Category: Analysis

Analysis14 Comments

The Sequel Trilogy & the Twenty-Teens

Rogue 47

A while ago I wrote a post that attempted to understand the contents of the original trilogy as a reflection of the real-world events in the late seventies and the early eighties of the last century. Similarly in a second post I tried to look back on the Prequel Trilogy as a reflection of the concurrent world events of the noughties of this century. Now that we are close to the brink of the start of the Sequel Trilogy it is risky but fun to ask ourselves what the current world events, and the way we might expect these events to unfold in the near future, could tell us about the Sequel Trilogy. The exciting thing of course is to try this before seeing Episode VII … so for whatever it is worth; let’s give it a shot. If this post turns out to contain any spoilers … then I am sorry but also terribly proud 🙂

Continue reading “The Sequel Trilogy & the Twenty-Teens”

Analysis5 Comments

The Darth Vader of ‘Star Wars: Rebels’

Rogue 47

In an earlier post I analysed Hayden Christensen’s and Jake Lloyd’s portrayals of Anakin Skywalker from the point of view that our expectations of the character of Darth Vader may determine our response to the acting. In that post, but also in one on connections between Anakin and Jar Jar, I presented a Darth Vader who grew out of the naïve and genuine, yet damaged and wounded soul of the slave-boy and jedi-outcast who was Anakin Skywalker. In this weeks premiere of Rebels we saw the first major re-appearance of Darth Vader after Revenge of the Sith. And what a reappearance it was as reviewed here. I want to briefly focus here on the question what this reappearance tells us about Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. Continue reading “The Darth Vader of ‘Star Wars: Rebels’”

Analysis6 Comments

Practical and CGI … what does that even mean?

Rogue 47

A discussion that rages through the fan community since the early days after the premiere of The Phantom Menace is that about the use of practical vs. cgi effects. Often these are discussions about whether one has been used too much in the prequels or the other too little before they descent into counting ‘numbers of practical vs cgi effects. Or they are arguments about why practical effects are ‘real’ and cgi is ‘fake’. In all practicality of course this distinction is not as straightforward as it seems and as a result the discussion are often riddled with inconsistent argumentation and barely disguised ‘taste’ being represented as ‘fact’. So I want to look at a slightly different question! Practical vs CGI: what does that even mean? Continue reading “Practical and CGI … what does that even mean?”

Analysis12 Comments

Lloyd & Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker

Rogue 47

I want to share my thoughts with you on the acting in the prequel trilogy, in particular that of Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen in their roles as Anakin Skywalker. This is a controversial issue and the media have been, and still are, full with statements that start with ‘wooden acting’ and end with ‘horrible dialogue’ or in reverse order. Some blame it on the actors, some blame it squarely on the director. Many, friendlier, voices can be heard saying that the acting in the Original Trilogy was similar and that this is simply ‘Star Wars’. I want to shed a different light on this, focussing on the portrayal of Anakin. Continue reading “Lloyd & Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker”