It appears as if George Lucas’ strategy to destroy the Star Wars franchise he built 30 years ago is nearing completion. The prequel trilogy began with a movie ruined by the insipid Jar-Jar Binks character and was followed by an installment so forgetable that I can hardly remember what it was about, other than it involved Jedis and some kid named Annakin trying to make it with Natalie Portman. Now, the final installment is apparently unsuitable for small children. Ah, there’s a good idea.
New Star Wars Film ‘Too Strong’ for Youngsters (Scotsman)
The final, long-awaited Star Wars movie is not suitable for children, director George Lucas has admitted. Episode III — Revenge Of The Sith is the darkest, most violent instalment of the series and Lucas expects to get a PG-13 rating in the US. “I don’t think I would take a five— or a six-year-old to this, it’s way too strong,†he said. If his certificate prediction is correct, it will be the first Star Wars film to advise parents that certain scenes are unsuitable for under-13s.
Revenge Of The Sith is the third prequel to the Star Wars trilogy and sees the young Anakin Skywalker turn to the dark side to become Darth Vader. It closes the door on a series panning almost 30 years. “We’re going to watch him make a pact with the devil,†Lucas told US network CBS, in an interview to be aired on Sunday. “The film is more dark, more emotional. It’s much more of a tragedy.â€
The director concedes he could have “pulled it back a little bitâ€, but said he just did not want to. “Actually, I am very happy,†he adds. “I’m very pleased with the whole thing.â€
Well, that’s the important thing.
BBC reports that these statements were made on “60 Minutes.” Coming Soon tells us “The interview will be broadcast on Sunday, March 13 from 7:00-8:00pm, ET/PT.”
The fear may be with you in 3rd ‘Star Wars’ (NY Daily News)
Skywalker’s transformation from cute good guy into the evil Darth Vader features a scene that could scare the bejesus out of little kids, says Lucas. Landing on a volcano-ridden planet called Mustafar, Skywalker makes “a pact with the devil,” he says. “The lava at the end … it ends in hell.”
[….]
Skywalker’s dance with the devil probably won’t turn off loyal “Star Wars” fans, said Bob Thompson, a Syracuse University professor and pop culture expert. “The accepted wisdom is that you don’t mess with the franchise,” Thompson said. “But so much of the fan base is people who saw the first episode 30 years ago, and they are old enough and mature enough now for something darker.”Also, children today are harder to scare, he said. “There is a trend toward embracing darkness in children’s literature and movies,” Thompson said. “In ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Lemony Snicket,’ people are poisoned by snakes, eaten by leeches and sucked into the vortex of darkness.”
Well, there is that. But the ratings system has evolved over the years to account for the coarsening of the culture.
