|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 13, 2019 10:39:10 GMT -5
Yes, you read that right, I unabashedly enjoy the Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage. So sue me, that was my introduction to Star Wars  As I said on Facebook, I secretly like the first Ewok movie too.  The second, The Battle for Endor, I like a lot less. Even as a little kid I didn't care for the sequel(and it certainly doesn't stand up now), a weird witch queen subjugating teddy bears just seemed out of left field to me though I like the grumpy old guy and the speedy Ewok living in the woods. My first fan theory was that he was secretly a much older Han Solo and the friend that betrayed him was Lando. |
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,201 
|
Post by Confessor on Sept 14, 2019 6:47:45 GMT -5
I like the grumpy old guy and the speedy Ewok living in the woods. My first fan theory was that he was secretly a much older Han Solo and the friend that betrayed him was Lando. Ha ha...I say this with much love and humour, but that's a terrible idea!  Not least because the Ewok movies are set a year to 6 months before ROTJ, so Han would've either been on Hoth with the Rebels or frozen in carbonite at the time. I assume you were quiet young when you came up with that theory? |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 14, 2019 7:05:50 GMT -5
I like the grumpy old guy and the speedy Ewok living in the woods. My first fan theory was that he was secretly a much older Han Solo and the friend that betrayed him was Lando. Ha ha...I say this with much love and humour, but that's a terrible idea! Not least because the Ewok movies are set a year to 6 months before ROTJ, so Han would've either been on Hoth with the Rebels or frozen in carbonite at the time. I assume you were quiet young when you came up with that theory? Ha yeah, I was probably like nine or ten at the time. It all stemmed from the fact that they had reused the Millennium Falcon entrance ramp set piece and rather than think it was just a cost saving measure I thought surely it was meant to be the Falcon. |
|
|
|
Post by Reptisaurus! on Sept 14, 2019 12:41:28 GMT -5
Yes, you read that right, I unabashedly enjoy the Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage. So sue me, that was my introduction to Star Wars As I said on Facebook, I secretly like the first Ewok movie too. THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS A CLASSIC FOR THE AGES!!!!! |
|
|
|
Post by tarkintino on Sept 20, 2019 15:08:38 GMT -5
As I said on Facebook, I secretly like the first Ewok movie too. THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS A CLASSIC FOR THE AGES!!!!! ...if "classic" means something slapped together to make a buck... |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 20, 2019 17:42:15 GMT -5
THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS A CLASSIC FOR THE AGES!!!!! ...if "classic" means something slapped together to make a buck... They can gladly have mine if they have as much sense of wonder as the Caravan of Courage. To this day I think of the animation for those fairies when I see fire flies and I don't know how many times I've reenacted the "aaaahhh my arm!" scene when I've seen a big hollow knot in a tree. |
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,201
|
Post by Confessor on Sept 21, 2019 2:56:22 GMT -5
...if "classic" means something slapped together to make a buck... You basically just described all commercial art, from paintings to music to sculpture to films and so on. Lots of "classic" art was created to stop the artist starving. Now, I'm not saying that the Ewok movies are masterpieces of high art...not at all...but I think Caravan of Courage is a pretty fun movie. Nonetheless, potential monetary gain or financial incentive does not automatically negate artistic merit. |
|
|
|
Post by Reptisaurus! on Sept 21, 2019 3:19:48 GMT -5
...if "classic" means something slapped together to make a buck... Now, I'm not saying that the Ewok movies are masterpieces of high art...not at all... *weeps silently at this foul betrayal* |
|
|
|
Post by tarkintino on Sept 21, 2019 19:00:45 GMT -5
...if "classic" means something slapped together to make a buck... I'm not saying that the Ewok movies are masterpieces of high art...not at all...but I think Caravan of Courage is a pretty fun movie. Nonetheless, potential monetary gain or financial incentive does not automatically negate artistic merit. Not really. When George Lucas worked tirelessly to create what would be the first Star Wars film, he had messages in mind about what the film could communicate--what kind of morality tale he envisioned for that generation of moviegoers. It was not a money-grab (in fact, he thought it was going to be a flop right up to opening day). So that was a genuine creative effort, as opposed to cheap sequels and pre-planned "franchises" that are all about the dollar first, quality last. By the time the original Star Wars trilogy was over and the Ewoks TV movies came along, it was clear that the Lucas of old was gone, replaced by the one who tried to squeeze the last dollar out of characters (Ewoks) specifically designed and marketed (during the ROTJ era) to work the "cute" angle for merchandising sales. I recall that was the shared sentiment of many a SW fan who watched the first Ewok film, hoping there would be even a taste of the movies' energy and aura, but were thoroughly disappointed. To me, it was as much a hollow cash-in as Universal's Mummy sequels (1940s), which paled in comparison to the Karloff original (1932), lacked any heart and purpose, other than for Universal to market/scream "Mummy!" with Tom Tyler and Lon Chaney, Jr. dragging that one leg around in one meaningless film after another, never capturing or keeping the tradition of what made the original a classic. But, YMMV. |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 22, 2019 7:24:47 GMT -5
You basically just described all commercial art, from paintings to music to sculpture to films and so on. Lots of "classic" art was created to stop the artist starving. Now, I'm not saying that the Ewok movies are masterpieces of high art...not at all...but I think Caravan of Courage is a pretty fun movie. Nonetheless, potential monetary gain or financial incentive does not automatically negate artistic merit. Not really. When George Lucas worked tirelessly to create what would be the first Star Wars film, he had messages in mind about what the film could communicate--what kind of morality tale he envisioned for that generation of moviegoers. It was not a money-grab (in fact, he thought it was going to be a flop right up to opening day). So that was a genuine creative effort, as opposed to cheap sequels and pre-planned "franchises" that are all about the dollar first, quality last. By the time the original Star Wars trilogy was over and the Ewoks TV movies came along, it was clear that the Lucas of old was gone, replaced by the one who tried to squeeze the last dollar out of characters (Ewoks) specifically designed and marketed (during the ROTJ era) to work the "cute" angle for merchandising sales. I recall that was the shared sentiment of many a SW fan who watched the first Ewok film, hoping there would be even a taste of the movies' energy and aura, but were thoroughly disappointed. To me, it was as much a hollow cash-in as Universal's Mummy sequels (1940s), which paled in comparison to the Karloff original (1932), lacked any heart and purpose, other than for Universal to market/scream "Mummy!" with Tom Tyler and Lon Chaney, Jr. dragging that one leg around in one meaningless film after another, never capturing or keeping the tradition of what made the original a classic. But, YMMV. I think you'd have a real hard time illustrating that quality is the last priority...or even remotely close to last. And I'd argue that there is more than just a taste of Star Wars sense of Wonder too, it definitely captured that pure feeling of childhood adventure for me. It's a movie about a little girl and her brother who get lost in the woods who have to team up with a band of woodland heroes to save the day, it's a modern day fairy tale come to life which is exactly what Star Wars is at its core. And those messages you're talking about? They weren't some original, high minded bits of wisdom...they were the basic good versus evil, adolescent power fantasy themes we've all known practically since birth. Heck, all that aside, the fact that Lucas was worried his film would be a flop puts a lie to the idea that a higher purpose to his film was at the forefront of his mind as if that were the case and artistic expression was your main goal your only worry would be if you were able to translate that idea to the best of your ability, not if you'd make any money off of it. Star Wars is fun...but actual Art(with a capital A for importance!)? Again, I don't see how one could make a convincing argument in favor of that. But you know, saying that last part I find even that fallacious, as the idea of what is Art and what is only entertainment is itself really a giant fallacy. What do people most commonly point to when they think of High Art? I think you'd find most people would point to works like The Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and The Birth of Venus. And other than being amazingly beautiful and technically masterful, do you know what those paintings share? The genesis for their creation all stemmed from the yearning for greater political influence. They were funded by rich politicians and showcased as examples of their wealth and power in order to gain influence with others. And the artists, sure they wanted to create good works, but they were there because painting for the Pope, or the Medicis or the Duke of Milan afforded them a better lifestyle than sewing wheat in a field or trawling for fish in the sea. It was commercial art, pure and simple, so why create a large distinction between that and other works? Because they're older? That doesn't make much sense, and neither do many other justifications. But I think that's enough thread drift for me. |
|
The second, The Battle for Endor, I like a lot less.
Not least because the Ewok movies are set a year to 6 months before ROTJ, so Han would've either been on Hoth with the Rebels or frozen in carbonite at the time. I assume you were quiet young when you came up with that theory?
