Hey Tex, I feel for you. Kevin Smith, the director of Dogma, Clerks etc., reviewed the latest installment on his website. Basically, he said, and I quote, the movie is 'dark, dark, dark' and not suitable for young children. While I understand the need for Lucas to tell the story as he sees it, he owes the fans even more. Without them, he is nothing. I think it is telling that he hasn't considered this while making the movie.

I've seen Star Wars cereal. M&Ms. Light and Dark side color-changing Cheetos.

How crazy is this? Makes me wonder with the final instalment coming out if there are going to be 'burning Jedi children' dolls and such.

Now you finally see........Lucas has gone over to the Dark Side.

Lucas has too many toys to play with. He should not have been allowed to use any technology that developed past the 1980's. He's taken to making great effects, and skimping on the story and the dialoge. While I agree that Yoda's fight scene in Episode II was pretty cool, I needed more S-T-O-R-Y!!!! I can remember only two good lines, "Someday Anakin, I fear you're going to be the death of me." -- Obi Wan and "Lost a planet Master Obi Wan has. How embarrasing, how embarrasing." -- Yoda

But, I'll go see it, I feel obligated to.

The topic of marketing to little kids and then making the movies too adult for them is also a bit of a Harry Potter debate. After Dobby irons his hands, a lot of parents had issues with it. That's why the third movie was softened for little kids. However, someone dies in the next movie (not telling who if you haven't read the books) and I don't think 7-year-olds should be going to see it. But that's just my hill-o-beans.

I don't know if you saw my blog but boy do I feel your pain! My 8yr old is preparing himself for the possibility that he might not get to see it but the 4yr old will be devastated. He is sooooo obsessed with Star Wars! We own all of them on DVD and have seen the cartoon of the clone wars so they already know General Grievous and other characters of the final installment. My 8yr old knows more about the stories than I do and I saw the original when, well, it was original!

It is deceitful advertising.

Lucas wants it to have it both ways: entice the kids and get them to buy the toys and satsify the adults who rather see something grown up. Unfortunately it's the kids who miss out because they are the main moneymakers but not the ones filling out cards during test screenings.

It's possible to make a movie aimed at both kids and adults without it being violent (The Incredibles, for example.)

It's possible to make a movie aimed at both kids and adults without it being violent (The Incredibles, for example.)

Or Shrek. Though, it was funny to see the three-year-old laughing at the "compensating" joke just because we were laughing. I love a movie with "levels".

To me there's nothing "deceitful" about George Lucas. From the very beginning of the whole Star Wars craze, he has made it clear that it isn't about the movies, it's about the marketing. While merchandising is as old as movies and television themselves, George Lucas has made it an artform. I still remember freaking out when I saw plastic toys for droids that were nothing more than background props for a 2.3 second scene.

He has come a long way since "frozen Han Solo" was an extra prize for buying the Boba Fett's "Slave 1", but the song has remained the same. Again, it's not about the movies, it's about the marketing.

George Lucas, where is the guy who made the Indiana Jones movies and American Graffiti??? ;~D

Violence is part of the story. I don't think it would resonate so much if they swatted each other with newspapers.

My little girl wades through a cess pool of Britney culture every day, sexually demeaning commercials, perverted humor, imposed sexual stereotypes even in toys. They market slutty toys and clothes to kids, but we are gonna get all outraged when a jedi gets his arms hacked off?

Violence is at least as natural as sex. Since i have been told over and over my JU's Liberals that I shouldn't shelter my kid from the blatant perversion of modern culture, I'd say why the hell are we worried about a little blood and guts?

Although I feel sorry that you boys won't be able to see the film I do not blame George for doing what he did. I'm glad he made the movie dark and didn't comprimise the story just so more people could see it. This story needed to be dark, it's about turning to the dark side, if it was all sunshine and lollipops I would have been very pissed off.

It's possible to make a movie aimed at both kids and adults without it being violent (The Incredibles, for example.)

Yes it is possible for A movie to be for both kids and adults but not THIS movie. We know what happens to Anakin Skywalker and to the Jedis so the story has to go it that direction, glossing over it would only undermine the story. George can't just have him turn to the dark side because Yoda wouldn't by him a lollipop or have the Jedis die of nasty cough.

It sure sucks for your kids though.

The Darth Tater, Mr Potato Head variant is possibly the best bit of merchandising I have ever seen for a film. A friend also told me of a Batman one being in existence

don't hold your breath yet, but it's possible some VERY important people are reputedly close to almost on the verge of being ready to greenlight my 'genesis -1: the beginning before in the beginning' project. while i can't at this time absolutely positively say there wont be objectional materials (reportedly god used adult language at several junctures during the precreation process stress thing--and we're really committed to authenticity no matter who gets hurt), but an epic like this takes time so when hits the big screen, your kids will be old enuff to handle it.

Those toys and snacks (well, maybe not the little kid tightie-whities) are as much targeted at us "grown-up" boys as they are at the little ones I say this as I have a Darth Vader action figure looming over me, and with an ARC-170 Starfighter lego set sitting on the printer to my right, and the Naboo Starfighter on a shelf to my left... and the Snowspeeder set beside it... and the slew of action figures still in boxes

Not to mention the swarm of Star Wars video games I have

Or the 3 versions of the movie (Original VHS, Special Edition VHS, Even-More-Special Edition DVDs)...

Or my darth maul ball point pen...

Ok, ok, I'm George Lucas' bitch, I admit it.

I wonder if this movie is big enough to constitue 2 seperate showings...the cut version for families, then the uncut version for the less squeemish (or those over 13). Even if it was just for the first few weeks...most fans will end up seeing it more than once anyways, so they'll get treated to a movie they can enjoy with the tots, then one they can enjoy with their thirst for blood

In my opinion, Lucas sold his soul once he allowed his "Art" to be marketed across every sugar cereal and plastic action figure available. He now has the nearly impossible task of rectifying the greivences of die-hard fans as well as accomidating children and families the product has been marketed towards.

If he would've put a few more "cut people in half" scenes and a few less "Are wesa gonna die" scenes in E1, none of this would be a problem.

Once again all fingers can be pointed at Mr.Binks

While this film is the most violent of the 6, I dont see the cry of alarm here.  If you dont want your children to see it, there is an easy out.  It is called No.

While the rating warns you of the violence, perhaps you should see it first and then decide if your 8 year old is ready for it.  If not, he will be in a few years.

As far as the merchandise, it would not be marketed if there was no market for it.  I dont blame Lucas for that.  if you want to place the blame on it, check out where the other 3 fingers are pointing.

If I have kids...boys (yup...I think that Ryan only has "boy" sperm)...they're going to see cheesy chick flicks!