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That Star Wars Feeling - that brought me here...

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 (Edited)

I am sure I can post this and you’ll understand…the magic of “Star Wars”. It defined my generation and no, its not comparable Harry Potter, Matrix or even Lord of the Rings. It was Sci-Fi which was the lure, but it was characters. It was incomprehensible and incomparable to anything ever before or even since. And we KNEW it. That John Williams score and that crawl together still gives me chills. The figures, well it seemed I had them all (though not anymore). I lived it, breathed it.

Funny memories: I remember bludgeoning my brothers with the now banned hard plastic, non-collapsable, glow-in-the-dark light sabers of course in a dark room. Beating each other senseless. Making vader noises. It captivated us. It moved us. And at times hurt us (hey, it was hard plastic).

There was good and evil in a clear way, not the convoluted mess of most movies today (though LOTR does this well). It was emotions and humanity. The relationships between the characters transcended the sci-fi setting. They had life, they weren’t stoic (Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan) like the new mess or overly cartoony and obnoxious(Jar-Jar or Watto). I am saying all this because I have seen the originals over a 100 times a piece.

And growing up I heard the rumors of a trilogy to come before the IV-VI episodes and then a VII-IX trilogy, but years ticked by, the cast got older, I got older, and I put it aside as fantasy. Then I heard a rumor, and another of a new trilogy. The Phantom Menace is coming, people camping out for weeks. This is it. I sat in that seat, again hearing that score, seeing that scrawl with chills…16 YEARS, I’ve waited and its real. Then Jar-Jar, kiddie anakin, jar-jar, stoic emotionless characters, cartoony scenes (was it me or did the technology from 1977 using the models look more realistic), the big fish scooby-doo scene, a whole race of Jar-Jar’s…OK the pod-race cool, good, the darth maul scenes, awesome, ok its getting better, ummm…wait, did he just die? Uh, Jar-Jar lives and Darth Maul dies (ok, lucas realising the cult status of boba fett after killing him, does jango…hmm, duh, maul was that type of cool). I was crushed. I stayed in denial and in fact never went back to see it in the theater again. I saw it on DVD and saw the AOTC several times (a vast improvement), but I stayed in denial.

The movies that were given to us were decent, but in my mind I had to divorce them from the ones I love so I didn’t get sick inside. Because if they were Star Wars, my expectations were too high, my love too great. I’d forgive any, but Lucas. 16 years to prepare, 16 years to get it right, 16 years to work a real script with a monsterous fan base willing to contribute. And we got “jar-jar cartoons”. I’ve put it all out of my mind over the last few years.

The more I heard about Lucas releasing one movie at a time of the original when he released all his others I thought. Screw this guy, how much money do you need (although now there is a box set coming out of the SE’s). It’s sickening. Then I heard about edits. The movies being edited, to how they should’ve been. I did some searches and came upon this site (Yes I love the OT as well another thing Lucas messed up dearly). I got giddy again. People that love the original. People like Rikter and Magnoliafan that love the mythos so much that they collect, remaster, edit and improve. Giving the fans what they wanted all along (isn’t that the point and further, why couldn’t he realize this - now it’s bigger than him and $$$).

Just thought I’d share a love hate story and what brought me here. I love the posts. I love the forward-minded thinking. I love the dreaming of what if here. And I love that no one here blindly praises all that is Luca$. Star wars is mine and yours, not his, he just created it. That’s my story. And I’ll still get chills from that score and that crawl…no matter what.

16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!
glad you came aboard our site and great post!

i only wish my first post was as powerful...

"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Thanks again Luke, I appreciate it. And that post was truly from my heart and unless you grew up with the OT its something that really can't be expressed in word (no matter how verbose I am). You just know what I mean. Star wars was the most important piece of pop culture and my youth that I can think of.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Excellent post, Obi-Wonton! You summed up my thoughts (as well as a lot of others I'm sure). I, honestly, have been in sort of funk when it comes to Star Wars recently (again, like a lot of others). I mean I love the OT, and always have. I also respect everyone else's opinion of the current state of all things SW (except the sheep that have no clue, just blindly worship Lucas) and don't think my attitude is one that everyone should share. But I have a hard time appreciating crappy irrelevant SE's, prequels that, in my estimation, couldn't possibly be any worse given the money, resources, acting talent, and source material, and then, like diarrhea on a turd cake, we get Lucas' "new" rendition of what he always "intended" on DVD.

It's disgusting, and really ruins the feeling you speak of. But then I think, I'm not going to let anyone take that feeling from me. Not Lucas. Not anyone. I've got my boots, and a renewed love for the almighty OT. And hence, why I'm here. You guys kick ass.

(edit)

Again, too each their own. If you like the PT, SE, ect, more power to you. In fact, I actually kind of like TPM for some strange reason. But my point was that if their actually are disillusioned fans out there, there is still a silver lining.
40,000 million notches away
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I'm really sorry for you pal. Waiting that long for TPM...
I first saw the trilogy around 1996, and I loved it immediately. Often I wished that I had been born 20 years earlier so I could have had the experience of seeing them in the theatre and of waiting and anticipating the next installments. But now it's not the case anymore. At least my disappointment about the prequels was not that big.
"Last night, Darth Vader came down from planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't take Lorraine out that he'd melt my brain."
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Obi-wonton, I agree with you completely.
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its so nice to know and comforting in a way that i know there are people out there who "love" the OT as i did and do...
i always felt that i was alone when i was growing up with these movies...
none of my friends enjoyed them and i was always told that they were stupid and boring...
but i never let that get in the way of my love for these films...

i had all the classic toys from my early days of childhood... or whats left of them now (hehe)
and i continue to have Star Wars crap from all the days i was growing up with these films...
i guess im just rambling now but these movies made my childhood something which i would never want to take away... and i want my children to see the movies which made me the avid collector and film enthusiast i am today...

i guess thats all...
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Luke,windexed,han's girlfriend,warbler...it's good to hear my thoughts are not alone in this universe. Sometimes I feel like Luke, all alone with the love I have for those movies. Or worse there are so many that have love for those movies, but blindly, accepting anything Luca$. He has lost his way somewhat and has become misguided and full of self-importance. Again, Its not his anymore, it's ours. He made the movies, we made it breathe, we made it great we made it a phenomenon never to be surpassed. His new vision is more effects and grandeur. Again, I am so glad that there are some that see being critical can come from deep love and real hurt for destroying something so, so precious.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Thing is, I grew up with SW too. It was my life from the age of 6.
Love it, love everything about it. All my mates take the piss out of me for loving it so much.
They have bets on how long it'll be before I bring it up at a party or bbq or whatever....

But I also like the PT. Not in the same leage as the OT, but I do like them.
No, it's not what I had in mind when I thought about Obi-Wan and Anakin the early years..but I'm no story teller either..

Yes some of the acting is shite, yes some of the effects are CGI ridden, but thats just the way it is today. I really don't think they could of gotten away with using rubber puppets and stop motion now.
Yes I was gutted after watching TPM the first time......Gutted.

But once I got over the shock, I took it from a different point of view. By the time AOTC was released I actually quite liked TPM.
With AOTC I knew what I was getting. Not so much another prequel to the films I loved, but a sequel to a film I liked, alot.

I know this is just my opinion, but there are alot of people out there who like the new films (Jimbo) just as much as I love the OT.
To this day Empire still remains my fave film of all time, and probably will be my fave film till the day I die

I'm getting really hyped up about 3. From what I've seen and read (yes I'm a spoiler hound...not here though so don't worry) this film will make even the PT haters have goose bumps. It's the SW film we've been waiting 19 - 20 years for. This is the one.

For all it's faults, the new films are enjoyable enough.
I mean at the end of the day they are just bloody films.
No-one is making you watch them.

But I suppose if I had my way I would change them a little.....But hey, thats life!

Peace!!

http://www.facebook.com/DirtyWookie

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Hot Rod I like how you mentioned your friends dogging you. That is a true fan to stay with it. I don't hate the new movies, its just hard to swallow next to the OT. TPM was truly disappointing, but had some glimpse of hope (hmmm...a new hope) when I found this edit, it may give me mostly what I was looking for...something that doesn't look and move like Shrek 2. ATOC is a good movie, I just expect more...as someone said...with that much money, resources (nearly billions), time (over 16 years), and fan base and intelligent writers that have been doing all these books&games...I expected more. I really expected more, like the sequels of the Matrix. They were good, but somewhat disappointing. But the LOTR trilogy was awesome the whole way through. I am not begging for re-edits of that. Peter Jackson did a Phenomenal job with the Extended editions...hopefully "the hobbit" comes out well too when he does that.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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Never had to worry about my friends dogging me because they were all junkies much like I am. I'm with you Wonton.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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See this forum is full of real fans - it's stupid but every now and then someone posts and it really...
almost brings a tear to my eye

Welcome home friend.


“My skill are no longer as Mad as the once were” RiK

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Thanks, rikter...you're the reason I ended up here on a search. You've been really cool with emails and helping me fill in my catalog. Luke has been cool here as well. Thanks guys, glad there's so much feedback on that.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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these are the threads that keep me coming back to these boards...
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Thanks Luke, again. I appreciate all the reads and comments.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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np man...
does anyone here have any good memories as a kid when it came to Star Wars...
if so feel free to share...

I remember the day i got my first actual Star Wars playset...
Ewok Village... hehe
never really used it as an ewok village though... usually i had darth vader and the gang hanging out in there...
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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My mom pulled me out of school for the first showing on opening day of Return of the Jedi. The next time I was in school, I was sitting in my seat near the back of the classroom and my teacher looked right at me and said, "so, how was it?" I said, "how was what?" She said, "how was the new Star Wars movie?" "I didn't see the new Star Wars movie." "Yes you did. I know you did." "Fine! I saw the movie!"

Every kid in my class surrounded my desk and was asking me questions. I was quite proud of one thing I said to really throw them all off. I told them that Skywalker dies. You should have seen how big their eyes got and how sad they all were. Of course, I wasn't lying. I just didn't tell them the whole truth, per se.

Great fun.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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lol @ Bossk...
thats awesome...
reminds me of the Simpsons when Home and Marge are walking out of the theater and Homer says "i cant believe that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalkers father" while the people in line for the movie hear it..
hehe

ahhh hurry HotRod....
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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I had that Ewok village too. But remember with the first movie it was the ultimate to own the Millenium falcon, there was serious envy there. With ESB without a doudt you were the cool kid on the block if you owned the AT-AT walker ($50 at the time). Of other cool toys to own back in the day not Star Wars it had to be Castle Grayskull (He-Man), JetFire or Optimus Prime (Transformers). Haha...memories. Now its the cool car you own, but back then it was all about the toys.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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My brother had the Ewok Village. I never really cared much for it. Lost even more respect when Kenner coughed up the mold again in the 90s for use with the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves toys.

I love my Falcon. However, everyone had one. The big envy factor came into play with people that had the AT-AT and the Shuttle Tyderium. God those were great. And I had neither of them.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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oh ya the Falcon was like the Ferrari of Star Wars...
i was always surprised that the Death Star Playset wasnt that big of a deal...
i have whats left of mine... (to be honest its not in that bad of condition for coming out like 20 years ago and being played with by 4 kids.)

i have one memory which haunts me to this day...
well i was super young at the time so i just have very slight images in my mind...
i was sitting in the stupid shopping bugger metal seat while my mom went shopping... i believe it was either at a store called Wolco or Robinson's... anyway usually if i was good while she was shopping i would have a choice of any toy i wanted (within reason of course) so it turned out i was a good kid that day and we ventured to the toy section...
now this is where i want to cry... they had a discount bin full of Star Wars figures... and each was $1...
and this is in CDN money.... 1 dollar for a Star Wars figure... 1 DOLLAR!!!
and they had a bin at least full of over 100 Star Wars action figures... of course i was dumb and choose Squid Face... yippe!
lol
but that memory right there makes me want to travel back in time with all the money i have now in my bank and just go to town....
ahhhh

i remember when EP 1 toys came out... 9.99 a figure..
spent over $150 in one night...


oh the days they are a changing
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Oh and I forgot the Sandcrawler was pretty bad-ass with the first release of toys in the 70's.
16 years I wait and this is what I get???
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man i should bring back the Star Wars vintage toys thread... that thing was great...

another one of my favorite toys as a kid was the Original B&W tie fighter... the two wings would pop off to simulate a hit in a dogfight...
still have it actually... and it still works too..
"Never. I'll never turn to the darkside. You've failed your highness. I am a jedi, like my father before me."
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Did anyone have the DeathStar? - it was a huge almost cardboard-like thing of which half the outer shell was removeable to reveal some corridors and other rooms in it.

(I think it was an official product - some kid in my class brought it into primary school, must've been around 8-9 at the time so my memory may be failing me a bit)

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