Star Wars: Detoured

From the mind of Seth Green. That says it all.

Star Wars Meets Call Me Maybe

Another Star Wars Mashup:

Fantasy Football Picks, Darth Vader Style

Darth Vader isn't a good fantasy football manager, but don't disagree with him.

He doesn't like it.



Are you ready for the season?

See you in the playoffs.

The Best Super Bowl Commercial and the Star Who Never Saw The Movies He Spoofed

He's only six years old, so he can be forgiven for never having seen Star Wars.

The Force was with TODAY Monday when the pint-size Darth Vader who has stolen America’s heart came to Studio 1A and tried to wield the same powers that seemingly brought a Volkswagen Passat to life in this year’s breakout Super Bowl ad. He had an early success in the makeup room, apparently turning on a hair dryer with a thrust of his hands.

The diminutive Darth’s efforts to channel metaphysical energies were more hit-and-miss when he tried to work them on a coffeemaker in the greenroom or on monitors in the TODAY control room — but 6-year-old Max Page’s star power couldn’t be stifled, even by the bulky helmet he wore.

Max’s Super Bowl ad shows him in full Vader regalia, struggling vainly to use the Force to start a washer and dryer, rouse the family dog, and bring a baby doll to life. But when he heads outside to work his magic on his dad’s 2012 Volkswagen Passat, he’s shocked when the engine roars to life — little knowing that his father has started the car by remote control from the kitchen.

This was the single best commercial from an entirely lackluster commercial set. It was absolutely charming and funny, and it introduced the Passat in a way that everyone will remember.

All the other commercials paled in comparison and many of them blended into each other so that you had no idea who was pitching what or they struck the wrong tone.

When Lego and Star Wars Meets

It's a humorous take on the original films and features some loved (and one much reviled new) Star Wars characters.

Star Wars Video Games Get It Where Lucas' Movies Didn't

That's right Star Wars fans. You get a much better experience for your money's worth with the video games being released by Lucasfilm than George Lucas' movie division. The cinematic interludes in the video games show a much more rich and entertaining background and interaction between characters than Lucas could convey in the prequels.

Sure, the movies were gorgeous and shot with the top of the line technology when they were released, but they lacked soul. That carried through in the visuals and pretty soon you couldn't care about what happened to the characters. Check that. You hoped some of them would die (Jar Jar, I'm looking at you). That they did not was a major letdown. Characters that you hoped would stick around a little while ended up getting sliced in half even though it would have been more entertaining to see Darth Maul connive and backstab (literally and figuratively) with Count Dooku and even with Anakin Skywalker in the wings.

There were so many directions that could have gone, but instead we got a mess of storywriting and wooden performances. It was sad when the best performances were by R2D2 and Yoda.

And yet, there are ruminations that Lucas may be attempting to put together another Star Wars movie trilogy. However, the Lucasfilm flacks have denied the rumors.

The Missing Return of the Jedi Scene

And this will be the reason that so many people end up buying the Blu-Ray version when it becomes available.



HT: Mrs. Lawhawk

Damn you George Lucas. Damn you!

While you're at it (again editing the classics) will you please revert to the original vision of the Han Solo-Greedo confrontation instead of the mess you made of that scene?

Get Your Directions From Darth Vader

I find your lack of direction... disturbing. Therefore, Darth Vader is the perfect voice to run your GPS.

If you're using a Tom Tom GPS, that is. It isn't available for the Garmin.

Star Wars on the 6 Train

Star Wars Animated Comedy Heading to TV

No, we're not talking about another Robot Chicken Star Wars special, but Seth Green is apparently involved in the project green lighted by Lucasfilm to run an animated comedy involving Star Wars characters.

Lucasfilm says it will explore the comic aspects of that "galaxy far, far away'' as it playfully and irreverently confronts the saga's characters and mythology.

Part of the creative team is Seth Green, who helped hatch the popular "Robot Chicken.'' He promises the new show will answer the question, "What do these Star Wars characters do when they're not overthrowing Empires?''

If George Lucas can stay away from direct creative control over the project, this has a shot at being funny. Robot Chicken's take on Star Wars is downright hilarious.

Did Saddam Hussein Model Himself on Darth Vader?

You have got to be kidding me. Did Saddam Hussein model his cruel regime on Darth Vader from Star Wars? That's the implication here:

The answer may be lurking in the Tate Modern in London. Chicago-based artist Michael Rakowitz's exhibition The worst condition is to pass under a sword which is not one's own explores the surprising parallels between Saddam's regime and western science fiction through a series of hand-drawn cartoons and sculptural installations.

You may have heard that when US troops stormed one of Saddam's palaces they stumbled across lurid posters by fantasy artist Rowena Morrill. But did you know that she's a close friend of Boris Vallejo, the artist who drew the iconic poster for The Empire Strikes Back depicting Darth Vader with two lightsabres crossed over his head?

Does the poster's image sound familiar? It is remarkably similar to Saddam's Hands of Victory monument commemorating Iraq's victory over Iran. The arch in central Baghdad consists of two bronze casts of Saddam's forearms holding two 43-metre-long crossed steel swords melted down from the weapons of slain Iraqis; the helmets of vanquished Iranians litter the base of the hands.

Mind you, this has come up before - in the spoof comedy Hot Shots! Part Deux, where Saddam used Darth Vader's voice:

Saddam Hussein: [President Benson throws Saddam a fireplace cleaning tool which lights up like a lightsaber, and his voice changes and sounds like Darth Vader] I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan, we meet at last. The circle is now complete, now, I am the master.
President Thomas 'Tug' Benson: Only a master of evil, Saddam.
Saddam Hussein: Your powers are...
[Coughs, then takes a puff of primatine mist and his voice is back to normal]
Saddam Hussein: Your powers are weak, old man, you should not have come.
President Thomas 'Tug' Benson: We'll settle this the old navy way: first guy to die, loses.

Addidas and Snoop Dogg Have Gone to the Dark Side

Addidas and Lucasfilm have gotten together to crossbrand new sneakers and other products with a Star Wars flavor. That's put Snoop Dogg under the spell of the Dark Side as well.

The new product line can be seen here (HT: Mrs. Lawhawk).

What Stormtroopers Do On Their Day Off

This is what they do on their day off. This is what Darth Vader thinks of that.

What Really Happened On the Death Star

Consider this an open thread to discuss the merits of Empire business practices and how the Empire managed to build the Death Star with contractor labor.

Star Wars: The Musical Opus?

Are you kidding me?

Just when it appeared that George Lucas had finally laid to rest his epic saga of Jedis, Wookies and Ewoks, he has announced that Star Wars will return as a stadium experience.

The Times has learnt that Lucasfilm has authorised Star Wars: A Musical Journey, a retelling of the story that will combine excerpts of the film with live orchestral accompaniment.

Diehard fans may dream of Jedi Knights serenading Jabba the Hutt and C-3PO singing “Don’t cry for me, R2-D2” but they are likely to be disappointed. Producers for the show, which will have its world premiere in Britain, emphasised that although actors would be used to narrate the story, it would not be a stage musical.

The production, which condenses more than 13 hours of film into 90 minutes, will be more like a classical music concert performed in front of a cinema screen, 27m (90ft) wide.

George Lucas should have stopped at the Return of the Jedi, before coming back with three prequels that tell the rise of Darth Vader and the Sith along with the destruction of the Jedi. The idea of telling the backstory for Vader and the destruction of the Jedi was certainly a good one, but Lucas couldn't leave well enough alone and included plodding dialog and inane characters - especially Jar Jar Binks.

The Phantom Menace was a menace to those who watched the Star Wars trilogy. Attack of the Clones was at least a visual masterpiece, and Revenge of the Sith actually lived up to the hype, which had been muted by the poor execution of the first two prequels. Still, the dialog suffered horribly and Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman were ill suited to be star crossed lovers.

Now, we're going to get a musical? Or, as the producers claim, a story with musical interludes.

What are the songs going to be? "Don't cry for me Galactic Empire; the truth is, I sought your destruction;" as sung by Emperor Palpatine?

"Die, Die, Die my darling" sung by Anakin to Padme?

"Greased lightning" sung by Han Solo about his cherished Millennium Falcon?

"I will always love you," sung by Princess Leia to a carbonite frozen Han Solo?

The mind reels at the shamelessness of Lucas to wring every last dollar out of the franchise.

Feel The Halloween Force

Now this is just cool:

Other cool pumpkin carvings can be found here.

Lego My Imperial March

Friday Funny

The full Adult Swim - Robot Chicken Star Wars:

Friday Funnies

Three for Friday:







This will be my call for today's best and brightest posts from around the Internet.

Friday Funny

What happens when you mash up Star Wars with Boogie Nights? Well, let's just say that things get ... interesting.