I was initially going to mention in passing another reason I gotta like John Scalzi but it’s just too good to be thrown in with other items.
I have always said Star Wars was merely a conglomeration of themes, ideas and even characters “borrowed” from great SF, westerns and almost anything else you can mention. If you doubt me, sometime compare the scene in the first Star Wars film in which Luke returns home to find it destroyed and his family gone with John Ford’s The Searchers, starring John Wayne. And the resemblance of Wookies to the Kzin of Larry Niven’s Ringworld is just one example of Niven’s ideas influence showing up in the Lucas franchise. Thus, not only have I not seen the last several movies, I tend to view Star Wars fanatics as lesser beings than Trekkies.
But Scalzi puts it better than I ever could:
Star Wars is not entertainment. Star Wars is George Lucas masturbating to a picture of Joseph Campbell and conning billions of people into watching the money shot.
It’s probably unfair to portray Scalzi’s analysis with just it’s own money shot but it is just so good. Additionally, Scalzi admits that his criticism of Lucas deals with the Star Wars franchise and Lucas has “a not inconsiderable list” of things he’s done well. I just love the fact that someone with Scalzi’s standing nails Star Wars for what it is or, more accurately, is not.
Who wants to hear a spoiler? Here’s a spoiler: You will die alone.
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to costumed
Star Wars fans awaiting one of the movie premieres,
The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
