Like Anakin himself, those who deride the prequels don’t (or didn’t) want things to change. Perhaps prophetically, it sure seems that many viewers who despise TPM (as well as its siblings Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith ) simply can’t remember what it was like to be Anakin Skywalker’s age and have that kind of hope that kind of awe… No movie could ever transcend that toddler’s memory and TPM – with its admitted flaws – certainly did not. There, in a galaxy far, far away, I met the heroic droids and, of course, learned to fear Darth Vader. I vividly recall sitting on my dad’s lap in West Springfield, Massachusetts mind-blown as I watched Luke Skywalker stare out at Tatooine’s twin suns. Seeing Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977 (or 1978) remains my earliest memory, and it was a transcendent moment. At age 24, and a bit jaded, I experienced joy as I saw stories I only imagined as a child. Moreover, a careful re-watching of The Phantom Menace reminded me of that satisfaction and the happiness I felt. They remind us of the sheer wonder we felt when we first saw the movie’s trailer, or read the crawl, and were introduced to Qui-Gon, Padme, or Darth Maul. Star Wars: Every Saga Has A Beginningįor those of us who appreciate the Prequel Trilogy, Ebert’s words are a touchstone. How quickly do we grow accustomed to wonders. But this is the fourth movie of the famous series, and we think we know the territory many of the early reviews have been blasé, paying lip service to the visuals and wondering why the characters aren’t better developed. If it were the first ‘Star Wars’ movie, ‘The Phantom Menace’ would be hailed as a visionary breakthrough. However, I recently returned to his review of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and wasn’t shocked to read: He was able to simply enjoy a movie even a so-called “popcorn movie.” Despite that prominence, one of the things that were obvious about Ebert was his ability to transcend a critical trope.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |