Tuesday, May 24, 2011

I'd rather see "The Phantom Menace" than read "Dragon Tattoo." (Star Wars References)


From Scandinavian Thriller Obsession, which Newsweek wants you to think is a thing that also affects people who aren't employees of major publishing houses, comes a review of what should be best described as the Scandinavian-thriller version of Hunger Games, in a world where "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," et al, is considered the Scandinavian-thriller version of Twilight...

... although I've read portions of both Twilight and Dragon Tattoo, and, honestly, I'd rather read all four of Stephanie Meyers' books and be forced to see the movie than try to work my way through more than 50 pages of Stieg Larsson's terrible writing...

... where was I? Oh, yeah: Newsweek wants you to think Americans are all crazy about Scandinavian thrillers all of a sudden (Smilla's Sense Of Snow not having lit a fire under us years ago), and then goes on to pan the book it was reviewing because the book it was reviewing was too American, a realization that Newsweek's Bryan Curtis says is

as depressing as when you discover a talented European director who wants to be the next George Lucas.

Wait a minute. I know what everyone says about Lucas' ability as a writer, but is he really the first American director you should think of as a negative comparison descriptor of talent falling downhill? The guy who singlehandedly created a franchise that forms the entire basis of Western Civilization? Star Wars was pretty good, and Lucas directed that, didn't he?

So it's a Star Wars reference and a misguided one, at that. But it proves my point: There have been (by my count) as many as a dozen American directors, and Bryan Curtis dug deep and came up with... George Lucas. Star Wars rules us all.

1 comment:

PT Dilloway said...

I guess if you're European you're not supposed to want your films to actually be seen by people. Get back to work making black-and-white movies of people sitting in a smoky cafe and making meaningful pronouncements!