Part of real life turns to the dark side has been to become an instrument for whatever madman is in power, because of one’s professionalism or other joy in one’s talent. Hitler and Stalin both served visions that were bigger than they were, both being visions that could be spun in a positive way, and in turn they had many talented people become their instruments of terror.

So George Lucas could have made Anakin a more mature character intent on a new galactic order for the good of everyone, not just to prove that he was as good a Jedi as anyone, even better, not just to save his wife, for whom he already broke the rules so she could be his wife. Anakin could have broken the rules in a big way, for good and for evil, only somehow the evil would dominate, as it has in reality. Ah, anyone can write that. But podracing and similarly loud running around in the vacuum of space was more exciting.

[MORE EPISODE III SPOILERS] I don’t think it’s fair to complain that Anakin’s turn wasn’t dark enough. He ultimately redeems himself out of love for his children (“Father, PLEEEEEEEEEASE” zap crackle evil grin on Palpatine’s face); if that love for them (and by extension, I suppose, their mother, since they are all that’s left of her) is powerful enough to turn him in one direction, I don’t see why it shouldn’t turn him in another. And let’s face it – that Palpatine was one slick manipulator.

Does this mean that there are tits in The Departed, too? Now I really have to buy it…

Wait, is “blog hostess” supposed to refer to me (or do you have a connection to a blog that you’re not telling me about)? ‘Cause if so, I think you’re thinking of someone else. I saw Episode III. [WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD; scroll down to the next paragraph to avoid them...] I’m so naive and optimistic that I was actually excited by the previews for Episode III. As I’ve no doubt you can imagine, I was severely disappointed. What stuck with me was not the bloodbath, not the fact that the movie was dark, but that, in a strange sense, it wasn’t dark enough. One of the best movie villains of all time became a villain because he wanted to save the life of his wife and the mother of his children?? Anakin Skywalker turned to the dark side for love?? That’s the lamest thing I’ve ever heard! *Sigh* Why does George Lucas hate me?

Cara: “Going to see the The Departed and getting outraged about hearing some off-color and un-PC language is like going to a titty bar and getting outraged that you saw some tits.”

Love it! I’m inclined to agree. On the other hand, though, when we study literature, we often move beyond authorial intent and into the autonomy of art; if a novel’s author meant to write a simple coming-of-age story but everyone reads it as an anti-Stalinist diatribe, then how do we ultimately approach that novel? (After all, Georgia O’Keeffe was just trying to paint some flowers, and–if I remember my art history correctly–was rather chagrined at her first show to find that everyone thought they looked like vulvae…) But then I look at the other side of that idea (what can I say, it’s 2:30 am and I’m good at seeing both sides of an argument anyway), and I think that if I were looking at the Departed as a “text,” if you will, I wouldn’t say that it’s advocating racism, homophobia, etc., but rather that it’s reflecting the racism, homophobia, etc. of a certain place at a certain time.

I do think it comes down in large part to, as you put it, being realistic about one’s expectations for a movie/book/objet d’art.

Of course, I may have been partly influenced by the Empire/Jedi/independent contractor discussion in Clerks…

I’m with you about being generally disappointed in episodes 1 & 2 (and I admit, somewhat ashamedly, that I still haven’t even seen 3!), but I also am honest that episodes 4-6 have been kind of deified over the years too (really, could the prequels possibly have lived up to what legions of fans had been hoping for for 20 years?). But then, the Yoda fight at the end of 2 was worth my $9 and then some

And also, from what I hear about episode 3, it was a blood bath of mothers… that’s hardly a storyline for children. So if George Lucas intended this episode to be (I think he changed his tune a little, from interviews I heard/read), then people rightly expected it and were disappointed. That’s legitimate.

Damn it. Now all I can think is Anakin bitching about it being hot and sand getting everywhere. Sure, Luke started off as a whiny brat (“But I was going to Tosche Station to pick up some POWer converters!”), but he grew out of it. Bah. I’m not thinking very clearly today.

I thought The Departed was wicked pissah, by the way.

From what I understand it was actually the other way around that the Spartans would have been the target of the man-boy-love jokes of the Athenians, but of course the Spartans were the heros of the movie so they had switch that around. Here is a great article talking about the historical accuracy of the movie. Also, the wikipedia entry on the battle of Thermoplyae and the rest of the war is a fascinating read. The Greek did some amazing things to defend their country but there was also a fair bit of luck involved. A significant part of the Persian fleet was destroyed by a storm.

I thought the Spartans were portrayed a little two one dimensionally for my tastes, the “look how manly I am with my chiseled body, gruff nicotine rattled voice, and emotionless demeanor” theme got old for me. They also didn’t give the Athenians much credit for their contribution to the battle. It did stick to the comic book pretty closely though.