The Force Is Strong With This One - The POP Star Wars Thread

Last night I watched Episode I, I'm about to watch II, III will be tomorrow and the original trilogy next week so it seems the perfect time for a Star Wars thread. A place to discuss the films, lists, pictures, the expanded universe etc


As I watched it last night I'll start with a bit about The Phantom Menace

I am a huge fan of the original trilogy but I don't really remember any great excitement on my part in 1999 when this came out, I didn't see it at the cinema until at least a few weeks after its release. Anyway, unlike many people, I really like it. Liam Neeson plays the wise older Jedi very well, Ewan McGregor is fine as Obi Wan and Natalie Portman is lovely as Padme. I even like Jar Jar Binks. The absolute best thing in the film in my opinion though is the Qui Gon & Obi Wan lightsabre duel with Darth Maul, a really exciting battle accompanied by the awesome John Williams music.



My only slight niggles would be the slightly dull trade/tax plot and the fact that Darth Vader, possibly my all time favourite movie villiain, starts life known as Annie!

I loooooooove Star Wars.

Sometime when I was about 5, I saw Return Of The Jedi. However I only had the vaguest memory of it, the only bit I could recall was the speedbike chase.

When the re-releases came out in 1997. my elder brother took my sister and myself to A New Hope and we were both hooked. Two weeks later we saw Empire, two weeks after that Jedi (and it was only then that I realised I had seen some Star Wars over a decade earlier). Star Wars mania took over the house, and to this day I have about 100 SW books. Encyclopedias, guides, scripts, novels, etc etc.

In 1999, I was stupidly excited about Phantom Menace. And I saw it and loved it. Then I saw it again and loved it a bit less. Third time, a bit less. And so on and so on. Of all 6, it's the weakest, and I place the blame firmly on that annoying liitle oik who plays Anakin. Bad enough that we have to see Darth Vadar as a kid, but as that kid? No thankyou!

Still, that scene that Silver mentions, it's just plain awesome, one of the highlights of all the films. Great action and superb music.

I've seen Clones quite a few times and that holds up well, but I've only seen Sith once, at the cinema. In fact, the last time I saw any SW film was prior to seeing Sith. 3 years! Blimey.

The original trilogy though, I think I overdosed on them in the early years. I must've seen them two dozen times before Phantom Menace (A New Hope and Empire were my favourite films, until another trilogy came along!) I still love them though, and I love the universe that has spawned because of them.

I personally dont mind the new trilogy, granted Phantom Menace didnt really go anywhere and the final two films had to make up a lot of ground but it was still pretty good - having the best light saber fight in ALL six films. Darth Maul is, in my honest opinion, the finest baddie since Darth Vader. Was pretty criminal killing him off though - he just looked so badass and your jaw just dropped when the double ended light saber made its appearence during the end fight and the Dual Of The Fates music began to stir.




I've always loved Star Wars ever since i was little, saw Jedi back in '83 when i was 4! Had the toys, t-shirts, books etc! The expanded universe is fascinating, i find. The Thrawn novels were a great continuation of the series, essentially ep 7,8 and 9.

Any game players here? Anyone looking forward to The Force Unleashed when it's out on the 19th Sept?

More soon...

Jinks wrote:

Any game players here? Anyone looking forward to The Force Unleashed when it's out on the 19th Sept?

More soon...

Not really. I have a couple on the Gamecube, Rogue Leader and Rogue Squadron I think, but there isn't much too them other than flying about and shooting stuff.

The only ones that I think really expand upon the universe are Jedi Knights: Dark Forces and Jedi Outcast, the ones with Kyle Katarn (I also have one of the graphic novels he was in). I haven't been able to play Dark Forces in years, not since I upgraded Windows. It just won't work on the PC anymore. Outcast I have on the Gamecube, and I'm convinced it's impossible. I can't get past level 2

I'd like to try out more but there's so many of them, and with only an old PC and the GC to me, I fear some of the best titles might not be available to me.

I've read Dark Empire - which is set after the original trilogy. Focuses on Luke turning to the dark side and the ressurected clone of the Emperor.

Even Boba Fett makes a return and Leia embraces her Jedi powers - actually REALLY good. Worth checking out if its in your local library. Also I have Jedi Outcast and Jedi Accademy on the PC back at home - still playing em to this day.

Nah, the libraries near me are useless for graphic novels and such. I do have a whole bunch of novels though, must be about 30 or so of them, and some where just fantatsic. I haven't bought any in years though and the number must've more than doubled. One day I'll read then all in order

Jinks wrote:

The expanded universe is fascinating, i find. The Thrawn novels were a great continuation of the series, essentially ep 7,8 and 9.

I totally agree, I've got and read 21 of the expanded universe novels and I really like them, I find them really easy reads that I can race through. I have tended to stick to ones featuring the main characters; Luke, Han, Leia etc but I know there's loads more focusing on lesser characters like x-wing pilots, bounty hunters and so on.

Watched Attack Of The Clones the other night and its my least favourite of the series. There's lots of good stuff (I especially like Kamino, the Obi Wan -Jango fight in the storm is excellent) but for me it doesn't quite gel together as well as it should. The huge Jedi battle at the end isn't as good as the more personal smaller lightsabre duels in my opinion. This is also the film with the worst dialogue, particularly between Anakin and Obi Wan, theres far to much "Yes Master" "No my young padawan/apprentice" .

Did you like the Clone Wars cartoon series - BEFORE the CGI film was made?

Whenever I think of Clones, I always recall the lightsabre fight between Dooku and Yoda, with Yoda hopping round the place like a Mexican jumping bean on acid

Jinks wrote:

Did you like the Clone Wars cartoon series - BEFORE the CGI film was made?

I've only seen it once, it was ok but I didnt love it or think it was particularly amazing, may watch it today before Sith actually.

Gimli The Twerp wrote:

Whenever I think of Clones, I always recall the lightsabre fight between Dooku and Yoda, with Yoda hopping round the place like a Mexican jumping bean on acid

When I was at the cinema the audience cheered when Yoda got his lightsbre out, and R2 flying.

Never seen The Clone Wars cartoons. How many are there?

There were two series on the Cartoon Network - you can pick em up on DVD or watch em online.
Series 2 ended RIGHT at the start of Revenge Of The Sith.

I only watched the first wolume of The Clone Wars cartoon today, couldn't get into it so skipped straight to Revenge Of The Sith. Which was awesome! It has a much faster moving story than the first two and is basically a series of great battles, Anakin v Dooku, Obi Wan v Grievous, Yoda v Palpatine, Obi Wan v Anakin. All excellent stuff, leading to the rise of Darth Vader. In a way its a shame it had to end there, and we dont get to follow Vader's life right up to A New Hope.

Watched A New Hope and Empire this week, I reckon they must be my most watched films of all time. I really dont think I could choose a favourite out of the two. Only noticed on this view that that Temuera Morrison seems to be doing Boba Fetts lines, don't know why I never noticed that before.

They are certainly the best two. Which bersion did you watch? As they were in '77, the 1997 re-releases (the ones that I think of as "proper", or the even more jazzed up ones from a few years ago?

The newest version, where Luke sees Hayden Christensen at the end of Jedi with Yoda and Obi-Wan. Have to say I like Jedi just as much as the other two. Even Ewoks!!




I also really like this shuttle, always a strong contender for me when playing 'what would be your ship of choice if you lived in the Star Wars galaxy'

I have the lastest versions but I still haven't seen they yet. I'm all for rejigging the effects and that, but some of the changes don't seem to make that much sense to me.

I do like the Ewoks though!

Did you watch The Ewok Adventure and Caravan Of Courage?

I think I have seen them, defintely seen one ewok film, but along time ago, cant remember anthing that happened in them. Used to watch the cartoon as well, and the cartoon Droids.

The films, looking back, were pretty dreadful really. Mind you loved em at the time though.

So in your mind, who'd win out of a fight between Jango Fett or Boba Fett?

Boba all the way!

Anybody seen The Clone Wars yet? Just finished it now. It wasn't bad, but it doesn't seem like Star Wars. Potential though in more animated tales.

I like Star Wars, but I prefer George Lucas' debut film more!!

Gimli the Festive wrote:

Anybody seen The Clone Wars yet? Just finished it now. It wasn't bad, but it doesn't seem like Star Wars. Potential though in more animated tales.

I've watched the two animated series of The Clone Wars and they were both brilliant, series 1 just edged series 2 in my opinion - because it had an ace underwater sequence with Kit Fisto. Have yet to see the Clone Wars movie, hoping to catch it cheap somewhere. Always nice to see stories that bridge the gaps between episodes, my fave still being The Force Unleashed (essentially episode 3.5).

I'll give a spoiler full run-through if anyone's interested in the story?

I'd be happy to hear about what happens.

Is series 1 the one from about 5 years ago, or is that entirely separate?