That is so awesome. The religion flandom is spreading!

Spikecam21 | May 10, 15:51 CET

Love it! I also think it is going to be so true for many people, I know I loved the original Star Wars movies but the recents one haven't held my interest. I'm sure other people feel the same. I have such high hopes for Serenity, can't wait to see it.

Passion | May 10, 16:07 CET

Static Link
For those who won't be able to view it the day after.

NickSeng | May 10, 17:10 CET

It's an interesting comment. I almost feel the exact way. Where once I was all things S-dub, now as it begins to end, J-dub has inspired the same loyalty...or stalk-y, whichever works.

two_guns | May 10, 17:18 CET

That is brilliant absolutly loved it. It seems the Whedon virus is loose. Excellent.

Crypto | May 10, 17:47 CET

HA! Class!

And yes I'm a huge SW fan (hence the Mara) but I'm not looking forward to Ep III. Unlike me counting the minutes 'till Serenity!

Mara | May 10, 17:52 CET

Heehee, this is my new catch phrase! So cool to see the Whedon-lurve taking over the greater scifi universe. Sorry, George, but ya blew it! My 8-year old nephew spoiled me for Ep.3 and I'm convinced that his mini-recap was far more entertaining than Mr. Lucas' overblown CGI-fest.

punkinpuss | May 10, 18:29 CET

Ha! Great stuff, I saw this this morning before I came into work and I figured someone would post it :) Good find!

zeitgeist | May 10, 18:40 CET

Simon beat me to the punch. Saw it this morning and was going to make sure it got posted here. Thanks for the link!

RootBoy42 | May 10, 18:43 CET

Hahaha that's brilliant! Sums it up. I still hold out some hope for 'Sith' and I'll go see it, but I already know this is pretty much how it is. Joss is the master. The SW prequels have left me so cold on an emotional level. I care so much more for any character on Joss' stuff. His drama, his dialogue, it's so much better.

Man this joke should be turned into a t-shirt somehow....

EdDantes | May 10, 19:01 CET

I can't take credit for finding it, a lurker sent me the link so ta very much to him.

Simon | May 10, 19:13 CET

I go with the T shirt thing, what a great gag.

The Do That Girl | May 10, 19:23 CET

I only wished he had actually mentioned the BDM, 'Serenity', but it is definitely true for me: Joss IS my Master now!

embers | May 10, 19:28 CET

Hehe. Great Stuff. This is a really good sign for Serenity and JW.

Blacklodge | May 10, 19:42 CET

What a great idea for a t-shirt. I'd buy one. OK, more than one.

Tiny Tabby | May 10, 21:56 CET

Snap!

Harmalicious | May 10, 21:59 CET

Ditto for the t-shirt idea!

Mara | May 10, 22:46 CET

That was great, I needed a good laugh.

You know, maybe this is why Universal wanted to delay 'Serenity'. They were afraid people would get Joss' movie confuse with that silly has-been space adventure.

Madhatter | May 10, 23:07 CET

As someone who well remembers the incredible exhileration of seeing Star Wars the week it premiered in 1977 (and many, many times more in the months following), I nonetheless, sadly, can relate. Time has tramped onward, and in the interval SW's continuing saga has failed to grip me with anywhere near the intensity of Joss's work. There just isn't the depth of character and emotional honesty there that I've become accustomed to with our man, and for me nothing else compares.

Maybe if GL didn't seem to have such a tin ear for dialogue, I'd be salivating for the final chapter -- but honestly, between that, the Ewok "Yubyub" song and Jar-Jar Binks, the Force has been fading for some time.

Still, it's an enormous, rich 'verse with an undeniable legacy and diehard fans who've stuck by it til the end, and I wish them joy as they embark on the last leg of Lucas' theatrical journey. This is as good a place as any to link to a great Mark Hamill interview I happened across this morning. Appears he's got a healthy perspective on the whole SW thing, and if you read it with a mind toward our growing fandom, it's an interesting perspective on Serenity's potential as well.

Wiseblood | May 10, 23:55 CET

Guess I should've placed a ;) in last. I too watched SW and TESB as they premiered in the theaters, they were great stories. But, as the next three movies were released, I fell more out of the fold. IMO, it seemed GL has been paying more attention to the wiz-bang special effects rather than the story. I'll watch the final with high hopes ole' George will return to the story's roots and give us something to remember. But, as they say in SW lore, I've a bad feeling about this. Guess we know in a couple of weeks.

As for Serenity, we can trust that Joss has a whale of a tale to tell.

Madhatter | May 11, 00:42 CET

Joss is my Yoda.

I pretty much agree with all the above. No need to rehash.

I did see eps 4, 5, and 6 on the big screen, but it was at a fund raiser about ten years ago. Easy to notice the not-as-special effects then, but a great experience overall. Could be my age, but the first three didn't grab me, as I was expecting a well-written story. 4, 5, and 6 were considered very well-written by me, but I was in elementary school at the time.

Last night I looked for similar commentary on SW that I find here on Serenity, just to compare. I couldn't find much. The complexity of so many discussions I found was about as complex as GL's scripts.
ETA: Granted, the best sites are not top search results, but I spent awhile digging through lesser ranked search results on two or three engines. Still, not much stimulating reading when you search "Episode III screening fan reaction" even in several different phrasings.
Just an observation.

You already know I'm gonna go see it. :) I still love Star Wars as much as any other 80s kid. ;)

[ edited by April on 2005-05-11 00:39 ]

April | May 11, 02:28 CET

That was a good say, April. Thank you for reminding us :)

Madhatter | May 11, 03:09 CET

I was able to go to a screening of Ep. III recently. It's really good. Not on par with Joss of course, but I think it's about as good as Ep's. 4, 5 and 6. I think it was a smart move to delay the release of Serenity. That way we'll have everyone's full attention when our BDM finally graces the screens.

techno-wallflower | May 11, 03:18 CET

That's so cool to hear, techno. I totally want Star Wars to do really well, and by accounts it's got many very satisfying qualities and lots of thumbs up points. It's just my evil twin who also wants Serenity to um, get a different type of reaction outta folks, ahem, than Star Wars did. It will be socially acceptable to now to equate Joss with Yoda.

April | May 11, 03:28 CET

We certainly can't compare the dialogue or character development of "Star Wars" or "Empire Strikes Back" with that of BtVS or FF. And clearly special effects have moved on a couple of thousand light-years since those cranky old light-sabers were hand-painted on to the film.

But SW (what we must now refer to as Episode IV) made an impression on me, a seven-year old when I saw it in its first run, that has yet to be matched by *any* other movie or TV show. I was just in awe, senses tingling, the works, just as Wiseblood and others have mentioned. No matter what damage Lucas has done with Phantom and Clones, or how little critical appraisal there is of SW or ESB out there, that was my experience, one which I don't think will recur at the same level of pure elation again in my life. As an adult, I've enjoyed BtVS more than any other piece of popular culture I can think of; but, to cross film lines for a second, you can never take the original Star Wars away from me.

But I'd love to think that Serenity might have that effect on some seven-year old out there.

SoddingNancyTribe | May 11, 03:32 CET

I don't know about Serenity having a magical effect on a 7 year old. I haven't gone to any of the screenings or seen the trailer, but it sounds like the Reavers would be too scary for such a tyke. Frankly I'm worried they'll be too scary for me. PG 13 is about my speed. Even though I'm roughly twice that age.

techno-wallflower | May 11, 04:16 CET

What happens comes around again. Very true.

Madhatter | May 11, 04:19 CET

I've seen the classic Star Wars films over 100 times each. I was a little kid, homeschooled, with a lot of time on my hands then, though, so cut me some slack. :-D

Those movies were great at the time, and the effects were, and still are, better than most CG crap. The dialogue was actually pretty good - sort of a proto-Whedon.

But the comic (now my desktop background) is right. I have advance tickets to see Revenge of the Sith the day after release, but Serenity is the new Star Wars for me.

Psuedopod | May 11, 05:27 CET

Simon Said:



That would be me. And thanks very much for sorting out my account issue. Very much appreciated.

-IMF

IMForeman | May 11, 05:50 CET

I heartily agree (fancybluefont) SNT(/fancybluefront). I do not see anything topping that experience in 1977. Saw it first night, just before going in for my midnight shift. I don't think I've come down from that elation.

But we've all moved on. I'll be going to SW:RotS, but my heart will be in Serenity.

Drifter | May 11, 07:36 CET

Considering the effect that SW had on Harrison Ford's career, I find myself wondering if Serenity will work the same magic on some or all of its cast members? I could definitely stand to see Nathan Fillion and everyone else get the appreciation and praise FOX's quick cancelation denied them.

I'm visualizing that flans and general movie-going peeps come out in droves this September, netting the BDM a $30 mil opening weekend -- which incidentally also allows me to imagine the executive board room at FOX the following Monday. The list of 'where we went wrong's would start and stop at the way they mishandled one of the hottest new properties in Hollywood. Wouldn't that be sweet?

Wiseblood | May 11, 09:15 CET

Yeah I too grew up on SW and had *that* look on my face as a kid as I left the theater, although in my case, few things have ever matched 'Empire' (as frustrating as it's 'to be continued' ending was). It still stands up today for me. Even the effects being dated doesn't matter as much as in New Hope or even Return. I noticed that when Lucas brought them out again with the enhanced FX, that Empire was virtually the same (although the kid in me did enjoy that better look at the Wampa;-)

And frankly, as much as I appreciate seeing Yoda walk from head to toe these days and enjoyed him fighting, I still say that muppet from Empire had a quality that the new movies don't match. Can't put the finger on it, but...that was pure craftsmanship.

Main problem nowadays isn't even Lucas' emphasis on effects. I love me some eyecandy and I love the beautiful planets and worlds and the far better light sabre fights. The problem is he's just not a very good writer. Breaking the basic plot, sure he can do that okay enough. But the actual script? Dialogue? Emotions? Pacing? Humor? Not even a wart on Joss' ass, he is.

(Let's not forget the quality of Empire's actual script was probably mostly due to Lawrence Kasdan)

As for Serenity possibly being the next big thing....I don't know that it would happen the same way as SW since that was probably more of a kiddie movie than our BDM is. Serenity is just more adult fare. Then again, kids these days are smoking, cussing and having sex at 12, so who knows......


Just reading that makes me smile;-)

Speaking of box office numbers, anyone notice how poorly the Ridley Scott/Orlando Bloom "Kingdom of Heaven" did this weekend? under 20 million?? The budget was about 140 I think! It really makes me think people are ready for something new and different. And big names are no guarantee anymore....

EdDantes | May 11, 09:30 CET

Yeah EdDantes, KOH's box office is really embarasisng, I thought it would be the first BIG movie of the summer but consumers decided differently.(albeit made more than double overseas)

Makes me happy Serenity was moved to a less pressured release date.

eddy | May 11, 09:49 CET