"First review" and a lot of new pics!

The Man

Well-known member
The Dark Shape said:
And I'm friends with plenty of "normal" people who think the Prequels are stronger movies. I certainly know many, many people who think Episode III is the best of the lot.

Maybe, when talking about continued impact, we should renew this discussion in ten years.

Episode III is actually a better film that IV. A New Hope gets by on sooooo much sentimentality, but it's a clunky affair.
 

The Dark Shape

New member
The Man said:
Episode III is actually a better film that IV. A New Hope gets by on sooooo much sentimentality, but it's a clunky affair.

I don't know if I'd agree with that (Ep. IV's clunkiness). A New Hope is certainly a lighter film, but I think it's very fun and has a great sense of pacing. It's just a blast to sit through.
 

Darth Vile

New member
ANH seems a very dated movie now (compared to the others), which is what you'd imagine for a movie that pushed the boundaries in what was the 1970's. TESB seems the most timeless, and apart from a couple of shots here and there, still looks like it could have been made last week...

So yes, I think TESB is probably the "From Russia With Love" of the Star Wars saga, with ROTS as "Goldfinger" (if I can use that movie simile).
 

SterankoII

New member
I remember back in early 1997 this now defunct magazine called Sci-Fi Universe did a cover story called "50 Reasons We Hate Return of the Jedi" There were some justifiable complaints, number one being the Ewoks, too many muppet type creatures in Jabba's court, etc. Most on the list however was just nitpicking IMO. The whole issue was devoted to ripping apart Jedi and said how bad it was. It was also a sh@#y way to celebrate the original SW 20th anniversary btw, (that rag deserved to go out of business). I don't know what it's IMDB rating was back in 1997 but now it's in the 8.3. Not the highest rating of a SW movie but far from the worst, up in the top 250. I have no idea really how the prequels are going to be regarded twenty years from now but I do think that once all the and people just look at them as just movies and what were hoped to be lifechanging events with these huge expectations that diehard fans had for them, that the general response to them will go up.
 

agentsands77

New member
SterankoII said:
I have no idea really how the prequels are going to be regarded twenty years from now but I do think that once all the and people just look at them as just movies and what were hoped to be lifechanging events with these huge expectations that diehard fans had for them, that the general response to them will go up.
But my complaints with the prequels have very little to do with how they continue the SW franchise and everything to do with their innate film quality. And I just don't think they're very good. The scripts, performances, and direction are all thoroughly mediocre (if not outright awful). So why should people regard them better in the future?
 

OmegaSeamaster

New member
agentsands77 said:
And I just don't think they're very good. The scripts, performances, and direction are all thoroughly mediocre (if not outright awful). So why should people regard them better in the future?

I agree. They'll always be duds. Lucas likes to defend himself by playing that "people thought they were the second coming and that's why they were dissapointed" card.

I just think a lot of people were upset by the dumbing down, the pandering to children, the horrible plot inconsistencies, poor acting and poor decisionmaking on the part of the director.
 

G-Man

New member
The Man said:
The Empire Strikes Back is the one that brooks no criticism: everybody adores it. Don't they?:eek:
Actually, (can of worms time!) I may be the only person on the planet that thinks it's the weakest of the Original Trilogy...
 

Darth Vile

New member
This may come as a surprise to some, but the Star Wars movies are summer popcorn flicks, bloody good ones, but popcorn flicks none the less. They are not really regarded as great pieces of art within the industry, many don't see them as great movies, and each and every Star Wars movie to date sits within a similar range of quality. On the point about TESB - Indeed, most of my friends believe TESB to be the dullest Star Wars movie to date. Which, if you were being truly objective, you’d admit that it’s slow pace could be construed as “dull” to many.

If you want to argue that ALL the Star Wars movies are mindless, pointless and appeal to the masses… fine… lets debate the merits of low art versus high art. But lets not get into that usual hyperbole where someone states “Chewbacca is so much better than Jar Jar because”… Or “Muppet Yoda was so much more believable than CGI Yoda because”… It’s inane AICN type drivel from those who want to try and intellectualize movies about spaceships and laserswords (this obviously doesn't apply to those wanting to state their opinions as opinions and who want to debate the merits either way).
 

Indy4fan

New member
SterankoII said:
I remember back in early 1997 this now defunct magazine called Sci-Fi Universe did a cover story called "50 Reasons We Hate Return of the Jedi" There were some justifiable complaints, number one being the Ewoks, too many muppet type creatures in Jabba's court, etc. Most on the list however was just nitpicking IMO. The whole issue was devoted to ripping apart Jedi and said how bad it was. It was also a sh@#y way to celebrate the original SW 20th anniversary btw, (that rag deserved to go out of business). I don't know what it's IMDB rating was back in 1997 but now it's in the 8.3. Not the highest rating of a SW movie but far from the worst, up in the top 250. I have no idea really how the prequels are going to be regarded twenty years from now but I do think that once all the and people just look at them as just movies and what were hoped to be lifechanging events with these huge expectations that diehard fans had for them, that the general response to them will go up.
Read the e-book Secret History of Star Wars-:whip:
http://secrethistoryofstarwars.com/book.html
 

No Ticket

New member
The Dark Shape said:
I don't know if I'd agree with that (Ep. IV's clunkiness). A New Hope is certainly a lighter film, but I think it's very fun and has a great sense of pacing. It's just a blast to sit through.

ANH is a better film. For a few reasons. Let me count the ways...

1.) A simple, fun, classic adventure story of good vs. evil. Where the bad guys are BAD guys. Like the empire is basically the Nazis, by comparison and this war is like WWII.

2.) The characters are more interesting than any of the prequels. Luke grounds us, we can relate to his "coming of age" tale. Obi-Wan reveals to us a mystical thing called the Force along with lightsabers and a fellow named Darth Vader. Han Solo intrigues us because he has been all over the universe and is somewhat of a "bad guy," but not really. Leia is ... uhhm... spunky? And hot. C-3PO and R2-D2 provide comic relief. But they are far more interesting and acceptable than someone like say, Jar-Jar. And later on, there was no such characters for the prequels.

3.) The SW universe is a "used universe." We are taken into it because it seems tangible. Like it really could exist. We kind of want it to.

4.) John Williams score takes this film to heights it couldn't have reached without it. The music makes this film feel bigger than it actually is, more epic.

... those are just some of the reason why ANH and the entire classic trilogy is better than the prequels. But the prequels aren't BAD movies. They just aren't on the same level. They really aren't.

Sorry this is so off topic. lol.
 

Niteshade007

New member
Not to be an ass, but some of us haven't seen all the Star Wars movies, and don't really want to read about them. Might we move this over to another thread? I'm sure that there are several.
 

No Ticket

New member
Niteshade007 said:
Not to be an ass, but some of us haven't seen all the Star Wars movies, and don't really want to read about them. Might we move this over to another thread? I'm sure that there are several.

What the hell man!?! Go watch all the Star Wars films right now!! And I agree, this really should be in another thread by now.
 

Niteshade007

New member
No Ticket said:
What the hell man!?! Go watch all the Star Wars films right now!! And I agree, this really should be in another thread by now.


Haha, yeah, one of my friends is a huge Star Wars fan, and for his birthday he wants to have a mini-marathon (just the originals). So, by the middle of May, I will have seen at least the first three. Well, I guess not "the first three," but the original three.

I have seen Star Wars and Phantom Menace, but it's been years. I saw Star Wars (is there more title after that? I don't know...god, the Star Wars fans are going to kill me) when it was rereleased and then Phantom Menace when it first came out. That's it.

Ok, last Star Wars thing and then I'm done, I swear (breaking my own rule, obviously). My friend asked if I even knew all the names of the movies. I said I don't know, and gave him the following list:

Phantom Menace
Don't Know
Don't Know
Star Wars
Empire Strikes Back
Revenge of the Jedi

He just hung his head in shame, so I'm assuming I got some of those wrong.
 

No Ticket

New member
Niteshade007 said:
Haha, yeah, one of my friends is a huge Star Wars fan, and for his birthday he wants to have a mini-marathon (just the originals). So, by the middle of May, I will have seen at least the first three. Well, I guess not "the first three," but the original three.

I have seen Star Wars and Phantom Menace, but it's been years. I saw Star Wars (is there more title after that? I don't know...god, the Star Wars fans are going to kill me) when it was rereleased and then Phantom Menace when it first came out. That's it.

Ok, last Star Wars thing and then I'm done, I swear (breaking my own rule, obviously). My friend asked if I even knew all the names of the movies. I said I don't know, and gave him the following list:

Phantom Menace
Don't Know
Don't Know
Star Wars
Empire Strikes Back
Revenge of the Jedi

He just hung his head in shame, so I'm assuming I got some of those wrong.

Ok no more SW talk after this, seriously. Just gotta say one more thing. You are missing out BIG TIME. Empire Strikes Back is one of my favorite films ever. It's as good as an Indy film. You are sooooo missing out.

For the love of all that is holy go do yourself a favor and watch the original trilogy ASAP!!! lol. Don't even bother with the prequels until you've seen all the originals.

Oh and it's Star Wars: A New Hope Episode IV ..lol.

< /starwars >
 

misnomer

New member
I'm not a star wars fan, but my own take on the prequels vs originals is that those sorts of movies just aren't as good when you're 20 years older. Nostalgia is a very forgiving thing...corny dialogue!!! too many effects!!!! ...those criticisms can easily be applied to the originals too. Jar Jar Binks was annoying and aimed at kids! And what about the Ewoks eh?

AOTC and ROTS were pretty good (I actually really enjoyed ROTS) and TPM had it's moments. I think one of the main problems was that the first prequel was the weakest- match that with the enormous anticpation and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Due to the time in which the prequels were created, they're not going to be regarded as classics like the originals are, but they're really not as bad as star wars fans make out in my humble opinion.
 

No Ticket

New member
misnomer said:
I'm not a star wars fan, but my own take on the prequels vs originals is that those sorts of movies just aren't as good when you're 20 years older. Nostalgia is a very forgiving thing...corny dialogue!!! too many effects!!!! ...those criticisms can easily be applied to the originals too. Jar Jar Binks was annoying and aimed at kids! And what about the Ewoks eh?

AOTC and ROTS were pretty good (I actually really enjoyed ROTS) and TPM had it's moments. I think one of the main problems was that the first prequel was the weakest- match that with the enormous anticpation and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Due to the time in which the prequels were created, they're not going to be regarded as classics like the originals are, but they're really not as bad as star wars fans make out in my humble opinion.

How about that Indy review. eh? lol. Anyone who has uhmm, not seen all the Star Wars films. Pay no mind to the box below. Move along.

Yoda says stuff like, "Not if anything to say about it, have I" in the prequels but says stuff like "Do or Do not, there is no try." in the prequels. There IS more substance to the original trilogy. That nostalgia argument is just an easy one to give the prequels credit.
 

Darth Vile

New member
No it’s not No Ticket… That was the exact point of my earlier post.

To use your example/argument (paraphrasing here)… “So this is how liberty dies… through thunderous applause” versus “Scruffy looking nerf herder” or “Will someone get this walking carpet out of my way?”, or “I’m just a simple man trying to make my way through the universe” versus “What if he doesn’t survive?”.

I can bat that line of reasoning out of the park all day if both you and I have the will to… but lets just park this for now and get on track with Indy ; )

For the record, my favourite SW movie is TESB (ROTS 2nd), but even I recognise that whilst the gap between TESB and ROTS is slight, the gap between, for example, TESB and The Red Shoes, or Battleship Potemkin is bigger...
 
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