Black-Tiger posted:I myself like dark, serious and dramatic.
TaunTaunHerder posted:The same way he somehow kept his lightsaber blade activated when he chucked it at Luke on the second Death Star.
Empire-Maker posted:Vader uses the force to guide the blasts to his hand where they are half absorbed and half deflected by the metal in his hand. This is what I had always figured, and since I have this scene as my avatar I figured that a response by me was needed. P.S. If Vader's shoulder armor can deflect a lightsaber (TESB) then surely the metal that is his hand can defect a piddly blaster bolt.
d_arblay posted:It wasn't initially regarded to be the classic it is now, it has become that, through an element of sentimentality. The evidence is there. When I argue there is a case for this I believe it is justified. The "best of lists and awards" that you speak of for ESB are ALL retrospective.
d_arblay posted:Take out Vader's revelation and I think you would have a movie that nobody outside the core-fan base would remember that well. It took ROTJ, the resolution, Vader's redemption and a new generation of fans before Empire became the very highly-regarded film it is today. Don't get me wrong, I think its a good movie. But I do think its overrated (especially when people label it "flawless"). No crumby acting? "Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?"... ~"Good! Our first catch of the day." I could go on...
d_arblay posted:But it was the most successful sequel of all time in terms of box-office. Whether there was a conscious effort to "dumb down" ROTJ or not, I personally don't see it. The movie's themes are still dark - they kept it dialogue heavy. They did change director and that’s possibly the one big difference noticeable between the two films. But dumbing it down to the same degree that you cite Batman Returns and Batman Forever as examples? Its not even of much relevance whether they did or didn't because, looking at the end result, of all the first 3 films, ANH is actually the least adult-orientated - and people don't seem to have a problem with that.
d_arblay posted:Taking a statistical look at how the films are judged without retrospect you only have to look at the excellent "Secret History Of Star Wars" which shows quite clearly how the PT and OT films were received by the critics (fans reactions aren't recordable for the OT so much in the days before the internet). But if you read it you'll clearly see the Prequels scoring much higher than the OT. Yet the Special Edition releases were then met with much better reviews than they were originally. Essentially the same films - with something important called sentimentality. Its not a flawed argument.
d_arblay posted:Most of the critics these days were children when they saw them. Wait for the backlash - because there will be one - when kids of today turn into the movie critics of tomorrow. I guarantee you that the PT will be given a status of equal, if not higher regard by those people who watched the films 1-6. I've only met a few people who have done this, children and adults included, but not one of them picks ESB as their favorite of the 6.
d_arblay posted:One of the key themes in Star Wars has ALWAYS been how the underdog can win - you think the ewoks taking on the stormtroopers is less believable than the Rebel Alliance fleet defeating the Empire's? I don't. It's about primitive cultures vs the technologicaly advanced, and a sign that sometimes technology aint always the smartest. I suppose you would have no problem with preset traps if they were Wookiee traps? It's all irrelevant anyway as its made fairly clear to me throughout the fight that the Ewoks get their asses kicked for the most part - much like the Gungans in Episode 1 - their role is to provide a distracting battle while the key element is happening elsewhere (mainly Han and Leia's attempts to get inside the Bunker). ONLY when Chewie takes over the imperial walker does the game change. Suddenly, through the element of surprise the rebels are able to take out 3 or more of the Empire's most dangerous weapons by use of this alone and it sends quite a lot of the stromtroopers into a retreat. How are they meant to defend against an Imperial Walker attacking them?! Without this, the rebels would never have won the battle.
Arawn_Fenn posted:Perhaps notably, in CN III Vader deflects I-5's lasers with the Force before they even contact his hand.
d_arblay posted:We need to stop romanticising Vader as some collosus just because he's dressed in black and can strangle some Imperial officers.
d_arblay posted:You either have the power of the force or you don't.