Is Empire REALLY the best Star Wars movie?

[a-dev]

Yeah, but those first 10 minutes includes Vader on the Tantive, and that's too much awesome. Seeing him come through the smokey doorway, and hearing that music as he does so; then hearing that voice and watching him take charge . . . that IS Star Wars to me. Also doesn't get much more iconic than the droid purchase, the landspeeder, and "Hello there."

Can't go wrong either way, though.

Shouty Vader of ANH was always a bit weird to me. How could that possibly be so, you ask? Well, I had seen ESB and Jedi many times before I ever saw ANH. I think I saw ANH for the first time roundabout 1994.

 

[karamazov80]

Oh yes, no argument there!

I do think that ANH has the single most iconic scene in the entire Saga which is the Ben/Vader duel while everyone else watches.

I've said it before but in that one single sequence you have all of these elements:

1. Luke Skywalker
2. Han Solo
3. Princess Leia (and all three heroes in their iconic outfits)
4. Darth Vader
5. Ben Kenobi
6. R2-D2
7. C-3PO
8. Stormtroopers
9. Millennium Falcon
10. Death Star
11. Lightsabers
12. Lasers

Seriously, almost every single thing we associate with and love about Star Wars is represented in that one sequence!

I don't know. It's missing the "remember when. . .?" nostalgia-inducing aspects of all the newer movies that really set them apart from the originals. That's got to be number 4 or 5 on the list. Also, no midichlorian debate.

 

[ajp4mgs]

Shouty Vader of ANH was always a bit weird to me. How could that possibly be so, you ask? Well, I had seen ESB and Jedi many times before I ever saw ANH. I think I saw ANH for the first time roundabout 1994.

Wow!! I've known people who were introduced to the OT in non-sequential order, but never came across anyone who did so and chose not to see ANH shortly thereafter. That's a fascinating point about how you'd be jolted by ANH Vader if you'd first gotten used to ESB/ROTJ Vader for so long. I never thought about that possibility. So, what was your overall feeling about ANH when you did finally see it?

 

[Wor-Gar]

I love shouty Vader. He should have shouted more.

 

[Khev]

I don't know. It's missing the "remember when. . .?" nostalgia-inducing aspects of all the newer movies that really set them apart from the originals.

White haired good guy facing off against a dark warrior with glowing weapons and then "dies" while the rest of the heroes watch and then escape? Even in 1977 that sequence had an aspect of "remember when."

 

[a-dev]

Wow!! I've known people who were introduced to the OT in non-sequential order, but never came across anyone who did so and chose not to see ANH shortly thereafter. That's a fascinating point about how you'd be jolted by ANH Vader if you'd first gotten used to ESB/ROTJ Vader for so long. I never thought about that possibility. So, what was your overall feeling about ANH when you did finally see it?

Well it wasn't so much that I chose not to see it for so long. I just didn't own an official copy of any of the films till 1994 and I only managed to catch it once in TV shortly before that.

Overall I was happy to have another Star Wars film to watch. I'm sure 12 year old me didn't like it quite as much as Empire and Jedi though. As far as memories

-the oddness of shouty, higher pitched Vader

-how different Luke looked - the pre-car accident Mark Hamill

-Ben Kenobi when he was corporeal, wow!

-who's this Tarkin guy? Since when do Imperial Officer types boss Vader around?

-spending much more time on Tatooine - never seen these sandpeople or Banthas before. I remember the Jawas from Jabba's Palace but here they have a much bigger role, didn't know what they sounded like.

-a Death Star that was a complete sphere

That's all I can think of right now.

 

[Khev]

So ANH was your first official "prequel." That's pretty wild, lol.

 

[a-dev]

I've never thought of it like that but yes, you're right, it basically was. The one time George did it right

 

[Protozaius]

Nothing has compared to the revelation of watching Star Wars for the first time in the summer of '77... at least for me personally. It felt like the world changed for me in a very fundamental yet profound way. When Empire came along, it enriched an already engrossing world that Lucas created... it cemented for me that his new world had endless creative possibilities.

Then Jedi proved me wrong.

Star Wars will always be "The Standard".

 

[Khev]

Star Wars will always be "The Standard".

And Empire will always be "The Pinnacle."

 

[thedarkknight]

When it comes to art, what's best is highly subjective. Different things hold different weight to everyone.

That being said Empire Strikes Back is my favorite, and it is possible one day, a new favorite will come along.

 

[karamazov80]

White haired good guy facing off against a dark warrior with glowing weapons and then "dies" while the rest of the heroes watch and then escape? Even in 1977 that sequence had an aspect of "remember when."

 

[Caped Baldy]

But I thought TLJ is best because it subverts expectations and takes risks.

 

[xipotec]

This scene is hands down proof why ESB is not only the best SW film of all time, but easily ranks in the top films of all time....

Sent from the inside of a giant slug in outer space.....

 

[wolfdog51]

I watched it over and over again when it first came out, now I can't make it all the way through. It just bores me to tears and I have to skip parts to get to the end.

 

[a-dev]

*insert one of Jye's eyelid spasm gifs*

 

[Khev]

 

[Wor-Gar]

I'm sure 12 year old me didn't like it quite as much as Empire and Jedi though. As far as memories

-the oddness of shouty, higher pitched Vader

-how different Luke looked - the pre-car accident Mark Hamill

-Ben Kenobi when he was corporeal, wow!

-who's this Tarkin guy? Since when do Imperial Officer types boss Vader around?

-spending much more time on Tatooine - never seen these sandpeople or Banthas before. I remember the Jawas from Jabba's Palace but here they have a much bigger role, didn't know what they sounded like.

-a Death Star that was a complete sphere

That's all I can think of right now.

This is what happens when you do Star Wars wrong.

 

[cokebabies]

I think ESP is the best quality, but I'd rather watch SW more often.

 

[AllisonAmy]

Yes..........