Which is your favourite Star Wars film/incarnation?

[Gothamite]

Personally, I'm not that big a fan of Star Wars anymore, but I watched the original trilogy recently in their original theatrical forms and I wanted to discuss it here somewheres and found that there didn't exist a thread to facilitate this wish. So here we are.

I'll give a short opinion on what I thought of the original original trilogy first:

"Star Wars"

Nope. Not 'A New Hope'. It doesn't even say 'Episode IV: A New Hope' anywhere in the credits, which was interesting. Did Lucas add this in for the original VHS release in the 80s or was it only featured in the 90s update of the trilogy?
Anyway, the big thing is obviously Han shooting first and the Vaseline-Force under Luke's speeder in one scene. This version of the film was fun, but I was actually disappointed at how well the special effects stand out, other than a few small, very acceptable things. I really expected a Flash Gordon-esque hoke-fest, but instead I got a movie with effects that still stand out, today. Guess that's why it won an Oscar.

8/10

"The Empire Strikes Back"

Probably the best one, I suppose. Again though, there isn't a whole lot of a difference between the original theatrical version and the souped up 1996/97 version, other than the Emperor's brief hologram scene being replaced with a brand new Ian McDiarmid bit.

8.5/10

"Return of the Jedi"

Definitely the one with the most notable differences. The entire Jabba The Hutt opening song looked like it was being performed by the bastard children of the Muppets and some waxwork statues. The CGI musical number with the bearded midget in the new version is cheesy, but it works so much better. The ending is absolutely awful in the original version, with a crappy Ewok song that doesn't have nearly as much of an emotional draw as the tune in the revamped version. Honestly, I would nearly call Return of the Jedi the reason why George Lucas was right to shake up the original trilogy and throw in a bunch of CGI.

7/10

 

[E]

Re: Star Wars General Discussion Thread

I wanted to discuss it here somewheres and found that there didn't exist a thread to facilitate this wish.

There's this, but since you added a poll I'll let it be.

 

[Ice]

Return of the Jedi has always been my favorite and always will be.

 

[Random]

This has always been tough for me, because I love all three of the original trilogy. But when deciding between them there are ups and downs with all of them. In the end I always side with Jedi because I love good endings with good conclusions

 

[Gothamite]

Re: Star Wars General Discussion Thread

There's this, but since you added a poll I'll let it be.

Darn it all to heckfire. I searched extensively.

This has always been tough for me, because I love all three of the original trilogy. But when deciding between them there are ups and downs with all of them. In the end I always side with Jedi because I love good endings with good conclusions

That was always my reasoning for Jedi being my favourite as a kid. Now, I'm leaning more towards Empire, largely because it's the one I've seen the least amount of times (next to Revenge of the Sith) and the acting is just a bit more convincing, for the most part.

 

[Planet-man]

I can see how Empire is the most transcendant, where it took the "great movie" and then went beyond that to become this religious-type experience. But, Return Of The Jedi was my favourite as a kid because of the conclusion and how much fun and down-to-earth it was. Plus, there was a lot of green, my favourite colour, right down to Luke's lightsaber - the coolest in the series. That's another thing - Luke is a full-on Jedi here who pretty much has full superpowers and that was always very satisfying to me as a kid.

Now, I'd say the original Star Wars is the overall standout because it's the beginning and a perfect adventure story in its own right.

I've never seen any of the 90s Reworked editions in their entirety, but of the bits I've seen, I can't usually stand. The Jabba scene in New Hope is okay, but they should've done it with an actual puppet rather than the obvious CGI. McDiarmid's fully visible Emperor in ESB takes something away from it, because in the original version its so much more mysterious and scary. You can barely see this strange being and you're not sure you want to.

I always like the Ewok song. It's so different and catchy and happy and innocent, it's the stuff they were fighting for all along. The newer music just felt a bit laid back and lazy. If they'd done some REALLY impressive, triumphant new music, like gotten John Williams and said "It's the finale of the STAR WARS saga. Think of all that entails. Now score it.", then I might change my mind.

I like each of the Sith Trilogy(I call I-III the Sith trilogy and IV-VI the Jedi trilogy) just fine. They should've taken it easy on the CGI, though. Realism is what made the first film such a hit in the first place. Verisimilitude.

Overall.... I'm gonna have to go with Star Wars as my favourite.

Edit: Forgot my biggest gripe with the remastered stuff: 20-something Hayden Christiansen Anakin Skywalker ghost. NO! No no NO! What I always loved was that it was like he didn't really waste his life because as a Jedi ghost he still gets to be who he would have been! Not just that the last 20 years vanish and he's Luke's age again! ****.

 

[thee great one]

Yes!

I was coming to complain about the lack of Spaceballs, but you covered that base.

:lol:

 

[Ninja4peace]

The newer music just felt a bit laid back and lazy. If they'd done some REALLY impressive, triumphant new music, like gotten John Williams and said "It's the finale of the STAR WARS saga. Think of all that entails. Now score it.", then I might change my mind.

Forgot my biggest gripe with the remastered stuff: 20-something Hayden Christiansen Anakin Skywalker ghost. NO! No no NO! What I always loved was that it was like he didn't really waste his life because as a Jedi ghost he still gets to be who he would have been! Not just that the last 20 years vanish and he's Luke's age again! ****.

I didn't think they'd changed as much as that. I thought it was just the effects were fine-tuned and a few bits of extra tweaks. Like Han standing on Jabba's tail. And most of the remastering was trying to stay true to the originals. It's been a while since i have seen either versions tho, but i'm surprised. Was there much outrage at the time the films came out? or were they readily accepted by fans?

 

[E]

Re: Star Wars General Discussion Thread

Darn it all to heckfire. I searched extensively.

No big deal. Try searching the tags next time.

I'm surprised to see Jedi getting so much love. It's probably my favorite too, just because I've always loved the last scene where Luke takes Vader's helmet off and how Vader looked back and forth while the Emperor was electri-frying Luke.

I also love the scene where Han grabs Leia's boob.

 

[ShaggyMarco]

I personally love when the stormtrooper bangs his head on the door in the Death Star control room.

Star Wars has gone through more than just these incarnations:

1. Original Theatrical releases (Han shoots first)
2. Tv/VHS releases (I am fairly certian, A New Hope was added here, few changes)
3. THX Sound revamp release (sound and picture quality upgrades)
4. Special Editions (biggest set of changes-Greedo shoots first)
5. DVD Special Editions (next-to-biggest set of changes, near simultaneous shooting)

I had no problems with the Special Editions. I DON'T like the DVD Special Ed. ESB changing the dialogue between Vader and Palpatine. I also have problems with them editing in Hayden Christenson for Anakin's ghost in Jedi, like some of you others.

I think Special Ed Empire or Original Empire is my favorite.

 

[Jaggyd]

My favorite was the Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars. It was wonderfully simple morality plays, all wrapped up in the middle of a war. Made me go back and rewatch with new eye the greatness of Samurai Jack.

 

[ProjectX2]

I don't have a favourite. I know the original trilogy are better films but I prefer watching the new trilogy because the story interests me more. I like the Jedi and the Clone Wars and General Grievous.

 

[E]

I also love Revenge of the Sith, despite all of the problems it has. Natalie Portman is terrible in it, but seeing the whole story come together is great and the last 10 minutes or so are also great.

As far as incarnations, I prefer the most recent "fix-up" versions (I think those are the ones that were done for the DVDs). I don't have any problem with George Lucas updating things with new technology, although I don't care for Greedo shooting first.

 

[Random]

My favorite moment in Jedi is definitely the last exchange of sword play between Luke and Vader, the music and filming was so great. Unlike the the Sith Trilogy (I love those terms Planet-man) where they think fancy dancing sword fight is "cool" it doesn't make a great scene. I think without the music in Sith, the fight between Obi-wan and Anakin would have been just as stupid and over the top as all the other fight scenes, without any of the heart or foot work that's necessary.

And on the remastering subject. I prefer the updates usually because old films can really turn me off if it's too grainy or whatever. But yeah things like the performance in Jedi and Hayden showing up is just stupid in my opinion

 

[SSJmole]

The Empire Strikes Back all the way for me.

 

[ourchair]

George Lucas in Love. Always.

 

[Dr.Strangefate]

Empire. The original. Period.

 

[E]

Not to sound douche-y, but I always thought that the people who are so adamant about the original versions being better only say that because they think it gives them some kind of weird geek cred or something. Because it's fashionable to hate George Lucas or something.

The new versions don't change the story (except maybe for Greedo shooting first, but really even that is a minor thing if you can take off your nerd glasses and look at it objectively) and look five billion times better.

 

[Ultimate Houde]

I would vote for the Clone Wars, but I don't know what version it is.

Gennedy's was awesome, and made me actually like Star Wars.

 

[ShaggyMarco]

Not to sound douche-y, but I always thought that the people who are so adamant about the original versions being better only say that because they think it gives them some kind of weird geek cred or something. Because it's fashionable to hate George Lucas or something.

The new versions don't change the story (except maybe for Greedo shooting first, but really even that is a minor thing if you can take off your nerd glasses and look at it objectively) and look five billion times better.

Watch the Original/Special Edition version of Empire.

Now watch the DVD Edition of Empire, specifically the scene were The Emperor's hologram is talking to Vader.

The story is changed--for the stupid.

I am all for special effects updates and the addition of scenes imposisble under previous technologies, but changing dialogue into something that makes LESS sense? Lucas's hand is smelly and all over that.

I trust Lucas's sense of visual appeal, bad-*** visuals, and overall concept.

I think, in the past decade or so, his ability to keep continuity, execute his concepts, and write compelling and comedic dialogue has taken a nose-dive.

I don't know that he EVER had directing chops.

This is why I like DVD Jedi the best of the RotJ's: the marriage of Lucas's old-school story-telling ability with his new-school special effects department. DVD New Hope does this to a large extent too. DVD Empire has Lucas's modern crap-story-telling infecting it, so I prefer the Special Edition.