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Why Star Wars is simply the best.


JoeinAR

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May 1977 internet users are caught completely by surprise :oops: as a moderately budgeted film(8 million though everyon now say 10) hits the screens. Soon word of mouth causes lines never before seen at local movie palaces. Peter Cushing listed in the credits caused lots of people to think this is a British film. It didn't help that Carrie Fisher spends the first half of the film in British english and the last half in American English.

It didn't matter, it was such great fun.

Oh expectations for this film were non existant. We didn't know that the darkly dressed villian was any relation to the young boy Luke, and that Luke's attraction to what would later become his sister is quite obvious. And the main bad guy didn't wear black, he wore grey, and his name was Grand Moff Tarkin. He held Vader's leash. We all thought Darth was his first name, not his title

You see, we didn't know, we didn't care. We just enjoyed one of the great cinematic joys ever put to "film". We revelled in the glorious music that John Williams created. Our 2 disc record albums were fantastic. We never thought about what music we didn't have. We only knew we had a great work in our collection, unlike anything of recent memory.

Oh yes those "SPECIAL EFFECTS"

were like nothing we had EVER seen. We were used to them, we hadn't had our sense so bombarded by them yet, so we just sat back and enjoyed. Of the 4 sequels, none come close to the complete story line that Star Wars has. And while each of those has been a unique experience not one comes close to capturing the freshness, the innocence, or the wonder that is Star Wars.

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Some of those special effects are still pretty good looking. I'm pissed that Lucas took the ones that looked good and changed it with CGI, and the ones that needed improvement, were left. :evil:

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Peter Cushing listed in the credits caused lots of people to think this is a British film.  It didn't help that Carrie Fisher spends the first half of the film in British english and the last half in American English.

Peter Cushing and a few other British actors made it excellent. I mean, the americans have got to keep up that time honoured tradition of making us Brits into the Nazi style bad guys all the time. Braveheart/The patriot etc. Well, apart from Obi Wan that is. I mean, can you imagine Obi wan speaking in a wild west accent? "now that aint a name i've heard in a looong time boy..yeeehar"

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Star Wars is the best because, as Joe said, it can stand on its own. All of the sequels and prequels depend on what was established initially with Star Wars. If I could only watch Star Wars for the rest of my life, I wouldn't complain. At least it tells a self contained story.

If only Vader hadn't have lived at the end.......

Neil - who thinks the music in the sequels is the best thing about them

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Man, did no one watch Space 2001 way back then?

Morn, don't you realize the 2001 was 9 years before Star Wars and it was nothing like Star Wars.

Star Wars as a boxoffice hit, 2001 was a bomb

Star Wars caught the nation's attention, 2001 made the college rounds

Star Wars was for everyone, 2001 was cerebral and dull.

Both are considered classics, but one is fun the other is boring.

Joe, who enjoyed 2010 better.

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Morn, don't you realize the 2001 was 9 years before Star Wars and it was nothing like Star Wars.

I think he meant Space: 1999

Neil

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2001 was cerebral and dull.

8O "I'm sorry Joe, i'm afraid i cant allow that comment." :mrgreen:

"Joey...joey....give me your answer do....iiiimm haaalff crraaazzzy.."

2001 was a special approach to film making which i adored personally.

More films need to shutup and calm down a bit to let the atmos through.

2001 did'nt say much, but was a feast of cinematography and mystery.

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2001 was cerebral and dull.

:P "I'm sorry Joe, i'm afraid i cant allow that comment." :)

"Joey...joey....give me your answer do....iiiimm haaalff crraaazzzy.."

2001 was a special approach to film making which i adored personally.

More films need to shutup and calm down a bit to let the atmos through.

2001 did'nt say much, but was a feast of cinematography and mystery.

How ever you feel, I still find it too slow for me.

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Well, I saw TESB first when I was a 5/6 year old boy in 1980 and I've been a fan of the series AND John Williams ever since. I didn't need Star Wars, which I first read/listened to in the story & record set and then finally saw on the re-release after TESB.

I think of them as one big, long movie. And although some of the chapters are liked more than others, I love them all.

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Well, yeah, the magic of watching the original that first time in '77 is something special, but I'm still amazed at how much anticipation I feel every time a new episode is released. That feeling hasn't changed since 1980, when I saw the first sequel. Now, 22 years later, the feeling is still as strong, especially since I still have to wait until July 4, while all you guys are already talking about it! :evil: (45 more days of avoiding spoilers for me!) :)

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I think of them as one big, long movie. And although some of the chapters are liked more than others, I love them all.

That is something I could never do. They are not one big movie. They are a series just a James Bond and the quality is all over the place.

Joe, who is watching Star Trek All Good Things...

one of TV's finest episodes ever. Better than the Phantom Menace.

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one of TV's finest episodes ever. Better than the Phantom Menace.

"The Best of Both Worlds" is the true classic, though "All Good Things..." is also very good. "TBOBW" is better than:

    The Phantom Menace
    Attack of the Clones
    Star Trek III - The Search for Spock
    Star Trek V - The Final Frontier
    Star Trek - Generations
    Star Trek - First Contact
    Star Trek - Insurrection
      Neil
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one of TV's finest episodes ever. Better than the Phantom Menace.

"The Best of Both Worlds" is the true classic, though "All Good Things..." is also very good. "TBOBW" is better than:

    The Phantom Menace
    Attack of the Clones
    Star Trek III - The Search for Spock
    Star Trek V - The Final Frontier
    Star Trek - Generations
    Star Trek - First Contact
    Star Trek - Insurrection
      Neil

All good things is better than it successor Generations.

I agree TBOBW is better than TPM, better than parts of ROTJ, but not the whole to me. I love Search for Spock so I don't agree on that one. Almost anything is better than most of Insurrection, except for the part where they capture the "moment" which was truely awesome.

First Contact was a great ST film. I have few problems with it.

There are moments in S4S that are so purely Star Trek and what it stands for. Friendship, loyalty, trust, honor. That moment when Kirk tells his crew that Dr. McCoy and he have to do this the rest of you do not, and they tell him they are losing precious time, what heading, and I would be greatful Adm. if you'd give the word. One of Treks greatest moments ever.

Joe, who looks forward to the STII special edition DVD this summer and STIII to follow later.

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It didn't matter, it was such great fun.

:?:

I'm wondering if people have forgotten why Star Wars is fun. What was it about Star Wars that made us all love it and at the end stand up and cheer. Has our perception changed so much in over the 20 years since the original these new movies don't add up?

Has the movies changed or have we changed?

What expectations did you people have for these new films? Did you want the same type of experience you had with the original? What is wrong with the new films? If you want the same, go watch Battle Beyond the Stars or any other cheap ripoff.

What is the expectation you have for the new films? What do you want? All the criticsm I see comes within the context of these news films: What could have been done better, I wouldn't have done that, I would have done this...

Come on , people. What would you do? And to make it interesting, provide suggestions OUTSIDE the context of the prequels. If you had to write Episodes 1,2,3, what would you do? (don't mention Jar Jar because that is a copout) Put yourself in Lucas's shoes for a moment. You created a series of movies that has become cultural icons, you want to expand on it and you have the rescources to do it. What would you come up with?

Frosty

Wondering what he would come up with :)

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Morn, don't you realize the 2001 was 9 years before Star Wars and it was nothing like Star Wars.

It was, special fx wise.

"The Best of Both Worlds" is the true classic, though "All Good Things..." is also very good. "TBOBW" is better than:  

Return of the Jedi  

The Phantom Menace  

Attack of the Clones  

Star Trek III - The Search for Spock  

Star Trek V - The Final Frontier  

Star Trek - Generations  

Star Trek - First Contact  

Star Trek - Insurrection

Insanity, it is only better than ST5 and TPM. To be honest, I was disapointed by All Good Things, it was good, but not brilliant.

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No Morn 2001 was nothing like Star Wars special effects wise.

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LIER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8O

Come on, you know it was. Even though Star Wars is better, 2001 isn't that far off with special fx.

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No Morn 2001 was nothing like Star Wars special effects wise.

I tend to think that 2001 has better effects than Star Wars.

Neil

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There are moments in S4S that are so purely Star Trek and what it stands for.  Friendship, loyalty, trust, honor.  That moment when Kirk tells his crew that Dr. McCoy and he have to do this the rest of you do not, and they tell him they are losing precious time, what heading, and I would be greatful Adm. if you'd give the word.  One of Treks greatest moments ever.

Indeed, off course that moment occurs in star trek 3, not 4.

Stefancos- who wonders if joe's knowledge of trek is slipping. :o

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There are moments in S4S that are so purely Star Trek and what it stands for.  Friendship, loyalty, trust, honor.  That moment when Kirk tells his crew that Dr. McCoy and he have to do this the rest of you do not, and they tell him they are losing precious time, what heading, and I would be greatful Adm. if you'd give the word.  One of Treks greatest moments ever.

Indeed, off course that moment occurs in star trek 3, not 4.

Stefancos- who wonders if joe's knowledge of trek is slipping. :o

Incorrect, Steef. "S4S" = "Search for Spock".

Neil

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I didn't know what S4S was either.

Justin -Who dosen't really care but didn't know about it none the less...

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Thank you Neil,

it is uncanny how he can read my mind.

But on this point I knew Stefan was my allie

Joe.

Oh by the way I think the effects in 2001 are terrible.

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Oh by the way I think the effects in 2001 are terrible.

Another disagreement. To me it has the most seamless effects of any movie ever made. There is not a single bad effect in the entire film. It's stunning.

Neil - who would love to see a 70mm print of 2001 theatrically

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No use waxing nostalgic around these guys, Joe. It was a different era.

By the way, you mention how audiences then had no idea that Vader was Luke's father, that Leia was his sister, that Darth was a title, etc., etc. Well, my hunch is that, despite the fact he may have had some stories in vague outline somewhere in the back of his mind, Lucas didn't have any idea, either. As it came time to do the sequels, he probably started thinking about the material and connecting the dots. Unfortunately, what worked well the first time (the revelation of Vader as Luke's father), didn't necessarily work well the second (Leia as his sister), or third (Vader as builder of Threepio). I'm willing to bet he'd never thought of Jar-Jar until it came time to do TPM, that the name Anakin didn't even occur to him until "Jedi." It was just a neat way to wrap up a trilogy. Unfortunately, it was also the seed of the entire series' destruction.

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Even though I disagree with Figo and his negativity towards the new movies, I agree with what he said in his post. There is no way George had all of the story in his head when he made Star Wars. He didn't know Vader was Luke's father. I'm debating on whether or not he had even thought up the Luke and Leia relationship by Empire. It's just highly unlikely. There's no forshadow in ANH that points to any of these revelations. If he knew Vader was going to be Luke's father, why would he even bother getting tangled in Obi Wan's explanation from a "Certain Point of View"

George probably had no idea what happened in the prequels when he finished Jedi. Jar Jar definately wasn't in there, I can tell you that. At most he knew a few scattered ideas or maybe a general page or two outline.

Remember, the shooting script or at least a draft very close to shooting had Obi Wan living at the end of ANH. Originally, Qui Gon had a less prominent role in TPM. Lucas even considered making Luke turn to the darkside in ROTJ and having Leia have to redeem him (thought it was too dark for the kids). There is SO much that has changed from first to final drafts of all the movie scripts. You'd think that if the guy had all the movies planned out in his head there wouldn't be such drastic changes.

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I don't really see Figo as negative he is positve in what he likes and it pains him to see the direction the series has gone.

And as he is older his understandings of his likes and dislikes is superior to younger people. And if you think that is an unfair statement, you will find out in time it is correct. There are many things you like as a child or a young person that you will not as you get older. And many of your likes will stay just as they are.

Joe, using and to much

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You are right Joe, those kids don't know what they are talking about, but oneday, when they will be as old and experienced as you and I, then they will know.

Stefancos- who saw part of The Towering Inferno yesterday, but had to turn off the TV. :cry:

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what IS happening to some movies nowadays?

i see more teenie bopper movies and ones where every other words are swears!!!

what's up!

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It's called "Hollywood Feeds To The Moviegoers" and "Hollywood Feeds The Moral Decay Of Our Society"

Dan - who could go on and on about this one, but won't

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  • 5 years later...
No Morn 2001 was nothing like Star Wars special effects wise.

I tend to think that 2001 has better effects than Star Wars.

Neil

It does. The film still looks amazing in every aspect. And quite a bit beefier in content than Star Wars too. No wonder so many directors call it the best sci-fi ever!

The best thing about Star Wars is the music.

Alex - who now understands what Williams meant when he said Star Wars will do well with kids on a Saturday matinee.

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he's just a moderator not a God, and Stefan its the internet, if he were to punish me, I would be in the agonies of banishment for a time period, where I would just spend more time looking at porn, what a terrible punishment indeed.

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No Morn 2001 was nothing like Star Wars special effects wise.

I tend to think that 2001 has better effects than Star Wars.

Neil

It does. The film still looks amazing in every aspect. And quite a bit beefier in content than Star Wars too. No wonder so many directors call it the best sci-fi ever!

The best thing about Star Wars is the music.

Alex - who now understands what Williams meant when he said Star Wars will do well with kids on a Saturday matinee.

Didnt Lucas himself say on the commentary track that the approach to Star Wars' effects were lots of cheap lo-fi effects with quick cuts instead of expensive effects ala 2001?

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