Am I really the only person who prefers the PT to the OT?

[raandomname]

Ill probably get some large hate for this, but I just have to finally let this out. I think that the PT is A LOT better then the OT: better visuals, better plot, better characters etc. To be honest I think that episode IV and VI are absolutely terrible.

Episode IV has terrible acting and dialogue, the most predictable and uninnovative plot and charcters ever, is littered with movie mistakes and has plot holes large enough to drive a star destroyer through them. The only things that this movie did right were the music, the art work (although the movies after it still had far better art work), Darth Vader and that it somehow evolved into a far superior franchise and epic universe later on.

Episode V is really the only one I enjoy. It features something that starts resembling internal conflict, the good guys losing, an epic plot twist, one of the best lightsaberduels ever, Boba Fett, a generally darker and more serious atmosphere, much more suspense and Yodas by far best portrayel.

Episode VI just repeated the (bad) plot of episode IV and has plot holes and offences to logic large enough to drive the frikkin death star through them.

I would even say (this will probably be the most hated post in the history of the internet) that I prefer episode I to episode IV and VI. It atleast has a cool lightsaber fight and a plot that can at least be described as semi-decent.

Of course episode II and III also have issues and lots of them, mainly that the acting, dialogue and interactions are still attocious, but they at least look awesome and their plot doesnt cause me to facepalm 24/7.

Thoughts?

[Aurbere]

Well, I think both trilogies were great, in their own way. I liked both of them, but I can see why people like one over the other. I don't really have an opinion on which one is superior, though.

[Selenial]

I liked them both.

 

I liked the prequels due to the Jedi, mainly, and the Senate. I liked seeing a large Jedi order, because as you saw them slowly dwindle as more and more systems fell, you really got a picture of what actual war is like. I liked the senate too, just because politics has always interested me.

 

In contrast, I liked the OT because of how it was filmed and directed, the storytelling was just superb, even if i didn't like the one-man army, self sacrificing hero that was Luke Skywalker.

[Aurbere]

I liked them both.

 

I liked the prequels due to the Jedi, mainly, and the Senate. I liked seeing a large Jedi order, because as you saw them slowly dwindle as more and more systems fell, you really got a picture of what actual war is like. I liked the senate too, just because politics has always interested me.

 

In contrast, I liked the OT because of how it was filmed and directed, the storytelling was just superb, even if i didn't like the one-man army, self sacrificing hero that was Luke Skywalker.

 

Pretty much how I feel without me having to say it.

[psandak]

Ill probably get some large hate for this, but I just have to finally let this out. I think that the PT is A LOT better then the OT: better visuals, better plot, better characters etc. To be honest I think that episode IV and VI are absolutely terrible.

Episode IV has terrible acting and dialogue, the most predictable and uninnovative plot and charcters ever, is littered with movie mistakes and has plot holes large enough to drive a star destroyer through them. The only things that this movie did right were the music, the art work (although the movies after it still had far better art work), Darth Vader and that it somehow evolved into a far superior franchise and epic universe later on.

Episode V is really the only one I enjoy. It features something that starts resembling internal conflict, the good guys losing, an epic plot twist, one of the best lightsaberduels ever, Boba Fett, a generally darker and more serious atmosphere, much more suspense and Yodas by far best portrayel.

Episode VI just repeated the (bad) plot of episode IV and has plot holes and offences to logic large enough to drive the frikkin death star through them.

I would even say (this will probably be the most hated post in the history of the internet) that I prefer episode I to episode IV and VI. It atleast has a cool lightsaber fight and a plot that can at least be described as semi-decent.

Of course episode II and III also have issues and lots of them, mainly that the acting, dialogue and interactions are still attocious, but they at least look awesome and their plot doesnt cause me to facepalm 24/7.

Thoughts?

 

This is coming from a HUGE Star Wars fan. I cannot say I disagree. E4 is derivative, and E6 does lack Oomph for lack of a better word.

 

That being said, one aspect you fail to take into account is audience emotion. At age 40+ when I watch Episode 4, I am six years old again. I am brought back to a time when heroes and princesses and villains were cool. My brother was Luke and I was Obi-wan that Halloween. My first "action figures" was an empty box during the holidays and then R2-D2 and C-3P0 that Spring break (and over the next eight years my brother and I accumulated a sizable Star Wars collection (that got well used)). Even writing about these memories now, makes me want to go home and watch E4 again .

 

Something else to remember is that E4 had a six million dollar budget. Even for the late 70s that was a pittance. In addition The crew literally invented the technologies to film the scenes. EVERY special effect back then was done by hand and one frame at a time: i.e. the color for the blaster bolts and the libersabers were again literally painted into each frame like an animation cell (The Abyss [1989: more than a decade after E4] was the first movie to use CGI - The water tentacle scene; that lead to the T-1000 in T2:JD).

 

Lastly, go and watch movies from the 70s and early 80s and you will see all the same issues you have described. We as a viewing population were less discriminating and/or more innocent about such things. we did not have the internet to view hundreds upon thousands of intricate reviews and breakdowns; We had our local newspaper, local TV news, and "Siskel and Ebert".

 

And yes, the OT has been "re-worked" several times since then but the core of the movies remains the same.

[wilsonstone]

I'm not a fan of the PT for the reasons this guy gives out....http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett/star-wars/star-wars-episode-1-the-phantom-menace/

[raandomname]

This is coming from a HUGE Star Wars fan. I cannot say I disagree. E4 is derivative, and E6 does lack Oomph for lack of a better word.

 

That being said, one aspect you fail to take into account is audience emotion. At age 40+ when I watch Episode 4, I am six years old again. I am brought back to a time when heroes and princesses and villains were cool. My brother was Luke and I was Obi-wan that Halloween. My first "action figures" was an empty box during the holidays and then R2-D2 and C-3P0 that Spring break (and over the next eight years my brother and I accumulated a sizable Star Wars collection (that got well used)). Even writing about these memories now, makes me want to go home and watch E4 again .

 

Something else to remember is that E4 had a six million dollar budget. Even for the late 70s that was a pittance. In addition The crew literally invented the technologies to film the scenes. EVERY special effect back then was done by hand and one frame at a time: i.e. the color for the blaster bolts and the libersabers were again literally painted into each frame like an animation cell (The Abyss [1989: more than a decade after E4] was the first movie to use CGI - The water tentacle scene; that lead to the T-1000 in T2:JD).

 

Lastly, go and watch movies from the 70s and early 80s and you will see all the same issues you have described. We as a viewing population were less discriminating and/or more innocent about such things. we did not have the internet to view hundreds upon thousands of intricate reviews and breakdowns; We had our local newspaper, local TV news, and "Siskel and Ebert".

 

And yes, the OT has been "re-worked" several times since then but the core of the movies remains the same.

Good points, what really still annoys me so much is the terrible plot, to some extent in episode IV and to a much larger extent in episode VI. The whole budget thing is also a good point, but certain things especially things disapearing from one scene to the next or stupid actions by some characters (stormtrooper headbang for exampel) although not very important, must make the movies feel like they really are of low quality and unprofessionally made.

[Wolfninjajedi]

I like em both really, they have both things that are interesting and can be enjoyed.

 

Although it grinds me the wrong way, when people say Stormtroopers suck in the OT....when if people actually watched them, they clearly don't.

[jovianus]

The OT will always be my favorite simply because I will never be able to forgive the PT for so thoroughly, utterly, and spectacularly botching the origin story of one of my favorite villains of all time.

[Lithy]

I don't think the prequels are better but I don't think they are worse either. I like them all. 6, 2 ,3, 5, 4, 1.

 

I like characters from both and dislike characters from both. (Luke). I don't think theres anything wrong with 1-3 and don't know why people hate them so much. Some stuff they did wrong sure, but that happens for anything. Only thing that super bothers me is the age difference love thing in EP 1 and how Anakin destroyed the trade federation ship. Other than that don't really have many issues with the prequels.

[Wolfninjajedi]

I don't think the prequels are better but I don't think they are worse either. I like them all. 6, 2 ,3, 5, 4, 1.

 

I like characters from both and dislike characters from both. (Luke). I don't think theres anything wrong with 1-3 and don't know why people hate them so much. Some stuff they did wrong sure, but that happens for anything. Only thing that super bothers me is the age difference love thing in EP 1 and how Anakin destroyed the trade federation ship. Other than that don't really have many issues with the prequels.

 

There really isn't a big age difference and there wasn't really any love in EP 1.

 

Anakin was like...9 and Padme was 14 so really just 5 years apart, there have been couples with bigger age differences really.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Wolfninjajedi

[wilsonstone]

There really isn't a big age difference and there wasn't really any love in EP 1.

 

Anakin was like...9 and Padme was 14 so really just 5 years apart, there have been couples with bigger age differences really.

 

That's an age difference but not a huge one. My wife is 2 years older than I am. (of course once we both passed fifty we both just became "old" so I guess it doesn't matter.)

 

But that means if "Queen" is an elected position for some crazy *** reason Naboo elected a teenaged girl to the office of chief executive. Or, most likely she was royalty until Lucas decided she wasn't. Because he didn't think about it and none of his yes men pointed it out. Well, it was most likely too late by the time they began filming AoTC. They probably hoped we all took a US History course and would compare it to when John Ada...oh screw it. They didn't think about it.

[Wolfninjajedi]

That's an age difference but not a huge one. My wife is 2 years older than I am. (of course once we both passed fifty we both just became "old" so I guess it doesn't matter.)

 

But that means if "Queen" is an elected position for some crazy *** reason Naboo elected a teenaged girl to the office of chief executive. Or, most likely she was royalty until Lucas decided she wasn't. Because he didn't think about it and none of his yes men pointed it out. Well, it was most likely too late by the time they began filming AoTC. They probably hoped we all took a US History course and would compare it to when John Ada...oh screw it. They didn't think about it.

 

Problem, you're trying to compare RL to a fictional setting...doesn't really work and it's not like she was thrusted into position without having the knowledge, otherwise she wouldn't have been elected.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Wolfninjajedi

[wilsonstone]

Problem, you're trying to compare RL to a fictional setting...doesn't really work and it's not like she was thrusted into position without having the knowledge, otherwise she wouldn't have been elected.

 

Again, how are we to know that? ...and in all fiction there is a bit of comparison to real life. Else we could just say she eats magic lollipops and is really 300 years old. Of course I'm going to compare it to real life when you tell me she's the Queen of Naboo and in the next movie she's a senator talking about her 'term as queen was up". Because it just doesn't make sense to people. Folks are going to think "Wait, what? How does a queen have term limits?". They aren't going to sit in a theater or in their living room and try to mine through history for a (weak) comparison. They're going to conclude that no one gave it any thought when writing it, editing it or filming it.

 

I mean, the easiest way to have fixed the question from even being asked would have been to think "Hmmmm...if she's a senator in AoTV it makes no sense for her to a Queen in the first movie....I'll just make her Secretary of Planetary Affairs or something". But then that would take having thought out the story in advance. ...and still leaves the problem of her being 15 years old as an elected head of state. But hell, they market the stuff for kids so I can almost overlook it if anything else made sense.

 

Hey, if is FANTASY, but it's less realistic than Futurama and makes no sense to the average viewer. It may well have been explained in a book or compendium or something. (after the fact too, I'd wager, to try to fill in the gigantic plot holes in retrospect). but not all of us have read the books. (I've read ONE SW book in my entire life, when I was deployed in the Gulf War and I don't remember anything about it. Needed something to do between SCUD alerts) If that's the case the movie posters should have a warning "Make sure you read this book and that book and by the Star Wars Encyclopedia before viewing".

 

At least the OT had some kind of sense to it. I hated the Ewoks but compared to Jar Jar Binks they're great. I wish Disney would just retcon the entire PT. (won't happen, but hell, its a dream.)

[JediCreatus]

Personally my favorite is Episode 1, for two reasons. My favorite characters and favorite fight scene. Qui-gon Jinn and Darth Maul. The story was okay, but honestly I could say that for every single Star Wars movie. I think Episode V is the most popular because it had the best plot.

 

I watch 1-3 and cringe because of the 90% cgi used to create it. Then I watch 4-6 and cringe (thanks to blu-ray) the obvious masks with no facial movements, and bad make-up in some cases. That's why I think Episode 7 will take the best of both worlds and be fantastic.

 

Ill probably get some large hate for this, but I just have to finally let this out. I think that the PT is A LOT better then the OT: better visuals, better plot, better characters etc. To be honest I think that episode IV and VI are absolutely terrible.

Episode IV has terrible acting and dialogue, the most predictable and uninnovative plot and charcters ever, is littered with movie mistakes and has plot holes large enough to drive a star destroyer through them. The only things that this movie did right were the music, the art work (although the movies after it still had far better art work), Darth Vader and that it somehow evolved into a far superior franchise and epic universe later on.

Episode V is really the only one I enjoy. It features something that starts resembling internal conflict, the good guys losing, an epic plot twist, one of the best lightsaberduels ever, Boba Fett, a generally darker and more serious atmosphere, much more suspense and Yodas by far best portrayel.

Episode VI just repeated the (bad) plot of episode IV and has plot holes and offences to logic large enough to drive the frikkin death star through them.

I would even say (this will probably be the most hated post in the history of the internet) that I prefer episode I to episode IV and VI. It atleast has a cool lightsaber fight and a plot that can at least be described as semi-decent.

Of course episode II and III also have issues and lots of them, mainly that the acting, dialogue and interactions are still attocious, but they at least look awesome and their plot doesnt cause me to facepalm 24/7.

Thoughts?

 

I don't think anyone has the right to walk in here and bash you for your opinion, because the PT were entertaining, expanding a world we love. That's what it is at the core for me. I just love the world George Lucas has brought to life, flaws and all. If I have to choose, I'd say 4-6 as a whole is better only because the CGI in the PT drive me crazy at points. (and worse acting in the PT)

Edited December 18, 2014 by JediCreatus

[jovianus]

There really isn't a big age difference and there wasn't really any love in EP 1.

 

Anakin was like...9 and Padme was 14 so really just 5 years apart, there have been couples with bigger age differences really.

 

Then they should have cast someone older as Anakin or younger as Padme in Episode 1.

 

Sorry, it's all well and good to point to their 'official' ages, but it doesn't really change what we see on screen, which is Padme effectively not aging at all while Anakin goes from 9 years old to 20 something between movies.

 

Though really the age thing doesn't bother me about the romance, it's the total lack of chemistry, and that it's repeatedly and heavily overshadowed by Anakin whining about the Jedi and being led down by the garden path by Sidious.

 

In the end Anakin's fall comes across far less as the result of desperately trying to save his love , and more as him being a self-important **** who was tired of the Jedi not giving him the power and authority he felt was owed to him.

 

I mean hell, Sidious admits at the end that he doesn't actually have any clue how to save Padme and Anakin's response is basically, "Whatever, where can I find some kids to brutally murder?"

[JediCreatus]

I mean hell, Sidious admits at the end that he doesn't actually have any clue how to save Padme and Anakin's response is basically, "Whatever, where can I find some kids to brutally murder?"

 

Exactly! I thought the same thing while watching Episode 3 not to long ago. It makes no sense! The whole time Sidious talks about saving Padme, but when she actually dies he says there is nothing he can do. Natural reaction would be to turn that hatred on him, if that was the whole purpose of the transformation. Which it should be, but as you said it changed to him being a whinny baby and his selfish reasons.

[kirorx]

I really dislike the prequels. Even episode 3. I will name a few pros and cons.

 

Pros:

1: The Darth Maul fight scene

2: Palpatine (his line delivery when he is being bad is awesome)

3: the Clone Wars cartoon series came out of these and that as cool

 

That's all I can really think of at this moment

 

Cons:

 

1: jar jar obviously (had jar jar changed to become a warrior from years of war would of been good)

2: kid Anakin is a space jesus

3: kid boba fett is a clone and more or less a stormtrooper now.

3: Dexs 1950s Diner.....why?

4: Darth Maul being killed right away and replaced with unknown bad guys each episode. They are pretty one dementional. I thought the scen where count dooku was talking to obwan was leading up to a awesome conflicted bad guy that wanted to stop the emperor and the jedi wouldn't listen to reason becasue he was dark side, but cut to the next scene and he is evil and stays that way for his short screen time until the first scene of the next episode.

5) Anakin goes from good guy to child killer in one scene.

6) The nooooo at the end of the episode

--------

You can enjoy what you enjoy and that's fine. I just felt that story and plot development took a back seat to showing off CGI on those films. The character development must drive the storyline and IMO most of the characters change stay the same throughout the prequels. Luke was a farm it turned hero and Han went from outlaw loner (with his chewy) that was looking out for himself into a heroic guy willing to risk his life for his new friends and for the galaxy.

 

Aside from Anakin growing older every basic kept the same personality traits.

 

These are my opinions of course and the OT has some faults as well.

 

Hey starwars is starwars though so I don't hate any of them lol

[Raansu]

I didn't mind episode 1, I actually thought it was quite good, but episode 2 and 3 just made me cringe with creeper Anakin and the forced romance between him and Padme. His character was way more likable and better written in the clone wars animated series imo.

[unibim]

Be ready to hate, people...

ST is coming...

[Spartanik]

Palpatine (his line delivery when he is being bad is awesome)

I find it corny and a bit campy, and blatantly obvious ( wich is allmost insulting to the the audience inteligence.... we got it he is evil....

I found it in the Original triology too in Episode VI.

 

I like Ian Mcdiarmid as an actor dont get me wrong, it isnt in his skills, its a design issue, in how the emperor is portrayed.,

 

Initialy the emperor wasnt that, its just not the ideia that i had of an Emperor of a galatic empire, i for once prefer the original Clive Revill emperor, much more plausible, and menacing imo, the original scene had leaving a sense of mystery relating to an ominous figure. making thus more menacing. Again imo.

 

 

 

I find Ians Mcdiarmid performance too cartoonish, and cliche for my taste.

There were some scenes that i liked when he was facing yoda trowing senate chairs ( when you make it too ridiculous, you cant go wrong with it), but that was it for the most part. His portrayall of palpatine is ok ( allthough i never buy his role in anakin falling, but that is a plot/writting flaw),

 

i have nothing to point it out, not that there is much to point it out, the prequels are shalow and lacking in susbstance, as well character, as oposition to the original triology imo.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Spartanik