It’s just about here and we’re way beyond fever pitch.  In a few short days, the latest Star Wars film is released and I…

…Well, I’ll pretty much ignore it.

Don’t get me wrong: If you love Star Wars and are rabid to see this latest film, then by all means do so (yeah, like you need my permission!).

And when you do, I sincerely hope you have an absolute blast.  In this life, one needs to get their pleasures as they come and if Star Wars scratches that itch, then more power (and fun!) to you.

If you’re new to this blog and haven’t read some of my posts regarding the phenomena that is Star Wars, the above should clue you in on the fact that no, I’m not a fan of Star Wars.

I stumbled upon this article by Todd Leopold for CNN and it contains many of the same feelings I have regarding the movie, though Mr. Leopold goes one step too far in condemning the whole franchise:

Please, Stop Forcing Star Wars On Me

A couple of points regarding that article:

I think Mr. Leopold was acting like a big jerk way back when he yelled out Spoilers to the crowds waiting for the next showing of the just released The Empire Strikes Back.  First, its just plain rude.  Secondly, if he didn’t care for the franchise to begin with, why did he bother to go see the sequel?

Like Mr. Leopold, I was of the right age (I was 11, he 12) at the time of the original release of Star Wars and, like him, the film simply didn’t turn me on like it did so many others.  However, unlike Mr. Leopold I was so unimpressed with Star Wars that I skipped The Empire Strikes Back when it was released to theaters and only saw it years afterwards when it aired on TV.

But, again: While Star Wars and the films that followed it didn’t particularly rock my boat, at this point in my life I don’t feel the need to berate people who do love this work.  After all, there are things I love dearly that others wouldn’t (I’m looking at you, Supernova).

Having said all that, what does irk me about Star Wars fans and may explain -to some degree anyway- why the whole Star Wars thing never really appealed to me is explained beautifully in this very positive article by Forrest Wickman for Slate.com:

Star Wars is a Post-Modern Masterpiece

Let me be very clear here: the above article DOES NOT in any way/shape/form tear down the original 1977 Star Wars film and instead heaps praise on how the film was the ultimate pastiche, masterfully borrowing so many elements from so many different films (various westerns to Flash Gordon to The Hidden Fortress to The Dam Busters) to create its own experience.

Interestingly, this may be the very reason why I’ve been so (ahem) lukewarm to Star Wars.  It’s because even as a young child seeing the film I recognized so many of these elements (the western influences, Flash Gordon, War films) and therefore couldn’t “see” the film as being an original work.

In some ways this reminds me of my equally muted feelings towards the Kill Bill movies.  While technically these movies, like Star Wars, are very well done, they are as much a pastiche as Star Wars.  With Kill Bill, director/writer Quentin Tarantino attempts to create a Kung Fu version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and to my mind, why would I want to see a “homage” to that superb film when I can see the original?

So too it is with the original 1977 Star Wars.  Why would I be interested in seeing this (admittedly well done) pastiche when I can watch the better, IMHO, works that it took from?

Again, this is just my subjective opinion and, again, I absolutely do not begrudge everyone’s desire to catch the latest Star Wars film (and films) when they are released to theaters.

While I may not have jumped aboard that particular cultural train, I recognize I’m among the very, very few.