A documentary that’s exactly as you expect it to be and sets out it’s stall from the very start (actually, from the very title), I have to admit that while there’s nothing strikingly original or incisive here it’s still a hell of a lot of fun.
All of the usual suspects are covered: the fact that Han shot first (no matter what the special editions show you), Jar Jar, Vader’s pain and fury at the end of the third prequel and every aesthetic alteration ever made to the original trilogy. There are a number of valid points raised among the fun stuff such as – with the changes made to the original movies are they classed as the same films that won the Academy Awards for editing, etc?
Everything is illustrated with a mixture of “talking head” footage and fan-made material, from the no-budget amateur level to the professional stuff. Paper mache, LEGO, action figures, bad amateur actors – all of these and more have been used to portray stories made by fans and set in the Star Wars universe. We also get clips from “Spaced”, we see snippets of the wonderful parody “Troops” and there is just enough from the Star Wars Holiday Special to make you laugh while simultaneously dying a little inside.
Importantly, however, the documentary throws a lot of good light on the way that Lucas treats his fans, from his acknowledgment of what they hate to his active encouragement of the fan films. Arguably more pitiable than actively evil, Lucas is portrayed (by himself AND others) as someone who became what he so hated. Who knew that the Star Wars saga would turn out to be so personal and have so many parallels to the man’s life? Others also lament the fact that The Force held him back from ever fulfilling his true potential. Then we have the general discussion about how much influence the artist can have once his art has been given over to the public and how ownership of that vision automatically changes, in the eyes of those who claim it.
It’s good to see that after so many claims that “George Lucas raped my childhood” many now grudgingly admit that it was a consensual relationship they committed to and that their biggest disappointment in the prequels stemmed from the fact that they had grown up while their favourite filmmaker set about selling his universe to a new generation of youngsters.
It doesn’t make the barrage of complaints any less amusing though. Oh, and Han shot first.
DIRECTOR:ALEXANDRE O. PHILLIPE
STARS: LOTS OF STAR WARS FANS
RUNTIME: 97 MINS APPROX
COUNTRY: USA
Film Rating: 
