? Give it up, people. It’s just a movie.
Hey, Kenn…Magnolia sucked. Hard.
There’s no such thing as “just a movie”. Take art seriously, even if it is populist, mass-market art.
I love Magnolia, and I really hope this doesn’t turn into people bashing other people’s favorite movies. That’s not why I’m posting this list. Mark, like you, I have eclectic taste. I love cheesy horror movies and bad action movies, as well as documentaries, indie and foreign flicks. So, here’s a sampling.
Heat, The Sweet Hereafter, I Heart Huckabee’s, Lost In Translation, Punch-Drunk Love, Seven, Fight Club, Door in the Floor, Roger Dodger, Manhunter, To Live and Die in LA, The French Connection, Dancer in the Dark, In the Mood for Love, Amelie, The Big Lebowski, Secret Lives of Dentists, Zoolander, 21 Grams, Y Tu Mama Tambien, The Insider, Wonderland (British one), Donnie Brasco, All the Real Girls, Amores Perros, Collateral, Carlito’s Way, True Romance and 25th Hour. This is not a complete list.
Guilty pleasures: Point Break, Ravenous, Way of the Gun, Friday the 13th series and anything with Michael Madsen.
Hey, Terry…did I say it was YOUR list of favorite movies? How about listing your fav’s so I can pick one out and say it sucks. I feel like I’m back in high school. Yeesh!
I really like Personal Best.
Kenn- thumbs up for having Out of Sight on your list. Not many give that movie the kudos it deserves. Several of your other favorites make my list as well. Here’s my partial list:
The Hunt for Red October
Rushmore
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Entire Star Wars original trilogy
Terminator 2
Mary Poppins
The Matrix
Out of Sight
Shawshank Redemption (although its overrated)
Pulp Fiction
Its a Wonderful Life
The Wizard of Oz
The Sound of Music
E.T.
LA Confidential
Chinatown
and others…
Madsen made me watch that show Tilt on ESPN. A pretty awful show until he steps on screen. By himself he picks up the show and carries it.
That’s good, because when Tilt comes out on DVD this summer, I plan on renting it. No cable for me.
No cable. Refuses to see “Revenge of the Sith.” No offense, Stella, but do you live in a cabin somewhere and mail bombs to people? (If so, I could send a few addresses to you….)
Not having cable and not wanting to see Revenge of the Sith is really that unusual?
Hey, I can understand not wanting to see “Star Wars.” But not being able to watch Keith Olbermann?
Is Countdown really a good show? Or was that sarcasm?
“Countdown” is to contemporary TV news what Ernie Kovacs was to 50s TV comedy.
It’s not unusual to not have cable, and it’s not unusual to not want to see Star Wars. Both might even be signs of being cultured and having a rich and comfortable lifestyle, spending all your time on your fast-paced career and your leisure time at the symphony or wine-tasting events.
But to fall into both of those groups, and to post day-in, day-out, on pages regarding Star Wars on a movie blog…strikes me as the acts of a loser.
And someone who spends his leisure time at symphony concerts and wine-tasting events strikes me as a drunken twit who likely gets laid about as often as a “Star Wars” geek. But, hey, to each his own.
But you get my rhetorical point, I trust.
I could easily say that someone who has cable and is crazy about the Star Wars movie is a loser lazyboy. Was it hard getting the Darth Maul paint on and off? What time did your parents drop you off at the theater? Was your imaginary girlfriend understanding?
Clever.
Almost as clever as calling someone a loser for not having cable or an interest in the new SW flick, while still posting on a movie blog.
Revenge of the Sith…..17Million from midnight screenings…….the sith has it the fan….sorry stella.
that should be …’the sith has hit the fan.’
Aaron: Good call on Rushmore. I forgot it. Probably Wes Anderson at his best, concentrating on a few main characters so as not to dilute the story like his last two movies did. I never get tired of that film. It was one of those great surprises that do not happen much these days.
***SPOILER ALERT!!!***
Also, saw SW for the second time today. I originally saw it at a press screening two weeks ago. Seems a lot longer ago then that. Anyway, it’s starting to feel like two separate films now. First part was a lot like the first two sequels, largely forgettable but with better special effects. While the second half was even better the second time around. I really felt the impending doom of it all and the response from the women in the audience when Anakin kills the younglings was amazing. They were shocked. Kudos to Lucas for that one. Also, when Obi and Anakin say goodbye to each other before Obi heads off to get Grevious was incredibly poignant. I can’t believe I’m using that word to describe a scene in a SW pic. And finally, at the end, when Obi drops off baby Luke I really didn’t want him to go. I’d be first in line for a film about Obi-Wan living on Tatooine. Ewan Macgregor is that good in the role.
Why would I care how much $ it makes? What does that prove? That there is no lonely dork shortage in America?
Kenn, I saw the midnight screening last night (sorry, I couldn’t resist the dork side of The Force) and talked a little about it on another thread. I’ve heard other people say, just as you did, that ROTS feels like two separate movies, but I can’t say I agree. I’ll gladly concede that the long opening sequence for the most part seemed like more of the same prequel nonsense, but after that I think the movie hit its groove and its improved tone.
One of the things I appreciated about the film, which I neglected to mention on the other thread, was the near absence of all those endless, distracting, annoying Henson Shop creations that overpopulated the series after “Return of the Jedi.” Other than the new character of General Grievous, the film really does seem to care more about the plot than selling toys at Walmart.
Like you touched on, Kenn, the film is surprisingly intense. I expect some people will find it oppressively so. As I said on the other thread, the much-touted PG-13 is definitely deserved.
Chester: I agree… whenever Lucas decides that his story is about human beings it shines. And I think the story really kicks in when Palpatine talks to Anakin at the Space Opera, or whatever that was.
Some other nice touches: When Obi-Wan walks away after defeating Anakin he quickly, with very little thought, picks up Anakin’s Light Saber, which of course he will give to Luke. Also. After they crash land on Coruscant, and fly to a dock to drop off Palpatine, if you look at the bottom right of your screen you’ll see the Millenium Falcon landing at a docking bay.
It looked to me more like a Space Glop-era. I must have missed its entertainment value – it looked to me like they all had royal box seats to stare at a screensaver – but then again I’m not from that culture.
OK, I realize that it’s always dangerous to be literal minded when dealing with something like “Star Wars,” but… How much time are we supposed to think is passing in the course of the actions we see in “Sith”? I mean, from the opening battle to, say, the birth of Luke and Leia? I would say a few days — 2-3 weeks, at most. Or did I fall asleep without realizing it and miss something (a distinct possibility, considering that the screening didn’t end until 3 a.m.)?
That and Padme’s belly never showed. (As I recall, she was wearing a mini-skirt on that volcanic planet.) But, hey, despite appearances, we can always just say we shouldn’t apply earthling standards of maternity.
Well — and jeez, this will REALLY make me sound like a geek — are we supposed to think these characters are human? I mean, it IS a story in a galaxy far away. Maybe pregnancy lasts for a much shorter period there?
When they met in the beginning they talked about how long he had been gone so it was probably like seven months or so with him off fighting the clone wars, two or three weeks actually on screen, babies probably born in eighth month. Yes, I am a geek. At least for this week.
Padme was generally wearing loose clothing to hide her pregnancy. When she was buried you could clearly see her still looking pregnant so as to hide the fact that the kids were alive.
Yeah, but… boy, here’s where I wander right into the briar patch — if she was already seven months pregnant when we first see her… wouldn’t there have been, uh, talk about this, among Jedi Knights and others, way before Annakin returned? (Talk like: Hey, didn’t we assign Annie to guard that lady seven months ago? What’s with this?) And, er, why did he have to be TOLD she was pregnant? Wouldn’t he have, ah, guessed something when he first embraced her? I’m not trying to put down Lucas or antyhing, just wondering if perhaps this was the most accelerated pregnancy in movie hitsory.
Er, HISTORY.
Hey Stella, at least most of the people on this page would admit they’re geeks of varying degree. You are hypocritically hanging around a chat site you “don’t care about” just so you can slag and heap abuse from time to time. Don’t you think you’re wasting your time?
I thought Personal Best was phenomenal.
Getting back to premature deliveries, anybody know where all of our resident conservatives were today? Nary a slick comment all day long from bicycle bob, Terence D, Mark or Joe Fitz. Is it Dick Cheney’s birthday or something? And who are these new guys attacking Stella? Maybe there’s some rightie fraternity hazing going on here.
Joe: You’re probably right. We’re talking about Lucas here. He probably didn’t even work out a timeline or anything.
One thing that I was disappointed with was that Qui-Gon really should have showed up as a ghost at the end, not just as a throwaway line. Lucas did a bang up job of tying ROTS to the original trilogy. If Qui showed up at the end he would have gotten Fan boys across the world jumping out of their seats. Plus, it really would have tied Annie the boy from Phantom with Darth Vader in ROTS. A shame. Although Liam has said that he filmed the scene and in the novelization he comes back to tell Yoda that it was his fault. Maybe, the DVD?
Correction: comes back to tell Yoda that it WASN’T his fault.
It was ALL Qui-Gon’s fault. He plucked Annie off that planet, and then (after getting the beat down from Darth Maul) he guilt-tripped Obi-Wan into training the future Darth Vader. No wonder the bastard couldn’t show his face in “Sith.”
I agree. To be honest, I didn’t see the narrative need or logic of teasingly bringing Qui Gon back into the story if they weren’t going to show him (or at least his ethereal image).
Can the jerks who saw the movie early please keep the spoilers to themselves and not ruin it for the people who aren’t nerds and didn’t wait in line? Thanks.
Apparently Daves fave cinema; the Alamo Drafthouse are organising the greatest Meta Movie Experience Ever Seen. Classic movies in classic locations… see Close Encounters in front of Devils Tower, The Shining at the Overlook Hotel, It Came From Outer Space at Roswell, Goonies at Astoria,Planet of the Apes at Lake Powell and many many more.
This thread was funny! I love that it had absolutely nothing to do with the original topic (or, for the most part anyway).
And no offence to Stella (this isn’t an insult) I just want to ask how old you are? There’s just a lot of modern films on your list, so I was just wondering. (this is NOT an insult, i am legitimately interested)
Chester, Qui-Gonn had to be brought back to the story
due in large part to his abilities needing to be
taught to Yoda and Obi-Wan. Without Qui-Gonn, Obi-Wan
could never ever become more powerful in death than
he was in life. The scene where he’s meditating
before Bail announces they have heard from Obi-Wan
was supposed to have Qui-Gonn talking to Yoda in
that scene. Why that would be cut is rather confusing.
Also, Padme had been pregnant for a while. Anakin
had been away for months. He arrives during her
last trimester or at least towards the end of the
pregnancy.
Let’s take it further: if Bush is Vader…
Yoda=Hillary (or Howard Dean?)
Emperor=Bush 41
Amidala=Maria Shriver (married to a Republican, get it?)
Obi-Wan=John Kerry (boring, misguided…)
Mace Windu=Sam Jackson (who else?)
Dooku=Cheney
Man, talk about sophisticated political diatribe! Keep it up, Poland!
Angelus: With all due disrespect — and at the risk of repeating myself — if you don’t want spoilers the very last place on Earth you should go before you see “Sith” (or any other film) is a blog like this one.
Or your local geek infested locales Joe. Geeks are
likes ze roaches! You see one of them. There are
easily 150 that you dont see!
Uh, is it just me, or is this blog a little light on the “Sith” commentary so far? I mean, I thought for sure Dave would at least open a new discussion thread by now. (Conspiracy theorists surely will point to this as proof of his animus toward all thing Lucas.) (Of course, we all know that I myself would NEVER accuse Dave of harboring ulterior motives for ANYTHING.) But even the commentary on THIS thread has been, how you say, sparse.
if dave wants to he should open up a thread dedicated to it so people don’t ruin it and spoil it for the people who haven’t seen it yet
Joe Leydon, with all due respect, you don’t have to go posting spoilers the day the movies opens especially on a thread that has nothing to do with spoiling the movie. Thanks.
Terence: I mean this as a serious and sincere question, not a snotty put-down: Exactly what have I posted here that can be construed as a “spoiler”? (I can’t speak for what anyone else has posted.) I mean, what do you define as a spoiler? Seriously. You already know Padme’s gonna deliver two kids, right? I didn’t say anything about… Whoops, ain’t gonna fall into that trap.
It doesn’t mean you have to say direct plot points. Everyone knows whats going to happen. How it happens is what people don’t know. So why do you got to be a jerk and ruin it for people who maybe couldn’t take off and see it? Keep it to a post that has Spoilers on it. Is that so hard?
JoeFitz: Why do I got to be.. er, have to be a jerk? Well, once again, I repeat: What have I posted that you would qualify as a “spoiler”? Seriously.
Well, Joe might be on to something with this conspiracy thing. Since the Hot Button seemed somewhat anti-SW today. Of course I could just be reading into things. Since the damn thing made no damn sense what so bloody ever. Big spoiler: Polis Manass is a medic.
Regarding Dave’s Hot Button column, I also got the same uncertain vibe in the theatre in which I saw ROTS. Everyone was hysterically whooping it up at the beginning, but there was just sparse applause when the final credits rolled. (Of course, maybe everyone was simply too tired to clap at 2:30 AM.) The movie is unquestionably a major event and is already making record amounts of money ($50 million yesterday alone!), but it’s far too early to gauge what the final public verdict will be. I think that’s one of the reasons those of us who’ve already seen it are so eager to talk about it.
Let’s face it: The Second Coming would have a hard time living up to this hype. (“Oh, is THAT what He looks like. Well, gee, I think the fellow who played Him in the Mel Gibson movie was ever so much handsomer…”
I saw the movie at the midnight premiere in Columbus, and the applause there was long and loud at 2:30 in the morning. Of course, that was in the midst of Geek central, so take that as you will.
For what it’s worth, the movie also has an A- on the Yahoo movies user poll, the closest thing I can find to Cinemascore. Whathever happened to them anyway?
Joe has a point. Only Jesus would face more hype
than the SW films had to come across. But what
if: “We wait 2000 fucking years for this guy to
come back, and he talks in this stilted tone. I
mean, what gives? What’s wrong with his dialogue?
Couldnt he have had better pacing? I just dont FEEL
like he loves us. This whole affair is very disappointing.
I hope his next appearance has more DARKNESS or
something. Who knew only Jesus could suck more than
George Lucas”-Jeff Wells
I just can’t see why asking for people not to post spoilers makes them jerks? Relax a little, Leydon. Life’s too short, pal.
Once again: I can understand what Stella means about having words put in your mouth. Go back and read the posts, Mark. I’m not the one calling anyone a jerk. And I’m serious: What have I posted that qualifies as a “spoiler”?
And while we are on the subject of spoilers: If you have never seen the original “Longest Yard,” and have no idea what happens at around the two-thirds mark, and you plan to see the remake that opens next Friday, let me warn you — do NOT read any reviews before seeing the film. Well, you can read mine, of course — I know I don’t give anything away — but I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of critics spoil, inadvertently or otherwsie, something that may be genuinely surprising to a lot of people.
There Leydon goes again. Or should I call you Joe Spoiler?
Fitz: I think it should be obvious to both of us by now that we have different definitions for the word “spoiler.”
Joe Spoiler, what movie is next on your hit list? A new movie like Batman or a remake like Wonka or Bad news Bears? Surprise us!
OK, Fitz: This one is just for you. Rosebud. It was his sled.
Thanks, Leydon. Did McMurphy get smothered by the Chief too?
Yes, Blu. And Bruce Willis was really dead.
Joe Spoiler, don’t ruin Citizen Kane for the newbies here. That is just flat out wrong.
You know, Fitz, seriously: I did have a twinge or two or remorse after posting that. Because, as my favorite college professor told me many years ago: “You have to remember, Joe, that some people don’t know how ‘Hamlet’ ends…”
I just figured everybody on this site is so movie-savvy, I could get away with it.
And by the way: Norman Bates likes to dress up like his mom.