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2001-12-07 Entry: "Menacing Sales"

Before reading this, go see this entry first.

Jette is complaining that The Phantom Menace is performing terrifically well, sales-wise, on DVD. Everyone wants it.

Okay, I'd agree completely with her assessment that Lucas lost the plot - the film isn't very good. The dialogue is terrible. And the effects are clearly obvious as special effects.

But, and this is a big but, it's not that much worse that the other three. Okay, Empire is obviously superior in terms of plot and script, and it's the bleakest of the films. However, nothing much happens in it. "A New Hope" and "Return of the Jedi" are at least a lot of fun.

As an aside, for those who really care, Return Of The Jedi is my personal favourite.

Edit: And spot who forgot to close the emphasis tag...

The reason I personally am amazed at the sales for this DVD are that it's another Lucas trap. You see, in 18 months time, once "Attack of the Clones" has done the cinematic rounds, there'll be a "Special Edition" release of episodes one and two together. Then, a year later (or however long it is), we'll have a "Special Collector's Edition" with the first three films.

Then we're likely to see a similar Collector's Edition of episodes 4-6. Then we'll get a "Platinum Edition" or something similar, which'll feature all 6 films in the same set. Then we'll see a set of all six with more special features than you can shake a stick at. Then, finally (and we're in about 2020 here, for those keeping track), we'll see the set I may actually purchase - all 6 films with commentary by Lucas (and any writer he pulls in for script polishing on any film), possibly commentaries with cast / crew / special effects guys / Spielberg cause he'd be fun, lots of extras (at least another 6 disks worth), and both versions of each film (seamlessly branched) - that's right, I want the original (superior) version and I'll settle for the "Special Edition" versions because Lucas thinks they're better. Hello?! The CGI monsters aren't all that great, the windows in Cloud City are absolutely terrible, and the less said about the new Jabba The Hut in A New Hope the better. So, until we see the originals on the disk, no dice.

The question I want to ask (to those buying the Phantom Menace now) is "Will you buy a special edition in a couple of years of all three (or all six) films?" Then I can complain that they're persuading Lucas to make more rubbish.