Darth Vile said:
The "vehement hatred" that you refer to (if it exists) comes from a very small section of the public.
"Vehement hatred"? Yes. But I have sensed a general attitude of disappointment across the board. Even among those Average Joes whose opinions of the prequels were far higher than mine, I've never gotten a real devotion to the films. Just a "they're better than you're giving them credit for."
Darth Vile said:
Those views hold little relevance in the light of the box office success of the prequels and the, literally, millions of people who make up a NEW Star Wars audience... who will regard Episodes I, II and III just as much classics as we did with the OT.
Box office success and # of viewers does not mandate future "classic" status, however. What mandates classic status in longevity, and whether or not the film can have some sort of longevity beyond childhood.
Darth Vile said:
I agree that the PT did not, and will never have, the cultural impact of the OT... but as I've argued on many boards before now... the cultural significance of the OT has little to do with the quality per se, but more to do with the original concept/movie. And that could never be repeated (there will always be only one Star Wars).
Sure. But I think the OT, to a degree, did have a significantly higher quality than the PT does. The OT holds up on repeat viewings, and as its audience aged, they didn't lose love for what they liked because there was a general degree of quality there. And it's not like STAR WARS wasn't appreciated originally and only gained favor after the generation grew up. It
was nominated for Best Picture.
But the PT is such a flawed venture in so many obvious respects that as the younger audience matures and is able to recognize such flaws, they're going to lose their adoration for them. There will certainly be nostalgia for the films, mind you, but I don't believe they'll ever be brought into the realm of "classic" in the court of popular opinion.