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Gone Gonzo  Posts: 1828 Joined: 14 Nov 2007     | |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 3675 Joined: 29 Nov 2007     | I am a fan of all of them. I liked the first three, (read: first three made) better, but it's only because it's what I was raised on. They all had their good and bad points, and I just love Star Wars. |
Pulitzer Laureate  Posts: 910 Joined: 21 Feb 2008    | I loved all of them, even my Dad, who was a teenager when the originals came out, loves them to. I really don't see any of the awful things the other "fans" see. |
Pulitzer Laureate  Posts: 894 Joined: 14 May 2008   | I am a fan of Star Wars in general, and every sort of object of fanaticism has some sort of flaw (episode 1-3 for example) but the reason people are still fans of Star Wars is because the flaws do not outweigh what is good about it (episode 4-6). |
Press Junketeer  Posts: 362 Joined: 21 Aug 2008  | Good points, j-e-f-f-e-r-s, and I have to admit, I feel the exact same way. I can understand how Star Wars purists might be less than satisfied with the prequels, but for me, it was just amazing to see wise old Ben Kenobi, who I'd grown up knowing to be Luke's skilled, but still elderly, mentor, in his prime... Not as Ben Kenobi, the Tatooine Hermit, but Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Knight. Now, that's just one positive point. There are more, obviously... But that was what hooked me. Also, I'm inclined to believe that the duel between Obi-Wan and the newly-Knighted (Sithed?) Darth Vader on Mustafar was the greatest lightsaber duel in the entire Star Wars saga, both in terms of sheer spectacle and emotional drive. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a little lump when Obi-Wan was forced to cut down Darth Vader, his apprentice and his friend, only to have "I hate you" spat back in his face... |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 2182 Joined: 30 Jun 2008  | Thank god, I finally found a Star Wars-related thread here that doesn't bash it for no clear reason. I think I just gained some more respect for humanity. As for my actual views, I loved all the Star Wars movies, even the prequels. In fact, Episode one was, indeed, the movie that got me hooked. i was only 4, but still, I fell in love with it immediately. |
Beat Writer  Posts: 128 Joined: 17 May 2008  | I liked them. They're not 'better' than the original three, they're completely different movies that happen to share a lot of common ground. The acting was trash in every single movie, the dialogue was terrible throughout the series and the originals were just as much about flashy special effects as the prequels. Just those 'flashy' effects look like ass now. Revenge of the Sith is one of my top movies ever, and I've got no problem admitting that. |
Copy Clerk  Posts: 73 Joined: 18 Sep 2008  | I agree with everyone else thus far. I'm a fan of all of them. Even the clone wars series that aired on Cartoon Network and is now being redone into the latest Clone Wars movie and another series on CN. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 3675 Joined: 29 Nov 2007 |
I totally almost cried at thay scene. Poor Obi-Wan. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2182 Joined: 30 Jun 2008 |
Speaking of which, TBH I almost cried during the Order 66 scenes. It was heart-breaking to see the Jedi Generals cut down by their own troops. |
PROBATION  Posts: 1032 Joined: 6 Jun 2008 | I'm in the same position as you. I saw 1-3 before 4-6 and I liked 1-3. Yahtzee made this point this week with people who like retro stuff to the point of stupidity. Not saying people who like 4-6 more are necessarily stupid, don't think that. But there are people who like it because it's older. User was put on probation for: Why did you join The Escapist Forums?. (3 days) |
Press Junketeer  Posts: 363 Joined: 19 Sep 2008  | No, just no. I hated the new 3. |
Press Junketeer Posts: 362 Joined: 21 Aug 2008 |
It's a very powerful moment, especially when you consider what those two are destined to become.
Oh, me too. Especially the first one, when General Mundi's troops turn on him. He thinks he's just leading them into another skirmish, and when he turns and sees that they've betrayed him, you can just see the fear and sadness in his eyes. |
Copy Clerk  Posts: 71 Joined: 8 May 2008     | I wouldn't consider myself an avid fan of Star Wars, I haven't even seen the last two (of the series). However I appreciate the concept of the franchise and would consider myself a fan in that sense. I also hated the first three movies (not the original) because in terms of film, they were very bad movies. While in terms of Star Wars, they did a good job of connecting the dots of plot and whatnot. What makes people love the original trilogy more is because the writers and director concentrated on making movie-films instead of more "Star Wars" movies. That is more or less what I think and I apologize if that didnt make any sense. |
Beat Writer  Posts: 144 Joined: 18 Mar 2008 | I really liked the new three, lots of lightsabers and large scale conflicts, the stuff that drew me to star wars in the first place. There were imperfections yes, but they are forgivable, I mean, it is Star Wars after all. But the only star wars product to earn my contempt was the clone wars movie. Yes I saw it and I disliked almost everything about it. The only part I liked were the clone soliders themselves, they're the only good thing in that movie to me. |
Infamous Scribbler  Posts: 668 Joined: 31 Oct 2007   | j-e-f-f-e-r-s, The reason people dislike the Star Wars prequels so much is because they're obviously geared towards children, which is rubbish. You said you were 12 years old when you saw it, and liked it, and I believe that. But I was 18 and not looking for horrible digital animation with shallow dialogue. It's as if George Lucas had no idea what demographic watches Star Wars. The first 3 star Wars were both kid friendly and adult friendly. That's why they were so successful (Well, that an top notch special effects, also missing from the prequels, which now have pretty standard special effects.) My friends and I honestly can not watch a Star Wars prequel without turning it into a night of MST3K, because the dialogue is so unbelievably bad. Lucas did not direct Episodes 5 and 6, and it shows. He should have followed suit with creating the characters and general story but leaving the direction of the films up to somebody with talent. There's also a sense of 'warmth' when movies didn't use CGI, that is now absent from most films. The prequels didn't have the warmth, and it was full of characters I expected to see on the sides of McDonalds cups. Characters that felt like they were only created so they could make merchandise. I think a lot of people could smell the commercialism so bad that it turned them off. |
Anonymous Source Posts: 4 Joined: 25 Sep 2008 | I agree with just about every word. Me and a couple of friends recently sat through all the films from EpI to EpVI and I was actually surprised to find that I enjoyed the new Star Wars-universe (Ep I, II, III) more than the old one. No longer did the systems just consist of "the ice planet", "the sand planet" and "the forest planet". It was all suddenly a great, big and interesting universe where you felt like you could watch another two movies just to see what more planets and creatures were out there. I also agree with whoever said that it was great to see Obi-Wan in his prime. I think Ewan McGregor did a great job as General Kenobi! |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 2934 Joined: 22 Aug 2008   |
Worst one for me was Aayla Secura (sp?) on that crazy mushroom planet. I'd played through Battlefront 2 before I saw episode 3. The 501st journal was talking about her so it felt a bit more touching than the others. You had a mission with Mundi, but the 501st feelings towards him was more gloating at his lack of knowledge, was Secura seemed to be almost true regret. |
Infamous Scribbler Posts: 668 Joined: 31 Oct 2007 | Also, don't even get me started on midi-chlorians. What a horrible idea. Talk about sapping all of the magic right out of the Star Wars universe. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 3675 Joined: 29 Nov 2007 |
That I do agree with. To be a Jedi, you must have space cancer....... |
Paperboy Posts: 11 Joined: 24 Sep 2008 | Yes! You are the only fan. Now, tell me, why did you spend 3 billion at the box-office, why!?!?!?! |
Copy Clerk  Posts: 64 Joined: 19 Jun 2008 | The prequels and the real Star Wars trilogy are two separate things. I can't truly enjoy the original trilogy with the prequel trilogy but I couldn't enjoy the prequel trilogy without the original trilogy. The prequel films are very, very good movies (except episode I). Even though Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman's love scenes are acted with pure cardboard, the rest is excellent. Especially the action. I liked Episode III more than I did Return of the Jedi. The OT is much better but that doesn't mean the PT is bad. |
Infamous Scribbler  Posts: 541 Joined: 27 Aug 2008 | Episode 3 kicked absolute ass, and is one of my favourite films ever. People that whine that the new films are more aimed towards kids than the old ones must have fallen asleep when they watched them all, since Order 66 is brutal. |
Copy Clerk Posts: 64 Joined: 19 Jun 2008 | And I was just reminded... The Clone Wars movie officially stands as worse than episode I and should not ever be considered Star Wars cannon. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2934 Joined: 22 Aug 2008 |
Plus it had Anakin/Vader butcher a bunch of defenseless children. |
Beat Writer  Posts: 165 Joined: 14 May 2008 | Simon Pegg says it better than I can: http://www.dailymotion.com/darkknight37/video/x227q9_spaced-jar-jar_fun?from=rss |
Infamous Scribbler Posts: 541 Joined: 27 Aug 2008 |
Pfft, and that. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 1828 Joined: 14 Nov 2007 |
To that, all I have to say is: barnacles. ...Sorry, you wanted more. Fine. You know whales, right? Big fuck-off not-fishes that swim in the sea. Used to make soap. Anyway, one of the funny things about whales is that you get these little shelled things called barnacles that live on them, like nature's sticky pads. They live on the whale's skin, and eat all the little parasites and generally make life easier for the whale. Now, the bigger and stronger the whale, the more barnacles you get on it. ...You can see were I'm going with this, right? Midi-chlorians are like barnacles. They no more make the force than the barnacles make the whales that they live on. They're no doubt related to the force in someway, but they do not make it. They're a correlatory thing, not a causation. The Force is still the same mystical sweet Force we've always known and loved. |
Paperboy Posts: 18 Joined: 23 Sep 2008 |
But the point is that they told us how jedis used the force. It was so great when I saw the originals becouse the force seemed like such a magical thing, and so did the jedis that used it. Now that the mystery is gone, the fun surrounding the force has left to go to some space party. |
Infamous Scribbler  Posts: 532 Joined: 7 Nov 2007 | I guess I didn't like the new ones because I wasn't a kid when they came out as opposed to the first three. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 1828 Joined: 14 Nov 2007 |
How is it less fun? The Jedi and the Sith are still using the Force for all kinds of batshit insane stuff throughout the series. The Force could be micro-scopic organisms (which it isn't), it could be buddhist-like zen (which it is, even with midi-chlorians), or it could be moon snakes made out of jelly, it doesn't change the fact that Vader chokes people to death, and is as scary as hell in doing so. |
Press Junketeer  Posts: 439 Joined: 27 Mar 2008 | I'll not lie, I didn't like Star Wars, so I guess I wouldn't like the prequels. Well, I did watch Episode one when it first came out, and I liked that. So, I guess I like one of the prequels. |
Pulitzer Laureate  Posts: 999 Joined: 2 Jan 2008 | I'll answer your question, even though other people already have, but here you go: You were a kid. When Star Wars four, five, and six came out, kids and adults loved them. Everyone liked four because of the amazing effects. Everyone liked five because it was the best one and Lucas didn't direct it and had help writing it. ... kids liked episode six a lot more than the adults. And Episodes one, two, and three were just that. They were made in the same vein as episode 6, only moreso. They were little-kidded. And that was what was wrong with them. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you liked them, but you were twelve, dude. You probably liked Pokemon too, at the time. Are you going to argue that the plotline there is art? - J |
Wherever I go, people always seem to be pouring shit on the new Star Wars movies. If it's not "George Lucas has ruined my childhood", then it's "The prequels are a crime against movie history". So, I ask the Escapist- do we have any actual prequel fans?
I myself rather like them. Before I get spammed with cries of "Heresy!", and "Unclean! Unclean!" Let me explain. I wasn't even born when the originals were out in the cinemas. I was most definitely aware of them as a kid, hell I loved 'em. But it wasn't the same for me as it was for the older fans. I was never shockedby the twist in Empire. As far as I was aware, everyone knew that Vader was Luke's father. It was one of the first things kids of my generation ever learned, right after walking and making meaningless babbling noises. The Empire was bad, Vader was evil, but Luke won in the end. Everyone in the playground knew this, even if they'd never seen Star Wars. So while I grew up loving the adventures of Luke and the gang, I never had the 'WOW' factor that you older guys had.
But then, when I was 11 or 12, something amazing happened. A new Star Wars film came out. A brand new film, never before seen by anyone, ever. New story, new characters, new special effects, new everything. Now, familiar as I was with the originals, I, like everyone else on the planet, wanted to see this film more than anything else. So my uncle finally gave in to my incessant pleadings and took me and my sister to see it. So I saw it. The Phantom Menace. And my brain almost exploded. To my 11 or 12 year old mind, that film was the best thing in the history of everything, ever!
The Jedi! They were so unbelievably cool! And all the aliens were really colourful and cool looking! And the Pod-race was just the most awesome thing ever! It was just so... vroom-vroom! swoosh! nyeeeeeeuuuuugh! BOOM! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! KABLOOIE! 'Poodoo'! And Darth Maul...
I'm sorry, but even though I'm not 12 any more, I will always swear that the fight with Darth Maul is the coolest thing ever, ever, ever. The Hangar-Bay doors slide open, he's just standing there, Duel Of The fucking Fates starts playing, and Qui-Gonn and Obi-Wan just saunter up all cool-like and say 'We'll handle this.' Then Dart Maul pulls out his lightsaber and it has two blades! TWO! And then they fight, and it's more awesomely amazing than anything else I have ever seen in my whole life. I left that cinema with my hair plastered back in amazement, and the biggest, hugest grin on my face. And suddenly I get Star Wars. I get why people talk about it in such hushed voices.
Fast forwards a few years, and Clones comes out. By this time, I'm a teenager, I'm too cool for Star Wars. I'm a young rebel, and if all the cool people say that Phantom Menace was rubbish, well hey, so do I. Yet deep down I love it, and when Clones comes out I go and see it. And I'm amazed again. Everything Phantom did, Clones did better. The light-saber duels were cooler, the set-pieces were better, the story was more involving, Mace Motherfucking Windu!!! Yoda fought with a lightsaber, Saruman was in it, there were huge fuck-off battles at the end involving thousands of clones, and to top it all, I actually found myself feeling a little sentimental over Anakin and Padme. So I left that cinema once again with my hair plastered back in awesomness and the biggest grin on my face.
Life carries on, I become a far more free thinking younf individual, and Revenge of the Sith comes out. And I've heard all the diatribes against the other two, and I know that everyone now hates Star Wars, but I go and see it anyway because god-dammit I want to know what happens. And by golly, I must have been about 16 when I first saw Sith, but it still made me feel like a 10 year old inside. The clones were awesome! Palpatine was such a bastard! There were wookies! Grievous was the coolest thing I had ever seen! Anakin and Obi-Wan's final fight was so intense I thought I was going to have a heart attack! For the third time, I left the cinema with hair plastered back with awesomness and the biggest grin on my face.
Now, looking back, I can see the flaws with them. The scripting was iffy, the delivery sometimes clunky, the characters not always best utilized. But for fuck sake, the exact samecould be said about the originals. People talk about them as if they're more sacred than the offspring of Citizen Kane and Gone With The Wind, but Boba Fett died from a fucking jet pack malfunction! Episodes IV-VI are absolute clunkers in terms of scripting and delivery. You think people back in the 70s and 80s were watching Star Wars for the script? They were watching it because it was a family blockbuster that happened to have a decent story and characters. That's why people watched the originals, and that's why I watched the prequels. For the fucking spectacle!
You know, maybe the prequels did ruin your childhood. But they helped shape mine, so I'll be damned if people are going to keep jumping on the anti-Lucas bandwagon and slagging off films that I think are awesome.
Sorry if the rant is too long. In short- are there any other Prequel fans in hiding here at the Escapist?