What A Schmuck!
Star Wars on Trial : Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Debate the Most Popular Science Fiction Films of All Time
Book Description wrote: Debates on the authenticity of the Star Wars franchise and the hero-or-villain status of George Lucas are at the heart of these essays by bestselling science-fiction authors. The incredible popularity of the movies has led to the formation of strong emotions within the science fiction community on the strengths and flaws of the films, exemplified here by David Brin's attacks and Matthew Woodring Stover's defense of the movies. This intense examination of the epic works addresses a broad range of issues—from politics, religion, and the saga's overall logic to the impact of the series on bookshelf space as well as science-fiction film. The question Is George Lucas a hero for bringing science fiction to a mass audience or a villain who doesn't understand the genre he's working for? is discussed before a final "Judge's Verdict" on the greatness—or weakness—of the franchise is reached.
This reminds me of Amadeus with Brin as a bitter Salieri to Lucas' Mozart.
Back when David Brin wrote his infamous pieces in Salon.com that all but called Lucas a fascist, he rambled on and on about what he thought was the stupidity of someone under pressure, anger and duress switching allegiance in such a radical manner as going from Jedi hero to Sith villain.
A few years ago, I e-mailed Brin my response to this particular bit of smug stupidity. I wish I hadn't erased the e-mails, but I remember how it went. I pointed out a rather famous example of Marshall Petain in France, a hero of the Great War who saved France from being conquered by Germany. He was bitterly anti-German his entire adult life. But when the Germans rolled into Paris, Petain became a Nazi stooge -a stooge who was spared the guillotine or firing squad by DeGaulle, who remained loyal to France and gave mercy. Now one could argue DeGaulle shouldn't have spared Petain, but to argue that the decision made DeGaulle a closet Nazi is an obscene slander.David Brin wrote:But then, in "Return of the Jedi," Lucas takes this basic wisdom and perverts it, saying -- "If you get angry -- even at injustice and murder -- it will automatically and immediately transform you into an unalloyedly evil person! All of your opinions and political beliefs will suddenly and magically reverse. Every loyalty will be forsaken and your friends won't be able to draw you back. You will instantly join your sworn enemy as his close pal or apprentice. All because you let yourself get angry at his crimes."
Uh, say what? Could you repeat that again, slowly?
In other words, getting angry at Adolf Hitler will cause you to rush right out and join the Nazi Party? Excuse me, George. Could you come up with a single example of that happening? Ever?
I also pointed out that any decent book about the Spanish Civil War offers examples of revolutionaries (anarchists, Trotskyists, anarcho-syndicalists) who were so upset that the Republic did not immediately collectivize all agriculture in Spain that they threw in with Franco. It's a strange thing about politics, but people on the far Left seldom change into regular leftists or liberals. Instead, they usually become far rightists. From Mussolini to Lyndon LaRouche to Whittaker Chambers to David Horowitz, it's a good rule of thumb. The same goes for those few who switch from the far Right to the far left. Garry Wills, Edmund Wilson and Gore Vidal didn't become run-of-the-mill Republicans when they quit the far Right in disgust.
To which Brin responded that Yoda was a fascist muppet or some such. At this point I realized Brin wasn't just a dishonest twerp out to ride Lucas' tailwind, nor was he just a jealous, mendacious putz attacking someone who has enjoyed more success. He is in addition to those things, a mentally unbalanced weenie with an unhealthy obsession with George Lucas. He's also a total wanker.
Screw David Brin.
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, and i got some stuff wrong myself, mea culpa. Point conceded, excuse my retardness there.
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