Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[DarkDune]

2 DAYS!!!

[Shaft Windu]

Originally Posted by svenge

We have always been at war with Eastasia, and Greedo always shot first!

[SDon1969]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I'm kind of a Star Wars newbie and have a question for the fans. I haven't seen any of the movies in a long time but am buying the whole series. Would you recommend watching episodes 4-6 first or starting with Episode 1?

I would say 4,5,6,1,2,3 for a newbie, 1,2,3,4,5,6 for those who have seen 'em all. Not sure how many would agree with that but I would want to see 'em the way they were released at first, and in order later.

[happydood]

Originally Posted by svenge

Sorry, but for all your talk about complexity and depth you fail to recognize that the prequels are in the end merely a high-profile failed attempt to recapture lightning in a bottle.

Well, aesthetic reasons for claiming they were a failure aside, I'd say The Prequels failed because enough people didn't think they were effective. Lucas effectively split his fan base in half.

BUT... at least half his fan base did like them according to review aggregates and these very forums we enjoy. Lucas used to enjoy a much better reputation. In that sense, The Prequels were a failure. The original movies had become such a cultural touchstone that it was easy to forget the 2 and 3 star reviews they got when they first came out.

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

Forget it. He doesn't want to get it. He and others like him just blindly love everything Lucas did after 1997 and they will never try to understand how or why someone could possibly have a thought or opinion on any aspect of Star Wars that doesn't, at any and every given moment, match up exactly with what Lucas's vision is, despite the fact that Lucas's vision seems to be a perpetual rapidly moving target.

Ha, I see what you did there.

[MrJoeKalel]

Originally Posted by Shaft Windu

El Jay, there are tons of themes and issues that can be talked about in analyzing the saga. You must admit that you can get more complexity and a deeper understanding out of 6 movies than just 3. And I HAVE reasonable arguments in favor of all the prequels, in favor of starting out with Anakin as a young boy, for the importance of JarJars role and the midichlorians. I could tell you about allusions, connections and symbolism I have found in these movies that would blow your mind. But I guess I would only be in for more snark comments and run into a brick wall - just like earlier when I tried to explain about the spirit-metaphor in RotJ. To some people sushi is a feast and to others it's just raw fish. When you don't take Lucas seriously in all things Star Wars like one would respect Tolkien with his work there is no ground to have a debate upon... Then these 6 movies are just effect-heavy action-pics like pirates, transformers or spider-man - but they are much more.

I think most of us agree that the OT has one really good film (VI) and two excellent films (IV and V). However, we dislike how GL tries to tie in the PT with the OT, and not the other way around. He established history in IV and had that to base the rest, but he chose to use the PT instead.

I agree that there are connections and that the movies "rhyme" with each other somehow, but that does NOT make them good. Yes, Anakin blew up that robot base thing in space in I, while Luke destroyed the Death Star in IV. Yes, Anakin lost his hand in II, and Luke lost his in V. Yes, Anakin died and Darth Vader was born in III, and Darth Vader died and Anakin was 'reborn' in VI, as well as the "NOooOoOOOOooo!!!!11!!!!" line rhyming in both (yuck). Yes, the whole Gungan (nature) versus the robots (robots) in I mirrors Ewoks (marketing at kids) against the Empire...blah blah blah. That does NOT make movies good...

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by SDon1969

and the Junk Funk music scene...

Yeah, why did GL ditch Lapti Nek in favour of that clunky piece? Did he ever give a reason?

[Shaft Windu]

Originally Posted by mvckalel

I think most of us agree that the OT has one really good film (VI) and two excellent films (IV and V). However, we dislike how GL tries to tie in the PT with the OT, and not the other way around. He established history in IV and had that to base the rest, but he chose to use the PT instead.

I agree that there are connections and that the movies "rhyme" with each other somehow, but that does NOT make them good. Yes, Anakin blew up that robot base thing in space in I, while Luke destroyed the Death Star in IV. Yes, Anakin lost his hand in II, and Luke lost his in V. Yes, Anakin died and Darth Vader was born in III, and Darth Vader died and Anakin was 'reborn' in VI, as well as the "NOooOoOOOOooo!!!!11!!!!" line rhyming in both (yuck). Yes, the whole Gungan (nature) versus the robots (robots) in I mirrors Ewoks (marketing at kids) against the Empire...blah blah blah. That does NOT make movies good...

As I said... Sushi! Either you like it or you don't.

[svenge]

Originally Posted by Shaft Windu

As I said... Sushi! Either you like it or you don't.

The problem is that what you think is top-notch sushi is actually decaying chunks of catfish...

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by SDon1969

Changes I do not particularly like are Greedo shooting first, Vader's No-No, and the Junk Funk music scene. But that said, I still can't wait to own this set Friday and watch em all for the billionth time.

Same here. Even though I really don't mind Vader's no's. For me it's the Greedo thing (the idea of Greedo shooting first doesn't bother me. It's that the execution of it is terrible!), the Jedi Rocks scene, and the fact that ILM still has not bothered to make the lightsaber effects match all 6 films. Having said that, those nit picks are not enough to avoid buying and enjoying this set!

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by merbermaniac123

Okay, so this is a sort of off topic question but here goes:

From reading all the reviews and whatnot, the audio seems to be the best part of these blu rays. I've been using my TV speakers but really think it's time to upgrade as the speakers suck.

Now I know most people here have amazing home theater systems, but as I'm a college student with a part time job at the BK lounge, my budget is, obviously, limited. So don't judge. I've narrowed it down to two home theater systems:

Polk Audio RM705 5.1 Home Theater System
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-RM7...6018784&sr=8-2

or

Klipsch HD 300 Compact 5.1 High Definition Theater system
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

I'd greatly appreciate any help as I have no idea about home theater systems. I just want one that will give me awesome enough sound and last for a few years.

In the words of C-3PO "Help, PLEASE HELP!"

The Klipsch set would likely be better, IMO. You need a receiver though.

http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-1312...6020215&sr=1-4

Or an entire Denon system with receiver is the cheapest option and probably the best way to go about it.

http://www.amazon.com/Denon-DHT-391X...6020323&sr=1-1

[sardaukar1977]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

Oh, by the way, Lucas redid the Han vs. Greedo again:

Han Shot Last - YouTube

Looks much better to me .

I love it!!
hahahahah!!

[Lsalas76]

Originally Posted by SDon1969

Changes I do not particularly like are Greedo shooting first, Vader's No-No, and the Junk Funk music scene. But that said, I still can't wait to own this set Friday and watch em all for the billionth time.

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

Yeah, why did GL ditch Lapti Nek in favour of that clunky piece? Did he ever give a reason?

yeah this and I loved the original Ewok Celebration song too at the end of the ROTJ. So why did Lucas change these? They are much better than the SE songs.

well my opinion is that Lucas added new music so that the cd re-releases would sell for the SE.

[shesha]

Originally Posted by SDon1969

I would say 4,5,6,1,2,3 for a newbie, 1,2,3,4,5,6 for those who have seen 'em all. Not sure how many would agree with that but I would want to see 'em the way they were released at first, and in order later.

Even having watched them all a million times, there is something unsatisfying ending with EP. III I like to end it with ROTJ. I like 1-6 now. If I was showing this to my GF for the first time, I would do it 4-6 then 1-3. because if we started with TPM, she would not continue on, and she would also break up with me.

[Zuiun]

Originally Posted by Shaft Windu

El Jay, there are tons of themes and issues that can be talked about in analyzing the saga. You must admit that you can get more complexity and a deeper understanding out of 6 movies than just 3.

I know that I previously said that when I'm watching them, I don't nitpick. But I'm not watching them right now...

I don't disagree with your right to an opinion. And perhaps for you, the added complexity enriches the experience. So be it.

For me, complexity doesn't automatically equal good.

One of the biggest rules of storytelling is figuring out what to leave out. Anyone who goes back and reads the notes Lucas had back in the 70's can see that by the time he got close to the final script for "Star Wars," he had a lot of the back story fleshed out (although there's plenty of evidence that he hadn't finalized the "Vader is Luke's father" idea until AFTER Star Wars was released).

Lucas, the 1970's Lucas, who had the likes of Frances Ford Coppola bending his year about the importance of storytelling, made the conscious decision to tell his story from the middle. Why? Because the back story wasn't as interesting. It was important to HIM, because it gave him his framework for the stories. But it wasn't necessary for US.

Movies about World War II (huge influences on Star Wars) don't begin with how Germany rose to power. They begin in the thick of battle and tell personal stories about the combatants. Flash Gordon (another influence) doesn't concern itself with how Ming became Merciless. It's enough that he is.

There are major flaws in the narrative of the OT (mostly due to Lucas' late-in-the-game decision regarding Vader's identity), but despite them, it's a rich storytelling experience, I would argue, precisely because of what we don't know about the past.

In that context, it shouldn't be hard to grasp why some people feel like the PT is a lot like looking behind the curtain to see a boring old man instead of a mysterious and mighty wizard.

Maybe you enjoy seeing how it all works. But some like to remain bewildered by the magic.

Neither is wrong.

[Beowulf85]

Originally Posted by svenge

We have always been at war with Eastasia, and Greedo always shot first!

War is peace, slavery is freedom, ignorance is strength.... yes, Greed always shot first, Vader always said NOOOO, Episode I came out first

[Weirded Wonder]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

Yeah, why did GL ditch Lapti Nek in favour of that clunky piece? Did he ever give a reason?

He never liked the way her mouth moved or articulated the song.

1 day 10 hours 39 minutes...

[happydood]

Originally Posted by Shaft Windu

As I said... Sushi! Either you like it or you don't.

I actually like your analogy though I think you'll by no means convince anyone.

I've seen folks on this board talk about the plots, acting, execution, and effects being a muddled mess and these are arguments for aesthetics. You can't really convince anybody a picture is pretty when they think it's ugly, you can only talk about whether or not an artist achieved what he was trying to accomplish and if he did, whether or not he's a bad artist or a good one compared to all other artists.

It was easy to overlook any of these issues in the original trilogy because there was nothing else to compare it to. Now the new ones get compared to not only the originals but all other effects movies since and they don't hold up for a lot of people. That's totally fine. To say some people don't like sushi implies that Lucas accomplished exactly what he set out to do and that these newer movies were what he intended to make, bad acting at all. The argument I've heard on this board so far doesn't judge in those terms. It simply says the movies were poor, intentional or not. And that's totally fine. What becomes problematic is people implying that you're wrong or misguided for liking them.

To strengthen what you said, Lucas himself did tell Irvin Kirshner that the acting in The Empire Strikes Back didn't need to be as good as he was apparently trying to get it. Make of that, what you will.

[Shaft Windu]

Originally Posted by Zuiun

Maybe you enjoy seeing how it all works. But some like to remain bewildered by the magic.

I can easily do both!

[Phatjedi]

Amazon sent email saying mine was shipped which usually means it will be at the house tomorrow!!!! Will post pics.