General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums“Star Wars” lets Princess Leia age realistically: Is this an alternate Hollywood universe?
The most breathtaking moment in the new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer doesnt involve explosions or lightsabers or ominous references to the Dark Side. Its an eyeblink-long shot of Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, in the embrace of Harrison Fords Han Solo. Its a moment of a weary-looking woman with graying hair and lines on her face. Holy science fiction, Hollywood somewhere, in a galaxy far, far away, a grown woman has been given permission to look like a grown woman. I want to go to that planet!
Fisher, who turns 59 this week, has for years been a sardonic and brutally honest chronicler of her own struggles with addiction, bipolar disorder (including a hospitalization just two years ago), and weight all while working in an industry that isnt known for being easy on even seemingly perfect women. A few years ago, when the vicious cracks about Fisher resembling Jabba the Hut (actual sexist BS trolling entertainment story) were hitting peak cruelty, she became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig.
http://www.salon.com/2015/10/20/star_wars_lets_princess_leia_age_realistically_is_this_an_alternate_hollywood_universe/
Her expression is so moving to me. And she is so beautiful.
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)After all, Yoda looked pretty good for 900 years old.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)Xithras
(16,191 posts)And, since Return of the Jedi was released in 32 years ago in 1983, it means that he's basically allowed the characters to age in real time.
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)Internet hyperbole is very tiresome and juvenile. One hopes this giant baby will learn to write one day.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)msongs
(67,453 posts)AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)One Weird Trick That They Don't Want You To Know!
Codeine
(25,586 posts)but I honestly laughed out loud when I read your post.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)Like it or not that means bringing back an aging actress.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)don't expect it. We need more older actresses who own their own studios so they can have the freedom to produce films with older actresses. A lot of them have the money to do it. I hope they will.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)But the message is profound.
Amy is holding a mirror up to Hollywood.
yuiyoshida
(41,864 posts)restorefreedom
(12,655 posts)and sadly right on target
LongTomH
(8,636 posts)71 year old Blythe Danner in I'll See You In My Dreams
75 year old Lily Tomlin in Grandma
or any movie featuring the incredible Helen Mirren
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)good for her age" category. I think it is the in between ages such as the 30, 40, and 50 year old actresses that lose the most parts due to studios wanting younger actresses.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)The fans wanted the old cast back for at least cameos.
Harrison Ford, I have to say, still looks right as Han.
Volaris
(10,274 posts)has the good sense to let these characters actually be older versions of themselves. Marks beard LOOKS like the older version of Jedi Master Badass that Luke would be by now, and I would think that whatever the plot of the film, spending the last 30 years trying to rebuild a GALACTIC-WIDE FUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT probably wasn't exactly great for Leia's health or stress-level lol.
It's not a tactic that one could pull off with most other film sequels....but Star Wars ISNT 'most other film sequels', and as a fan I appreciate that the production crew understands that.
I wasn't sure about Abrhams for a while..Lost was a mess and Cloverfield was about the saddest excuse for a monster flick I've ever seen.
But the deft-ness with which the Trek re-boot was handeled was about as flawless as it could have been, and the fact that he basically demanded that Lucas be locked out of the creative process before he signed on to Star Wars convinced me that this project was put in good hands.
Marr
(20,317 posts)Especially the bits about the Star Trek reboot and locking Lucas out of the creative process for Star Wars.
Lucas is an incredible art director-- but that's really about it. I recently read something about what a collaborative effort the first Star Wars movie was. Apparently his wife at the time reshaped a lot of the plot and convinced him to change much of the pacing. The studio obviously had tons of influence. Other directors convinced Lucas to change all sorts of things. Even the distinctive look of the film, with what was then a new aesthetic-- 'beat up, functional, lived-in sci-fi'-- was mostly a matter of coping with the limited budget. Lucas originally wanted a sleek, shiny, Buck Rogers sort of look.
The much-reviled prequel trilogy is Lucas' Star Wars without compromise. Not very good stuff.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)He's landed lots of voice-acting roles. Most famously, he was the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and other Batman-related animated shows and video games, and did a spectacular job at it.
Also bear in mind that he's in his 60's, and soon after Star Wars was filmed, he got in a bad car wreck that messed up his face, so he needed surgeries to fix it. Some of his scars made it into The Empire Strikes Back.
mythology
(9,527 posts)In the prequels. Granted not the biggest problem with the prequels but it was representative of the problems.
TDale313
(7,820 posts)Some... interesting... responses in this thread. I was so thrilled to see her, and I do think we don't get enough images of mature women- particularly in Sci Fi. And yeah, the decision to bring back the original cast gave us this, it's still a positive thing.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)Mature women are beautiful. It's time we let them know it.
exboyfil
(17,865 posts)Melissa McBride look older in The Walking Dead than 50. It is actually a great role. She is a fan favorite. Arguably the most dangerous member of Rick's group.
Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) still looks great at any age. I am looking forward to catching up with my old friends. I think this movie is going to be huge. Hope springs eternal even after a near miss (Return of the Jedi) and three very weak prequels.
Volaris
(10,274 posts)Watch the animated Clone Wars. They're better as a whole than the EP I, II, and III.
I haven't had time to sit down to watch them yet, but people also tell me that SW Rebels is excellent as well
mythology
(9,527 posts)Two hours of me scratching my ass would be better than the prequels (especially episode 1 with its obnoxious racial stereotypes)
Ilsa
(61,698 posts)Very pleased that yhey let her be a mature woman, not a CGI creation.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)I think that's what the article is all about; an opening gambit to a different perspective on human beauty.
Baclava
(12,047 posts)It's the New Millennium
frylock
(34,825 posts)Baclava
(12,047 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Hey!!! My eyes are in here!!
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)makes the point of the article that Holloywood major studio film producers are mysognists, as well.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)X-actly!
Omaha Steve
(99,737 posts)no_hypocrisy
(46,202 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Hepburn, Loren and Bacall were (are, in Sophia's case) always gorgeous.
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)nt
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)that she might have a lightsaber, I want to see her kick ass and take names.
Also, its established in the original trilogy that she's force sensitive, so can be trained as a Jedi, not having her as one will be a disappointment.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)In the old "expanded universe", she got a little bit of force and lightsaber training from Luke, but was so swamped holding the new Galactic Senate together that she never really progressed to "kick ass and take names".
But part of the reboot that came with these movies was to throw away the entire EU cannon. They've got a blank slate to work with.
cally
(21,596 posts)I think it's one of the reasons I enjoy them since they seem to use great actors with many years of acting experience and life. They look like real women. Often better actors than the young 20 year old women.
randome
(34,845 posts)Not a fan of Star Wars but at least it's not from George Lucas. But I'll need to see some reviews first.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)Lucas probably would have tried to cgi her back to youth going by the old expanded fiction :-P I recall one of the books emphasizing modern star wars medical technology allowing her to remain young and sexy at the age of 70.
niyad
(113,582 posts)I plan on seeing a film on its release date.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)The difference is that in this Star Wars movie the actress is being allowed to appear in something approaching her true chronological age.
Dr. Strange
(25,925 posts)Happy Birthday, Carrie!