First off, I'd just like to clarify that, while I'm a huge sci-fi and fantasy geek, I don't hold anything as sacred. I'm not one of these people who are so wrapped up in the original Star Trek that the JJ Abrams re-imagining becomes a foul heresy (no, that was the TV series 'Enterprise', which turned our super-advanced 22nd century descendants into whiny, selfish losers who acted like teenagers, thoroughly pissing all over Gene Roddenberry's original vision). Even the TransFormers movies - with the toyline being a favourite of mine for a good portion of my life - create a new continuity rather than destroying that which has gone before.
The Star Wars movies are only a special case because they were utterly ruined by the very man who created them. Ruined by terribly underwritten prequels that failed to match the tone and/or scope of the originals, featuring gross caricatures of characters, weak, confused plots and some of the flattest 'acting' I've ever seen from some brilliant actors. But when, some years ago, Lucas decided to remix his original trilogy, improving the special effects and reinstating scenes that had been cut because they weren't quite up to scratch thanks to the technology (and casting - Jabba the Hutt, for example) of the time, I thought that was pretty cool of him.
But then he just wouldn't stop.
And so, now, the original trilogy has even more 'force ghosts', and the stoic Darth Vader has a vocal emotional outburst when the Emperor realises Skywalker Junior cannot be turned to the Dark Side and attempts to remedy this situation before it becomes a bigger problem.
In general, I choose to deny the prequels. The stories of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa and all their chums were perfectly sufficient for me. I don't need to know what came before, or after, beyond what was implied by those movies.
Even so, I wouldn't normally get fussed over Star Wars-related things being messed around with. Ultimately, they are just movies. Sure, they form one of the greatest space operas known to popular culture... but they're also heavily derivative. All the cartoons and CGI animated series have their place. I'm cool with that.
But now we have Yoda - Jedi Master extraordinaire - in advertisements for Vodafone. Some everyday person seems, at first glance, to be having some diabolical problem with their cellphone. Yoda, clearly sensing a disturbance in the Force, steps in to assist... only to see it demonstrated that Vodafone are positively saturated with Midi-chlorians, and their customer's woes were all the ancient Jedi's mind, having been pre-emptively dealt with by the network.
I cannot adequately express how wrong I feel this to be.
Considering the fervour of the most vocal Star Wars fans - and particularly those who campaigned to get 'Jedi' officially recognised as a religion - how can Lucas allow one of his most revered creations, the dimiutive green Master, to be turned into a mere advertising tool?
Obvious, really.
A friend of mine has always maintained that any job, regardless of its purpose, is a form of prostitution. One is paid to perform a function, whatever that may be. But this is - or should be - different. This is an icon of cinematic fantasy being used to flog mobile telecommunications services.
Lucas appears to care nothing for his Star Wars properties beyond the money they suck in. He appears to care nothing for the legions of loyal fans who truly love these movies and, even now, continue to purchase his merchandise. He seems only to care that they do continue to purchase the merchandise, and this repeated 'tinkering' with the films is just a symptom of this.
I wouldn't be surprised if the next iteration of the Yoda action figure actually comes with a miniature Vodaphone handset, complete with corporate livery.
Of course, it occurs to me now that I didn't get worked up about Optimus Prime and Megatron being used to sell whatever portable electronic device LG were flogging around the time of the first Michael Bay movie... but I guess I just know what to expect when a toy company turns one of its toy lines into a movie franchise. Hell, there's always some kind of tie-in with either Burger King or MacDonalds...
I guess it comes down to context... and the nagging feeling that perhaps - just perhaps - some things should be considered too important to be used to advertise consumer electronics that are not directly related to their originating franchise...
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