Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed

[Galileo_Galilee]

Is being shown on the History Channel tomorrow night.

Just a heads up.

[SaberBlade]

I'll watch it on youtube later, unless it's a new one.

[Galileo_Galilee]

It's not a new one, but I do think there are still those who haven't seen it yet.

For those who don't know, it's about the links to classical mythology that can be found in Star Wars.

Such as the lightsaber duel in Ep IV is based on the Samurai fighting style, so they claim.

For the most part though, I think they're mostly just over thinking things. It's just meant to be a good adventure romp. Some people are just completely incapable of letting a story just be a story and have to scrutinize meaning in every single minute detail. And they're missing a couple of things.

For one thing, in order to actually make these connections, George Lucas would have to have read up on classical mythology. And, at least as far as I know, I don't think he did.

And they don't know that not all of it was written by George Lucas. For instance, the TESB screenplay was based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan.

But it is an interesting show to watch anyhow.

As Freud once said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[SaberBlade]

For the most part though, I think they're mostly just over thinking things. It's just meant to be a good adventure romp. Some people are just completely incapable of letting a story just be a story and have to scrutinize meaning in every single minute detail. And they're missing a couple of things.

For one thing, in order to actually make these connections, George Lucas would have to have read up on classical mythology. And, at least as far as I know, I don't think he did.

I think that's the best thing about shows like this. It's knowing that a guy sits down and writes a story (or others sit down and follow on that story) but then having a few "experts" come in and get everything wrong or just talking crap.

I'd bet Lightsabers came from Lucas watching an episode of Gundam and thought "energy swords, they'd be cool in a space movie" which of course gets twisted over 30 years into being some honour thing involving Samurai and and blah blah blah.

[DigiFluid]

Star Wars, the original, isn't terribly original. It's three parts The Hidden Fortress, mixed with two parts character archetypes.

But they did it with such style that it's phenomenally entertaining.

[Galileo_Galilee]

I think that's the best thing about shows like this. It's knowing that a guy sits down and writes a story (or others sit down and follow on that story) but then having a few "experts" come in and get everything wrong or just talking crap.

I'd bet Lightsabers came from Lucas watching an episode of Gundam and thought "energy swords, they'd be cool in a space movie" which of course gets twisted over 30 years into being some honour thing involving Samurai and and blah blah blah.

Gundam started in 1979.

But I think you'd get a kick out of reading the article "If Star Wars were like animee".

[Galileo_Galilee]

Star Wars, the original, isn't terribly original. It's three parts The Hidden Fortress, mixed with two parts character archetypes.

But they did it with such style that it's phenomenally entertaining.

You're right, according to the wiki:

George Lucas has acknowledged the key influence of The Hidden Fortress on Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,[2] particularly the technique of telling the story from the points of view of the film's lowliest characters, C-3PO and R2-D2.[3][4] Kurosawa's use of frame wipes (sometimes cleverly hidden by motion within the frame) as a transition device also influenced Star Wars.

[SaberBlade]

Gundam started in 1979.

But I think you'd get a kick out of reading the article "If Star Wars were like animee".

You sure it was 79? I could swear that mechs were using lightsabers/energy swords in anime before 77, believed it was Gundam. I know the concept was earlier than Star Wars, but not sure on it being done on film before anime.

[mandogater]

It's not a new one, but I do think there are still those who haven't seen it yet.

For those who don't know, it's about the links to classical mythology that can be found in Star Wars.

Such as the lightsaber duel in Ep IV is based on the Samurai fighting style, so they claim.

For the most part though, I think they're mostly just over thinking things. It's just meant to be a good adventure romp. Some people are just completely incapable of letting a story just be a story and have to scrutinize meaning in every single minute detail. And they're missing a couple of things.

For one thing, in order to actually make these connections, George Lucas would have to have read up on classical mythology. And, at least as far as I know, I don't think he did.

And they don't know that not all of it was written by George Lucas. For instance, the TESB screenplay was based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan.

But it is an interesting show to watch anyhow.

As Freud once said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

I've watched this a couple of times when it was on before and I have to agree with you that they were totally over thinking things.

Why can't people just enjoy the franchise, or any other franchise for that matter, without trying to tear it totally apart to try and devine some sort of cosmic importance out of what is just a movie or book?

[Galileo_Galilee]

You sure it was 79? I could swear that mechs were using lightsabers/energy swords in anime before 77, believed it was Gundam. I know the concept was earlier than Star Wars, but not sure on it being done on film before anime.

the Gundam wiki SAYS 1979.

The metaseries started on April 7, 1979 as a serial TV show called Mobile Suit Gundam. That first TV series has since spawned a franchise that has come to include works released in numerous media.

[SaberBlade]

Now it's just going to drive me nuts trying to remember what pre-Star Wars developed anime had the equivalent of lightsabers.

[DigiFluid]

Asimov maybe, with the pen-knife-force-field blade in Foundation. Or with his force blades in Lucky Starr. Or maybe the flaming (blue and red) swords that Frodo watches Gandalf fight the Balrog with in Lord of the Rings.

These are page rather than screen, but they most definitely predate Star Wars.

[Galileo_Galilee]

Plus there's the flaming magic sword from fantasy.

But here's a page if you're interested:

http://moongadget.com/origins/lightsabers.html