(For those who may be unfamiliar with this holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal "floating" holiday which lands on the third Monday of January, celebrating one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement that aimed to eliminate racial discrimination. His actual birthday is January 15--but the USA loves its three-day weekends so it's always on a Monday.)
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(DISCLAIMER: There will be no spoilers in this post, I promise. I will make no mention of the specifics of what happens in the movie.)
So, this weekend I watched Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
I'm sure you've heard of these Science Fiction movies before. It's impossible to browse the internet without running into a reference to one character or another or the setting or the plot.
What stirred me to see them now? Eventually, I tired of wondering how many references went over my head and/or how many times I missed a joke. And since I love SF and nerdy things, I decided to watch them, in the order the movies were released. That seems to be what most people say is the best way to see them, despite the fact the prequel trilogy is labeled I-III and the original trilogy is IV-VI. Don't ask me.
Plus, I figured if I was going to come across so many spoilers, I might as well go to the source. (Thank you, world wide web, for telling me what happens and who happens to be re--ah, I'll shut up now.)
Anyway. I put a hold on it at the library and they shipped me the video. I began with a few expectations:
1. That it would be a lot like Eragon by Christopher Paolini.
2. That R2-D2 would be cute, though I wasn't sure he was in Episode IV.
3. That there would be light sabers.
And I discovered that:
1. It is rather like Eragon by Christopher Paolini. That's due, of course, to the fact Paolini drew on a lot of influences in his Inheritance Cycle (meaning he mashed together different elements from famous stories). There are, however, a few differences in the other major characters and the setting doesn't have a whole lot in common.
2. R2-D2 is indeed cute. (Reminded me of Wall-E.)
3. Light sabers are weapons used by the Jedi. I thought they could be used by, you know, everybody.
I also found out:
1. I have been pronouncing Jedi in my head wrong all this time. It isn't Jed-EE it's Jed-AI. Oops. (And yes, just in my head. I don't know, definitively, anyone who has seen Star Wars in person . . .)
2. Darth Vader talks. I thought he just wheezed.
3. Princess Leia can stand up for herself. I won't point out the multitude of SF stories that have weak female protagonists, but I can't put Star Wars in among them. Huzzah!
All in all, I thought Episode IV: A New Hope was a good movie and worth watching, with an interesting cast of characters, an overall strong plot, and a fascinating Science Fiction universe. I can see how they could build prequels out of it, because the first thing that comes onscreen is a scrolling and highly-condensed explanation of the rebellion against the Empire. There's got to be a story behind that.
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Have you seen Star Wars? What did you think of it? And if you haven't seen any of the movies, do you want to?
-----The Golden Eagle
57 comments:
You thought Vadar just wheezed - that's funny!
I went to one of the first showings of Star Wars when it opened in 1977. Yeah, I've seen it dozens of times now. Glad you finally got to see the movie that started it all!
Wow, seeing SW for the fist time. It's one of my favorites (4, 5, & 6). LOL about Darth V.
Better late than never. You should watch the next two. And then stop.
mood
Moody Writing
@mooderino
The Funnily Enough
I LOVE STAR WARS!!!!!!!!!
How wonderful to be watching it for the first time. I think the order you're watching them is perfect, too, because there are some surprises in the series that wouldn't be "surprises" if you went ahead and watched episodes I-III.
Please keep us posted on what you think about the rest. :)
Yay Star Wars! Interestingly enough, I believe it was the same guy who did the sound effects for Wall-e and R2D2. :)
Welcome to the club.
I'm in love with Star Wars movies. I'm glad you have joined the band wagon!
I grew up in the era when Star Wars (IV,V, & VI) were THE RAGE. But I managed never to see them until I married a Star Wars fanatic who forced me to sit down and watch all three. And surprisingly, I liked them. But when I, II, & III hit the theaters, I couldn't make it past episode I. Maybe someday I'll catch up.
congratulations :)
Hehehe, I love all the stuff you discovered that you didn't know before :) Personally, I love the first 3 movies (as in, IV-VI) way way way more than the newer ones that came out. I know the old ones are meant to be more obviously fake with their 'special effects', but to me they actually look more real than the fancy CGI new ones!
I look forward to seeing what you think of the rest of the movies :)
Like Alex I stood in line to watch it when it first came out and like Mooderino, I suggest stopping with the first three. Don't let Jar Jar spoil the magic for you. In fact, watch BSG instead, the new version. That's my advice :)
I loved getting to see Star Wars through your eyes, Eagle! Too fun! :)
Though Star Wars may be "nerdy" I still love it! And R2-D2 is very cute.:)
Yes!! It's true, there probably were a lot of Star Wars references that you weren't getting. But now you're all caught up. Yeah!!
You make me feel so old. Seeing SW in the theater 'in the day' was an awesome experience. The world was so starved for something like it.
I love Star Wars, but I don't recommend the new ones.
Wow. You actually hadn't seen it before? That's amazing. All my kids (except the baby) have seen it multiple times and none of them are older than 8. We are a supergeek household though. ;)
Can't believe you waited this long to see them haha. They are really good movies, a tad dated but still good non the less. The prequels are garbage though.
It's great you finally took some time to watch the film. It's one of the great classics in sci-fi. I love the original trilogy. I'm not a fan of the most recent trilogy, but I do like the story.
I have been watching Star Wars since I was a kid. Return of the Jedi was the first big screen movie I ever went to. I LOVE those movies!!!!
Yay that you've finally seen A New Hope.
I hope you enjoy the rest of them. Return of the Jedi is my favourite.
Have fun :)
I saw the first one in the back of my parent's station wagon at the drive in. I fell asleep.
I saw the Star Wars movies but eh wasnt a die hard fan. When you say you dont definitely know anyone who has seen Star Wars- is that because you havent asked?! I have to say I dont know ANYONE who HASNT seen at least one of them.
I've seen Star Wars. I was mostly bored by it. But I do like R2-D2. Oh, and I did really enjoy Episode V.
I haven't seen them all, but I really should make an effort. Netflix makes it so much easier to catch up on all the movies I've missed.
Yay, now you can join the legions of Star Wars fans, being educated and all in SW culture.
Are you going to watch the rest of the episodes?
Star Wars. *groans* My husband's favorite movies. Ever. He'll even sit through the lousy prequels. I can't take Star Wars for very long. Don't get me started on the back and forth between my husband and I and any nerd-tastic friends he might be around and who play along with the whole dialogue thing.
The interesting thing about plot is that Lucas followed the classic plot of the hero's journey. He was very specific about following it, so technically he wrote a textbook case for anyone wanting to follow the hero's journey formula.
FYI - The books aren't as good as the films. Go figure!
I only saw Star Wars about 8 - 10 years ago for the first time. I had seen #6 in the movie theaters when it came out, but knew enough of the back story that it made sense to me. They're definitely worth watching!
interesting!
I've never seen Star Wars! Well I've seen the new ones, I - III, but not the "classic" ones. I did know that Darth Vader could talk though, from the whole "I am your father" thing.
I used to watch those movies (we're talking the original trilogy) at least once a month when I was a kid. That was back when Episode IV was just called Star Wars (no subtitle) and the trilogy was on VHS with the movie art that wrapped around all three tapes kinda like a triptyc. And they re-released the movies to theaters when I was in Jr. High, but I didn't approve because they added in new scenes. Ah, memories.
Han Solo and Princess Leia were the coolest! (And Chewie of course) Hope you enjoy the rest!
I've actually never watched it. Maybe I should get on that.
Every now and then my Honey and I will have a movie weekend and it almost always ends up being a Star Wars or LOTR fest. I love these movies :-)
This is the real Star Wars film not the prequels (booo! to them!). I love love love this film, loved it - fired up my imagination like no end! Loved Princess Leia and Darth Vader and Alec Guinness and and and everything and everyone! Loved it!!!!
:-) Take care
x
I love those movies. My favourite is #6. I hope you get to watch that one as well.
LOL, wheezy Vader! I'm with Alex saw the first showing in 77' and I did not like the last 3 made. The first one is still my favorite. :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Oh yes, I've seen all the Star Wars movies several times, starting with when I was a little kid and they first came out on the big screen. They're classics, for sure!
I loved the original films but disliked the 3 prequels with a passion. My sisters favourite was also R2D2 - I liked Chewbacca best. As for my least favourite character, without a doubt that would be Jar Jar Binks, so, so annoying, I longed for something awful to happen to him.
han solo, woo hoo!
glad you caught up! hard to believe there are some who still havent experienced the magnificent epic of star wars!
episodes 1-3 arent as awesome as the original trilogy, but still have good characters and plot. (i hate jar jar too and i love r2d2, a bot with sarcasm & bravery! as a kid, i wished he was real!)
I've still only seen one Star Wars and I don't even know which one that was.
Hurray!! That is one series I never get tired of! Hope you'll keep watching them!?
I don't think you had to worry about spoilers. Now you understand why the first three were so good and the second three so lame.
I loved the first series (episodes 4-6), but not the prequels. But that may also be because I saw episodes 4-6 as a child, and the others as an adult. Or maybe I was expecting too much of 1-3.
Eagle! Ha ha haaaa! The wheezing. Too funny. I love Darth! He's the ultimate bad guy. :-) He's so dang cool!!!!!
Star Wars is pretty good. I won't go as far to say I'm a huge fan of them, they are still definitely enjoyable. And I must be the only person that thinks this, but I actually enjoyed Episode I, of the prequels. The other two of the prequels are definitely kind of EH.But episode one I like. xD Possibly because I got good memories of watching it over and over with my big brother, along the older movies. :p
And that Darth Vader comment... HAhaha!
OMG, I tremble at the awesomeness of these films...welcome to the club:)
I grew up with Star Wars. I'm not a big science fiction fan, but I loved them. The prequels are awful.
I saw the first 3 when they came out in the theaters. (Yes, I'm that old.) But now it seems they've changed the names of those 3 movies and I can't tell which is which. The other 3, the prequels, didn't interest me much which is surprising since both Hayden Christiansen and Ewan MacGregor are in the them. Guess I'm looking for more than just a pretty face, for once.
I watched Star Wars (except for the third one, didn't want to watch a sad movie) for the first last Spring and loved them. I did it chronological order and enjoyed them that way.
My favorite character, by far, is Han Solo. I loved that guy before I even watched the movies.
I'm glad you enjoyed them.
P.S.
Supposedly the Star Wars Saga is being re-released in the theaters in 3D starting this year. Unfortunately, they're doing it in chronological order, so it will be a while before my favorite ones are re-released,
Alex: Well, I'd never seen/heard him talk. LOL.
I glad I saw it, too!
Alleged: I'm looking forward to 5 and 6. :)
Mooderino: A lot of people seem to have disliked the prequel trilogy. I'll have to see what I think by VI.
Barbara: Good to know you think I'm watching them in the right order--I wasn't sure which one to start with when I decided to watch them!
Sarah: Just looked it up; you're right! He did do both of them. :)
Thanks!
Belle: LOL. Thanks.
Angelina: I'm debating whether to see the first three, since a lot of people here don't seem to like it--and bloggers are usually right. ;)
Gaylene: Thank you!
I feel like I've gone through some kind of initiation ceremony. :P
Trisha: Glad you enjoyed it!
Didn't they remaster the old ones too, or something like that? I haven't really looked into it--I don't want to run into something that tells me the rest of the plot.
I'll be sure to update you all!
Mshatch: Jar Jar is one strange name. :P I'll keep that in mind!
Um . . . BSG?
Carrie: LOL. Glad someone enjoyed it. :)
Emily: I'm attracted to "nerd" stuff; probably because I am one!
L.G.: I'm glad I'll be able to catch them now. :P
Susan: I wonder what the next big thing will be. Star Wars, Harry Potter, Twilight . . . what's next?
K. Turley: It's too bad about the new movies; I had hoped there would be another great five ahead, but I guess not. :P
Sarah: Nope!
LOL. It isn't really a "geek" household around here; my mom isn't really into that kind of thing. Though she has seen SW.
Pat: Yeah, I know . . . should have watched them a while ago. Probably before I started writing Science Fiction, too. :P
Christine: It certainly is everywhere in the genre!
Melissa: Thank you!
I'm looking forward to the last movie in the trilogy. :) I really don't know much about it . . .
Shelly: I take it the movie didn't really capture your attention? :P
Cestlavie22: Well, I actually found out that my mom has seen the first movie; but no, I haven't really asked anyone else. Most of the SF nerds I know are online.
(Not sure what that says about me, but anyway . . .)
M.J.: He's cute. :)
That's next on my list!
Carolyn: Maybe your library? That's where I found my copy.
M.C.: Definitely. V and VI are next--I'm not sure if I'm going to watch I-III since many commenters have said they're not very good . . .
Mary: I watched The Power of Myth with Joseph Campbell and it did strike me as interesting that George Lucas followed the idea of the hero's journey so closely.
An exception to the rule that the books are always better?
Beth: I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the original trilogy. :)
Flying high in the sky: Thanks!
The Writing Hour: I didn't. You don't see his mouth move or anything, so I had nothing to go on . . . but I knew he breathed strangely. :P
Cacy: I actually watched a VHS copy. :) It was the only one my library had--but I love tapes. They're sturdier than DVDs.
Thank you!
DWei: Hope you enjoy it, if you do watch Star Wars. :)
Sarah: Sounds like fun!
Old Kitty: THE Star Wars film, right?
Glad to hear you enjoyed it so much!
Clarissa: I'm planning on it. :)
Jules: That's what I thought. :P
I've yet to see the others, but the first one was pretty good . . .
Susan: I can see why they would become classics.
Petty Witter: I've never heard of Binks; he sounds annoying from his name, though. LOL.
Tara: Thanks!
Well, you can't count me among them anymore. :P
He's got attitude--particularly for a robot!
Beth: Did you like it?
Colene: I will. And I'll update you all as I do. :)
L. Diane: I haven't seen the first three yet; it doesn't sound like they were well done, though. Alas.
Connie: It seems to be the majority opinion here that the newer ones were pretty crummy.
Robyn: LOL. I love villains you get to call "cool". :)
Griffinclaw: I'll have to see whether or not I check out I-III once I've seen VI; not sure at this point.
Mark: Thank you!
Theresa: Seems to be the dominating view. :P
Nancy: Well, the original trilogy's first movie (formerly titled just Star Wars) is now A New Hope; I'm not sure about the prequel trilogy's titles.
Sananora: He certainly has character!
Thanks. :)
I know they're doing something with Blu-Ray; I didn't know they were re-releasing them in 3D, though.
LOL, I loved reading what your preconceptions about Star Wars was before you saw them! I love Star Wars, and my sister LOVES R2-D2. She has so much R2-D2 stuff, it's pretty ridic. Haha.
The original trilogy is definitely better than the prequel trilogy, but I love the prequels for getting my friends and I into the series in the first place. There's something to be said about improved film technology, and there's more Jedi stuff and I do love the Jedi. :) The TV show, The Clone Wars, is actually really fun and has a lot more Jedi action.
ANYWAY, I hope you enjoy the rest! Keep us posted. :)
I've seen bits and pieces of it, but I've never watched the entire thing. I really should. :)
Oh I'm so sorry it took you this long to see the GREATEST MOVIE TRILOGY OF ALL TIME!!!!
I grew up with Star Wars (the original). In fact, it was born the same year I was....
My all time favorites. Let me know what you think of the prequels. I'll refrain from comments until you see them.
Oh happy day! Now I feel the urge to go watch them all again! Welcome to the Star Wars universe :D
Cheers,
Jen
Wait...this was your first time?!
Wow, you'd never seen Star Wars. Sorry, my head just exploded.
The Trilogy was high art in my household, and we saw all the movies in the theater. I was dragged to SW and Empire...what can I say? I was young and stupid. Jedi, however, I looked forward to all day at school, and enjoyed even though the theater was so packed that my family couldn't sit together.
Ah, memories.
Yep, I'm a geek. I can probably still recite dialog...
Krispy: Glad you enjoyed it. :)
LOL. I think he's cute, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to start buying the merchandise . . .
Thank you!
I'll be sure to keep you all posted; what are blogs for if not Star Wars statuses?
Cherie: If you do, I hope you enjoy the movies. :)
Jen: Well, at least now I can say I've seen it!
Cool about your birthday!
Thank you. :)
Joshua: Yeah, it was . . . I know, I know, I should have watched them sooner.
Liz: Sorry for making your head explode!
Hooray for geeks. :)
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