Neal Stephenson on Star Wars in the NYT

SnapShot writes "Neal Stephenson has an editorial in the New York Times about the difference between the old Star Wars and the new Star Wars, and the difference between geeking out and vegging out. Oh, and computer scientists and engineers are the Jedi of the U.S." From the article: "Likewise, many have been underwhelmed by the performance of Hayden Christensen, who plays Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Only if you've seen the "Clone Wars" cartoons will you understand that Anakin is a seriously damaged veteran, a poster child for post-traumatic stress disorder. But since none of that background is actually supplied by the Episode III script, Mr. Christensen has been given an impossible acting task. He's trying to swim in air."

Difference between old and new Star Wars

[artemis67]

Old one didn't suck.

Jedi FP

[Anonymous Coward]

"The post is strong with first."

Bah Scientists aren't the Jedi's of our Society!

[Evil W1zard]

The people in this article are, "Two Star Wars fans are in a critical condition in hospital after apparently trying to make light sabres by filling fluorescent light tubes with petrol. A man, aged 20, and a girl of 17 are believed to have been filming a mock duel when they poured fuel into two glass tubes and lit it. The pair were rushed to hospital after one of the devices exploded in woodland at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire." Granted they need practice but they are trying and soon the Force will be strong in them.

Neal Stephenson?!! Two pages?!!

[stand]

Gees! It must of killed him to be limited to so few words.

Re:Difference between old and new Star Wars

[HAKdragon]

That reminds me of a conversation my Calculus professor (a true geek who constantly makes references to Star Wars, Star Trek and the ocassional BTTF) had with one the students during class.

Student: I got to see Episode 1 in HD the other night.
Professor: That's cool. Did it still suck?

the ending...

[tapia]

It was a great editorial, but the ending kind of left me hanging.

Re:Neal Stephenson?!! Two pages?!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but he dealt with it by just making the ending really sudden and abrupt.

Besides lack of Anakin backstory...

[Jtheletter]

It didn't help that Hayden and Natalie apparently practiced their scenes together by first using broomsticks to represent the other character. At least that's the only plausible explanation I could deduce when watching the two perform scenes together in Ep III. In other (non SW) films they seem to emote just fine, Ms. Portman especially, but for some reason - bad coaching, bad script, bad directing, all of the above? - they just didn't seem to connect at all in the new Star Wars.

Here's a fun game to play the next time you watch the film: in every scene with just Padme and Anakin, add the word 'Broomstick' to the end of each line they say to one another, it makes the acting more believable!

e.g. Anakin to Padme: "I will never let you die... broomstick." (Variations like 'Mr./Ms. Broomstick', 'my sweet broomstick', or 'you lovely 2-by-4' add depth and drama!)

Re:Impossible?

[FidelCatsro]

He is the second best Anakin Skywalker ever ... OK that's not saying much as that little kid was so annoying that most people had hoped he would come across the wrong end of a light sabre a few times

Re:The Real Difference

[cyngus]

Because, miss the true point of the story, you do. Bringing balance to the force, this story is about. Anakin and Luke, but elements of this process are. Focus on the light side of the force, the films do. When the light side Anakin, leaves, focus of the story does he lose. Luke, then, the hopes of balance rest with, and so focus does he gain.

Re:Jedi FP

[MisanthropicProgram]

The moderators are controlled by the Emperor and the Darkside. Do not lose faith, though! There will come someone who will bring balance back to the moderation system!

That's not Neal

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, right. Neal Stephenson, writing a two-page article? The man can't describe a plain cardboad box in two pages! This is obviously the work of someone else.

Re:Why we watched it

[sithsasquatch]

Additionally, General Grievous just sort of popped into existance.

Lucas seems to have a problem with killing off his good villains *cough* Darth Maul *cough*, then ending up with Darth Viagra, err... Count Dooku.
The main problem with Hayden Christensen is that he plays a whiney, angst-filled teen too well. And it really sucks to find out that Darth Vader, the coolest badass of badasses villains, started out as a whiney, angst-filled teen. Hell, he didn't even pull wings off flies or anything! Talk about a non-traumatic childhood...

Though, to be fair . . . if Natalie Portman dumped me, I'd probably take over the glaxay to avoid thinking about what I lost, too.

Re:Difference between old and new Star Wars

[64nDh1]

Calculus geeks - always expecting everything to change over time.

Unfortunately, SW prequel suckage is a universal constant.

Re:Differences in Jedi

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

We all played KotOR too many times.

I can't swim, sir!

[FhnuZoag]

Mr. Christensen has been given an impossible acting task. He's trying to swim in air.

Yet somehow, he manages to drown.

Re:Difference between old and new Star Wars

[julesh]

so, you're saying dsuck(swe_{i})/dt = 0 for all i, 1 = i = 3?

Hehe

[Have Blue]

It's not just RotS, as this classic post [slashdot.org] illustrates. (I take no credit for this, I just had it bookmarked.)