The Movie: Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, directed by Jim and Ken Wheat
Recommendation: Von Gauzen
Reason: "Childhood, Gwen, childhood!" I don't think she hates me, but this might be preemptive revenge for the cold I'm circulating.
So. Wilford Brimley isn't a Jedi, the stupid kid from the first movie dies in the first five minutes (I checked), there are horses and magic on Endor. Oh, and the battle for Endor isn't so much a battle for Endor as it is a bunch of Ewoks beating merry hell out of a bunch of lizardmen. It was sort of like a D&D game, with Star Wars thrown in. In that respect, it was fun. I had to keep in mind that it was a kids movie from the 80's when logic took a sharp right and fell over a cliff now and again, but it was fun.
I guess there's not a whole lot more to say about this movie. It was filmed for TV, like the other Ewoks movie was. It doesn't really feel like Star Wars-it's just a spin-off, and one that's not very consistent with the original trilogy. Like the first, it didn't age well-the special effects were uneven, and the plot draaaaaaaaagged. But dude? Ewoks.
-33/365 down, 332/365 to go
Showing posts with label endor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label endor. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Monday, February 5, 2007
At least it wasn't about Jawas
The Movie: The Ewok Adventure, directed by John Korty
Recommendation: Von Gauzen
Reason: "Remember your childhood!"
When I was a kid, we had this movie and the sequel on tape. Actually, my uncle had it. We used to watch it all the time, usually right before the Ewoks cartoon came on on Saturday morning. I liked the movie and I liked the cartoon, and I think I eventually concluded that I wanted to be an Ewok when I grew up. I probably drove everyone insane, constantly talking in Ewok. Jub jub! I later added Martian to my repetoire. Why is this relevant? I think I was a pretty easily pleased kid.
The Ewok Adventure, aka Caravan of Courage, starts off as a Wild America-meets-Star Wars examination of Ewok culture, sort of. It's about as stimulating as you might think. Burl Ives lulled me to sleep with his totally groovy tone of voice, and I probably missed most of the early dialogue. That's okay, though, because it's entirely in untranslated Ewok. Yeah. Forty minutes of 'Jub jub!' without so much as a humorous subtitle. I don't know how I decoded it as a kid, but I have to admire my persistence. The rest of the adventure is...questionable, from a logical standpoint, but if you think like a kid, it's pretty thrilling stuff. Monsters, magic, Ewoks, children who are dumber than you are, faeries...it's not so bad. Not really Star Wars, but not bad.
Caravan of Courage doesn't hold up well over time. I think that's what I'm trying to say. I loved it as a kid, but as an adult I'm spoiled on subtitles and a lack of George Lucas in my life. Viewed through the eyes of a child from the 80's, it was awesome. Now, not so great.
-31/365 down, 334/365 to go
Recommendation: Von Gauzen
Reason: "Remember your childhood!"
When I was a kid, we had this movie and the sequel on tape. Actually, my uncle had it. We used to watch it all the time, usually right before the Ewoks cartoon came on on Saturday morning. I liked the movie and I liked the cartoon, and I think I eventually concluded that I wanted to be an Ewok when I grew up. I probably drove everyone insane, constantly talking in Ewok. Jub jub! I later added Martian to my repetoire. Why is this relevant? I think I was a pretty easily pleased kid.
The Ewok Adventure, aka Caravan of Courage, starts off as a Wild America-meets-Star Wars examination of Ewok culture, sort of. It's about as stimulating as you might think. Burl Ives lulled me to sleep with his totally groovy tone of voice, and I probably missed most of the early dialogue. That's okay, though, because it's entirely in untranslated Ewok. Yeah. Forty minutes of 'Jub jub!' without so much as a humorous subtitle. I don't know how I decoded it as a kid, but I have to admire my persistence. The rest of the adventure is...questionable, from a logical standpoint, but if you think like a kid, it's pretty thrilling stuff. Monsters, magic, Ewoks, children who are dumber than you are, faeries...it's not so bad. Not really Star Wars, but not bad.
Caravan of Courage doesn't hold up well over time. I think that's what I'm trying to say. I loved it as a kid, but as an adult I'm spoiled on subtitles and a lack of George Lucas in my life. Viewed through the eyes of a child from the 80's, it was awesome. Now, not so great.
-31/365 down, 334/365 to go
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