Star Wars: Episode VII: The Nerd Rage Awakens

[Mage]

I love the first Star Wars. But there are some pacing issues for me, the acting, the directing. It's not a great film when judged like that. But as a space fantasy, it's amazing. As a complete film, Empire is much better. More coherent.

I'm not burning A New Hope or anything. But I introduced a friend to Star Wars the other day, and we've seen A New Hope and Empire sofar. She was more impressed with Empire than with A New Hope. And I know more Star Wars fans who feel the same.

Ofcourse, knowing this forum, I'll probably get burned for having a different opinion. It's a thing here. *read that with a big tongue in cheek*

 

[RoJoHen]

I love the first Star Wars. But there are some pacing issues for me, the acting, the directing. It's not a great film when judged like that. But as a space fantasy, it's amazing. As a complete film, Empire is much better. More coherent.

I'm not burning A New Hope or anything. But I introduced a friend to Star Wars the other day, and we've seen A New Hope and Empire sofar. She was more impressed with Empire than with A New Hope. And I know more Star Wars fans who feel the same.

Ofcourse, knowing this forum, I'll probably get burned for having a different opinion. It's a thing here. *read that with a big tongue in cheek*

I'm actually with you here. I used to love all the Star Wars films as a kid, but as an adult I find "A New Hope" very difficult to get through. It's poorly paced, especially in the beginning, and it nearly puts me to sleep.

 

[Venardhi]

To be in that darkened theater waiting for that movie to come on is the completion of a journey that started from my childhood and now is being resurrected for me as an adult. Not just a movie sequel

This is why certain movies can never live up to the hype. Not only does it have to satisfy the adults in the audience, it has to also satisfy the kids inside those adults that saw the movie thirty-plus years ago.

A tough thing to balance.

The most important goal of this first film should be to earn the trust of those inner children so when they kill an old favorite character or take the story in an unexpected new direction those adults have allowed themselves to become invested rather than looking for more reasons to dislike it.

 

[cooleddie74]

The first was good because it was groundbreaking in so many ways, but as a film, it is lacking.

[General Zod] Why do you say this to us, when you know we will question you about it? [/Zod]

 

[Tulin]

I love the first Star Wars. But there are some pacing issues for me, the acting, the directing. It's not a great film when judged like that. But as a space fantasy, it's amazing. As a complete film, Empire is much better. More coherent.

I'm not burning A New Hope or anything. But I introduced a friend to Star Wars the other day, and we've seen A New Hope and Empire sofar. She was more impressed with Empire than with A New Hope. And I know more Star Wars fans who feel the same.

Ofcourse, knowing this forum, I'll probably get burned for having a different opinion. It's a thing here. *read that with a big tongue in cheek*

Nope.

Empire is just better.

It's a fact.

 

[Hound of UIster]

I love the first Star Wars. But there are some pacing issues for me, the acting, the directing. It's not a great film when judged like that. But as a space fantasy, it's amazing. As a complete film, Empire is much better. More coherent.

I'm not burning A New Hope or anything. But I introduced a friend to Star Wars the other day, and we've seen A New Hope and Empire sofar. She was more impressed with Empire than with A New Hope. And I know more Star Wars fans who feel the same.

There is a reason why Lucas's wife won the Academy award for editing it Without her or the other two editors, it probably would have been a turkey.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I don't agree with the idea that Empire is better.

First, and this is not a demerit, but it idn't a complete film, it has no beginning and no end. That's ne of the things that makes it great, but A New Hope is complete story, and can be taken as such.

People also complain about the time/ distance thing in Empire, things which I have no problem with at all (I'm talking about the Falcon's ability to go to all these places without hyperdrive, I mean that's what ships do in Star Wars but every so often people still nitpick it, but even more to the point that Luke's story is happening simultaneously).

Whereas a New Hope takes it's time. People might fall asleep in those early homestead sequences, but I think they are eseesntial for grounding what is essentially a pulp adventure. Looking at the film now I am really starting to feel that it may be the best of them.

In many ways, it is better, as it's actually moodier and more cinematic.. but I'm not sure

 

[kirk55555]

I've never been able to pick my favorite of the OT. They're all great to me, even ROTJ, and while none are perfect (not that any movie is), I like them all about equally.

 

[BillJ]

.

People also complain about the time/ distance thing in Empire, things which I have no problem with at all (I'm talking about the Falcon's ability to go to all these places without hyperdrive, I mean that's what ships do in Star Wars but every so often people still nitpick it, but even more to the point that Luke's story is happening simultaneously).

I've never heard this particular criticism outside of a small group of sci-fi fans.

 

[DarthTom]

.

People also complain about the time/ distance thing in Empire, things which I have no problem with at all (I'm talking about the Falcon's ability to go to all these places without hyperdrive, I mean that's what ships do in Star Wars but every so often people still nitpick it, but even more to the point that Luke's story is happening simultaneously).

I've never heard this particular criticism outside of a small group of sci-fi fans.

Agreed. Moreover, Wars doesn't attempt to explain why time distillation fails to occur as you approach light speed either. Star Wars shouldn't tried to be looked at through the prism of accurate science.

 

[cooleddie74]

My order of preference for the films in the OT has been:

1. Empire
2. Hope
3. Jedi

for a long time now, but frankly they all have their little flaws if you spend enough time watching them. From my perspective ROTJ was a significant step down in writing quality from the first two films, but the Emperor-Vader-Luke scenes in the movie are so masterfully-crafted, atmospheric and tense that the scenes with The Emperor aboard the second Death Star all by themselves almost completely make up for the shortcomings in the rest of the film. The final act of Jedi is that strong.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Also about Jedi.. I like the Ewoks. If the film had the tone of Empire, they would have no place, but they really help add something to final act of Jedi. I actually love the battle in the woods with the AT-ST's and when Chewie takes over the one walker, I find myself still getting excited! All three aspects of the film (Endor, the battle, and Luke/Vader/ Emperor scenes) are all working on full by that time that I forget that Marquand isn't all that good of a director (certainly no Kirshner).

 

[davejames]

Whereas a New Hope takes it's time. People might fall asleep in those early homestead sequences, but I think they are eseesntial for grounding what is essentially a pulp adventure. Looking at the film now I am really starting to feel that it may be the best of them.

Yeah to me the Tatooine scenes in ANH aren't really any slower or draggier than the Dagobah scenes in ESB. And I just really love how gritty and quiet and isolated the whole place feels (at least in the original, less busy, non-CG version of the movie).

And when it comes to the movies overall, I think ultimately I just prefer a more cornball, swashbuckling style of SW movie like ANH over a more serious and complex version like ESB (as Lucas clearly did as well, given the way he yanked ROTJ back much more to the style of the first movie instead of the second).

 

[JD]

I'd put ESB above the other two, which are rather equal in my opinion.
As for TFA being the best one yet, I do see it as a possibility, but there's an equal possibility that it could be the worst. I'm pretty sure I will at least enjoy it, if not love it, but I'm not going to get myself so hyped up for it before it comes out that it totally destroys me if it sucks.
That said, I'm definitely excited for it, and I've even fallen for the hype and gotten myself some merchandise and may very well get more.

 

[Beagleman]

Also about Jedi.. I like the Ewoks. If the film had the tone of Empire, they would have no place, but they really help add something to final act of Jedi. I actually love the battle in the woods with the AT-ST's and when Chewie takes over the one walker, I find myself still getting excited! All three aspects of the film (Endor, the battle, and Luke/Vader/ Emperor scenes) are all working on full by that time that I forget that Marquand isn't all that good of a director (certainly no Kirshner).

Agreed on all accounts!

 

[BeatleJWOL]

You people.

Last third of ROTJ makes it the best.

No, I'm not interested in arguing about it.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

First, and this is not a demerit, but it idn't a complete film, it has no beginning and no end. That's ne of the things that makes it great, but A New Hope is complete story, and can be taken as such.

Empire is a complete film. It's structure is en media res, and it's subject is the unending struggle between good and evil, but it does have a beginning, middle and end. It's just not an end audiences wanted to see because it's not a definitive happy ending with a parade and meddles. It's one step forward, two steps back, but in the end, the good guys get back up and start over.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I don't know. I thought Lobot was very meddlesome.

 

[Hound of UIster]

First, and this is not a demerit, but it idn't a complete film, it has no beginning and no end. That's ne of the things that makes it great, but A New Hope is complete story, and can be taken as such.

Empire is a complete film. It's structure is en media res, and it's subject is the unending struggle between good and evil, but it does have a beginning, middle and end. It's just not an end audiences wanted to see because it's not a definitive happy ending with a parade and meddles. It's one step forward, two steps back, but in the end, the good guys get back up and start over.

That is a very interesting view of the film. Never thought of it that way.

 

[Campe]

I love the first Star Wars. But there are some pacing issues for me, the acting, the directing. It's not a great film when judged like that. But as a space fantasy, it's amazing. As a complete film, Empire is much better. More coherent.

I'm not burning A New Hope or anything. But I introduced a friend to Star Wars the other day, and we've seen A New Hope and Empire sofar. She was more impressed with Empire than with A New Hope. And I know more Star Wars fans who feel the same.

Ofcourse, knowing this forum, I'll probably get burned for having a different opinion. It's a thing here. *read that with a big tongue in cheek*

Nope.

Empire is just better.

It's a fact.

Nope.

Totally subjective. I prefer A New Hope. But to each his own.