Heading Hollywood’s feast of summer movies are two galactic blockbusters: the final offering the “Star Wars” prequel and another re-make of H.G. Wells’ 19th century novel, “The War of the Worlds,” writes David Germain.
This summer means war between old buddies George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.
Colleagues on the “Indiana Jones” franchise, the two will duke it out for the title of galactic overlord on the 2005 science fiction front, Lucas with the final installment of his “Star Wars” saga, Spielberg with his remake of “War of the Worlds” starring Tom Cruise.
Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” opens May 19, “War of the Worlds” June 29. “At least we’re six weeks apart, so we won’t be competing against each other,” says Spielberg. Other big summer movies include Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell’s “Bewitched,” Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda’s “Monster-in-Law,” Adam Sandler’s “The Longest Yard,” Ice Cube’s “XXX: State of the Union,” Christian Bale’s “Batman Begins,” Johnny Depp’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Ridley Scott’s “Kingdom of Heaven,” Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger’s “Cinderella Man,” Cedric the Entertainer’s “The Honeymooners,” the cartoon tale “Madagascar” and the comic-book adaptation “Fantastic Four.”
With “Revenge of the Sith,” Lucas concludes the prequel trilogy to his original three “Star Wars” movies, explaining how hotshot pilot Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) turns into black-cloaked villain Darth Vader. Lucas has cautioned fans for years that to connect with the original trilogy, “Episode III” necessarily would end in the darkest of places. “It is a different `Star Wars’,” says Lucas. “It is a tragedy. It’s a real tearjerker. All the women who have seen it, some of the men that have seen it, cried through it.” Sustaining terrible injuries in a duel with former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Anakin is rebuilt as the part-man, part-machine Darth Vader. Being fitted for Vader’s legendary costume thrilled Christensen.
I don’t know how to define the sensation,” Christensen says about putting on the black robes and helmet. “It was exhilarating and empowering and just all things overwhelming.” The prequel trilogy has drawn scorn from fans who disliked seeing Anakin as a cuddly kid in “The Phantom Menace” and a love struck, petulant teen in “Attack of the Clones.” The pay-off, though, is the harsh fate awaiting Anakin in “Revenge of the Sith,” Christensen says. “This film has all the right themes,” he says. “It’s Anakin becoming Vader, it’s a republic becoming an empire. It’s all very epic stuff, and the way in which it’s told and how it ties into the original trilogy is done so perfectly.” While Lucas wages war in space, Spielberg rains destruction from above. As George Pal did with his 1953 version, Spielberg updates H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds” from 1890s Britain to the contemporary United States, partly because turbulent times today provide a relevant backdrop for terror from the skies and partly for simple cosmetic reasons.
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