Star Wars wasn't made for kids, specifically.

[CrysisMcGee]

One of the reasons Star Wars was such a huge hit is that it's target audience was teen to adult, and worked quite well with children also. So essentially everybody. what I'm saying is that it's not a kids movie.

It's the same thing that makes Harry Potter so popular.

So why did George have to cock the whole thing up with the Phantom Menace? Anybody else notice how much better the third one was since they abandoned the kids? Though there are still a few remnants...

Not that kids movies don't work, but you have to keep in interesting to adults. How many movies that are made for kids are actually remembered a few years down the road, that are not made for adults as well?

What do you think?

EDIT: I'm only talking about what you're reading. No other aspect of the movie is being discussed, though feel free to comment on whatever you wish, and I do like the movie myself.

 

[DuplicateValue]

Okay, let me just say something that I've been holding in for a while:

The Phantom Menace WASN'T AS BAD AS EVERYONE SAYS.

Seriously, there's very little wrong with it. It was entertaining, pretty to look at, the acting wasn't bad, and it was a nice change from the usual Star Wars settings.
Though the view of it might be different from up on that bandwagon you got there.

 

[StarStruckStrumpets]

Uh... What?

The third of the new star wars movies was like, the worst one of them all.

Phantom Menace wasn't actually that bad. Jar Jar Binks wasn't that annoying, and the story was okay. Now Episode 2 & 3, that's some massive fuck ups.

And do tell me what you mean by "kids movies".

I'M SO EMO, YOU CAN TASTE MY ANGST!

I couldn't help but love the 12 minute sabre fight though. Seriously, I'm just a Star Wars nerd, I love all of them.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

It does have some appear to the childrens...but mostly it was made for those who still had a heart for the franchise however even the hardcore fans had their problems with the cast they had chosen who knew hayden christiannsen could be so bad.

 

[tux789]

I think that its a mark of greatness to have any material thats suitable from kids to adults, especially as it creates a generation of people who can "grow up" with the movie/series rather than abandon it.

However the problem is that this is very hard to do well. Disney is was the only company I can think of offhand that can do this consistantly (and by Disney I mean like the Lion King and Aladdin not Hannah Montana.)

 

[Daffy F]

This is very true. A great way of making a film successful is to make it appeal to adults, but make it accessible to children on a different level. That is a great way to make a great film.

 

[Absimilliard]

George Lucas actually used the "kid"-label as an excuse for Jar-Jar Binks (whom I would curse now, but there are no words strong enough in any language known to man or orc):
"[t]he movies are for children" (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jar_jar_binks)
Now, in the Clone Wars series, there's at least one case of clones using flamethrowers on living creatures. Oh sure, George. For children... Someone should take his away, then.

 

[Sonofadiddly]

I rather liked the characters (excluding Jar Jar, of course) in Phantom Menace. I think the second one was the worst. I don't even remember anything about it outside teen Anakin's whiney teenager-ness. The third one was okay up until, well, you know what ruined it.

What self-respecting writer would have one of his best characters do that???

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Okay, let me just say something that I've been holding in for a while:

The Phantom Menace WASN'T AS BAD AS EVERYONE SAYS.

Seriously, there's very little wrong with it. It was entertaining, pretty to look at, the acting wasn't bad, and it was a nice change from the usual Star Wars settings.
Though the view of it might be different from up on that bandwagon you got there.

Agreed. Overall I thought the prequel trilogy was quite good. The only real failings I found with Phantom Menace was that a) The introduction of Qui-Gon which messed up established canon and b) Marketing the entire film around Darth Maul who in reality played only a very small role, and lastly c) I don't know about anyone else but it seemed to me that there was still something that was supposed to come before it and I'm not talking about KotOR. Overall the film was still entertaining. So no, I'm not going to jump on the prequel trilogy hate bandwagon.
Have fun hanging out with all your fellow pod people.

 

[Space Spoons]

I liked the prequel trilogy, personally. And growing up, I liked the original trilogy. Maybe I didn't appreciate the story as much as I do now, but it's filled with talking robots, single-pilot personal starfighters and friggin' lightsabers. Those movies might not be written with children in mind, but there's no denying that they're great movies for kids to enjoy. Humor, adventure, action (but not too scary) and romance (but not to icky).

Point being, I think the movies kind of transcend age. They're enjoyable by pretty much everyone with even a passing interest in sci-fi.

 

[ttkdoolittle]

Okay, let me just say something that I've been holding in for a while:

The Phantom Menace WASN'T AS BAD AS EVERYONE SAYS.

Seriously, there's very little wrong with it. It was entertaining, pretty to look at, the acting wasn't bad, and it was a nice change from the usual Star Wars settings.
Though the view of it might be different from up on that bandwagon you got there.

its actually worse than everyone thinks im afraid
you might think fondly of it now but this guy hammers every nail in the coffin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI
( its 70mins long, but its damn worth it)

i dont think star wars was aimed at kids at the start, but it had everytnig i liked as a kid, a hot chick, robots and freakin lightsabers, the new ones are geared more towards kids tho , espeicily jar jar, he was just a merch tool

 

[DuplicateValue]

Okay, let me just say something that I've been holding in for a while:

The Phantom Menace WASN'T AS BAD AS EVERYONE SAYS.

Seriously, there's very little wrong with it. It was entertaining, pretty to look at, the acting wasn't bad, and it was a nice change from the usual Star Wars settings.
Though the view of it might be different from up on that bandwagon you got there.

its actually worse than everyone thinks im afraid
you might think fondly of it now but this guy hammers every nail in the coffin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI
( its 70mins long, but its damn worth it)

i dont think star wars was aimed at kids at the start, but it had everytnig i liked as a kid, a hot chick, robots and freakin lightsabers, the new where tho , speicily jar jar, he was just a merch tool

If I like it now, some other person's opinion isn't going to change my mind.
I've seen plenty of people bashing and pointing out flaws (occasionally making rather good arguments) in things I like. But I still like them.
Do you know why? Because I have my own opinion, and I'm not going to change it because someone (or lots of people) disagree with me.

Oh, welcome to The Escapist. =]

 

[Absimilliard]

George Lucas actually used the "kid"-label as an excuse for Jar-Jar Binks (whom I would curse now, but there are no words strong enough in any language known to man or orc):
"[t]he movies are for children" (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jar_jar_binks)
Now, in the Clone Wars series, there's at least one case of clones using flamethrowers on living creatures. Oh sure, George. For children... Someone should take his away, then.

Fantastic Four had a fire-based hero... And to my knowledge, it was VERY kid-oriented, as most comic books are. And the series, too. That didn't stop them from being kid oriented.

There's a difference between cartoon and real actor/CGI movie violence. Apparently.

And when did the Human Torch actually burn several people to death and listen to their dying screams? I just used this as an example of the violence inherited in Star Wars (though I didn't really have to move past the title to do that), and there's plenty of this in the films as well.

 

[ttkdoolittle]

Okay, let me just say something that I've been holding in for a while:

The Phantom Menace WASN'T AS BAD AS EVERYONE SAYS.

Seriously, there's very little wrong with it. It was entertaining, pretty to look at, the acting wasn't bad, and it was a nice change from the usual Star Wars settings.
Though the view of it might be different from up on that bandwagon you got there.

its actually worse than everyone thinks im afraid
you might think fondly of it now but this guy hammers every nail in the coffin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI
( its 70mins long, but its damn worth it)

i dont think star wars was aimed at kids at the start, but it had everytnig i liked as a kid, a hot chick, robots and freakin lightsabers, the new where tho , speicily jar jar, he was just a merch tool

If I like it now, some other person's opinion isn't going to change my mind.
I've seen plenty of people bashing and pointing out flaws (occasionally making rather good arguments) in things I like. But I still like them.
Do you know why? Because I have my own opinion, and I'm not going to change it because someone (or lots of people) disagree with me.

Oh, welcome to The Escapist. =]

thaks

great point, i think its just the amount of times ive watch the originals trilogy with my brothers when i was growin up made me bias towards it, the prequels just felt like a let down, i still like them tho =d

 

[RussetRanger]

George Lucas actually used the "kid"-label as an excuse for Jar-Jar Binks (whom I would curse now, but there are no words strong enough in any language known to man or orc).

Try, Belgium.

 

[Absimilliard]

George Lucas actually used the "kid"-label as an excuse for Jar-Jar Binks (whom I would curse now, but there are no words strong enough in any language known to man or orc).

Try, Belgium.

I stand corrected.