I love these movies. I really do. After all this time they still hold up well, but over the years I've started picking out things that kind of get to me about the films. A New Hope is cool but I start losing interest about an hour in and then regain it again once the Death Star approach begins. Empire is...well, awesome all the way through. The first half hour of Jedi is wicked too, right up until the Ewoks make their first appearance and totally slow the entire movie down. Then things get cool with the 3 major scenes constantly switching near the end...the battle on Endor, Luke and Vader in Palpatine's chamber, and the space battle headed up by Lando. But then there are more Ewoks and I can't help but bite my lip each time they show up.
Seriously, Jedi could have been far and away the best of the 3 movies if the Ewoks didn't play such a big role, or if they were removed and substituted with a different species. As is, Empire will forever be the poster child of the franchise for me. I mean, you've got the awesome battle on Hoth, Luke training on Dagoba, Han navigating an asteroid field, the imagination of Cloud City, Han being frozen in carbonite, and the classic duel between Luke and Vader. Then the movie just sort of ends without any real closure and leaves you thirsting for more. It's perfect.
I'm sure discussing the original trilogy and talking about Lucas' choices is totally old-hat, but I just felt compelled to post this anyways.
Seriously, Jedi could have been far and away the best of the 3 movies if the Ewoks didn't play such a big role, or if they were removed and substituted with a different species. As is, Empire will forever be the poster child of the franchise for me. I mean, you've got the awesome battle on Hoth, Luke training on Dagoba, Han navigating an asteroid field, the imagination of Cloud City, Han being frozen in carbonite, and the classic duel between Luke and Vader. Then the movie just sort of ends without any real closure and leaves you thirsting for more. It's perfect.
I'm sure discussing the original trilogy and talking about Lucas' choices is totally old-hat, but I just felt compelled to post this anyways.