On the lighter side of things, Lucas has decided to sell his Star Wars empire, including Lucasfilm Ltd, Industrial Light and Magic and all rights to the Star Wars franchise to Disney for $4.05 Billion and a 2.2% interest in Disney Corporation, who then immediately announced a new Star Wars film, Episode VII, to be released in 2015.
It’s already begun!
At this point, I really am not a fan of Star Wars anymore so, for the most part, I could care less. Yet somehow seeing my childhood memories Disneyfied (which already ruined my childhood Disney memories with the 90s Eisner kidsploitation Starbucksian makeover), leaves me with feelings of discomfort.
My teen/early adult nostalgia for Star Wars was never obsessive, yet reached a fever pitch in the run up to Episode I and pretty much died a slow and agonizing death there after. I still like the originals, though everything released past the original movies began to feel like a cash grab anyway so this final insult is nothing more than the cherry on top. Hell, the Star Wars prequels felt like Disney movies already! Poorly done ones at that!
Cross over posters have existed for a while
Besides, Star Tours at Disneyland and its many other theme parks has been a staple of Tomorrowlands all over the world for a generation. The Star Wars posters showing beloved Star Wars characters eating M&Ms greet you on your way to the gift shop where cross-over Star Wars / Disney merchandise is available for sale. The tie ins with Pepsi, KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut were a huge part of the Star Wars Episode I promotional campaign as well, with a Lucas created character drinking endless cans of Pepsi, and the Colonel, the Yo Quiero Taco Bell Chihuahua and a Pizza Hut employee (guess that was the best they could come up with) fighting off the Galactic Trade Federation’s Drone Army. So to sit here and tell you that Lucas finally selling out completely is any great leap from his passed selling out would be kind of silly.
Maybe Lucas finally took Master Yoda’s advice: “Do or do not, there is no try.” The circle is now complete and Star Wars can now be milked for its last few ounces of exploitable ideas. I mean, seriously, what’s left? A Star Wars fast-food chain? A Star Wars theme park? Whatever it is, considering that Lucas has not wanted to make new movies, (despite the Clone Wars) which Disney immediately announced before the ink on the contracts was even dry, you can count on the fact that if there is money to be made, the good folks who turned Mickey Mouse into a blank, emotionless, corporate shill will bring it to you, available for purchase in the comfort of your own home or at fine Disney retail operations and theme parks near you.
On the plus side, at least Lucas won’t direct anymore of these films and will hopefully stop ruining the originals. His direction on the Prequels was one of the major reasons those films were so awful, and his constant fiddling with the originals by throwing in pointless CGI special effects, new music numbers and even making Guido shoot at Han Solo first (and missing from point blank range) have outraged fans and very arguably weakened his classic movies. What outraged fans the most was that with each new release, on DVD, Blue Ray, Lucas would change something else. It prompted the release of a documentary “The People vs George Lucas“, to dive into this love / hate relationship that fans of Star Wars have been having. I also, highly recommend Red Letter Media’s take on the Prequels, which are essential to anyone who loved the originals yet hated the Prequels.
People hate Jar Jar and Lucas’s “New” creations
On the negative side, the people who brought us Freaky Friday, Blank Check and the multitude of craptastic shows they offer on their terrible cable networks will be in charge of the Star Wars legacy, and if you think the exploitation is bad now, just wait till you see Mickey mouse with a light saber hanging in the Disney Store window. Who knows, Disney may pull off better films than the Prequels at least, which shouldn’t be too hard. Hell, I may even like them. I have a serious lack of faith though I won’t call it bantha fodder just yet (har har).
Disney is already exploiting Star Wars
Still, my childhood memories of playing with light sabers, staying up late at a friends house and watching Star Wars, or seeing Return of the Jedi in the theater which was one of my first movies, will always remain. I fondly remember the run up to Episode I as well. It was cool to hit up late night parties with Star Wars gear or a t-shirt and when I went to the theater with a group of people all dressed up as Star Wars characters to see Episode I, I felt stupid for being dressed in street clothes. That is, until we all saw Episode I. Then I felt smart. The collective groan could be heard as the credits rolled. A few people clapped but it died off pretty quick in embarrassment. People slogged out of that theater with their heads down, mostly quiet. A few people complained out loud. Others, like my group, began the process of denying that the movie was as awful as we all knew it was and would come to accept that fact after the hysteria died down.
To me, that was the day that Star Wars died. It took a long time to see it, though it was the moment that my childhood love of Star Wars was poisoned by people who have more interest in their stock portfolios than they do about creating something people care about. In a way, I grew up a little that day.
Lucas is ready to be shipped off to Tattoine
Or perhaps it’s better to say that I outgrew Star Wars that day. Which is why perhaps it is fitting that it is now at Disney. So while it makes me a little bit sad to see something ruined, even if it is just officially, it is a part of life and a sign of our uncreative, franchise-driven times. If Faust were written today, it would be made into a 6 picture franchise, with books, fan-fiction, video games and theme park rides. Considering that Star Wars is kind of a take on Faust and the deal with the devil is the back story for numerous other pictures and stories, perhaps we’re not that creative to begin with. One things for sure, with the corporate money that has ruined music, art, movies, sports and politics, it is becoming harder and harder to find anything artistic that is real, that stems from passion and a creative-fire that burns in the loins. Even when it does happen, rarely, it is soon mass-marketed into something bland and appealing to the Lowest Common Denominator.
I suppose childhood memories are meant to be memories and the realities of the film business are just too cynical for their own good. If people recognize a name, they are more likely to throw down $15 for a film no matter how awful it is. While I myself did eventually see the remaining prequels in the theater, though later and later, I’d probably wait for video next time around. There is only so many times you can be tricked into wasting your money.
I’m ready for what’s next.