i work in a barnes and noble, in the music/dvd sales department, and right around the theatrical release of “the clone wars,” we were carrying the film’s soundtrack. of course, being a huge fan of everything star wars for around 18 years, i had gone to see the film with a friend, despite the overwhelmingly negative reviews. i had enjoyed the film as a pilot for the upcoming tv series, and was eagerly anticipating its cartoon network premiere. at any rate, this young kid had come into the department and spotting the film soundtrack section, went straight for the star wars cd’s. he grabbed the soundtracks for all of the films and simply stared at the covers, taking in the images while previewing tracks from each soundtrack on our headphone machines. this kid really made me smile with the simply, honest way with which he was simply having a little star wars moment there in the store. it was funny because it seemed like with the release of the new animated film, lucas-bashing/prequel-hate was becoming envogue once again, especially since it is so cool to love the originals star wars right now. this always breaks my heart a little, because it makes it harder to share your love of star wars with others, without feeling the need to constantly defend yourself for loving the prequels.

earlier that week, i had read a star wars comic by dark horse, that followed a former jedi, helping some would be slaves escape the newly minted stormtroopers after the empire had been forged. one of them was looking for his daughter, who had been sold off world. when i reached the end of the comic (not to spoil it for anyone), it turned out that someone had purchased the young alien, and had his chef prepare her as a meal so he could sample some exotic alien cuisine. i was wholeheartedly disgusted by this…i mean, this is star wars? the same fans who hate the prequels, the clone wars and really everything since tesb, think this is a great story development? it was more than a, “man, that really shows the cruelty of the dark times” sort of disgust…it was an anger that this was what fans desired from a series that embraced its fun, sillier side once upon a time…heroes getting caught in the trash compactor of the Empire’s biggest weapon…stormtroopers who yell “blast ‘em!” but can’t shoot…robots that fuss around in tense situations like prissy humans…and believing that throwing people in a giant sand trap is the ultimate punishment…no, this is the result of a backlash against the ewok, jar-jar, 3PO moments of the saga by fans who think that if something is going to be taken seriously, it has to be ultra-dark and disturbing. let me tell you, i would prefer the sillyness of a baby huttlet to that comic any day because it FEELS like star wars. star wars should be for everyone, and should help to bring out the kid in everyone. dark moments? absolutely…weight and gravitas are necessary. but all the time? not even empire takes itself THAT seriously.

speaking of, that kid at the bookstore? i asked him, “you a star wars fan?” and he looked up as if i had woken him from a dream and said, a bit glassy-eyed…”yeah!” he confirmed that he had seen the new animated film before i asked him…”which one is your favorite?” he didn’t even have to think before replying…”all of them.” all I could think was, “me too kid. me too.”

(sorry this is so long!)

Once again, I have to wonder why these people, who consider themselves fans with standards and fans who prefer substance over style and so much smarter than either Lucas or his apologists, devote so much time to movies they think are childish and low-quality and beneath their intelligence. Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of TPM’s release. Methinks a decade is a long time to spend obsessing about a movie one hates with every fiber of one’s being.

ANH was indeed radically different from any other movie that preceded it. It effectively turned the film industry on its head, and irrevocably changed pop culture. And it has stood the test of time. “E.T.” may have outgrossed ANH, and it may be far more beloved by movie critics than ANH, but did “E.T.” add $100 mil to its coffers during its 20th anniversary re-release, as ANH did? Nopity nopity no, to quote Linguini in “Ratatouille.”