Best Opening Cue of the Saga

Not to be confused with the performance of the Main Titles themselves or the album versions (which are often vastly different than the film versions).

Here's how I would rank them.
1. The Force Awakens
2. Return of the Jedi
3. The Empire Strikes Back
4. A New Hope
5. Revenge of the Sith
6. Attack of the Clones
7. The Phantom Menace


Oddly enough, TFA one takes the #1 spot with relative ease for me. The action music is top notch and conveys the dramatic intent of the scene perfectly.

 

TFA / RotS / RotJ are all top notch

 

When I read the title of your thread the first thought that came to mind was ROTS, so I am going to go with that. There was something about that ominous drum beat that I really dug.


Mace Windy,
windy, windier, windiest!

 

Nothing can quite beat ANH's opening, I think

 

I agree. Though I think TFA gives ANH's opening cue a run for its money. I absolutely love the tension at the beginning of both films which is elevated immensely by the music.

 

Revenge of the Sith is definitely #1 for me.

 

I'd rank them like this:

1. ROTS: I love the war drums, and the epic variation of the Binary Sunset theme.
2. TPM: I like the slow and eerie build-up, and the speedier part when the ship lands.
3. AOTC: I like the heavy sense of tension throughout the opening theme.
4. ANH: I love the immediate and big build-up of the theme as the Star Destroyer marches across the sky.
5. ESB: It's nice, though a bit bland, but I do like the part when Luke's theme comes in.
6. ROTJ: Just a bit too slow and lacking in memorable melodies until the droids show up, which isn't really the opening anymore.

 

RotS. The Battle of Coruscant ROCKS!

 

All time favorite is definitely ROTS! Second and third is probably TFA and ANH.

 

A New Hope, for me. The one that started it all.

 

It depends on what do you call exactly the "opening cue". The lenght of the first cue after the Main Titles is very different from film to film.

 

I'm going with A New Hope, although The Empire Strikes Back, Revenge of the Sith, and The Force Awakens are all practically tied for second.

 

Not an actual "cue" (which would be significantly shorter than what we're talking about) but the general opening sequence. I'll admit criteria is a little vague but in general, it's the music that accompanies the opening scene.

 

RotS easily because everything in it is better than anything else.
Just kidding (not about the 3 had the best), it's because that Battle of Coruscant music is amazing.

 

1) ROTS
2) ANH
3) ROTJ
4) TFA
5) TPM
6) ESB
7) AOTC

 

1. ROTS- Militaristic Force Theme and war drums= Epic.
2. ANH- Classic.
3. TFA
4. ROTJ
5. AOTC
6. TPM
7. TESB

 

ROTS. Battle over Coruscant is just epic.

 

Yes, I feel like every "favorite" of mine that is Star Wars related has to be about A New Hope. I just have to give some respect to "the one that started it all."

 

A New Hope, although others are very close.

 

1. Revenge of the Sith - I love the war drums, and then the transition into the action, and how the drums continue throughout the rest of the battle.
2. The Phantom Menace - I love the sense of tension formed by it, and the brief section as the Republic ship lands on the battleship.
3. Attack of the Clones - I like the bit that plays over the ship in the clouds, and after the explosion. The version of the mystery theme that plays when Palpatine suggests Obi-Wan is a highlight too.
4. A New Hope - I like the build-up as the pan over the destroyer happens.
5. The Empire Strikes Back - I like the initial version of the Imperial March as the probe lands, and the music that plays as the camera pans to Luke's Tauntaun
6. Return of the Jedi - It's kind of slow and not very distinctive. I do like the section during the deleted Lightsaber construction scene, though that doesn't really count as the opening.

Edit: Oh wait, I already did this in February. I said almost the same things too. Oh well, this is an interesting thread.

 

1) ANH
2) ROTS
3) ROTJ
4) TFA
5) ESB
6) TPM
7) AOTC

 

The Force Awakens. I love the sound of the music as soon as the opening crawl disappears.

 

ROTS
TFA
ANH
AOTC
TESB
TPM
ROTJ

 

A tie between ANH and ROTS. The warlike rendition of the force theme and the drums are very unusual in the saga.

TFA is close, but not quite so epic as the former two.

 

I loved the opening cue for ROTS, but nothing can quite top ANH's opening for me. Williams just did so much with that one, that it's a masterpiece in its own right embedded within an already amazing score and body of work.