Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

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Happy Birthday George Lucas

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On May 14, 2021

In Star Wars

The 14th day of Star Wars month is George Lucas’ birthday. This is the man that built the universe that has brought us all together from all over the world. Regardless of how you feel about him, he accomplished something no politician could ever do. Despite our lots in life, our creeds, our religions, our lifestyles, we are all united under one common theme. Our love for Star Wars and all its characters.

The happiest of birthday’s to the legendary George Lucas.

Thank you and May the Force Be with You!

Breathe. Just breathe. Now reach out.

Star Wars: The Maker’s Birthday

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On May 14, 2020

In Star Wars

The Maker's BirthdayOn this day, in Star Wars month, we celebrate the maker’s birthday. George Lucas, the man, the myth, the legend, was born this day. Whether you are a fair weather fan or a loyal fan, we owe it all to this man. If you’ve ever seen the movie THX 1138, that was originally going to be George’s style of sci-fi. Instead he went the route of a space opera with western themes and the world of cinema was changed forever.

This man had to endure a lot, especially during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. I admit that the prequel’s weren’t perfect. The Anakin and Padme dialog was poorly written and many struggled accepting that. Regardless the prequels are here to stay and that’s perfectly all right with me; they remain part of my annual re-watch.

Lucasfilm Sale to Disney

In 2012 Lucas sold Lucasfilm and all the intellectual rights of Star Wars to Disney. There were rumors that so called “fans” were so toxic he became disillusioned with making more Star Wars films. Honestly, I think he was just ready to retire. Initially I was less optimistic about the acquisition but now, 8 years later, it was the right thing to do. Disney was the right company to take the franchise in a new direction.

While my wallet doesn’t like more Star Wars, my inner geek loves it. Furthermore, the Disney era of Star Wars has given me and my daughter something to bond over. It isn’t just the sequel trilogy but the Star Wars Story movies, the animated series and Forces of Destiny. Before, Star Wars was a male dominated fan base, but Disney removed the gender barrier and now Star Wars is for everyone.

I’m excited for future series and future films and it’s all thanks to one man.

As C-3PO once said “Thank the Maker” and in this case, the maker is George.

Happy Birthday George. MTFBWY!

Confronting fear is the destiny of the Jedi.

May Should Be Star Wars Appreciation Month

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On May 2, 2018

In Star Wars

I really do think May should be Star Wars Appreciation Month. I recently posted this tweet:

Of course I’m sure most people are not quite as in tune with the nerd culture to understand just how many days in May are (or can be) linked to Star Wars. I’m sure everyone knows the two more popular days but there are more than you think. So I’m here to enlighten everyone on the days in May with Star Wars significance.

The Star Wars days in May

  • May 1st – The lesser known 501st Day (because 5/01, get it?). The day we appreciate the 501st Legion.
  • May 4th – Star Wars Day (because May the Fourth Be With You). This is the more popular Star Wars day, which began back in 2008.
  • May 5/6th – The lesser known Revenge of the Fifth (Sixth), this isn’t as officially observed as May 4th, but a fun play on words nonetheless.
  • May 14th – George Lucas’ Birthday. I’ve even seen this referred to as “The Maker Day”.
  • May 19th – Peter Mayhew‘s (aka Chewbacca) Birthday.
  • May 25th – The anniversary of the release of A New Hope back in 1977, and the release of the Han Solo movie this year. Since it’s also Towel Day, many observe it as Geek Pride Day

There you have it. There are several days in May that have significant, or “punny” references to Star Wars. I found an article that essentially agreed with my theory, however the author attempted to associate every day in May with some kind of Star Wars reference, most of which are a stretch. I don’t think every day needs to be acknowledged, a handful is sufficient.

/MTFBWY

The Force. It calls to you. Just let it in.

 

Ruminations of a Die Hard Fanboy

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On May 13, 2015

In Geek Canon, Movies, Star Wars

fanboys

Cast of 2009 film Fanboys

When I was ten years old I saw Star Wars for the first time and from that moment on there was no turning back. I remember when I was in my teens and my grandma once remarked “remember this because eventually I will grow out of it”. Sorry grandma, its 20 years later and I’m a bigger Star Wars nerd now than I was yesterday and the day before that … and the day before that. I love all the movies; and I mean ALL the movies. 1-6.

Why do I like the prequels, you ask? The reason is simple – because its Star Wars.

I had a conversation with a friend of mine about the movies and prequels recently. When I gave him the reason I enjoyed the prequels his response was “That’s awful”. I laughed. He isn’t a fan of the prequels, and I know there are hundreds and thousands of TOT (that’s my acronym for The Original Trilogy) that do not like the prequels. It occurred to me then that I believe there are two kinds of fans out there. Fans of the Star Wars movies and fans of the Star Wars Universe. I am the latter.

You see I liked the prequels because of the music, the characters, the history of the characters, the planets, the lore, the ships, and how all those things are part of this massive, albeit imaginary, universe. I do recognize that all three prequels were deeply flawed (i.e. Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christensen, Jar Jar Binks) but that hasn’t changed the fact that I still enjoy watching all six movies equally when I need to get my Star Wars nerd-fix. If I can’t get my fix from watching one of the movies, then I will get it from one of many other sources (by the way the books for the prequels are actually quite good).

I’ve noticed that most people that fall under the Star Wars movie fans are likely making comparisons between the prequels and TOT and, obviously, siding with the originals. I can respect their opinion, despite the 35 years of changes in technology and film-making. It’s interesting to ponder if TOT would be different if they had been made within the past 10 years and would they still have the same cult following. Be that as it may, I imagine the interest in Star Wars ends at the movies for those that are fans of the movies. I’m probably being a little presumptuous when I say those that are simply fans of the movies probably haven’t read any of the books, Essential Guides, Steve Sansweet‘s Encyclopedia, or played many of the games; all of which expand on the lore and add depth to the universe.

So the question on everyone’s mind now is will J.J. Abrams redeem Lucas from the prequels (especially among the haters)? I do not think there is a better person to direct 7, 8 & 9 (with the possible exception of Irvin Kershner but he’s kind of dead). I base that opinion on the fact that I enjoyed both Star Trek movies he has recently completed. I can tell you now, I already love The Force Awakens 🙂

P.S. Why is it that none of the Trekkies whine so much about any of their movies and TV series? Are they not as passionate? Or are they just better fans? 😉

/MTFBWY

Biggs On: Star Wars vs Star Trek

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On April 6, 2013

In Biggs On, General Cogitation

Star-Trek-Enterprise-vs-Star-WarsOne of the biggest causes of nerd quarrels is the debate about which franchise is better; Star Wars or Star Trek. While from a fictional perspective these two are vastly different, they do have at least one thing in common. You can not deny that both have extremely loyal fans (some probably border on creepy). Personally, I’m probably a Star Wars nerd and a Star Trek fan.

I’ve loved the Star Wars movies (all of them) since the first time that I saw them. I’ve seen the movies enough times that I can probably recite just about every line. I’ve purchased a years wages worth of collectibles. I’m probably borderline obsessive. The amount of useless minutia I know about the Star Wars movies and universe would paint me in a pretty pathetic light, whereas what I know about the Star Trek movies probably isn’t any more then what I might know about any other movie.

There is no doubt that I do love Star Wars far more than Star Trek and while I will defend the former as the better franchise I admit there is something the Star Trek universe is far better at. The stars from the popular movies and TV series are probably some of the most sociable celebrities on the Internet. You can expect a joke or witty post from George Takei on a fairly regular basis on Facebook. You will see tweets from William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Brent Spiner, Jeri Ryan, and more quite frequently. These folks are often the highlight of my day.

I have to admit, these folks really give the Star Trek name a sense of community. I really wish the Star Wars fans had the same kind of extraordinary ambassadors. Most of the time Star Wars fans are bashing George Lucas (who, despite his faults, is responsible for creating the films and they wouldn’t exist without him) or criticizing one another because they did, or did not, like the prequels.

We definitely need more Shatner’s, Takei’s, Ryan’s, Nimoy’s, Wheatons, etc who are not afraid to connect with their fans. These folks were already icons but by sharing their nerdy enthusiasm I think it further enriches the community. My only ask of these wonderful people is that they never stop what they are doing both socially and professionally. All of you, even those I failed to mention, enrich our culture and our lives.

If Mr. Nimoy would allow me a small liberty I bestow the appropriate blessing, with all sincerity, to “Live Long and Prosper”.

Biggs On: Disney’s Acquisition of LucasFilm [UPDATE]

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On October 31, 2012

In Biggs On, Movies, Star Wars

In 1977 the production budget for Star Wars Episode 4 was $11 million (which is approximately $45 million today). It made $460 million in the U.S. alone which, after adjusting for inflation, makes it the second highest grossing film in the U.S. and Canada. The amazing world that George Lucas created has permeated over three decades. What is a legacy like that worth?

Apparently $4.05 billion (that’s $4,050,000,000).

George Lucas has been under quite a bit of scrutiny over the past 10-15 years so whether his motivation was to create some separation from Star Wars completely, or he needed that extra $4 billion, the purchase by Disney has left me with mixed emotions. On one hand perhaps its time for a new perspective since most of the decisions Lucas has made since he announced Phantom Menace have been bombarded by scathing criticism by “fans” that “obviously know better then he does”. Disney, as a conglomerate, isn’t popular among many in today’s society, but as a film producer they are extremely successful and have made quite a few really great movies.

On the other hand it does feel a bit like he has now completely sold out. He has abandoned his legacy for some “extra cash”. Granted he will be kept around as a “creative consultant” but Disney producers will have the final say. It’s hard to predict what will happen to the franchise now. Disney has already said the 7th film will be out in 2015 and they intend to make 8 and 9 (Star Wars was originally intended to be 9 movies). The Star Wars movies and universe have been such a large part of my life and the core of what defines me as a geek.

What really makes this more strange and difficult is usually when I blog about these kinds of things (either under the Biggs On category or the Soapbox category) I always seem to reach a conclusion or some level of personal understanding with the topic. That simply isn’t the case here. I know, without even looking on the social media sites, that a line has been drawn in the sand. There will be the purist on one side nerd raging over this event and there will be the optimistic group (usually the ones I call the “true fans of Star Wars”) on the other side. I feel caught in the middle but leaning toward optimistic.

I don’t hate Disney, even Disney the Conglomerate, but I do fear that they could ruin the franchise, more then many have “claimed” Lucas has, if they don’t proceed carefully. I guess we will know in 2-3 years.

UPDATE:

Shortly after publishing this post I happened to be reading the recent post of The Queue over at WoW Insider and, coincidentally, someone asked a question about this very topic. Despite the fact that it wasn’t WoW related the author responded and there was a very excellent point.

The Avengers is probably one of this summer’s biggest blockbuster movies, and it is a Disney movie. In fact Disney owns Marvel Entertainment so every Marvel movie produced since 2009 is a Disney movie. That helps quell my fears because it does show that Disney does care about the fan perspective of cult classics and cult genres. Perhaps Star Wars is in better hands now. Perhaps it is something to be excited about.

/Cheers

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