I finally got Danielle to sit down to watch the first Star Wars movie. Admittedly, I had gotten her to sit down once before but she slept through about half of it. Though she begged me not to force her through the movie once again, I did it anyway. I quickly quizzed her and when she couldn't answer anything, her fate was sealed. Watching this movie was a weird experience for me because though I thought I had seen it countless times, I had a hard time remembering what exactly did and didn't take place in this movie (as opposed to the other two). When all was said and done, I realized that this movie isn't quite as good as I remember. It does a great job of laying the groundwork for the next two, but it just feels small. Maybe it's Lucas's directing, I don't know. Still, this is Star Wars and I'm sure I'll watch it again and again.
It's funny because you can apply a lot of the criticisms towards the prequels to this movie as well. Still, there's something really engaging about it all the same. With that being said, I don't think this movie would be remembered so well if it weren't for The Empire Strikes Back.
Damn, I shouldn't be so negative. The Star Wars Universe is too fun to be negative. Fuck it, I take it all back. It's the third best movie of all time.
I'm the other way on this one. I've always loved A New Hope, and at times I've wondered if it's my very favorite Star Wars movie (it's not, but it's close). Maybe it helps that this one can stand alone as a great movie, unattached from sequels or prequels. It's trope-laden as hell - you've got the spunky kid with a sense of adventure, the way-too-wise self-sacrificing old mentor, the damsel in distress, the self-serving mercenary (who learns to open himself up and make friends!) and a few sidekicks who are ultra-competent (R2), ultra-loyal (Chewie), or ultra-quippy (3PO). And then just a purely evil guy, with no charisma, who even his own people fear.
ReplyDeleteIt's also incredibly dark. Not Empire Strieks Back dark, an "always darkest before the dawn" type of Act III break, but just loaded with death and anguish in spite of its generally feel-good tone. Auntie and Uncle get roasted, someone's home planet explodes, more or less the entire squadron of X-wings goes down in flames (and they had names and personalities to boot) - and Han shot first! Everyone is different, but I definitely would have loved (and still would love) this movie even without Empire Strikes Back. Hell, it was seeing this on TV as a kid that made me want to see Empire Strikes Back at all (naturally)
Also, for me this one was always the easiest Star Wars movie to remember, scene-by-scene. In empire I can never really remember when and why Lando enters the picture, or why Vader is after Leia and Han, or at what point Luke arrives on the scene after doing his Jedi training.
It's interesting because I totally see where you are coming from and don't have any arguments against what you are saying. For me, it's hard to view any of these movies on their own merits. So much of Star Wars' greatness for me is in the fact that the movies have inspired so much. Star Wars is probaly the most important franchise in pop culture history. I guess I don't see Star Wars reaching the heights it has reached without either of the two sequels so it's hard for me to name this as my favorite.
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