Meridian, your original argument was that Star Wars had set the development of Sci Fi films back 30 years.
My original point was that in holding this belief you are among a minority (taking into account those that have seen the film which I felt was obvious at the time)
I would say that this thread is so far a reasonable indication that I was right.
As for why I personally like Star Wars, it entertained me, it was fun and exciting in a way that no other film had before or indeed has since, the same goes for The Empire Stikes Back. You seem to be forgetting that it was for kids who have little need for things like realistic physics and a truly believable universe in a movie, children can suspend disbelief and are far less synical than adults, because of this they are engrossed and infuenced far more by the things they see.
There are now far more films that I prefer to watch and looking back it isn't the best film ever made, that said it remains one of the most important in my life. If I did have to pick something about the film that remains as strong today as it did back in the 70's I would have to say the soundtrack, It evokes powerful memories from my childhood. I'm sorry you can't see beyond the effects and view it through the eyes of a kid. Adults who watched it at the time (my father for instance) enyoyed it thouroughly but it did not have the same lasting effect on him that it did on me, or indeed most kids of my generation.
This brings me around to a question I asked you. What important Sci Fi films were made in the years between 1968 and the release of Star Wars in 1977? If Star Wars, as you suggested, held back the Sci Fi genre then surely there must have been some decent Sci Fi films in between 2001 and Star Wars. What were they?
And please, before you attempt to insult peoples intelligence, think back to your Wiki link, you disguise it very badly.
