The ships in the OT are MUCH cooler than those in AOTC or TPM

"3) To Lucas it was broke."

and to millions of fans all over the world, for two decades, it wasnt.

LUCAS OWNS STAR WARS, NOT YOU OR ANYONE ELSE.

 

The ships in AOTC seem to be reflecting a general evolution toward the OT designs. Even the Naboo ships appear more clunky and worn(If you notice, the Naboo fighters have more weathering than their Episode I counterparts). Plus we have design precursors in the Jedi Starfighter(The general shape of a Star Destroyer with a tiny bit of apparent A-wing influence) The AT-TE and SPHAT(Early Walkers) The Republic Gunships(Which have design similarities to the OT starfighters)The Republic assault ships(Star Destroyers) and of course the Clonetroopers...

 

"LUCAS OWNS STAR WARS, NOT YOU OR ANYONE ELSE."

and we still became fans of it before he "fixed" it. the films were fine as they were, as evidenced by how successful they were and the huge fan following that is now dying away, after the fixes.

say it in bigger letters next time.

 

Alright, prove to me the fan following is dying off.

 

...and the huge fan following that is now dying away

Geez, Doc, just how many fans do you personally speak for anyway?

 

Just once TokyoXtreme, and Yodaschum I would like to see you two go in to a thread and not bash someone for liking AOTC or saying they just kiss up to GL. If you two and even DrEvazan don't like the PT don't watch them it is that simple.

 

and we still became fans of it before he "fixed" it. the films were fine as they were, as evidenced by how successful they were and the huge fan following that is now dying away, after the fixes.

I would venture to say that Star Wars has become more popular since the Best Edition was released in 1997. Irregardless of whether you were a "fan" beforehand, Lucas has the right to do whatever the hell he wants to the movies and if you don't like it too bad. You can sleep at night holding your original VHS copies before they were made better. Lucas is not forcing you to watch the Special Edition.

 

A comparison of OT ships and PT "Ancestors"

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/republiccruiser/img/movie_bg.jpg]

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/tantiveiv/img/movie_bg.jpg]

The Correlian ships which open both trilogies...

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/sithinfiltrator/img/curve.jpg]

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/tieadvancedx1/img/eu_bg.jpg]

The Respective fighters of Sith Lords...

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/delta7/img/movie_bg.jpg]

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/awingstarfighter/img/movie_bg.jpg]

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/imperialstardestroyer/img/eu_bg.jpg]

The Jedi Starfighter and it's two OT descendants.

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/republicassaultship/img/movie_bg.jpg]

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/imperialstardestroyer/img/eu_bg.jpg]

 

"Irregardless" is not a word.

 

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/vehicle/atte/img/movie_bg.jpg]

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/vehicle/atat/img/movie_bg.jpg]

The Walkers...

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/organization/clonetroopers/img/bts_bg.jpg]

[image=http://www.starwars.com/databank/organization/stormtroopers/img/eu_bg.jpg]

Troopers...

 

I would like to see a scrap.. a single SHREAD of evidence that proves that "the huge fan following that is now dying way". 323 million doesn't sound like a dying fan following to me. By the way, Evazan, that's about the forth time I count you've said that, without ever providing a fiber of evidence.

 

Nope that is not dieing away. Know if it was down to 10,000's yes you could call it dieing.

 

Terrific visual examples, Chris2!

By the way, did you know that the Rebel Blockade Runner was originally Han Solo's Millennium Falcon? But just before they started shooting Star Wars a TV show came out with a ship that looked very similiar (can't remember the name of the show) so Lucas, for fear of being called a rip-off, had his model team design a new ship which is the Millennium Falcon we all know and love!

 

I feel bad for people who can't handle the change, because the saga is going to change with or without them. They may think they are the cornerstones of SW fandom, but for every fan who doesn't like the direction Lucas is taking things, there are 2 new fans who are just getting into it now.

 

keep dreaming and living in your fantasy worlds where the box office numbers arent dropping off and toy and merchandise sales arent slowing. before the PT we had almost every characters lines and behavior and comments about them slipping into pop culture at every turn... jokes on talk shows, in movies etc.

when was the last time you heard anyone make a Qui Gon comment outside of the PT? the only thing that has been talked about in pop, i.e. "popular" culture is jar jar binks, and that was all negative.

the PT is not a part of pop culture, the OT is. what else do you need to see that people dont really care about these films?

 

Also, I should note that both Joe Johnston and others really designed the 'worn' and final look of the films. Ralph gave the basic concepts, and in many of them the ships were just as 'smooth' as some of those in the prequels.

Anyway, I think the only example of smooth and classy vessels we've really seen in the OT is on Naboo. The Republic, the Trade Federation, the Pod Racers etc. look just as broken down and used as anything in the OT. And even then, there are "squeaky clean" parts in the OT. Most of Cloud City being the biggest example.


As for the prequel's relevance in pop culture, there's been quite a bit on Darth Maul(Including a slight visual joke in "X-men") and more recently Yoda.

 

Actually Foxbatkillr, Lucas IS forcing the people who don't have the real versions to watch the Special Editions by only selling the SE's and not giving them a choice.

 

Dr. Evazan,

You said above that PT toy sales are "slowing." Where are you getting this information from?

 

guittatjedi, and Yodaschum. Sense you don't seem to like the SE, or AOTC. Does that mean I can't like them?

 

The box office dropped of for the classic trilogy with each release as well. The toys aren't being cranked out as fast because "gasp" Hasbro learned how to not flood the market like they did with TPM. The prequel trilogy will always be right there next to the classic trilogy, except for the unfortunate few who grew up while they were being made, who couldn't let go of what they had imagined the prequels to be. Once our generation moves on to the next plane, people will wonder why so many "die hard fans" couldn't see the substance in the prequels.

 

Dr.Evazan, the box office numbers for movies altogether is down. Less people are going to the movies in general, so the idea of the box office not being as high is true, but the entire movie culture is slowing down altogether. Less people see movies in theaters, so why should SW automatically be excluded from the list, it's just like any other movie, no matter how big the fan base is.

As for merchandising, it is possible people can enjoy a movie, and not enjoy the merchandising. Was there ever a rule that says merchandising has to sell millions upon millions in order for people to be fans of a movie?

 

the PT is not a part of pop culture, the OT is. what else do you need to see that people dont really care about these films?

There are countless Episode I and general prequel references in The Simpsons, a program that is the epitome of pop-culture. I remember hearing about a character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer who had a ghost friend she called her "Phantom Dennis." I was watching a program recently that had a prequel reference in it (can't remember the program but I laughed because I recognized the quote.)

The pop culture infiltration is there, but of course not to the extent we see with the original trilogy only because the OT has been around considerably longer.

 

One thing that is probably important to consider is whether the ships are memorable. In the OT, you have the falcon coming in the trench with light behind it. That first shot of the X-wing opening its wings. The Tie Fighters. The AT-AT's and snowspeeders. The whole business with the speeder bikes. In the PT, the ships don't seem to be as memorable IMHO. The podracers were memorable. The naboo starfighters maybe. The gunships, as neat as they are, don't really stand out. The solar sailer was interesting, but not awe-inspiring. I think the PT has focused more on saber fights and the jedi in general for lasting memories.

 

Less people are going to the movies in general, so the idea of the box office not being as high is true, but the entire movie culture is slowing down altogether.

I've made this argument before, and the response is generally something along the lines that Star Wars should be the exception simply because it's Star Wars and should always be held to an arbitrarily higher standard, so just because Clones' box office income would be considered a phenomenal success for any other fifth film of a franchise, it is a "disappointment" for a Star Wars film.

I don't think the argument makes any sense either.

 

I actually became a star wars fan with the Special Editions.