StarWars.com ran a poll recently asking people to choose their favorite Star Wars film. The results after I took the poll.

41% - The Empire Strikes Back
20% - Revenge of the Sith
18% - Return of the Jedi
12% - A New Hope
5% - Attack of the Clones
4% - The Phantom Menace

I'm not surprised, but others might be.

Quote from: Endless Flight;847022StarWars.com ran a poll recently asking people to choose their favorite Star Wars film. The results after I took the poll.

41% - The Empire Strikes Back
20% - Revenge of the Sith
18% - Return of the Jedi
12% - A New Hope
5% - Attack of the Clones
4% - The Phantom Menace

I'm not surprised, but others might be.

Pretty much the order I would have expected. Though I did like AotC more than I think is the general consensus. TESB is the best though by a mile.

I'm probably alone in thinking this, but... IMHO none of the sequels, not even the lauded Empire, even come close to the '77 original (i.e. "A New Hope").

The original Star Wars was sui generis, a magician's alchemical brew of Westerns, The Wizard of Oz, fairy tales, samurai movies, Baby Boomer youth culture, WWII movies, and space opera. The pacing is odd, the acting is weirdly flat, and some scenes are clumsy, but as a whole it tapped into a circuit cable of primal fable in a way that very, very few pop commercial works do.

The sequels are all "Just" science-fiction films. Even in their best moments they never quite recapture that mythical feel.

You are not alone.

Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;849975I'm probably alone in thinking this, but... IMHO none of the sequels, not even the lauded Empire, even come close to the '77 original (i.e. "A New Hope").

The original Star Wars was sui generis, a magician's alchemical brew of Westerns, The Wizard of Oz, fairy tales, samurai movies, Baby Boomer youth culture, WWII movies, and space opera. The pacing is odd, the acting is weirdly flat, and some scenes are clumsy, but as a whole it tapped into a circuit cable of primal fable in a way that very, very few pop commercial works do.

The sequels are all "Just" science-fiction films. Even in their best moments they never quite recapture that mythical feel.

But don't you think that is because you watched it when you were seven. ...
I recently got hold of all the movies for my daughter to watch as she had heard a lot about them. After a couple of weeks on holiday her view was they were alright but not nearly as good as harry potter or  lord of the rings as the characters don't grow, the bad guy isn't very scary and some of them are annoying. Mind you she is 10 so maybe a bit old for star wars

Quote from: jibbajibba;850002But don't you think that is because you watched it when you were seven. ...

It is true that I first saw Star Wars under possibly the most perfect conditions possible: 1979, age 8, at a drive-in, sitting on top of my sister's boyfriend's car in my pajamas.

Quote from: jibbajibba;850002But don't you think that is because you watched it when you were seven.

No. And I wasn't.

I love A New Hope, but really, if Sir Alec Guiness wasn't in the film, it wouldn't be anywhere near as compelling. I know Lucas gave him a shitload (a percentage of the gross) to star in it, but it was worth every penny and then some.

Empire is the best film in the series. Different locales, more interesting characters, and the greatest cliffhanger in movie history.

I always liked the first one best because it was new and original. I do think the last one was the best made, and I agree with Camille Paglia that it's not just the best movie of the last thirty years, but it's also the best work of art.

For me, Governor Tarkin was much more of a loathsome villain than Darth Vader. He seemed to get a real kick out blowing up Princess Leia's planet after getting her to spill her guts. Peter Cushing was a great actor who really sold the part.

Quote from: Elfdart;850188For me, Governor Tarkin was much more of a loathsome villain than Darth Vader. He seemed to get a real kick out blowing up Princess Leia's planet after getting her to spill her guts. Peter Cushing was a great actor who really sold the part.

This. IMO Vader was originally just the henchman, but then Lucas "revealed" he "wanted" to "make a trilogy (or septology, or nonology, or whatever)" all along, and he became the Big Bad. Tarkin was clearly the head bad guy - if Vader was the feared right-hand man of the Emperor that he became afterwards, then I doubt any lower-ranking officers would mouth off to him.

Additionally, anyone who spiraled off into the depths of space after failing to save the Death Star would be unlikely to inexplicably become said right-hand man.

Tarkin (via Cushing) just exudes authority and evil, and Cushing still managed to make him upper-classy, not just a mindless brute (which again, Vader kinda was, admit it). He was a great baddie.

Quote from: Werekoala;850198This. IMO Vader was originally just the henchman, but then Lucas "revealed" he "wanted" to "make a trilogy (or septology, or nonology, or whatever)" all along, and he became the Big Bad. Tarkin was clearly the head bad guy - if Vader was the feared right-hand man of the Emperor that he became afterwards, then I doubt any lower-ranking officers would mouth off to him.

I recently found out that there are a few cut scenes from Jedi that made their way onto the web. (Probably from some blu-ray edition or another)

https://youtu.be/y1qyXxLIXLw?t=7m2s

Note that Jerjerrod is willing to stand up to Vader, even if he is outclassed, and !The Royal Guard are ready to attack Vader!!
I found it rather insteresting.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;850211I recently found out that there are a few cut scenes from Jedi that made their way onto the web. (Probably from some blu-ray edition or another)

https://youtu.be/y1qyXxLIXLw?t=7m2s

Note that Jerjerrod is willing to stand up to Vader, even if he is outclassed, and !The Royal Guard are ready to attack Vader!!
I found it rather insteresting.

Well those scenes change the whole dynamic of the end of RotJ for me... The Emperor had already decided (as he says in the next scene) to make Luke his new apprentice, therefore making Vader useless (at best) and a threat (which he proved shortly thereafter) at worst. The Emperor clearly didn't want Vader anywhere close at that point - I envision a Robot Chicken-esque scene where Vader shows up unexpectedly in the throne room. They even show Vader's slump at realizing that he had been replaced. Changes his motivation quite a bit, from redeemed Father to "Fuck You, I'mma Blow it All Up" scorned henchman. Makes me wonder if the original ending had the heartwarming helmet removal scene at all (especially considering what Gary Kurtz has to say about the original plans for RotJ in some of his interviews).

I like that the Emperor ordered Endor destroyed if the generator failed - he wanted to wipe out any possible hope Luke had of "rescue" or succor from friends, and he had no family left except Vader, potentially. It was more important to the Emperor than even saving the DSII that Luke's will be utterly broken.

Thanks for the link, those two short scenes actually make things much more interesting.

Quote from: Werekoala;850198Tarkin (via Cushing) just exudes authority and evil, and Cushing still managed to make him upper-classy, not just a mindless brute (which again, Vader kinda was, admit it). He was a great baddie.

Carrie Fisher said that she found it very tough shooting scenes with Peter Cushing because she was supposed to tell him how vile he was, yet he was the kindest, sweetest man she'd ever met. Some actor!

Quote from: Elfdart;850261Carrie Fisher said that she found it very tough shooting scenes with Peter Cushing because she was supposed to tell him how vile he was, yet he was the kindest, sweetest man she'd ever met. Some actor!

Miniature wargamer as well

Quote from: Werekoala;850214Well those scenes change the whole dynamic of the end of RotJ for me... The Emperor had already decided (as he says in the next scene) to make Luke his new apprentice, therefore making Vader useless (at best) and a threat (which he proved shortly thereafter) at worst. The Emperor clearly didn't want Vader anywhere close at that point - I envision a Robot Chicken-esque scene where Vader shows up unexpectedly in the throne room. They even show Vader's slump at realizing that he had been replaced. Changes his motivation quite a bit, from redeemed Father to "Fuck You, I'mma Blow it All Up" scorned henchman.

One of the things they did well in the prequels was emphasizing over and over that Sidious ditches his Sith underlings faster than Hugh Hefner gets rid of blondes when they hit 25.

QuoteMakes me wonder if the original ending had the heartwarming helmet removal scene at all (especially considering what Gary Kurtz has to say about the original plans for RotJ in some of his interviews).

What Gary Kurtz has to say on the subject of RotJ is sprinkled with horseshit. He quit a few months after TESB came out, so he had no role in RotJ. Story-wise, all Lucas had was a jumble of notes and a few lines on legal pads, and things he cut out of early drafts for ANH.

Rinzler's "Making of" books are fascinating. You can get them on Google fairly cheap -check 'em out.