Visionary fan explains that a secret cabal of Hollywood Elites intentionally created a malicious Narrative to attack his beloved trilogy, and that's why a so many people today think the shitty movies are shitty. r/characterrant posters not entirely convinced.

Today's hero starts out strong with a solid 1000 word essay detailing George Lucas' career and achievements. I tried to cut it down to the most interesting bits.

Some cgi hasn't aged well but for the most part the [star wars prequels] hold up well purely because despite it all, episode 1 defined modern filmmaking and without episode 1 we don't have fellowship of the ring, spider man, the overall MCU.

George Lucas was an independent film maker making a movie in an era where studios were gaining more and more power. A movie like Star Wars coming out then with a guy who didn't want to follow Hollywood's rules or be around their general circles, a guy who insisted on releasing his movies through his own studio and financing them on his own, with his own production company and his own orchestra and the ability to at lease convince 90 percent of actors to hear him out on a role he wants them in.

A guy like that was a threat to the control they wanted so ofc they ate it up when episode 1 had short comings.

The only reason why the prequels were hated back then is because studios had to control a narrative of an independent filmmaker being a hack, especially one that Lucas. Hollywood already hated him as he was a singular success in terms of capitalist companies that exist outside of film (like merchandising: books, games, comics, etc) which is why we see for the most part Star Wars products outside of the movies are able to be created more peacefully, as they are not under the scrutiny of Hollywood.

I mean people hate AOTC but look at how, since the setting of that film was so well made and portrayed that it the clone wars have become their own series within Star Wars itself. What other horrible movie has that level of lasting narrative power that isn't some "in on the schtick" situation?

Responses are skeptical, with many different users simply replying that people hate the prequels because they are bad movies and not because a secret cabal of elite filmmakers compelled them to. OP fires back, declaring that

you literally just parrot what people have already debated, at length, about the prequels and it makes me wonder the truth of my own post, in terms of how well Hollywood presented the issues of the prequels.

You kind of notice how everyone ignores the admitted good quality of the prequels, or dismisses the crucial fact that they need to be watched together, as the entire story fulfills yes, omg sorry for using the word "narrative" to describe six films focused entirely on character stories!! But ya a idk a narrative, a fricking thing to say about something??

You kind of notice how everyone ignores the admitted good quality of the prequels, or dismisses the crucial fact that they need to be watched together, as the entire story fulfills yes, omg sorry for using the word "narrative" to describe six films focused entirely on character stories!! But ya a idk a narrative, a fricking thing to say about something??

The redditors succumb to their natural redditor instinct to demand a SOURCE??

Out of curiosity, do you have any sources or evidence to back up this supposed anti prequel campaign from the studios? More than just an old forum thread, but something that actually shows them attempting to change peoples opinions? Because that claim seems like an "extraordinary evidence" one.

I mean just look at the difference in how the sequel trilogy was critically reviewed by Hollywood and how the prequels were. For arguments sake, let's say both have serious, fundamental flaws that directly affect their quality. Yet one is defended mostly by Hollywood, and one is decried mostly by hollywood.

I'll admit that mine is an inference but I don't think in any way that it is remotely out of touch.

Do you have evidence that the prequels are decried mostly by hollywood

I mean again, look at the difference in how they were critically reviewed vs the sequels.

It's the simple fact when the prequels were out it was just from George. Hollywood as a whole, as a studio system, didn't want them to succeed because George was an independent filmmaker.

What "simple fact"? Where is your evidence for any of this beyond your own assumptions?

??? Where have you been for the past ten years?

Living in reality, not conspiracy-theory land.

Dude… literally look at how the movies were reviewed. do you want me to provide examples?

Dude, do you have ANY evidence that the reviews of these movies were part of some kind of Hollywood conspiracy against Lucas back when the prequels first came out?

How many times are we going to dance in circles?

Finally, at the very bottom of the thread, underneath the wall of naysayers, OP finds a kindred spirit.

Thank you for this rant.

Unfortunately, I've come to basically accept that prequel haters will simply never listen to reason, or try to be objective. They hate them, and that's it. They will spew the most unfaiir bullshit because they just want to, and I don't ever expect them to change their minds.

The prequels are awesome. Super movies, they are. I believe this unironically. I think any fan acknowledges the shortcomings, but you absolutely CANNOT call the sum of those parts anything less than a masterpiece. There is no masterpiece without flaws, and they are among them. Even with all the negatives added up, they just can't outweigh the good stuff.

Yeah I agree. I think being able to appreciate what they do right kind of requires nuance and willingness to let go of pop culture talk and look at the movies on their own merit

...only to be cruelly stabbed in the back

But to be fair, I don't buy into your "they failed because of hollywood" take. Hollywood didn't need to move a finger for that to happen.

I'm just going to stop here because this post is already over 6000 words long even if most of it is copy/pasting shit from the thread.