Your favourite scenes from the Star Wars movies

Okay, so here goes with my first post on FF-UK...

What are your favourite scenes from the Star Wars movies? I would choose two, one from Revenge of the Sith and the second from Return of the Jedi. Not surprisingly for anyone who knows me, they both feature Palpatine/the Emperor

Some of the best moments of Revenge of the Sith for me were those scenes between Anakin and Palpatine and particularly Anakin's slow and inexorable seduction to the dark side. This is perfectly illustrated in the Opera House scene, where Palpatine at first appears to be an avancular-figure and trusted mentor. As the scene opens out, it becomes clear that Palpatine has dark motives for requesting Anakin's presence and begins to seed the idea in his young charge that the Jedi are corrupt and that the dark side promises the power to save the one he loves. Palpatine's dialogue in this scene is delicious in its sinister sincerity and the shocking revelations it presents to the audience - Palpatine is a Sith Lord and that he (without doubt in my mind) is the one who created Anakin. By the end of the scene, as Palpatine allows himself a brief almost imperceptible smile, the true extent of his Machiavellian ambitions is revealed.

The second scene I would choose from Return of the Jedi also features Palpatine, this time as the Emperor, using his Force lightening to alarming effect on Luke Skywalker. Again I enjoy the dialogue here - "If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed", "Young fool, only now at the end do you understand" etc. This is Palpatine as his true self - no longer the controlled and manipulative creature of the earlier parts of Revenge of the Sith, but a powerful Sith Lord in full flood of rage. The scene is particularly effective because it seems for a few beats that Luke is defeated, that the Emperor has won and darkness will triumph.

 

my first would be the opening of 'the empire strikes back'.
it was the first star wars film i saw,having been cruelly denied the chance to see 'star wars' when it was shown in '77/'78,and instead being taken to see 'superman' instead.
-although that was a great experience,in itself...thanks,dad!
anyway,despite all that i had read and new about the star wars sequel at that time,nothing prepared me for the scenes of luke and his tauntaun hopping and skipping across the snowscape of hoth... i was transported to that galaxy,far far away.
and then,twenty-odd years later,i was transported back to that same galaxy with the opening sequence of 'revenge of the sith'.
the nay-sayer in me thinks that some creative spark at ILM came up with the 'waterfall shot',as it is known in the opening space battle... but the sheer artistic style in those few minutes of screen time... obviously,to achieve full impact is to watch that scene on the big screen,but having procurred a copy of 'revenge of the sith' proir to its release,i sat and watched that sequence time and time again... my jaw slack at the joints.

don't you just love star wars?

 

- Darth Maul v Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in TPM.
- Anakin and Obi-Wan on the Mustafar landing platform before the duel.

That's it for the PT.

As for the OT:
- Star Destroyer chasing the Tantive 4.
- Tatooine binary sunset scene.
- Entire Death Star attack and trench run sequence.

- Reveal of Imperial fleet and Vader to the Imperial March.
- Appearance of AT-ATs.
- Yoda lecturing Luke and then lifting the X-wing from the swamp.
- Yoda and Obi-Wan talking to Luke.
- Carbon freezing chamber sequence. Han and Leia's final words, smoke clearing as Vader looks up, etc.
- Luke v Vader, right up to Luke jumping off the gantry.

- Rebel v Imperial fleet battle.
- Luke v Vader v Emperor.
- Attack run through the Death Star and escape.

 

tell us why these are your favourite scenes.

 

The Palpatine/Anakin Opera scene was certainly one of the (very few) highlights of the PT, along with the Maul/Obi/Qui duel.

For me the defining moment of Star Wars has to be the Catina scene in ANH. I have such strong memories watching ANH while I was growing up and when I went to see the Special Edition in 1997, it had been many, many years since I'd last seen it, but as soon as the Catina scene started up, I knew exactly how everything went and it was like I'd only watched it the other day. Amazing, and I just sat there with a huge grin on my face!!
The scene itself is great because it showed such vivid imagination with all the different aliens. It also made you realise how cool and hard Obi-Wan was, and of cause it was the first time we saw Han and Chewie. I just love everything about it and just reeks of atmosphere, and at the time I was horrified (in a guilty pleasure sort of way) by the graphic violence, lol

Next week I'll pick my favourite scene from ESB

 

RotJ- 'But you'll die' 'Nothing can stop that now' I thought that scene was beutiful. The fact that Luke still wants to save his father, showing a true hero.

ANH- The death of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Seeing one of the movies main heros die on screen and no one realy gaining anything from it. Most movies if someone dies thats good, it helps the rest. Not in Star wars, he's gone and he could have helped Luke in the trench through the force anyway.

And theres also been something about Leia is this that stood out.
[image=http://www.leiasmetalbikini.com/galaxy2.jpg]

 

*Obligatory 31 year olds comment*

Slave girl outfit.
Why?
Do you REALLY need to ask?

 

The Funeral Pyre Scene in ROTJ. For me it completes the SAGA.

The trench run in ANH. Total drama and tension.

The ESB duel.

DOTF in TPM.

The Cantina scene in ANH.

 

DOTF?

 

^^
Duel of the Fates- The music for the Obi-wan + Qui-gon vs Darth Maul duel. The whole duel has since been dubbed this.

 

But were the lightsabre duels in the PT really that special? Okay, they were fast and furious but I think it takes a lot to beat the final duel between Vader and Luke in ROTJ. Why? Well, for starters, its the ultimate showdown between father and son, between dark and light, good and evil. It stacks up the tension wonderfully and it has the most elegiac music of the whole saga with that awesome wordless chorus rising to a peak as Luke pushes Vader back with one relentless and ferocious blow after another. I really care about the characters in this moment and the fact that it pushes Luke's character to the edge of turning to the dark side.

The duels in the PT may look good but do we really care who wins? What is really at stake? They just don't engage me emotionally. That is what is fundamentally different between the PT and OT IMHO.

 

i agree. i totally don't like the dooku,yoda duel in AOTC... empty and hollow,with some poor acting/line delivery from christopher lee.
unlike the duel in ROTS on the invisible hand... he really seems to be enjoying himself.
yes,the duels in the PT seem to be nothing more than acrobatic show-boating.
god knows what we'd have got if they'd kept some of the animatics seen in the documentaries on the dvd for ROTS.
obi-wan vs darth in ANH.
just classic...iconic...and simply two old duffers shuffling around with glowing sticks.

 

For me i would have to say my one of my fave scene's is from ROTS . The duel between palpatine and Mace Windu because it shows us at the end the final step for ani falling to the darkside and quoting those words "what have i done" i think its a very emotional scene because in TPM and AOTC it shows ani as the perfect hero, destroying the Trade Federation station, the fight with dooku where he looses his hand ect. It keeps you cheering for him till ROTS as soon as he plays the biggest part in windu's demise thats when we truly feel that this is it he is now pure evil on a large scale.

My second fave scene would have to come at the end of ROTJ on the special edition DvD release of the original trilogy. Its the whole ending sequence where the music comes up and we start to see the various planets in the galaxy, filled with people at peace, dancing, basically having one big party now that the empire is destroyed. and then its back to endor to see the valiant heroes of the galactic civil war, all together, happy, knowing that they made the difference and bought an end the to empire. Then luke see's his friends and mentors as ghosts in the force. Obi-Wan, Yoda (and this is the bit i like) Anakin skywalker but its the anakin we know from ROTS before he fell to the darkside. I think that was a good move by lucas and truly makes that scene a brilliant one to watch...... also its the first time we see anakin in proper Jedi Knight robes, unless you count the little padawan robes he wears at the the end of TPM

 

EDITED grr forget this i posted twice somehow

 

I agree with most of what you say Chris, however I would take issue with the tinkering at the end of ROTJ. I don't think it was necessary to add Anakin as a young man into this scene or to add that scene on Naboo of the Gungan's celebrating in Theed. They are just attempts to draw a connection between the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy that isn't required. Frankly, it doesn't make sense that Anakin appears as a young man (pre-Vader) when Yoda and Obi-wan are as they were when they died.

 

and how come he is wearing those jedi threads?
it don't make no sense... like why do ghosts always appear as victorian or edwardian types???
how come you never hear of chav ghosts?

 

I'll try to keep it really short:

1. The totally-unbeatable Binary Sunset from ANH. I was a teenager when I first saw the movie and I soooo related to Luke, his longings to get away from a dead-end life to something more exciting. Then to think that one can watch not one, but two! sunsets in a go... it's just wow! And of course the icing on the cake: John Williams' music. Anytime I hear the tune a chill runs up and down my spine and I'm transferred back to this magical moment. I totally forget where I am, what I do.

2. ROTS opening scene. I have always loved fighter-simulators so the space battle is absolute fun. Absolute coolness when Obi-Wan shrieks at Anakin for the shield generator and Anakin just flips his fighter over and bullseyes them. Then Obi-Wan's and Anakin's sparring words are great in a sense that they convey how close they have become, how many battles they have been through, otherwise they would have no time to have these conversations. I love how General Grievous was introduced and his first encounter with the Jedi. The two ships going against each other and the eventual crash-landing are excellently executed sequences. And of course, the great R2-D2. He really got some exposure there, which he deserved. He's my most favourite character of all time in movie history. Anyway, those first cca 10 mins are seamless.

3. Joint third place go for the blowing up of the Death Stars for ANH and ROTJ. The latter was better done visually - thanks for the technical advances - but the first one gets the same reaction from me every time: total nervousness, devotional rooting for Luke and hoping like crazy that he gets those torpedoes in. I just jump around the room shouting, 'He did it! He did it!' All this of course when I watch it alone. I'd be too embarrased to do this publicly.

4. The fighting in ROTS. As a practicing martial artist I reluctantly accept the excuses for the Luke vs Vader fighting style but every time I see it it makes me cringe. Of course, Anakin vs Obi-Wan and Yoda vs Sidious is pretty much more flashy than practical but is a lot more relevant to real life and is smooth in execution. Vader was never a favourite character of mine, more like neutral, but the duels are great. I mean, on Mustafar the circles they draw before Anakin and Obi-Wan get locked in the force-push... I know nobody who'd be willing to enter that defence. It really made me appreciate Hayden and Ewan a lot, lot more. If somebody knows if Nick Gillard is approachable let me know. Ray Park would also do.

5. This is not a scene, but a recurrent moting through EpII and III. Anakin gets reprimanded all the time by Obi-Wan and Mace - whom I particularly dislike - and the way he keeps saying, 'I'm sorry, Master.', 'Yes, Master.', 'I'm trying, Master.' You can tell Anakin is rolling his eyes behind their backs and is just fed up with being told off all the time for every single thing he seemingly does wrong. For me this theme is why I don't think Anakin's fall was too quick.

Of course, there's so many more favourites I don't even dare mention, but I could go on and on. Even this list was tough to compile.

 

hey,don't let us stop you,chris...
you want to tell us about your fave star wars bits,here's the thread to do it.
be our guest.
i agree with you on the opening sequence for ROTS,so many cool bits in those fifteen/twenty minutes...it makes you wonder if they were awake when they filmed AOTC,at all...
the more i think about it,and i think about it alot,the more convinced i am that ILMers thought up alot of the gags in those scenes,like artoo flaming the superbattledroids.

 

I think Nick Gillard is an approachable guy. I know he lives in Brighton and when he was at C3, he was really good and mingled with the Joe public during the party.
He was trying to make a film with Hayden and Sam Jackson, but I found out on Thurday it fell through which is a shame.

I'm still in two minds as to whether I like his work or not in the PT. I was really disappointed with the Mustafar duel because it wasn't what I wanted to see at all. But I think it all depends on what sort of fighting we want to see, and I know I'm more into the gritty, realistic side of things rather then the spectacular OTT stuff.

 

I think the problem with the main fight scene in ROTS on Mustafar is that it lacked dramatic tension. After all, we knew that both Obi-wan and Anakin were going to survive, somehow. And the fighting itself didn't add a sense of danger - it felt too smooth and choreographed.

 

oh,i don't know... the combined force-push was an excellent idea,as was the swinging about on cables and clashing lightsabres.
although they should have kept the 'anakin bringing up a swell of lava and hurling it at obi-wan who deflects it around him' sequence,that looked cool in the storyboards.

 

Goodness...favourite scenes in Star Wars - there are so many to choose from

If I had to choose just ONE, I would have to say Luke looking out at the double suns across the desert. I really related to him (a sense of lost opportunity, facing an uncertain future, the resignation of being forced to remain behind, the yearning to reach out, explore, move on....) and that scene combined with the beautiful music just got me - STILL gets me, every time.

But there are so many more!

In TPM:
- first time we see Coruscant, the absolute grandeur of the Republic.
- the first time in the Jedi Temple and with the Council - so many Jedi!!
- the duel of fates

In AoTC:
- the challenging/daring/haunted look Anakin gives Padme, Owen and Beru when he returns with his mothers body
- the scene when Obi Wan is touring the Kamino clone facility (ALL those bloody clones??!!)
- Anakin's emotional admission to Padme regarding his violent actions against the Tuskens
- the Anakin/Dooku duel, when the saber colours are reflected across their faces

In RotS:
- the opening battle
- when Anakin goes to Yoda seeking advice about his vision (the slants of light across Anakins face was brilliantly done. It really set the mood, visually suggesting Anakins torn allegiance)
- after Mace sends Anakin back to the temple and he struggles with the decision whether or not to save Padme, and he and Padme are looking out across the city, unknowingly at each other...that music is SO haunting, and to me, is THE pivitol scene in Sith. It changes the fate of millions....
- the death of the Jedi (the collage of scenes and the heart rending music still make me tear up when I see it)
- on the landing platform on Mustafar, when Obi Wan reveals himself and Anakin reveals his plans for the Repulic
- THE DUEL between Anakin and Obi Wan
- Anakin/Vader burning

ANH:
- the opening scene with the Star Destroyer attacking the Tantive IV
- Luke staring across the desert at the Binary Suns setting
- the Cantina scene
- the Death Star run

ESB:
-the AT-AT's approaching Echo Base
- the Millenium Falcon chase in the asteroid field
- Han being frozen in carbonite (the loud 'thunk' as the Ugnaugh tips it over)
- Luke facing Vader and learning the truth on the gantry

RotJ:
- Leia unfreezing Han (Han,'Who are you??' Leia, 'Someone who loves you.')
- Yoda's revelation and death
- Luke's revelation to Leia regarding their relationship and Vader
- Luke faces Vader on Endor (Luke, 'Then my father is truly dead.')
- Luke vs Vader fight
- Vader revealed (Luke removes the helmet to look upon his father)
- the funeral pyre on Endor

I happen to one of those few who actually LIKE Hayden appearing at the end of the SE of RotJ. I believe it signifies the redemption of his soul and return to his former self, when he was last 'good'. Obi Wan and Yoda died being good so they remain looking as they were when they died.

I like the differences in the fighting styles too. Can't say I perfer one over the other. Having taken some sword/saber fighting classes this past year, I understand the differences and appreciate them. The fights in the PT are more acrobatic and fluid. It was the height of the Republic as well as the Jedi. The Jedi had long standing customs and traditions and had lots of influences to draw from. In Luke's time, all of that is gone. Ben didn't teach him anything, and Yoda was more about the philosophical side of the force - not physical prowess. Vader was a mere shade of his former self and has had to adapt his fighting style to accomodate the restrictions of his suit. Theirs is a more classic style of fighting. Luke hasn't discovered the Jedi holocrons yet so he can't draw upon those lessons until later (in the books, anyway).

 

I understand what you're saying but I have to disagree slightly.
That Anakin grew up by Obi-Wan's side and they both know the same tricks makes a pair like that really hard to defeat each other. Especially for this reason the Mustafar duel was extremely dramatic and, for me anyways, nail-biting excitement.
Believe me, it's very hard to fight a person who knows almost every one of your tricks, knows how you're going to react, what your next step is going to be. Even after a few minutes into the fight one can easily get frustrated by these facts. And when they are such swordmasters as these two, next to never making a mistake, opportunities for using the other one's mistake against them are hard to find and execute.
On top of that Ani and Obi-Wan were used to doing the unexpected so they were pretty prepared for that in each other's fight as well.
And as I just read the ROTS book there's an other point. Remember when Mace tells Obi-Wan about being the master of the style that's not expert in anything. Basically, Obi-Wan is so hard to beat because he's not specialised. As far as I know and experienced that's the dream of every proper martial artist I know. Vader simply wasn't that far down the dark side to casually do evil things that could defeat his former master.
Gosh, erm, this was my martial art rant.

Of course, some of it was "laughable", like the corridor bit, but that was very much made up for in visuals. It was also good for showing our heroes' faces. I know Ewan and Hayden enjoyed the practice before shooting and that really shows in the movie.

As for the extended favourite scene list. I thought long and hard and might give them in groups of five. Just so you won't tire before I go through almost every scene of all six movies.

 

You make some valid points there chrisfree I guess I was just expecting something more from this final duel, after all it had been so hyped before the film's release. Having said that where the duel redeems itself is in those final moments as Obi-wan turns his back on Anakin and leaves him to die. For me this is one of the most emotional and painful moments of the film.

I see that a lot of people have chosen the binary sunset scene from ANH as their favourite. I can understand that; I think we've all been in that moment at some time. Its about looking to the future, wanting to leave the past behind and beginning life as an adult. I think Luke in this moment realises that he is at that fundamental cross-roads in his life when he has all the big choices to make, the decisions that will shape his future.

The music btw, as I am sure everyone knows, is the wonderful Force Theme, which much like the Imperial March, occurs as a recurrent motif throughout the films, in a variety of different variations. In this moment it is for me at least, wistful, melancholic and dreamy, summing up perfectly what the scene is about.

 

me again!
of course the order 66 sequence has to rate among the best of the trilogies.
given that the actor portraying ki-adi-mundi had to work with so much prosthetic and still managed to express the terrible and sudden realisation that came with the betrayel of the clones... a testament to his acting ability!
brit stage actors,don't you just love 'em.