When I was in 4th grade I won some sort of contest in which I would get to choose a movie that my whole class would have to watch. Even back then I was smart enough to realize that the 1st half of Star Wars is kind of boring. I didn't want my classmates to get bored. Many of them had never seen a Star Wars movie and I wanted to give them a good first impression. So I chose "The Empire Strikes Back". It was my favorite movie back then and is still today. The movie is penned by Lawrence Kasdan and directed by Irving Kirshner and it doesn't feel too tainted by George's lame dialogue or his 'Lucas-humor'. It is the best Star Wars film and might always be the best Star Wars film.
I want to compliment Johanna for being brutally honest every step of the way through this experiment. When she is frustrated with a character she says so. I don't know too many people that find R2-D2 annoying or Princess Leia a bitch, or at least too many people who have the guts to say so. Johanna's perspective continues to be unique and her questions continue to be sharp- perceptive. So I recommend you take 10-minutes out of your day to listen to this totally awesome experience:
https://soundcloud.com/broctorwho/the-girl-who-has-never-seen-the-empire-strikes-back
I think it is every fan's dream to meet someone who has never seen Star Wars and then watch Star Wars with that person. Many parents wonder when they should show the film to their children and at what age. It is rare that a Star Wars fan can track down an adult to try this experiment on. If an adult hasn't seen Star Wars already, they probably aren't interested. And if they are interested, they probably will not enjoy the movie anyway. The film is not for everybody.
It was pretty fortunate that I found a woman in her thirties that had never seen Star Wars, but who was also willing to participate in this experiment. I do not think this is an experiment that people should take lightly. When you are watching the original Star Wars with someone who has never seen it before, you quickly realize how boring the first hour of the film is. "Sithspit!" you think, "What have I gotten myself into?"
Yet the end result of my experiment was worth the torment. I have always wanted to produce a podcast, and this under-15-minute clip is way more than I could ever have hoped for. It might be the coolest single thing I have ever created, probably because Johanna (the girl who has never seen Star Wars) is a natural conversationalist and a smart viewer. Without further ado, here a very cool audio cast that I hope you will spend a few minutes of your day listening to!
https://soundcloud.com/broctorwho/the-girl-who-has-never-seen-star-wars-watches-star-wars
