TPM was a big deal to us, but no where near what ANH must have been to you guys. I remember the first time i saw ANH and it floowed me. I couldn't even have imagened seeing it on the big screen for the first time. I hold ANH in such a high regard. But, i think having us young'ns around is good. We can see more connections between the two trilogies because the OT didn't settle for 20 years in our heads and through puberty as totally defining what is Star Wars and what is not. I think that we are often more flexible in our interpretations.
I think all the SW movies excluding ANH were bad movies...they are not well made! They don't hold up as a film, espcially due to their atrocius acting and childlike dialogue (ESB "nerf herder"? ROTS "i love you...no i love you...no i love you...no i love you"). ANH is a total exception.
YET...the reason I like them so much are the concepts presented: art, cinematography, cultural statement, visual impact, thematic impact, and universe (these are my personal favorites which I'm sure ar shared by others) These aspects of the films that make SW wonderful films that I charish. That does not make them a good movie... i have no problem liking crappy films like Star Wars because I think they're great and offer us so much more than the experience of a good film. I hold different standards.
The funny part with me is that I like the OT just as much as the PT and ESB is my favorite of all the films. Yet, the Clone Wars is my favorite period, but that makes my like the Empire even more as an extension of the GAR. The PT and the OT actually really end up reinforcing eachother. I think they are all crappy movies (excluding ANH) and I love them all anyway. (but I do admit the OT is often easier to watch)
And then there are those of us who are younger yet still prefer the OT over the PT I first saw the OT in 1996 when I was 10 years old, TPM came out three years later just after I turned 13. And yet I prefer the OT over the PT, and the theatrical release versions of the OT over the SEs. My brother's 17 and loves the OT (and the original versions, he also dislikes the SEs) much better than the PT. So age doesn't always have anything to do with it
And the comments about the movies being childish? Remember, they WERE originally made and intended for a young audience. There's a reason why ROTS is the only SW movie with a PG-13 rating.
Gender: Male Location: Impacting nations and generations
I like them all. I know that the OT was far more revolutionary in the terms of HOW movies are made, and it also totally changed the course of what TYPES of movies were being made at the time.
The OT is far better in terms of actual movie QUALITY.
But, like SMX, I also prefer the PT. Not as a whole, I actually think of them as one whole movie that connects rather nicely, but if I had to pick, I would go with the prequels.
I'm 23 now, and even though I didn't get to see them in the theater, I grew up on the OT, particularly ANH, which like many of the original fans, I simply called STAR WARS.
I used to have this old video cassette with starwars, the old cartoon version of Robin Hood, and some movie of my parents on it that I would watch over and over when I was 5.
At age 8, my grandpa's neighbor converted the entire OT from Super BETA tapes to video, and I can remember when my grandpa Hoppy gave them to me...... I sat down and watched them all in a row.
I fell in love with the adventure, the danger, the lasers,ships, and swords.
I was 14 when the SE trilogy came out, and watching StarWars in the theatre blew me away. (I can still even remember the TRAILER for the SE's coming on at another movie, and I geeked out.)
It was some of the rare time that I spent with my dad in those years, and he told me about going to the theatres in the 70's and 80's as a young man and watchin them.
I love the OT, and I can say for sure that I grew up with it.
But the PT really kicked things into a higher level for me.
I was 16 when TPM came out, and I got like 9 of my stoner friends up at 8 in the morning to take a bus to the light rail to go to another town to watch it on the biggest screen we could find. We played craps against the theatre wall until noon for the first showing on opening day.
I was in awe of that movie... the Jedi kicking all kinds of crazy wheel-droid ass on the ship, seeing young Obi, the invasion of Naboo, the Podrace, Coruscant, the f*cking amazing lightsaber duel at the end.....
I was a little more astute than my buddies, and I knew from the moment he was onscreen that Palpatine was the emporer.
When he said "we will look forward to your carreer with great interest" I was like "Aawwww sheeeeit. Here we go now." And that last frame before the finale song, with all the faces of the major players lined up, Ani, obi, padme, and palps, literally gave me CHILLS.
Alot happened in my life in the 3 years in between films, and I went way down the tubes, got cleaned up, straightened up, and was with my girlfriend who is now my wife.
I was 19 for AOTC. I remember waiting in line since 10 am to see it at 2 in the afternoon, at the Century Winchester 22, a HUGE dome with an awesome curved screen.
People were selling the promotional soda's for the film, with the charactrer's pics on 'em saying "Yoda soda's.. one dollar!".... people were in costumes, some guy had 12in. subwoofers in his truck and was slumping the AOTC soundtrack.....
I had my brother and sister pulled out of school early to come see it with me.
Inside was like a carnival. People punched a beach ball around the sold out place before the trailers came up, and the Yoda soda guy was down at the front of the screen, passing out drinks and candy like a baseball game vendor.
Before the movie was the teaser for Matrix 2 and 3, which really got people hyped, and then we got AOTC.
Which I'm not afraid to admit that I loved. The relationship between Ani and Obi ("you'll be the death of me"), the chase, the club, all classic SW. obi v.s. Jango, the asteroid chase, pure gold. I didn't mind the love scenes, I'm glad it was sappy, over-the-top and pushed into one movie.... if only all relationships could be that way.
The middle with Anakin loosing Shmi was incredible.
I gasped inside when he stood against the hut, looking all pre-vader, and the audinece gasped aloud when shmi's head tilted back and she died in his arms.
All the scenes later, with him returning to the homestead, talking in the garage ("not just the men, but the women.. and the children too!"), and the funeral were mind-blowing.
I knew that I was watching him fall, wanted to stop it, but at the same time couldn't stop watching.
All the rest, the droid factory fight that looks like a cool LSD trip, the exocution arena, the Jedi coming in ("I don't think so"), I mean I felt this like, crazy kid joy in my chest when the camera panned over to the right to show the Jedi charging in a line, Braveheart style with lightsaber's raised.
The Battle of Geonosis was a mind-numbing experience that I could barely keep up with, and the duels at the end were pretty cool ( I cheered inside when anakin told Dooku "I am a slow learner").... but Yoda takes the f*cking cake.
When he came in that room, everybody started cheering, someone yelled "kick his ass, Yoda" and everybody laughed,... when he ingnited the sword I sat up in my chair, and when he jumped up yelling "rrrarrrh" or whatever, I chuckled/giggled out loud like a five year old who sees a Toys 'R Us and is told to get whatver he wants.
EP2 WTFpwns and I don't care what anybody else says.
(I used my first date with my wife as a good excuse to go see it for the second time.)
As for ROTS, well I won't bore with my thoughts on the movie, except that I believe it to be the best of the Prequels, easily, and I'm sure you would know which parts and why.
I love the OT, but the seeing the PT made me a Starwars fan for life.
Funny thing is though, I picked EMPIRE as the best film because I know in my head that it is.
I'm sure part of it has to do with how I experienced seeing them, but my heart will always be with the Prequels.
In my opinion, the two ultimately complement eachother. I find that I get the greatest enjoyment from watching them as one story divided into six parts.
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I think we all pretty much love all six dude. But in a thread about which is the best film, saying you love something doesn't hold a lot of weight...and doesn't make bad films good.
Gender: Male Location: On cloud 9 in 7th heaven! I didn't
Actually loving a movie does make it good. You wouldn't love it if it was bad. What one person not like someone else might. Its all a matter of opinion.
I know people that HATE Citizen Kane...but alot of people view it as the best movie ever made. its all opinion, my man.
I think ROTS was my second or third favorite of the six...obviously you didn't care for it. I wouldn't say it was the best film ever, but I don't think anyone could say its a BAD film, overall.
I say;
ESB
ROTJ/ROTS \
cant figure these two out...
ROTS/ROTJ /
ANH
AOTC
TPM
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KMC Community Forums
Mar 31st, 2006 06:11 PM
I first saw the OT in 1996 when I was 10 years old, TPM came out three years later just after I turned 13. And yet I prefer the OT over the PT, and the theatrical release versions of the OT over the SEs. My brother's 17 and loves the OT (and the original versions, he also dislikes the SEs) much better than the PT. So age doesn't always have anything to do with it 
