Monday, May 23rd, 2005
“Never underestimate the power of the dark side”. So says Yoda to Luke in the second Star Wars trilogy. Words learnt from bitter experience.
I took time out to see Episode III this morning.
At this point I’m thinking about the connection between the force and love in Star Wars. There’s a lot in this episode about the fear of loss and its connection with evil. Loving freedom enough to fight as its advocate can become twisted if one becomes addicted to being the advocate. Compassion for a loved one can become an evil passion if one does not let go of entitlement. I’m reminded of CS Lewis’ story, “The Great Divorce”, in which a mother’s selfish love for her child consumes her in a way that prevents her from truly loving.
I thought the scenes between Anakin and Padme seemed stilted and over sentimentalised. And maybe they were meant to be that way. Padme wonders if they really have connected as real people truly seeing each other. Or are they still in love with their perception of each other. Dishonesty can enter loving relationships when one is afraid of being rejected. Likewise, self deceit can raise its head when one is afraid of being disappointed. Knowing and expressing the truth are pivotal in the resistance of fatal addiction.
Tags: Movies, science fiction, Star Wars
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Thursday, April 28th, 2005
Tonight I went with the family to the opening night of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It was excellent.
It was different to the radio series, book and television series. Apparently Douglas Adams had a policy of adding or changing something every time he produced a new format. He was the key script writer and one of the producers for the movie. It’s so sad that he died in May 2001, at the age of 49. I remember the shock of hearing the news.
The official Hitchhikers Movie website is at hitchhikers.movies.go.com
It includes an excellent trailer and plenty of interactive material.
The movie starts with the dolphins. At first with an entry from the Hitchhiker’s guide, and then in full colour, wide screen glory. There’s not a lot of visual magic - we treated more to big budget of the Doctor Who style of science fiction. The theme music from the television series, “Journey of the Sorcerer”, originally by the Eagles, is used in the movie as well.
As I said earlier, there a few bonus pieces added in by Adams. Like John Malkovich playing the specially created character of Humma Kavula, the leader of a cult that worships the God who created the universe by sneezing it out of his nostril. The Vogons stay active in the plot as the StarWars-like Empire fleet dragged down by bureacracy. The movie is full of oblique references to Star Wars in fact, but always in the sense of “what would be the opposite of the Star Wars plot”. There’s a romantic interest in the movie, an interest that was kept for later in the series when in book form.
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Look out for the collection of planets in Slarti Baartfast’s study - one is in the shape of Douglas Adams’ head. Also look for the entry to Humma Kavula’s cathedral, which is in fact a 10 foot high rendition of Douglas Adams’ nose. Halfway through the credits there’s a bonus section from the Hitchhiker’s Guide.
Ennis, my wife, discovered a class set of the first book at school and is getting ready to teach it.
I’m wondering if the rest of the series will be or has been made. We’ll see.
We have, somewhere in the house, a copy of The Salmon of Doubt, a collection of Douglas Adams’ writings ranging from a childhood letter to the editor through to notes for his incomplete third Dirk Gently novel.
Adams explores in an essay his ponderings about God, science and the origins of the universe. He comes across as a secular scientist who has trouble buying the concept of personal creator. That’s no surprise, considering the number of references to weird and wonderful concepts of creation in the Hitchhikers series. He’s introduced us to pluralism at an astronomical level.
Tags: Douglas Adams, Movies, science fiction
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