I’ve only seen the original 3 films: Star Wars (you can call it A New Hope if you want to), The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Along with this I have seen what to me is the new film, The Force Awakens, albeit on a television screen about 4 years ago, so, yeah, not that fresh.
I saw Star Wars at the cinema in 1977, and memories come back don’t they, so I’m going to set myself a project to watch all of the films, not with any huge urgency on Blu Ray and pick up the box set on Blu Ray on Friday.
I haven’t seen Star Wars (original trilogy) with the new effects, etc. Also I’ve steered well clear of the stand alone films, if they are that? Like Solo, etc.
I will do a mini review of the films as I watch them. I would also be interested in other DiS’ers ranking of the films.
I was there at the start, but I am way out of touch and the time is right for a revisit and some new viewing too.
To clarify. I have seen 4 films and no remasters yet.
I will start with The Phantom Menace which I have never seen.
Thoughts on which film is best by anyone is fine. I will rank my list when I have seen them all and review each film after watching in this thread. As such, my list will be a long way away yet, but I’ll get there. Feel free to chip in.
I’ll never forget seeing Star Wars in the cinema in 1977, recreating some of that magic could be fine.
I remember a kid called Jonathan in my Junior School. I’d know him since Infant School. I don’t think I ever heard him speak, until he’d seen Star Wars in 1977. He saw it like day 1, or that’s how it felt. He spoke, and when he spoke, he only talked about Star Wars and would do a breathy Darth Vader voice. I didn’t see Star Wars for months but was so intrigued by how the film brought him to life, gave him confidence, a belief in something.
Looking forward to how good / bad The Phantom Menace is…
Return of the Jedi > Empire > A New Hope > (Rogue 1)> The Last Jedi > The Force Awakens > Revenge of the Sith > The Phantom Menace> The Rise of Skywalker > Attack of the Clones
Haven’t seen Solo.
Original Trilogy >>>> Sequel Trilogy (just)> Prequel Trilogy
Original Trilogy
Nostalgia is taking the biggest hold here. We had RotJ recorded off the telly so I watched it loads. I think it gets an unfair wrap in part and not enough praise for the things it does right (pacing, pulling off the 3 concurrent events at the end (Emperor stuff, space battle, Endor battle)). Empire is great obviously but sags massively in the middle.
Sequel Trilogy
The more I watch TFA the less I like it. Gets boring after a while. The more I watch TLJ the more I like it. It’s interesting. TROS is a rotter. Completely incoherent film making.
Prequel Trilogy
Probably best described as having fun moments while not being very good films. TPM is not very good. AotC is the worst of Lucas’s excesses. RotS redeems itself somewhat.
I was thinking about this film last night for some reason and it’s probably the worst film I’ve ever paid to see in a cinema. Nothing memorable at all apart from the opening scene and that’s only because it literally makes no fucking sense in the grand scheme of things.
I will die on the hill that The Last Jedi is the best Star Wars film, which makes it so much more painful that it set it all up for that utter nonsense
RotJ is my favourite as well, partially because it’s the one I know best but also because of the reasons you put forward. It’s excellently constructed as a film, stands alone nicely, all of the set pieces are brilliantly drawn and work towards that amazing pay-off. It’s also funnier than any of the rest of the original trilogy, which means that by default it’s the funniest of all of the Star Wars films. Plus I love everything Harrison Ford does in it, the device of having the film’s most magnetic actor entombed for a whole act means that when he’s back it all takes off (fair play, the Jabba’s sail barge bit is iconic too, but his presence really takes things up a notch)
I might just really fancy Harrison Ford actually, hmm
Anyway it’s the best one, then it’s Ep IV, V, then all the rest in some kind of blurry bundle that I have demoted beneath the Star Wars novels universe in terms of relevance.
the problem with space stuff is they always need to keep the cast small and try to contain the themes and actions which makes them feel more jarring and unbelievable. Like this vast universe but space travel is meaningless and stakes free and only about 6 people actually matter.
Should have just set Star Wars in medieval times and called it Wars instead
