How to ruin Star Wars

[Philip]

Here's a great website for people interested in the mechanics of film-making, which looks at just how wrong George Lucas got it with 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.'

In seven 10 minute videos, the film is thoroughly and hilariously taken apart, and then compared to the original Star Wars movie, which, the critic argues, had the perfect combination of character, emotion and plot needed to make an exciting adventure movie.

Please be aware that although the critic makes many excellent points, he also has a very warped sense of humour. So, the videos feature some images some may find a little disturbing and there's also plenty of foul language.

In other words: NSFW!

Having said that, I found it all hugely entertaining and that it gave an invaluable insight into the making of a film.

Find the website here you will. (http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/12/17/watch-this-70-minute-video-review-of-star-wars-the-phantom-menace/)

[PolyesterAngel]

Here's a hilarious take on Star Wars by someone who didn't see it. Freaking hilarious (http://vimeo.com/2809991)!

[islandtodiscover]

I watched every one of these--well worth the time. George Lucas is an idiot.

[TheHYPO]

If anyone enjoys this, I can't reccomend enough, The Secret History of Star Wars (http://www.secrethistoryofstarwars.com/): an unpublished/self-published book that THOROUGHLY covers the history of Star Wars from a writing perspective (not so much the filmmaking). It basically has a thesis that George Lucas is a big fat liar. (Besides looking at his lies though, it also does cover interesting material like the evolution of characters and plot elements and, especially for the first film, other films and books Lucas borrowed from for his scripts and film making in SW)

Edit: Wow, apparently since I read it (in pdf) it has become published and is now available in paperback (such as on amazon)
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Star-Wars/dp/0978465237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263495978&sr=1-1 - you can still read the first 100 pages on his site though, to see if you're interested.

Example: Lucas planned a single Star Wars film; then he thought about a 12-part set of serials (a-la Flash Gordon) and sort of a "get someone new to direct each film (a-la James Bond) style series". Then, after the trouble the first one was, he brought the number down. Of course... as we all know "There was always meant to be nine films" in the '90s. And "There was always meant to be just the six films" in the '00s.

Also, we all know that the series was "always meant to be the story of Darth Vader's rise and fall, not about Luke" even though, Lucas didn't come up with the idea of Darth Vader's rise and fall (or his relation to Luke) until several drafts into writing Empire.

The book basically postulates that "I always intended to..." has become a George Lucas's safety words, and looks at the history that he will never tell anyone in an interview again, because to admit that he changed his mind would cause Naboo to explode...

Edit #2:
Star Wars: Retold by a girl who hasn't seen it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb2GmBkkaTU) - hillarious.