Star Wars? Is My Generation Wrong?

I’m in my mid 30’s.  I was a youngster when, what is to me the authentic Star Wars movies were made.  I remember seeing the last one, Return of the Jedi, in the movie theater.  When those three movies came on TV and eventually on VHS and BETA (!), I watched them until I could repeat nearly every line and describe every scene.

You can probably guess the rest of the story.  I was there, at midnight on opening night in 1999 to see the Phantom Menace.  And did it ever suck.  Ok, fine, it wasn’t the worst, but really?  Really?  All that time and effort and money and that’s what you make?

What I wonder is, for people who would now be about 20, was the Phantom Menace their Star Wars?  Did they love it like the boys and girls of my generation loved ours?  Instead of rebellion and dirty sets, were they of a generation that, with Emperor Bush at the helm, was the Empire?  All shiny and powerful?

Tell me youngsters.  Say it ain’t so.  Say you were flabbergasted when they re-released the Phantom Menace last month and expected people to pay money to see it?  Please?

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