We are on the cusp of another Star Wars movie. So, since I’ve been in a lull in terms of binge-watching, I decided to revisit the Star Wars saga.
Now, up front, I like Star Wars. That said, I was never a Stars Wars fanatic, like many of my friends (when younger). I liked the first three movies. I was a bit too young to fully appreciate A New Hope. I recall seeing it the last week it played. I may have been the last person to see the first movie. I was the right age for Empire and my teenage cynicism had set in by the time of Return of the Jedi.
The second trilogy, Phantom Menace, Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith came along and I ignored them while they were in the theater. I did watch them on DVD when the came out. Like many, I was underwhelmed. The last two, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, were a solid return to form (and formula) and enjoyable.
We have lived with Star Wars for more than forty years. It’s easy to forget, like it or not, how important the original films were in terms of popular culture. Few things have permeated popular culture like Star Wars. The Godfather comes to mind, as does Harry Potter. Star Wars was huge, huge, huge and everyone knows Luke, Han, Leia, Chewy, Darth...An incredible accomplishment.
After numerous films, cartoons, books, comic books and now shows, its also easy to take Star Wars for granted. Its easy to forget just how damn new and fun it felt back in the day.
I’m not going to trash George Lucas, a popular pastime for some. Lucas is a genius and a visionary. No one, and I mean no one, thought Lucas’ vision would work. Coppola, Spielberg et. al. all thought Stars Wars would flop. Only Lucas believed. Lucas proved right.
Lucas has his weaknesses as a director and writer. I think his genius lies in creating stories and worlds. When his vision turns from story-telling to experimenting with new movie-making technology, the films suffer. The actual direction and much of the dialogue should often be left in the hands of others.
So, just a few musings on each film before we get to the poll.
Star Wars — A New Hope (1977)
I was too young, and my movie history too minimal, to fully appreciate this film at the time. So, when I recently watched it I tried to put myself in the position of a fifteen or sixteen year-old in 1977. By 1977 we had seen the Godfather, The Exorcist, The French Connection, Dog Day Afternoon (each great) and other gritty, cynical movies of the early to mid 1970’s. Then we saw the now iconic scroll filled the screen. What’s this? An evil empire, a brave rebellion? A princess in danger? Then we are dropped, in medias res, into the story.
No hardened cops, deranged cab drivers, demons, zombies, bank robbers or gangsters here. Just a naïve, dreamy farm boy swept up in a swashbuckling adventure where the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad.
In the ten years leading up to A New Hope we saw assassinations, riots, protests, Vietnam, Watergate, a presidential resignation, Helter Skelter, inflation and an oil crises. This first film must have been a refreshing escape for many, many people.
Why didn’t Chewy get a medal?
The Empire Strikes Back — (1980)
Perhaps its just nostalgia but this is my favorite of the movies. In classic story-telling tradition the first movie ends in victory and hope. Then, our heroes are scattered and on the run. The pacing is great and Han Solo’s charm is on full display. Movie magic in the grand tradition. Not much more to say.
Harrison Ford. Has any other actor been an integral part of two massive movie franchises?
Return of the Jedi — (1983)
The magic has begun to wear off, a bit. Maybe it was my age. By this movie we knew the characters and understood the universe. There was less to learn. Less newness, shall we say. Its not the movie’s fault. Fresh and exciting can’t be sustained through three films when you follow the same characters.
Still, I like it just fine, except for the curtain-call ending.
The Phantom Menace — (1999)
Incredibly, not my least favorite Star Wars film (or its a tie). The Trade Federation? A separatist movement? Politics? We are a good distance from “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.”
Stories like Star Wars work best as myth, folklore. When given too many details, too many explanations, myth and folklore fall away, as they do here. The Phantom Menace is not a bad movie if you want to capture the imagination of eight, nine, ten year-olds. Its not great either. Its flaws are big. Child actors are often problematic. Anakin is bad. We all know Binks is a misfire. Neeson and MacGregor keep it from being a complete disaster.
Still, its lesser Star Wars.
Attack of the Clones — (2002)
Take out the romance, and I can go with it. Sorry, but Christensen is bad. A pouty, bratty teenager whose emotions run the gambit from A to B. Not much range here, Anakin. Portman phones it in and they have zero chemistry. True, their dialogue is breathtaking in its awfulness, but I doubt better dialogue would have elevated their performances.
Being introduced to the other Jedi is fun.
No one can figure out Palpatine is a Sith? Really?
Revenge of the Sith — (2005)
My least favorite Stars Wars film, and I really dislike Phantom Menace. Again, its Christensen as Anakin. I understand that the actor has put in good performances. This isn’t one of them. I also find the motivation for his turn weak.
This is usually people’s favorite of the middle trilogy so I’m on an island here.
There is some good stuff in Revenge of the Sith. However, if the protagonist suffers a long fall, you still want the possibility of redemption. Here, after the slaughter of children, Anakin is beyond redemption, despite the attempt at it in Return of the Jedi.
My own issue with these three movies is that they completely lack anything approaching the fun, whimsey and charm of the first three films. The tone is so different from the original three, except for Phantom (a fail, in my opinion), its jarring.
The Force Awakens — (2015)
Good return to form. Almost a beat-for-beat remake of A New Hope. And that’s just fine with me. Story-telling tropes became tropes for a reason. Here, we return to the action and fun of the first films, and still toss in some drama. It’s a good balance.
The Last Jedi — (2017)
Another fine entry, maintains the sense of adventure of The force Awakes. I find myself more interested in the Rebellion part of it all than the Jedi part.
Rogue One — (2016)
A stand alone film that takes place just before A New Hope. This was a pleasant surprise. A really good one-off. When I saw this I thought Disney really knew how to get a return on their investment. Slides quite nicely into the greater story-line. I just wish...I won’t spoil it if you haven’t seen the film. Interestingly, it does capture the paranoia (often justified) that permeated the WWII resistance groups.
I have not seen Solo yet.