Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[Yeast]

Originally Posted by Chordata

If the story is true, we're talking about a child -- not the "fanaticism" of the masses. Guinness should've been ashamed of himself. He picked a child because he/she was an easier target than an adult. Hope he regretted it on his deathbed.

Wow. "on his deathbed" huh? You people are pretty nuts. I don't think Guinness would have had any problem confronting an adult. The man seemed like a sweet guy. I'm pretty sure he didn't drunkenly berate a 4 old, sputtering and spitting in anger. He was concerned that the kid was obsessing and missing out on...life. Y'know, running, playing. He didn't understand fandom. I'm sure he isn't burning in hell for that.

[Yeast]

Originally Posted by Beast

It's true. Alec Guinness has even talked about it. It was a 12 year old boy in 1997. Maybe he was just having a crappy day?

Sure the kid said he'd seen the movies a hundred times. But I doubt it was that accurate a count. And so what even if it was?

Little kids love watching the same thing over and over again. Look at the Disney movies. They're always asking to watch them constantly.

The way I remember hearing this story - over here in Japan - where I live - is that it happened just after the original SW came out. It wasn't 1997 I know that. So it would have been even more unusual back then. I don't think it was a little kid either. More like 9-10.

[Yeast]

Originally Posted by Beast

The point is... it was a 12 year old. They likely wouldn't have seen or wouldn't have wanted to watch those other films at that age.

A 12 year old? WHo bursts into tears over something like this? Guinness was right to try to help him. Should have slapped him. But he was probably horribly tormented by demons over this on his deathbed.

[Yeast]

Although Guinness disliked the fame attracted by work he did not esteem,[13] Lucas and fellow cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels, and Carrie Fisher have spoken highly of his courtesy and professionalism, both on and off the set. Lucas credited him with inspiring cast and crew to work harder, saying that Guinness contributed significantly to achieving completion of the filming. Guinness was quoted as saying that the royalties he obtained from working on the films gave him "no complaints; let me leave it by saying I can live for the rest of my life in the reasonably modest way I am now used to, that I have no debts and I can afford to refuse work that doesn't appeal to me." In his autobiography, Blessings In Disguise, Guinness tells an imaginary interviewer "Blessed be Star Wars", regarding the income it provided.[15]

In the final volume of the book A Positively Final Appearance (1997), Guinness recounts grudgingly giving an autograph to a young fan who claimed to have watched Star Wars over 100 times, on the condition that the boy promise to stop watching the film, because, as Guinness told him, "this is going to be an ill effect on your life." The fan was stunned at first, but later thanked him (though some sources say it went differently).[16] Guinness grew so tired of modern audiences apparently knowing him only for his role of Obi-Wan Kenobi that he would throw away the mail he received from Star Wars fans without reading it.[17]

Don't blame him one bit. If Guinness was still alive he would have been mortified to witness the state of SW fandom today.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by Yeast

The way I remember hearing this story - over here in Japan - where I live - is that it happened just after the original SW came out. It wasn't 1997 I know that. So it would have been even more unusual back then. I don't think it was a little kid either. More like 9-10.

It was '97 according to Alec Guinness. It was around the release of the Special Editions.

[Jay444]

Originally Posted by Chordata

If the story is true, we're talking about a child -- not the "fanaticism" of the masses. Guinness should've been ashamed of himself. He picked a child because he/she was an easier target than an adult. Hope he regretted it on his deathbed.

We are talking about a child that had told Alec Guinness that he had see Star Wars 10+ times. This was back when ads ran on tv telling parents to: "Get your kids away from the TV and get out and be active." To an older man, sitting on one's @$$ and watching the same movie 10+ times would have been seen as 1) an enourmous waste of time and 2) unhealthy. No matter how much you love the art of film (children do not appreciate it the same way as adults). He probably saw it as bad parenting.

People need to realize that today's 'repeat viewings' and being proud to have seen "The Dark Knight 8 times in the theater!" was not normal behavior in the late 70s. So, Mr. Guinness was speaking from a different generation and not one we are familiar with. Give the guy a break. He did not transistion into the world of 'fame as we know it today.'

Star Wars hit at a time when blockbuster cinema was just starting (ushered in by the Godfather and Jaws). Read a book or two on filmmaking and the blockbuster era and you will have a MUCH better grasp of where Guinness was coming from. To think of him as a 'bitter old man' who just didn't get it, is naive and not looking at the big picture.

[Yeast]

Originally Posted by Jay444

We are talking about a child that had told Alec Guinness that he had see Star Wars 10+ times. This was back when ads ran on tv telling parents to: "Get your kids away from the TV and get out and be active." To an older man, sitting on one's @$$ and watching the same movie 10+ times would have been seen as 1) an enourmous waste of time and 2) unhealthy. No matter how much you love the art of film (children do not appreciate it the same way as adults). He probably saw it as bad parenting.

People need to realize that today's 'repeat viewings' and being proud to have seen "The Dark Knight 8 times in the theater!" was not normal behavior in the late 70s. So, Mr. Guinness was speaking from a different generation and not one we are familiar with. Give the guy a break. He did not transistion into the world of 'fame as we know it today.'

Star Wars hit at a time when blockbuster cinema was just starting (ushered in by the Godfather and Jaws). Read a book or two on filmmaking and the blockbuster era and you will have a MUCH better grasp of where Guinness was coming from. To think of him as a 'bitter old man' who just didn't get it, is naive and not looking at the big picture.

But......but.......you don't understand!! he said something negative...about Star Wars!!!!

[Yeast]

Interesting, if you check the IMDB trivia on him they have this instead,

"Reportedly answered one "Star Wars" fan's boast that he'd seen the first movie over a hundred times, with a nod and the words "Promise me you'll never watch it again." The boy was stunned, but his mother thanked Guinness."

[Jay444]

Originally Posted by Yeast

But......but.......you don't understand!! he said something negative...about Star Wars!!!!

I know, I will regret in 'on my deathbed.' LOL

[Yeast]

Originally Posted by Jay444

I know, I will regret in 'on my deathbed.' LOL

I think some of these people will be surrounded by stuffed jar Jar figures on theirs. LOL.

[Jay444]

Originally Posted by Yeast

I think some of these people will be surrounded by stuffed jar Jar figures on theirs. LOL.

Could you imagine? "Yousa thinking yousa people ganna die?" My idea of hell...lol

[MrJoeKalel]

Originally Posted by Yeast

Interesting, if you check the IMDB trivia on him they have this instead,

"Reportedly answered one "Star Wars" fan's boast that he'd seen the first movie over a hundred times, with a nod and the words "Promise me you'll never watch it again." The boy was stunned, but his mother thanked Guinness."

I rest my case.

Edit: a pic of the kid would help, you know, maybe if he was a fatty...

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Beast

It's a shame that Alec Guiness would become such a bitter old fart about the films later in life though.

That infamous story where he made a Child cry simply because they loved him as Obi-Wan was despicable.

His resentment that he was known more for Obi-Wan than anything else was sad. Especially given how beloved he was for the role.

Of course kids are going to know him more for Obi-Wan Kenobi than anything else. Most kids haven't seen his other roles.

What makes you think Guiness was a bitter old fart? What is your statement, about his "resentment" being based on his popularity on Star Wars over his other roles, based on? He publicly expressed his concern about some of the elements of the Star Wars universe because he was a devout Roman Catholic. He was discerning enough to see the conflict between his personal beliefs and the Joseph Campbell influences, from Hindu religion, that George Lucas drew from, to create Star Wars.

It's a deplorable trend in our world that people expressing their religious beliefs from one particular perspective are always characterized as "angry" or "bitter" or "close-minded" or whatever.

[Yeast]

Originally Posted by radagast

What makes you think Guiness was a bitter old fart? He publicly expressed his concern about some of the elements of the Star Wars universe because he was a devout Roman Catholic. He was discerning enough to see the conflict between his personal beliefs and the Joseph Campbell influences, from Hindu religion, that George Lucas drew from to create Star Wars.

It's a deplorable trend in our world that people expressing their religious beliefs from one particular perspective are always characterized as "angry" or "bitter" or "close-minded" or whatever.

I'm completely sure his concern for the kid was not anything religious based, but he certainly wasn't a mean spirited man.

It kinda pisses me off, stuff like this - slamming a repected guy - who is dead - for what was probably a kindness. There are SW fans, and then there are SW zealots. I hope Guinness personally greets them on the other side. "this isn't the Heaven you're looking for."

[HylianBowcaster]

I don't think Guinness hated Star Wars as much as some of you are putting it, I recall reading that he jokingly said he was glad he took the role because he could now pick and choose the roles he would do after that due to the security Star Wars brought him. Just like any actor, it sounds like he was just disappointed that his long career was overshadowed by one movie.

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by LetoAtreides82

Except that they were sandpeople, he considered them to be animals, and they were a nuisance to him during his childhood with them always attacking his people whenever possible.

It'd be like losing someone you love to a lion and then you get an AK47 and take revenge on all the lions. On revenge killings of animals it is considered okay to kill the one animal, so slaughtering all of them would be considered unethical but not as unethical as killing a human.

That's why he hesitates killing Count Dooku.

Originally Posted by Beast

Exactly. People from Tatooine don't view the Tusken Raiders as civilized human beings.
Sure, Anakin's actions were indeed horrific. But they did abduct his Mother and torture her til she died.
Plus it's not like he doesn't regret those actions afterwards, hence his breakdown in the Garage. It was basically temporary insanity.

Cliegg Lars: It was just before dawn. They came out of nowhere. A hunting party of Tusken Raiders. Your mother had gone out early, like she always did, to pick mushrooms that grow on the vaporators. From the tracks, she was about halfway home when they took her. Those Tuskens walk like men, but they're vicious, mindless monsters. Thirty of us went out after her. Four of us came back. I'd be with them, only... after I lost my leg I just couldn't ride any more... until I heal. I don't want to give up on her, but she's been gone a month. There's little hope she's lasted this long.

Good points. I was being a little extreme to keep in tone with this thread

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by Yeast

Interesting, if you check the IMDB trivia on him they have this instead,

"Reportedly answered one "Star Wars" fan's boast that he'd seen the first movie over a hundred times, with a nod and the words "Promise me you'll never watch it again." The boy was stunned, but his mother thanked Guinness."

If that's all it was, then I agree, this is much ado about nothing and my previous comments obviously don't apply.

[Yeast]

Originally Posted by Monkey

Good points. I was being a little extreme to keep in tone with this thread

I killed several people yesterday who I didn't consider civilized. I kinda feel bad about it now though. Gangway for Heaven!

Strangely enough, when I told my gf about it she dumped me. Go figure.

[Weirded Wonder]

Originally Posted by Yeast

I killed several people yesterday who I didn't consider civilized. I kinda feel bad about it now though. Gangway for Heaven!

Strangely enough, when I told my gf about it she dumped me. Go figure.

Really? I would have expected her to jump in your arms and for her to ask you to speak sweet nothings in your ear like, "hold me like you did on the lake of Naboo."

2. I do not understand why Guinness is to blame for this, shouldn't we be questioning the mother's ability as a parent?

[tarektoverso]

Originally Posted by Beast

Yet he's not the one who uses Dollar Signs for the letter S. Think upon that.

Of course not! Instead, he is using you to make more and more $. finally it is not him who is psychotic, but the psychotics who willingly follow him.