I wrote in MSNBC.com's "Apprentice" chart about how ridiculous I found it that 3 out of 4 contestants on one of the teams claimed they'd never seen any of the "Star Wars" movies. And of course, you get the snooties writing in all "I've never seen any of those childish space opera moving pictures either, old chap." And for a minute you think: Am I crazy?
But then Television Without Pity publishes their "Apprentice" recap, and says "Brian wonders who's seen the movie, and instead of everybody, the answer is: Randal. Who has seen all the movies, just like everybody on earth with the exception of the people we're looking at right now."
Ah, I feel better. I knew I wasn't crazy.
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I thought that was very weird too but I wonder if it has something to do with timing. When was the show filmed? If it started in early summer, maybe they didn't have time to see it before they started they were sequestered. Nevertheless, how could anyone not know that Darth Vader is the pivotal character and do a Star Wars display without him? What losers!
Yeah, I'm thinking, if it was filmed any time after, oh, 1977, they have no excuse to need to hear who Luke Skywalker is, fer cryin' out loud.
I've never seen more than bits and pieces of the first one, and I wasn't even born when the first three were released, but I still know the basics. Darth, Luke Skywalker, "Luke I am your father", light sabres, blah blah blah. That's just a gap in general pop-culture knowledge, right there.
I was wondering if it was their age or something. I was born in 1971, so I was part of the first wave of Star Wars. My nephew was born in 1988, so he was part of the second wave of Star Wars, but kids born from like 1975 to 1985 may have missed both waves (not caring about the second wave because they are too old or something). Just a thought.
I haven't seen any of the new films because I can't handle seeing Darth Vader as a moptop and then sullen teen. Can't. Handle. It.
I was born in 1980, and I didn't see any of the originals until the Special Editions came out in the late 90s. Of course, I saw them all then (wanting to know what the hype was about), and have turned into quite the Star Wars geek since then. Not seeing them as a child is no excuse, in my book. They're part of our culture -- it's like never having eaten at McDonald's or something.
The only Star Wars film I've seen almost in its entirety (as far as I can remember) is The Phantom Menace. I don't mind the series, but it just doesn't interest me. If it matters to anyone, I was born in 1985 so make of that what you will.
I saw the first one when it came out and just didn't care. So, I've never seen any of the rest of the series. I'm the only person I know, though...other than people in my parents' generation...who hasn't seen all or most of the series. I also never saw ET. Nor have I read the Harry Potter books...or seen the movies. 'Dunno why but the interest just isn't there. And, it's not that I'm not a pop-culture snob. I loved "Friends" and enjoy "Desperate Housewives" just as much as the next person. I was born in '63, by the way.
I've only seen the original and bits and pieces of Empire, but it's not that I think they're beneath me or anything--I've just never been that interested in them. That said, I think it's one thing not to have seen all six movies, and quite another not to have a solitary clue about the basic premise and major figures. The former might just be a matter of personal interests, but the latter seems like it would have to come from total butt ignorance of the world around you. Who are these people?
We watched the first Star Wars my freshman year of high school (in 2000) in English (and by we, I mean the entire freshman class). It was part of our unit on archetypes. How could they not have seen *any* of them or at least know the main plot lines? That's crazy.
I don't see how anyone can be snooty about not having seen Star Wars when they admit they watch The Apprentice. I mean, talk about your trash. Star Wars is fucking Shakespeare compared the dregs of reality TV.
I was born in '76, and was mildly obssessed with the original series as a kid. I was (obviously) too young to see the first two in their first run, but when Jedi came out our local theaters ran the first two. I saw them, and Jedi, several times in the theater and then forced my parents to buy me the videos when they came out.
I've only seen bits and pieces of most of them, myself. (another born in 1963) The first one I saw was Return of the Jedi, because my boyfriend wanted to see it. But despite an almost complete lack of interest, I can recap the story arc, rattle off a bunch of quotes, describe the characters, and understand most references. Because I live in the world. And out here in the world, this stuff is absorbed through the skin. So I'd fire those people for lying and elitism.
I was born in 1975 and Star Wars ep IV was the first movie I saw in the theaters. Apparently, I saw the commercial on TV and begged my parents to take me. I have been a Star Wars junkie ever since! So is my brother, he was born in 1978. But my husband (also born in 1975) hadn't seen them until we got married and I made him watch my VHS tapes.
It's one thing to have never seen them -- my best friend hasn't seen one Star Wars movie (she was born in 1980) but would understand every reference. Like others have said, it's a lack of pop-culture knowledge that makes them sound stupid. Like... I've never seen Casablanca, but I've heard enough allusions to it to get jokes about it. I'd never seen Gone With the Wind until three months ago, but I always understood references to that too.
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