Whats Your Favorite Star Wars Special Effect

[Locutus of Bored]

My favorite single effect in all the movies would have to be in RotJ right after Admiral Ackbar says "It's a trap!" and Lando says "Fighters coming in" where hundreds of TIE fighters attack them with Star Destroyers in the background. Even with the compositing issues (a few TIE fighters appearing out of thin air) which were unavoidable at the time, seeing that on the big screen as a kid just blew me away. And the RoTJ battle is still the best space battle on film to this day, IMO.

As far as recurring effects throughout the films, the jump into hyperspace and exit from it where all the ships rapidly come toward you before slowing to a crawl was always awesome.

Best sound effect would be the lightsabers activating, being swung around, or hitting each other. It's not accidental that Hayden Christiansen and Ewan MacGregor couldn't help making the sound effect when they were swinging their practice swords during filming. That comes from a childhood spent doing that with every stick or plastic bat you could find.

 

[Galileo7]

Empire Strikes Back, Hoth AT-ATs attack! As a boy, when I saw this film in the theater in 1980 the AT-ATs on the big screen were so impressive.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Not my "favourite" effect, but I love the attention they paid to little details in e.g. the ESB asteroid chase. When tie fighters strike asteroids, you can see the pilot being flung out into space.

Also, when an asteroid hits the bridge of a star destroyer, the scene switches to Vader's holographic conference call with his admirals. The one on the left suddenly reacts in horror to something, and his image sputters out.

 

[USS Firefly]

Best sound, lightsabers being activated and clashing

 

[TRON JA307020]

My favorite single effect in all the movies would have to be in RotJ right after Admiral Ackbar says "It's a trap!" and Lando says "Fighters coming in" where hundreds of TIE fighters attack them with Star Destroyers in the background. Even with the compositing issues (a few TIE fighters appearing out of thin air) which were unavoidable at the time, seeing that on the big screen as a kid just blew me away. And the RoTJ battle is still the best space battle on film to this day, IMO.

As far as recurring effects throughout the films, the jump into hyperspace and exit from it where all the ships rapidly come toward you before slowing to a crawl was always awesome.

Best sound effect would be the lightsabers activating, being swung around, or hitting each other. It's not accidental that Hayden Christiansen and Ewan MacGregor couldn't help making the sound effect when they were swinging their practice swords during filming. That comes from a childhood spent doing that with every stick or plastic bat you could find.

Excellent pick. ROTJ had some of the best space battles. The ships looked fantastic.

 

[Chris3123]

Both Death star runs were good.

Any of the big space battles, especially The Battle of Endor. Best one of the whole series, IMO.

I also loved the Falcon chase scene in TFA.

No doubt I'll have a couple more once I see Rogue One.

The opening battle in ROTS.

Yep. As much as I don't like the prequels in general, I have to admit that scene was freaking awesome.

 

[Ithekro]

The opening for ROTS was impressive, but it could have been more interesting had they kept the extended dogfight for the two Jedi. But that slows the pacing down since all they need to do is get on the enemy flagship to move the plot forward.

The worst part of that opening is that the first two cheers of the movie are both for R2-D2, not Anakin or Obi-wan. Meaning the droid is the most heroic of them for most of that part of the movie. Even the lightsaber duel is a bit rushed with the novel version being a bit more satisfying.

The space battle for Rogue One is impressive. Not as expansive at ROTS or ROTJ, but very real. More viewing of it will make it seem better.

 

[Solid Snack]

ESB's asteroid chase, in particular, showed a lot of the special effects advancements. In ANH the Falcon mainly kind of moves in a straight line, but in ESB it's able to do all sorts of crazy manuevers. Lucas actually did intend to give the Falcon more flexibility in ANH-a lot of what's included with the Falcon in the SE is actually based on old storyboarded shots that didn't work out (Most importantly the Falcon leaving the Death Star when Luke fires).

 

[david kelly]

James Earl Jones.

"So when it came to Darth Vader, I said, no, I'm just special effects."
--James Earl Jones.

 

[fireproof78]

My favorite single effect in all the movies would have to be in RotJ right after Admiral Ackbar says "It's a trap!" and Lando says "Fighters coming in" where hundreds of TIE fighters attack them with Star Destroyers in the background. Even with the compositing issues (a few TIE fighters appearing out of thin air) which were unavoidable at the time, seeing that on the big screen as a kid just blew me away. And the RoTJ battle is still the best space battle on film to this day, IMO.

As far as recurring effects throughout the films, the jump into hyperspace and exit from it where all the ships rapidly come toward you before slowing to a crawl was always awesome.

Best sound effect would be the lightsabers activating, being swung around, or hitting each other. It's not accidental that Hayden Christiansen and Ewan MacGregor couldn't help making the sound effect when they were swinging their practice swords during filming. That comes from a childhood spent doing that with every stick or plastic bat you could find.

Well, you took all of mine

 

[Zonker]

Spoiler: Rogue One

Krennic was right. The destruction of Jedha was absolutely gorgeous.

 

[Mage]

Spoiler: Rogue One spoiler

The two Star Destroyers crashing into each other was well done. The Star Destroyers in general looked amazing in this movie, they really seemed huge.

 

[Solariabsg25]

I have two favourites. The first being the space battle in ROTS. This is no rag-tag group of rebels using hit-and-run tactics, but two massive powers going at it. And also they seem to even try to keep the battle continuity when merely the background of the Obi-Wan/Anakin vs Dooku fight.

The second is the battle in ROTJ, from "It's a trap!" right through Lando and Wedge showing how skilled they are by flying through the Death Star II's superstructure, something so iconic that Ron Moore had Apollo do a similar thing against the Cylon tylium mine in BSG's "Hand of god" as a homage.

 

[TRON JA307020]

Empire Strikes Back, Hoth AT-ATs attack! As a boy, when I saw this film in the theater in 1980 the AT-ATs on the big screen were so impressive.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Yeah they looked very ominous walking toward the rebels. One of my all time favorite sequences in SW.

 

[Smellmet]

Opening scene of ANH. Just utterly stunning.
Millennium falcon approaching the death star in ANH.

As big a fan I am of the asteroid chase in ESB, for some reason I just don't like the effects that much in some of the scenes in it, the models just didn't look quite as crisp to me as the did in ANH and you could see some slight artefacts around the falcon, the bit where the falcon tips on its side making the tie fighters explode looks a bit shoddy to me too. The drama and music just sell the whole sequence so well that it just doesn't matter though.

The end space battle in ROTJ is still the best space battle ever on the big screen. For how old it is that is a seriously good achievement. It holds up so well today and doesn't look dated.

The pod race in TPM is a great, intense sequence and one of the best scenes in this much maligned film.

The city chase in AOTC is a stunner, as is a lot of the visuals in that movie.

Opening battle in ROTS is great too but didn't manage to excite me in the same way as the ROTJ battle.

I love the fight between the emporer and yoda in the senate, that was a great, well staged scene.

All the falcon stuff in TFA was great, but I didn't care for the end space battle too much. Thought the end battle in RO absolutely pissed on it in terms of visuals and excitement, the ships looked amazing in it and it was right up there with the end battle of ROTJ. I found RO to generally be the most visually stunning film in the franchise, too many scenes to list, but so it should being the newest.

Let's face it star wars really is the standard bearer when it comes to visual effects.

 

[fireproof78]

I have two favourites. The first being the space battle in ROTS. This is no rag-tag group of rebels using hit-and-run tactics, but two massive powers going at it. And also they seem to even try to keep the battle continuity when merely the background of the Obi-Wan/Anakin vs Dooku fight.

They did, actually. The battle was fully choreographed and animated even through the windows.

The second is the battle in ROTJ, from "It's a trap!" right through Lando and Wedge showing how stilled they are by flying through the Death Star II's superstructure, something so iconic that Ron Moore had Apollo do a similar thing against the Cylon tylium mine in BSG's "Hand of god" as a homage.

Absolutely one of the best space battles, hands down. Incredible sequence, that rivals even the final battle in RO in terms of scope and effects.

 

[Ithekro]

There is just something really awesome about the Rebel fleet coming out of hyperspace in RO. Probably helps that the music fits very well there.

 

[Tribble puncher]

The TIE fighter sound was stolen from The Magic Dragon :

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

It's at 1:16:55 if it doesn't start right there...

Wow, thats a pretty cool find, I know a certain guy with a fedora at work who can't handle being one upped on anything Star Wars related. I may actually watch this whole movie too, I kinda dig old swords and sandles films, You can't hate Movies like: Hercules Against the Moon Men.

 

[Tribble puncher]

Yeah, I think it's just because I'm was older when I saw it in theaters so I have more vivid memories, but the Rebel Ships flying into the super structure of the second Death Star just melted my face off, I mean right off, my Dad had to scoop it up off the floor of the theater and put it in the empty popcorn bag for the trip home. I wouldn't shut up about how awesome that part of the movie was FOR DAYS. As an adult, I'd give it (just barely) to the Falcon chase in ESB, the Part where Han yells "Well we can still outmanuver em!" and goes into this insane barrel roll with the tie lasers whizzing by, by what looks like Inches is just freaking incredible.

 

[publiusr]

The end space battle in ROTJ is still the best space battle ever on the big screen. For how old it is that is a seriously good achievement. It holds up so well today ans doesn't look dated. .

Agree in part. Unlike the space battle in Revenge of the Sith--that was a bit cluttered--the battle scenes in ROTJ didn't go on long enough for me. I'd really like to see Excecutor's swan-dive done with today's effects.

ROTJ would have been perfect if it were above a fully Imperialized Coruscant instead of Endor--so Death Star debris could be seen raining down and city scapes levelled that would turn back into green spaces over time.

If you want your mind blown--find this magazine:
https://www.amazon.com/Terraforming...breeding-Biochemical/dp/B00L8AZRSQ?tag=vig-20

Take a look at the interior of a Dyson Megasphere.

Speaking of Death Stars:
http://www.kschroeder.com/my-books/sun-of-suns/engineering-virga

Huge bubble for space
http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/01/single-soap-bubble-made-on-earth-that.html

Death Star do-able?
http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/01/technology-for-making-death-star-sized.html

"Very funny, young man - but it's trusses all the way down"