Why is Star Wars Never Taken Seriously?

[Shinova]

Star Trek: Wrought with over-acting

Do you expect William Shatner NOT to over-act??

As a side note, I haven't seen B5, but doesn't that also have some good acting??? (well, at least according to its fans!)

B5 has some of the best acting and story I've ever seen. That show, out of every other sci-fi series with the exception of SG1 or Farscape, should've been considered for some Emmys perhaps.

[vakundok]

Excuse me, but didn't win the ANH 6+1 Oscars? Do I remember wrong?

[desertjedi]

Of all the actors in B5, I think Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar) has some of the best dramatic scenes in the series, a little over acting, but it was really called for in some scenes. I think my favorite part is the speech G'kar gives about freedom when he is to leave the Council chambers because his government no longer exists (taken over by the Centauri) from the episode The Long Twilight Struggle-

G'Kar, "No Dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power governments and tyrants, and armies can not stand. The Centauri learned this lesson once, we will teach it to them again. Though it take a thousand years, WE WILL BE FREE."

[Biddybot]

Just to clarify, SCI-Fi Freak, when you talk about the Oscar folk not taking Star Wars seriously, you ARE talking about them taking the story and acting seriously, yes? A couple of folks responding have pointed out quite rightfully that SW has garnered tech awards, but I'm presuming those aren't the kinds of categories you had in mind...

Anyhoo, I'd like to further add that just as I think a G-rated, or kid-suitable film, can win at the Oscars, I also believe a sci-fi movie would be likewise taken seriously if it took itself seriously, that is, if it were done as a top-notch, well-told, well-acted drama that just happened to be a good sci-fi movie as well. This is, I think, why the LOTR movies are being so well received. They're being presented with the emphasis on the essentials of good drama, not on the fantasy elements. You reach a broad audience that way, not just the fantasy fans. The SW films, on the other hand, seem to have become more genre-specific these last two outings, which is great for sci-fi and especially space opera fans--not so hot for the broad audience anymore. Lucas would have a hard time bringing back that mass appeal by now, but as I said in an earlier post, I don't believe he really cares so it's kind of a non-issue, at least from his perspective.

I confess I don't much pay attention to the Oscars, but didn't A CLOCKWORK ORANGE get nominated for best picture years ago? Soft sci-fi, sure, but still sci-fi. Of more recent offerings, I've always thought that CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (the original version) had the potential to be a real contender, and CONTACT could have done well too if only it hadn't had that infuriating cop-out of an ending!

[Lord Pounder]

Could the Accademy be discriminating against Lucas because of his bother with the Directors Guild?

[Soontir C'boath]

I always thought that it was because it wasn't from Hollywood and the Oscars nominators are discriminating Lucasfilms. [/rambling]

Cyaround,
Jason

[RedImperator]

God forbid they do fan voting

Must....suppress....elitism....

[Kuja]

Star Wars: In the first trilogy, we saw some good performances put on by Hamil, Ford, and Fisher. But the storylines were simple, very basic. And, the good guys won though a deus ex-machina the size of an X-Wing in ANH.

You call that a deus ex? What are you, a moron? We knew about the weakness before the X-wings ever launched, at least twenty minutes before it went BANg, and we knew R2 was carrying the plans for at least half the movie. A deus ex would've been if the X-wings were already in combat, being ripped from the sky, and suddenly Luke says "Hey! We can hit the exhaust port!" and blows up the DS. That'sa deus ex.