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What Makes a Star Wars movie?

Discussion in 'General Movie Discussion' started by Lock_S_Foils, Jan 12, 2020.

?

What are the essential elements of a Star Wars movie?

  1. 1. A crawl/scroll setting up the opening of the movie

    9 vote(s)
    31.0%
  2. 2. A sweeping orchestral score with themes for major characters

    19 vote(s)
    65.5%
  3. 3. Starships that emit steam from doorways

    8 vote(s)
    27.6%
  4. 4. Snarky humor

    8 vote(s)
    27.6%
  5. 5. Plucky droids

    10 vote(s)
    34.5%
  6. 6. Cool, interesting species from around the Galaxy

    20 vote(s)
    69.0%
  7. 7. A redemption plot

    3 vote(s)
    10.3%
  8. 8. Geared towards children

    5 vote(s)
    17.2%
  9. 9. Interesting planets and locations

    22 vote(s)
    75.9%
  10. 10. Jedi and Sith

    10 vote(s)
    34.5%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    So here we are in "uncharted" SW territory. The Skywalker Saga is over. One superb TV series underway and many more in the works.

    The next movie trilogy is a gaping unknown. Rumors about a timeframe of when it takes place in the GFFA timeline are all we have.

    It is time to discuss what you think are the essential elements of a Star Wars movie.....see the poll, vote for as many areas as you like, or, if I missed something lets's talk!!!
     
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  2. RoyleRancor

    RoyleRancor Car'a'Carn

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    I'm not entirely sure how to vote. But I think what most makes a Star Wars movie, is characters.
    The stuff around it is more open to change but you have to love the characters. You love Luke, Leia and Han. You'd follow them anywhere.

    So many of the issues people have with post-OT Star Wars is character related. In the PT I think people struggled to find characters to relate to or to love. They were all either assholes or so wooden it was impossible to connect.
    In the ST it's about how old characters were treated as the new came into focus. I think this is the ultimate crux for people on liking or not liking it. (It's one of my biggest issues with TROS)

    So no matter where or when the story takes place, no matter what themes are set into order, no matter who is writing or directing....they need to nail the characters just right so people will care and forgive the flaws elsewhere.
     
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  3. Angelman

    Angelman Servant of the Whills -- Slave to the Muses
    1030th Grand Admiral ***** (Mod)

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    This is something I've pondered a lot, but I can't seem to land on anything definitive, or very useful.

    Character, as @RoyleRancor says, is central... but there's also that mythic quality that is hard to define. It's not just "space fantasy", 'cause it's just as much space western/samurai... No, I struggle to define what Star Wars is! I mean, you can point to a whole lot of trappings, but actually distilling the essence of Star Wars is much more elusive.
     
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  4. RoyleRancor

    RoyleRancor Car'a'Carn

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    Star Wars is the essence of all kinds of story telling boiled down to it's core concepts to provide a vessel for our characters. It borrows from just about every genre.
    Horror, comedy, drama, pulp, fantasy, sci-fi, westerns, samurai, anime, silent....nothing is left untouched. it's kind of miraculous
     
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  5. The Hero With No Fear

    The Hero With No Fear Resident Sand Hater

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    I think something else that’s important in Star Wars is having strong themes and messages that the audience can learn from. What sets Star Wars apart from other major film franchises is its spiritual core. Not to diss Marvel or anything, but what lesson am I supposed to take away from popcorn flicks like that? I’m not trying to say that none of those films have anything to say, and I’m also not trying to say that everything in Star Wars has something deep to say, but real-life parallels and messages are far more prevalent in Star Wars. (The Clone Wars series exemplifies this with the fortune cookies at the beginning of each episode that have to do with that episode’s moral.) I wouldn’t want that to change now that we’re done with the Skywalker Saga.
     
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  6. JediJarJar

    JediJarJar Rebelscum

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    Star Wars is for the children , all of those 40+ nostalgics need to get over it.
     
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  7. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    Interesting....are there any other elements that make SW, SW, @JediJarJar ?

    The "Star Wars is for children" element of course was stated by Lucas many times.......but does that mean it HAS to be for children from now on?
     
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  8. Matt_T

    Matt_T Rebel Official

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    What makes a SW movie? In no particular order: story, characters and sincerity.
     
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  9. JediJarJar

    JediJarJar Rebelscum

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    Maybe the force ,Jedi and Sith,at least they have to be mentioned.

    If we want to stay true to the spirit it has to be for the children.
     
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  10. NinjaRen

    NinjaRen Supreme Leader

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    What makes a Star Wars movie?

    1) the hero's journey
    2) the characters
    3) the themes of hope, friendship and love
     
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  11. Pizza Time

    Pizza Time Guest

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    One thing that is overlooked with Star Wars movies is that they are not for kids, and not for adults. They are for everyone. A Star Wars movie should not be really dark or really kid friendly to the point where a part of the audience feels alienated.
     
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  12. JediJarJar

    JediJarJar Rebelscum

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    Yep , no teletubbies then.
     
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  13. Pizza Time

    Pizza Time Guest

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    Don't even...
     
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  14. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    OK I am going to stir the pot here.....I think , IMO, some of you are getting too "general" in your answers.

    Star Wars is more than characters and themes of hope.....if that was true then a plethora of non related movies could be called "Star Wars movies"

    Will the new Trilogy start at Episode 1 or Episode X?

    Will it have an opening crawl, like Lucas' "space opera" vision?

    Or will Disney take this in an entirely new direction?
     
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  15. RoyleRancor

    RoyleRancor Car'a'Carn

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    I would argue it's far more general to suggest calling something "Episode I" or having a crawl is more Star Wars than themes and characters.
    It's fine if you like that aspect but that isn't what makes Star Wars "Star Wars."

    Rogue One has none of that and it's still a Star War.
     
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  16. Jack_Forest

    Jack_Forest Force Attuned

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  17. Too Bob Bit

    Too Bob Bit Jedi Commander

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    Sand.

    Lots of it.

    Sand everywhere is what makes a Star Wars movie.

    Sand with droids and future junk.
     
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  18. LagothZanta

    LagothZanta Rebel Trooper

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    I was thinking the same thing. By that standard, "The Shawshank Redemption" could be considered a SW movie.
    I'd say a SW movie simply has to be set in the galaxy far, far away. A good SW movie, has to be set in the galaxy far, far away AND have characters we care about, themes we care about, etc.
     
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  19. Too Bob Bit

    Too Bob Bit Jedi Commander

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    I was only half-joking about the sand.

    I think desert world towns/villages and desolation are perhaps important to the 'feel' of Star Wars, something which JJ understood when making The Force Awakens.

    In the original theatrical versions of ANH, there is a sense of desolation in the Mos Eisley streets. Sure, there is modicum of population wandering around, but it's not exactly buzzing. Of course, for George Lucas, that's never what he actually wanted - he said he always wanted it to be a busy hub of activity, and so filled the streets with more activity in his later special editions. Then ramped it up even more for the Mos Espa scenes in Phantom Menace...

    But that's not the version of Tatooine and the desert world that a generation fell in love with - it's not the Tatooine town of our childhoods. We liked the desolate desert town, and it became embedded in our minds as the prevailing lansdcape of Star Wars.

    JJ maybe understood this, and so created Jakuu, a desert world intentionally more desolate feeling than GL's reimaging of Tatooine. It's a different desert world, but one more like the version ingrained in our minds.
     
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  20. KalKenobi83

    KalKenobi83 Rebelscum

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    why isn't the characters not listed
     
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