oldies and goldies or are you a fan of the new ones?

me, well being 30 i cant stand the newer films, even Revenge of the sith with its comedy Frankenstein ending.
COME BACK MARK HAMIL ALL IS FORGIVEN!!

Nothing to forgive Hamill for (except his delivery of 'But I was going in to Toschi station to pick up some power converters' Whiniest thing ever!)

The new three are steaming piles of Bantha poo.

Im 15 n I cant stand eps 1,2 or 3...

can't stand em

If we're talking ages, I'm 35 and saw the original in it's very first run.

I consider the new films sacrilegious.


It also annoys me that my 8 year old nephew likes them. Grow up and get some taste!

Some of my cousins (most younger than me) think that episode 3 was the best star wars


And in answer to the question, the original trilogy.

While I was technically around during the original cycle, having made my way Earthward during the time between Empire and Jedi, I did not have the privilege of experiencing them in the cinema. That said, I was raised on the trilogy, on video cassette, and all of a sudden, I'm feeling very wistful for my old Imperial Guard dinnerware.

But that's not my point. Actually, I'm not quite sure exactly what my original point was, but I'll just pretend and continue as if I know.

Anyway, back in the day, when I was but a lad, Chewbacca was my dawg. Or, at least, he would have been, had he been real. I was all about the big, walking carpet. Wait, that's not my point, either... I may not know what it is, but I do know what it is not.

All right, last shot. Star Wars (and, later, Indiana Jones) defined the parameters of much of my childhood imaginings. That galaxy far, far away was the playground of our minds, for my friends and I. Everyone I knew wanted to grow up to be Han Solo, or, at the very least, Luke Skywalker, as long as we didn't have to kiss Leia. Darth Vader was, at once, the most terrifying and coolest guy ever. Obi-Wan was like the grandfather we all wish we had.

There was real magic in it all. But, for me, the magic was not so much in the special effects and technical wizardry of Lucas's band of merry vfx designers, but in the sheer exuberance of it all. Yes, it looked good, and that certainly helped, but if it didn't also feel like a good time, what was the point? Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and there was a genuine sense of adventure to it all, and we seized on that.

But now it's all so far removed from any real sense of fun that it's gone stale. The visual effects may look great, but they "feel" plastic and sterile. And the performances and writing, which may not have been perfect before, have descended into an abyss of ridiculousness from which there is no escape, mistaking frowning and sermonizing with gravitas, shouting and whining with emoting, and "poo-doo" jokes with humour.

In short, Lucas has taken what once was a grand tale with universal appeal and a classic sense of adventure and enjoyment, and turned it into something with as much excitement and emotion (even corny emotion) as a food processor.

the original 3, episodes 1-3 are ok for shit films.. but i'd never watch them more than once per life time. Except maybe ep3, the ending is hilarious!

I would have to wacth all six together atleast once. And after that, it would be ep4-6 only for the rest of my days.

I'm one of those lucky (!) ones that saw them all the first time round. Have to say, you always hear people say the opening shot in Star Wars was amazing - it never blew my young mind - but then my mind had already been blown by Harryhausen and Doug McClure fighting men in rubber monster suits! In fact I think my young obsession, with Star Wars, was fed more by the merchandise.

Now I see Star Wars as some flawed nostalgic fun, Empire as genius and Jedi as OK. And I probably would and will watch them.

However, EPS1-3 I will never go out of my way to watch again. Not because they are bad Star Wars films, but because they are just bad films. In fact probably some of the worst directed, acted, scripted big budget films ever. They are not even "so bad you can enjoy them" films (apart from NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!).

Had Lucas not financed them himself, and had the history of the original three films, the prequels would have been those films that are never shown to the press pre-release because the studio is scared of harmful reviews. If all 6 were released in order I doubt there would have been a film after EP1.

Well I would watch all 6, not in order, but all six. It's great to see the comparison between the original set and this new set.

The original set was made of the stuff of dreams. It either makes it or burns. Alot rode on the success of the first film and I think that magic is captured in the 2 the follow it.

The new set have forgotten about the 'plight of everything is against you yet perceiver you must' and have grown fat with snazzy effects and cheap predictable storylines. The new set had alot to live upto and the sheer failure of its first film made the following 2 films an uphill struggle all the way.

A classic case of young dreamer comes good, gets fat, fucks up.

Thats why the greats commit suicide!

I can still get abit of enjoyment from the new 3, Darth Maul, Corusant and Obi Wan versus Anakin but when compared to the glorious every minute from the original three they aren't even pale by comparison.

-m0r

I like them all. Not equally, but I do like them. I think for many it was a huge shock to go from the old ones - institutions in themselves as they are - to a rather average "Phantom Menace". That doesn't mean that they all aren't enjoyable. But that's probably just me. I've seen them all on the big screen and own most on DVD, I just love 'em.

i own the boxed set of the originals but wouldnt think of buying the new ones.
My house mate has ep I and II but after i came back from the opening night of ep III and spent two hours solid slagging it off, he hasnt bothered to see it yet.

and is it just me or if a Jedi rode across the desert and handed you a baby, you'd ask where it came from and if he could take it elsewhere?

the ending of ep III was so compacted it lost the continuity, Lucas spent too long with Jar Jar etc, and not enough time telling the story.

all round, a half arsed effort.

There are only 3 Star Wars films.
I must get a t-shirt printed.

nice, I'll have one.
thats so good i wish i'd thought of it

Original Trilogy or nothing.

The prequels are shite. Whatever you think about how 'enjoyable' they are, or how good the special effects are etc, they are bad films in the artistic sense. I don't believe anyone could argue otherwise. Even more controversial would be to say 'The Phantom Menace' is actually the best of all three.

well its a bit like trying to find a shiny turd. it may shine but its still a turd.
harsh but fair i feel

It depends what you eat, but I like the comparison.

why? what do you have to eat to get shiny turds?

Glossy foods.

good answer!

Personally I'd say Attack of the Clones was the best of the prequels simply because it didn't have as many annoying moments as The Phantom Menace (midi-chlorians, the moppet-haired Anakin, Jar-Jar Binks etc), and it wasn't the traffic accident of a movie that Revenge turned out to be.

I have no plans to sit down and watch the six films in order, I've done it a couple of times with the original trilogy but I don't think I could stomach watching all three prequels back to back (I certainly don't think my TV would survive the viewing anyway!).

To be honest, I'd much rather reenact the prequels than watch them again...

i would agree with that, Phantom Menace was just such a disapointment. i remember waiting outside the cinema thinking "this is going to be great" and leaving thinking someone had just stolen £10 from me.
i felt worse after revenge because it was just so poor. My twin brother who i saw it with looked like he was going to cry (sad for a 30 year old I know) and he made the immortal quote (which i am sure he didnt think of) "George Lucas has raped my childhood"
Oh yes he did not like.

Each of the prequels had their merits and their faults, as did the original trilogy. It just so happens that the originals remain in my mind as the strongest and most definitive, also being among my favourite films of all time, whereas the prequels fall short as simply mediocre. But the fact remains that they still had entertaining moments... and lightsabers... and Wookies!

yes, but i did feel cheated in revenge with all the hype about the wookies but they were in it for about 2 mins as a bit peice.
the press was all "wow the wookies at war, cool" but it was just another CGI time filler. you just cant beat a freakishly tall man in an axeminster costume.

I liked the fact that the Wookies were essential in fascilitating Yoda's escape, as the plausibility of so many Jedi being wiped out and only he and Obi-Wan surviving was difficult enough to disgest. Although many didn't. I can imagine a few people on this forum being pretty annoyed with the implausibility of the Jedi culling... but meh, what's done is done.

i 100% agree there, but i wanted more wookies, doing something more than standing round in the background.
as for jedi slaying, some of them did go out abit soft. like the one that turned round and got shot, once, while her 'saber was drawn. some reflexes.
a distinct lack of imagination in what should have been an emotional pinnacle in the story.

Completely. I expected something a lot more grandiose than simply being shot, most of them in the back. I did like the fact that one guy put up quite a fight, but the fact of the matter is that a Jedi should be able to take down a dozen of those soldiers without even breaking a sweat. However I think what Lucas was trying to do was convey both how huge a scale the betrayal was but also how thin the Jedi order was spread across the galaxy. I say trying...

true, and in that part it worked. i just thought the jedi deaths in attack of the clones were far better as it was the sheer weight of fire and explotions that got them, rather than a quick shot when no one was looking.
but dont get me started on C3-P0's head transplant in that scene. surffice to say one was not amused.

Star Wars is shit.
But if i had to it'd be the original 3

why? I'd have thought as an Evil Dead fan (ash is king) this kind of thing would have been right up your street (so to speak)

why? what do Evil Dead and Star Wars have in common?

And Star Wars just never interested me, I believe it's because of the whole Sci-Fi thing which I never picked up a taste for. If the story was told in a swords n' sourcery type style instead of lasers and space ships it could've been decent.

EDIT: And oh yeah, Ash kicks ass

1) nothing I just thought as a person of clearly good taste you would be into it, i was wrong.

2) it is a swords and sourcery story, lightsabers and the force, just with alot of spaceships

EDIT: and lasers

1) I have good taste, just not enough for Star Wars, theres too many giant fleurescent(sp?) dildos in there for my liking

2) yeah but just not

Sam Raimi would be ashamed of you, I'm sure.

so would you prefer the Dungeons and Dragons film? cause that is shockingly bad
or will you play it safe and go Lord Of The Rings?

The prequels are miles better than the original 3 films.

*runs*

YER YOU'D BETTER RUN!!

OH NO!!
just saw advert on sky that Revenge is out on DVD on monday.

*sings* "tell me why I dont like mondays......"

Hey, man, at least it isn't the Yoda Man advert from the Attack of the Clones DVD release.

Mmmmmmm Han solo for me

Not the dvd version mind *hugs vhs's*

Yeah, I know what you mean... I had a dream the other night that I found a discount/closeout store with plentiful copies of the original trilogy on laserdisc for $10. That would have been lovely.

'course, I have no laserdisc player. Ah, but that wonderful, dreamy store had those on sale for $15.

why?



Nooooooo, that really was just shite. I mean really what the fuck. The Lord Of The Rings alllll the way baby.

Ah yes the story of a young man leaving the farm and going on a journey meeting creatures with great power and he saves the world...............

hang on, that was star wars: a new hope!

Yeah just with massive armies smacking the shite out of each other with massive swords and siege weapons, not shitty light strips and lasers. Also where was the battle better than the main siege in The Two Towers in Star Wars? (if that makes sense due to my poor english skills)

taken, that was the best battle of its kind I've ever seen........but.........
it lacked the edge of the seat tension of the first attack on the death star.
(maybe because I read the book but you know what i mean)

You realize, of course, that if Star Wars hadn't been a huge economic success, and pretty much single-handedly created the big-budget trilogy of films, the cinematic Lord of the Rings as we know it may never have happened. I mean, who in their right mind would be willing to throw that kind of money at some no-name Kiwi director who made films about zombies and sado-masochistic puppets for even one film, let alone three, if Lucas hadn't already demonstrated that there was a strong market to be tapped for this sort of stuff?

It sure was, and well i don't think so. And yeah I see what you mean it's all a bit less exciting if you know whats going to happen. With Star Wars I guess it's because quite frankly I couldn't care less what happens

EDIT: Infact it'd be better if Darth won.

Darth is the coolest but didnt you get that tingle on the back of work neck when Alec Guinness says "the force will be with you.......always" after the Death Star gets blown up? come on now be honest........course you did, everyone does, dont they? or am i so out of touch with society that i need to "get a life"?

EDIT: dont answer the last bit. I'm scared of the answer

Nope, I just thought thank fuck that piece of shit film is over