private surf.(notes on motion picture websites)(Brief Article)

From past experience there has been nothing harder than for websites to compete head-on with their big screen cousins who have paying audiences, Dolby on tap and deep pockets. But try these for size.

Visit starwars.com and see if it lives up to your childhood memories of the film. The site doesn't meet any of the interactive expectations that a sci-fi movie could set up -- feathered montage images and floating boxes just don't cut it.

The Expanded Universe section is simply an advert that dilutes the integrity of the epic. Maybe this is the standard for the lowest common denominator that should be adhered to in order to maximise time spent on the site. Maybe the ever younger target market needs a simple and idiot-proof site, or maybe the length of time that Star Wars has been exposed to a myriad ...