A movie primer. "The popularity of C-3PO and R2-D2 means that Lucas shoehorns them into most every scene, and this has created huge continuity problems. Why does Darth Vader seem not to recognize Threepio when they see each other again in Episode V, on the cloud city of Bespin? Why does Obi-Wan seem not to recognize either droid when he encounters them on Tatooine in Episode IV? And why does Artoo manifest new and wondrous powers throughout the prequel trilogy (he can fly!), when in Episode V, he can barely wrestle a candy bar out of Yoda's hands? Umm … you don't want to know the answers to those questions. This glossary is satisfying your curiosity. Move along.
Accents
In the Star Wars universe, accents = evil unless you are Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Jar Jar Binks
Ahmed Best (voice). A member of an amphibious race that also lives on Naboo. Jar Jar gets caught up in the conflict in Episode I. His lame comedy bits and weirdly offensive personality make him the focus of fan disillusionment. All I can say is: He has an accent."
Bryan: While we're on the big stuff, I'll plug your seminal (heh) tract, "Sex and the Single Superhero," which explores Jedi celibacy in more depth. Now, then ... what loose ends didn't Lucas tie up? I'm still not sure why Yoda and the Jedi Fun Club don't realize that the most evil guy in the freakin' galaxy lives and works, like, 20 feet away. And yet, in Episode II, we learn that Yoda can sense the hurt feelings of his fellow Jedi millions of miles away—sorry, Mr. Jedi, I don't get it. I'm unclear on what happened to "Sifo Diaz" (forgive the phonetic spelling), apparently the first Hispanic Jedi, who started the Clone Wars in Episode II. And, finally, the eternal question, one Kevin Smith raised the other day: Why doesn't Darth Vader recognize C-3PO (the robot he built) and R2D2 (his frequent co-pilot) in episodes IV through VI? Answers, Suellentrop, answers!
Chris: Well, I can't resist one last comment on Jedi celibacy. As numerous fanboys informed me after that piece came out, in the novels and comic books we're apparently informed that Jedi aren't celibate. They're just prohibited from forming romantic attachments. So, Li'l Orphan Ani could have sated his sexual desires with Clintonian abandon, picking up space hos (or bros) at every port in the galaxy, as long as he didn't fall in love. But I stick to what we're told in the films. And in the movies, as far as I can tell, Anakin is the only Jedi who gets it on. Though Lucas may have left out the Best Little Whorehouse in Coruscant scenes to keep the PG-13 rating."
Peter David's comments: "THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE NEXT: An entire film called the Adventures of Han Solo. Recast with a younger actor, obviously, but charting his early years and how he hooked up with Chewie." HERE, HERE!
Oh sweet Jesus. I've gotten farther into listening to the Film Pigs Episode One commentary than I did the other day, and by the pod race, it's denigrated into them doing nothing but random animal sound effects. Oh lordy. But bwahahahahahahahahahahahah.
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