I cried when Vader died.
Posts mit dem Label Star Wars werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Posts mit dem Label Star Wars werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Sonntag, 1. November 2015
The Long Way To Episode VII: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back. Fans still argue whether Episode IV or this one, its sequel, is the best Star Wars movie of all times.
The Death Star is destroyed and the Rebell Alliance pissed off the Galactic Empire. Without remorse the forces of evil search and destroy rebel bases. This leads to the battle on the ice planet Hoth, that has become such an iconic scene. And there's more nostalgia hidden here: the asteroid field in which the Millenium Falcon hides, just to find out it's the lair of a giant space slug, the sky city of the gas mining planet Bespin and, of course, the famous 'I'm your father' words.
Besides the fantastic soundtrack I was amused how Yoda, here as a puppet and not a cgi-character, here looks. Old school, but more to my liking, I admit.
Looking forward to see (again) how Leai and Luke save Han in Episode VI (that Leai costume...).
Is that trailer really narrated by Harrison Ford?
Mittwoch, 28. Oktober 2015
The Long Way To Episode VII: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
What a great movie that was once again. The most 'complete' episode of them all. Meaning one that can be watched in its own right without worrying about the before and after. But if you're like me, you watch them all.
What really got me again was the fantastic soundtrack. It brings back so many memories.
Star Wars IV starts with one of the most iconic scenes in science fiction. Princess Leia Organa's diplomatic vessel is fleeing through space. In a scene without cuts the small ship speeds past above the viewer's perspective and then the screen is filled by an never ending Star Destroyer. You instantly get it - the space nazis have arrived. The Star Destroyer is under command of Grand Moff Tarkin and the infamous Darth Vader.
The Imperial Forces manage to capture Princess Leia. But she saved an SOS call in R2D2 who then along with C3P0 is shot to Tattooine in an escape pod. To find Obi Wan Kenobi, the last Jedi Knight. On the way the androids make company with young Luke Skywalker and later, with mercenary-smuggler Han Solo and his hairy companion Chewbacca. The rest is history.
These are the ingredients which made the first Star Wars in 1977 such a hit - adventure, camaradery and romance. What I especially appreciated were the clean camera shots and timeless design of uniforms and interior. It still stands the test of time. Light sabers are as cool today as ever, probably even more so.
Episode IV: A New Hope is a classic space opera with a clear black and white idea of good and evil. Empire troops remind me of the Nazi devils in their appearance, attitude and ruthlessness whereas Luke is the innocent young hero (another fantasy trope) while Leia and the Rebel Alliance stand for the civilized, democratic good of the galaxy. Everyone wants to see them succeed in their fight against the Empire. And at the end, by destroying the ultimate weapon in the galaxy, the planet crushing Death Star, it feels like the whole Galactic Empire is shattered to pieces. That feeling of victory is probably what makes this movie feel so 'complete'. Yet, as demand topped all expectations, sequels were made. And these two classics - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi are the next on my list to watch.
What really got me again was the fantastic soundtrack. It brings back so many memories.
Star Wars IV starts with one of the most iconic scenes in science fiction. Princess Leia Organa's diplomatic vessel is fleeing through space. In a scene without cuts the small ship speeds past above the viewer's perspective and then the screen is filled by an never ending Star Destroyer. You instantly get it - the space nazis have arrived. The Star Destroyer is under command of Grand Moff Tarkin and the infamous Darth Vader.
The Imperial Forces manage to capture Princess Leia. But she saved an SOS call in R2D2 who then along with C3P0 is shot to Tattooine in an escape pod. To find Obi Wan Kenobi, the last Jedi Knight. On the way the androids make company with young Luke Skywalker and later, with mercenary-smuggler Han Solo and his hairy companion Chewbacca. The rest is history.
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| Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo |
Episode IV: A New Hope is a classic space opera with a clear black and white idea of good and evil. Empire troops remind me of the Nazi devils in their appearance, attitude and ruthlessness whereas Luke is the innocent young hero (another fantasy trope) while Leia and the Rebel Alliance stand for the civilized, democratic good of the galaxy. Everyone wants to see them succeed in their fight against the Empire. And at the end, by destroying the ultimate weapon in the galaxy, the planet crushing Death Star, it feels like the whole Galactic Empire is shattered to pieces. That feeling of victory is probably what makes this movie feel so 'complete'. Yet, as demand topped all expectations, sequels were made. And these two classics - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi are the next on my list to watch.
Montag, 26. Oktober 2015
The Long Way To Episode VII: Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Just watched Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith this evening. So I better write this down now while my impression is still fresh.
The Galactic Republic headed by Chancellor Palpatine is in brutal war with the secessionist movement (publically) lead by Count Dooku, played by the brilliant Christopher Lee. It's clones vs. androids.
The movie starts with a fantastic space battle for which Star Wars is so famous for. An android army took Palpatine hostage and it requires the Jedi Obi Wan and Anakin Skywalker to rescue him from the clutches of Count Dooku. Quite early in the movie it comes to the death of Dooku by hands of Anakin. He was commanded by Palpatine to execute Dooku after he beat him in single combat. Anakin's passing to the Dark Side is getting accelerated in this movie. Matter of fact, this movie is less about the fall of Anakin, the annoying youngster, and more about the rise of Darth Vader, coolest villain in the history of science fiction.
And there's more fan service: Yoda travels to the planet of the Wookies and fights alongside Chewbacca! The Deathstar is developed and build. Mace Windu with his ridiculous purple laser sword get thrown out of a Coruscant skyscraper!
The visuals and the story climax in this Episode released in 2005, three years after Episode II. I really feel that this was by far the best movie out of the prequel trilogy. Much is explained to make the smooth transition to Episode IV: A New Hope. Like the birth of Luke and Leia, the heroes of the original trilogy.
Episode II and III really put my mind at ease. While Episode I was too weird, II was a respectable Star Wars movie and III a good Star Wars movie with many emotional moments for fans. I look forward to watching the original trilogy in the coming days, which serve more romance and fairy tale and no diplomacy at all. And I am getting really intrigued to delve deeper into the Star Wars lore - I'd love to know more about the origin of the Jedi and Sith conflict. While Wikia is quite big I'd be interested in a kind of expanded universe reading list.
Here's the trailer for the aptly title Revenge of the Sith.
The Galactic Republic headed by Chancellor Palpatine is in brutal war with the secessionist movement (publically) lead by Count Dooku, played by the brilliant Christopher Lee. It's clones vs. androids.
The movie starts with a fantastic space battle for which Star Wars is so famous for. An android army took Palpatine hostage and it requires the Jedi Obi Wan and Anakin Skywalker to rescue him from the clutches of Count Dooku. Quite early in the movie it comes to the death of Dooku by hands of Anakin. He was commanded by Palpatine to execute Dooku after he beat him in single combat. Anakin's passing to the Dark Side is getting accelerated in this movie. Matter of fact, this movie is less about the fall of Anakin, the annoying youngster, and more about the rise of Darth Vader, coolest villain in the history of science fiction.
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| Wookies, everyone loves them. |
The visuals and the story climax in this Episode released in 2005, three years after Episode II. I really feel that this was by far the best movie out of the prequel trilogy. Much is explained to make the smooth transition to Episode IV: A New Hope. Like the birth of Luke and Leia, the heroes of the original trilogy.
 |
| It's master vs. apprentice in The Revenge of the Sith |
Here's the trailer for the aptly title Revenge of the Sith.
The Long Way To Episode VII: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
As the wife is not here currently I am using my spare time to watch through the Star Wars movies. And yesterday I watched Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
First: I think the title is misleading as there is an attack on The Old Republic by the android forces of Count Dooku and his secessionist movement (of course the infamous Trade Federation from Episode I is on board here too). The Clone Army turns the tide of the battle towards the Republic, but Yoda realizes at the end of the movie, that all of it is part of a much larger play. Hence, the attack of the clones has only just begun.
But one thing after the other.
Episode II takes place around 10 years after Episode I. Anakin is grown into an annoying teenager and is the padawan of Obi Wan Kenobi. The Force is strong with him, but he has major temper issues and just doesn't stand up to the Jedi's high standards of self-control. Anakin and Obi Wan travel to Coruscant where they become bodyguards of Senator Padme Amidala, the former queen of Naboo (yeah, that is right, former queen as she had only two legislative periodes, so much for monarchy). Anakin is still deeply in love with her. For Padme, however, he will always stay the little boy from Tattooine as she says at their first meeting. But this is about to change.
While all the diplomacy and bureacracy still plays a major part in the movie, the tragic love story between Anakin and Padme is where the movie shines. It's also the parts with less CGI I might add.
There are heartpoundingly good scenes in this movie. Compared to the original trilogy everything might be a little over the top in terms of action and special effects, but once you accept that, it is possible to enjoy these scenes to the fullest. For example: When an assassin tries to kill Padmé before she delivers her speech to the senate. There's disgusting bugs and a crazy chase through the skyscraper landscape of Coruscant with high velocity - remember, they have flying cars there.
On the political level intrigue and corruption rule the galactical senate and Chancellor Palpatine gains more and more power. This peaks in him getting overpowered rights to command the newly discovered army of clones. Which are clones to the greatest assassin and bounty hunter in the universe: Django Fett, father to his genetically identical son Boba Fett, whom every old Star Wars fan loves. Palpatine, secretly a Sith Lord, also widens his influence on young Anakin. There is a lot of character development in this episode: Anakin, on a quest to free his mother from slavery on Tattooine, gives in to his anger and kills a whole village of Tusken Raider who were responsible for the death of his mother. He broke the Jedi codex and is since considered trustworthy less and less. It's the beginning of a tragic downward spiral.
All in all Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a much better Star Wars movie than Episode I. There's less Jar-Jar, less parliament talk and more fairy tale. Characters progress and lots of lore is mentioned. Special effects and CGI in 2002 also looked better than in 1999. And the movie stars Christopher Lee, one of the greatest fantasy and sci-fi actors the face of this world has known, who just recently passed away.
Here's the official trailer for your viewing pleasure:
First: I think the title is misleading as there is an attack on The Old Republic by the android forces of Count Dooku and his secessionist movement (of course the infamous Trade Federation from Episode I is on board here too). The Clone Army turns the tide of the battle towards the Republic, but Yoda realizes at the end of the movie, that all of it is part of a much larger play. Hence, the attack of the clones has only just begun.
But one thing after the other.
Episode II takes place around 10 years after Episode I. Anakin is grown into an annoying teenager and is the padawan of Obi Wan Kenobi. The Force is strong with him, but he has major temper issues and just doesn't stand up to the Jedi's high standards of self-control. Anakin and Obi Wan travel to Coruscant where they become bodyguards of Senator Padme Amidala, the former queen of Naboo (yeah, that is right, former queen as she had only two legislative periodes, so much for monarchy). Anakin is still deeply in love with her. For Padme, however, he will always stay the little boy from Tattooine as she says at their first meeting. But this is about to change.
While all the diplomacy and bureacracy still plays a major part in the movie, the tragic love story between Anakin and Padme is where the movie shines. It's also the parts with less CGI I might add.
 |
| High five, Episode II features backstory on the coolest bounty hunter in the galaxy! |
On the political level intrigue and corruption rule the galactical senate and Chancellor Palpatine gains more and more power. This peaks in him getting overpowered rights to command the newly discovered army of clones. Which are clones to the greatest assassin and bounty hunter in the universe: Django Fett, father to his genetically identical son Boba Fett, whom every old Star Wars fan loves. Palpatine, secretly a Sith Lord, also widens his influence on young Anakin. There is a lot of character development in this episode: Anakin, on a quest to free his mother from slavery on Tattooine, gives in to his anger and kills a whole village of Tusken Raider who were responsible for the death of his mother. He broke the Jedi codex and is since considered trustworthy less and less. It's the beginning of a tragic downward spiral.
 |
| The love story is good actually. |
Here's the official trailer for your viewing pleasure:
Sonntag, 25. Oktober 2015
The Long Way to Episode VII: Refreshing the Star Wars experience: Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens starts this Christmas on the big screen. Born 1986 I grew up with Star Wars. First with the good trilogy, which I've seen numerous times. Then came the 'new' one which covered episodes I to III. I've seen it once, I think, as I thought it was quite inferior to the magic of the older movies. Well, with Episode VII done by Disney and J.J. Abrams I am not sure what to expect. It can't get worse than Episodes I to III. Or The Hobbit movies... Which were all sufficent reasons to go to the cinema but didn't stand the comparison with the original movies (or Tolkien's slim children's tale which Peter Jackson raped into three movies larger than his Lord of the Rings movies).
So what will I do? I will watch all of the six Star Wars movies from Episode I to VI and blog about my experience watching them again. Then, and now it gets interesting, I plan to read through the original way the story developed further after Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. I am of course talking about novelist Timothy Zahn's so called Thrawn Trilogy. I read (part of) it during my teenage years and now finally got the missing book in my hands. That will be a tight schedule as about two months remain and I still have two Hyperion/Endymion books to finish first. I also have no idea about how relevant The Clone Wars animated series or The Force Unleashed games for example are to the canon and I doubt I can also watch and play through these in time. But we'll see how far I get until the release of Episode VII.
The Force Awakens is revisionist in that the Thrawn Trilogy will be treated as it never were. I want to see how the story 'really' continued and then be able draw a comparison. Follow me on this journey, if you like.
And why not directly begin? Yesterday evening I watched Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
You could say that at least now I got the worst behind me. Jar-Jar Binks... I forgot how annoying this character is. I think it is mostly Jar-Jar's fault that fans like me never appreciated this movie. And while we're in rage mode already: Too much cgi. When it comes to digital characters in this 1999 movie I have to think they were generated with a Dreamcast console. That's what it looked like. Should've better used some of the old puppets.
So now that that's out of my system let me get to the things I enjoyed about the movie. The story starts rather dull: There's an intergalactic republic and taxation disagreements with the mighty and seemingly corrupt Trade Federation puts the small democratic world of Naboo under military siege. It's a democratic world, yet it has a matriarch - Queen Amidala. The Council of Jedi from Coruscant, the city planet that is the galaxy's hub of diplomaxy, suspect something larger behind this than taxation disagreements and send two of their Jedi emissaries - Qui-Gon Jinn, graciously played by Liam Neeson, and the young Obi Wan, played by Ewan McGregor. It comes as it has to and they are dragged in a struggle for power and become Amidala's bodyguards. As it later turns out, the Sith, the anti-thesis to the righteous and exalted Jedis and long believed to be gone from the universe, are behind this. The remarkable Darth Maul, one of the best things in this probably weakest Star Wars movie, poses a real challenge to Qui-Gon and Obi Wan, and ambushes them on the backwater world Tattooine, where they meet the child slave Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon instantly notices that The Force is strong in the young Anakin Skywalker. The Pod Racer-race scene where Anakin wins his freedom and enables Qui-Gon to repair Her Majesty's space ship is the most exciting scene in the movie. I remember there even was a video game based on that scene on Sega Dreamcast (there it is again). The group travels to Coruscant where a brief skirmish in parliament for the withdrawal of troops from Naboo leads to nothing (you could as well watch any United Nations session to understand where the filmmakers got this idea from). On Naboo the battle between humans alongside with amphibic creatures against the Trade Federation's android army begins. Here it is notable that this scence was created before the cinematic world knew Peter Jackson's The Lord of The Rings which defined how scenes of armies battling each other have to look for eternity. So it looks rather comic. In the end the two Jedi face Darth Maul, Qui-Gon dies, Obi Wan kills Maul, Anakin with the help of R2D2 destroys the orbital android command space station and the war is won. Meanwhile on Coruscant senator Palpatine is elected the new chancellor. Obi Wan becomes Jedi Knight and Anakin despite Yoda's reluctance the padawan (pupil) of Obi Wan.
All in all the movie was not as bad as I remembered it. It wasn't a particular great movie, but it managed to appease fans with nostalgia like the appearance of Jabba The Hutt or C3PO who was created by the young Anakin. Jar-Jar Binks is and will always be terrible. I can't understand how they put some crude joke ruining every scene like him in. I heard there's an improved version of the movie in which loyal fans cut all the Binks crap out. I am now more interested to see how Anakin slowly turns into Darth Vader. I'll post my impressions then as well.
Here's the trailer for you. And in case you want a 20 minute summary of all the movies, just click.
So what will I do? I will watch all of the six Star Wars movies from Episode I to VI and blog about my experience watching them again. Then, and now it gets interesting, I plan to read through the original way the story developed further after Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. I am of course talking about novelist Timothy Zahn's so called Thrawn Trilogy. I read (part of) it during my teenage years and now finally got the missing book in my hands. That will be a tight schedule as about two months remain and I still have two Hyperion/Endymion books to finish first. I also have no idea about how relevant The Clone Wars animated series or The Force Unleashed games for example are to the canon and I doubt I can also watch and play through these in time. But we'll see how far I get until the release of Episode VII.
The Force Awakens is revisionist in that the Thrawn Trilogy will be treated as it never were. I want to see how the story 'really' continued and then be able draw a comparison. Follow me on this journey, if you like.
And why not directly begin? Yesterday evening I watched Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
You could say that at least now I got the worst behind me. Jar-Jar Binks... I forgot how annoying this character is. I think it is mostly Jar-Jar's fault that fans like me never appreciated this movie. And while we're in rage mode already: Too much cgi. When it comes to digital characters in this 1999 movie I have to think they were generated with a Dreamcast console. That's what it looked like. Should've better used some of the old puppets.
So now that that's out of my system let me get to the things I enjoyed about the movie. The story starts rather dull: There's an intergalactic republic and taxation disagreements with the mighty and seemingly corrupt Trade Federation puts the small democratic world of Naboo under military siege. It's a democratic world, yet it has a matriarch - Queen Amidala. The Council of Jedi from Coruscant, the city planet that is the galaxy's hub of diplomaxy, suspect something larger behind this than taxation disagreements and send two of their Jedi emissaries - Qui-Gon Jinn, graciously played by Liam Neeson, and the young Obi Wan, played by Ewan McGregor. It comes as it has to and they are dragged in a struggle for power and become Amidala's bodyguards. As it later turns out, the Sith, the anti-thesis to the righteous and exalted Jedis and long believed to be gone from the universe, are behind this. The remarkable Darth Maul, one of the best things in this probably weakest Star Wars movie, poses a real challenge to Qui-Gon and Obi Wan, and ambushes them on the backwater world Tattooine, where they meet the child slave Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon instantly notices that The Force is strong in the young Anakin Skywalker. The Pod Racer-race scene where Anakin wins his freedom and enables Qui-Gon to repair Her Majesty's space ship is the most exciting scene in the movie. I remember there even was a video game based on that scene on Sega Dreamcast (there it is again). The group travels to Coruscant where a brief skirmish in parliament for the withdrawal of troops from Naboo leads to nothing (you could as well watch any United Nations session to understand where the filmmakers got this idea from). On Naboo the battle between humans alongside with amphibic creatures against the Trade Federation's android army begins. Here it is notable that this scence was created before the cinematic world knew Peter Jackson's The Lord of The Rings which defined how scenes of armies battling each other have to look for eternity. So it looks rather comic. In the end the two Jedi face Darth Maul, Qui-Gon dies, Obi Wan kills Maul, Anakin with the help of R2D2 destroys the orbital android command space station and the war is won. Meanwhile on Coruscant senator Palpatine is elected the new chancellor. Obi Wan becomes Jedi Knight and Anakin despite Yoda's reluctance the padawan (pupil) of Obi Wan.
All in all the movie was not as bad as I remembered it. It wasn't a particular great movie, but it managed to appease fans with nostalgia like the appearance of Jabba The Hutt or C3PO who was created by the young Anakin. Jar-Jar Binks is and will always be terrible. I can't understand how they put some crude joke ruining every scene like him in. I heard there's an improved version of the movie in which loyal fans cut all the Binks crap out. I am now more interested to see how Anakin slowly turns into Darth Vader. I'll post my impressions then as well.
Here's the trailer for you. And in case you want a 20 minute summary of all the movies, just click.
Dienstag, 20. Oktober 2015
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens 3rd Trailer
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| Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens |
On a side note: There has been a continuation of the Star Wars saga for years, which is rejected now by Disney's revisionist movie. I'm talking about the so called Thrawn trilogy by novelist Timothy Zahn. I bought all three novels and plan to read them in the near future. To know how it's really supposed to be... Similar to Game of Thrones where the show is a simplification of the novels, but we'll see how this goes.
Montag, 31. März 2014
Star Wars Episodes I - VI in 20 Minutes
Stumbled upon this on YouTube. A great opportunity to bring more content to my blog. Give me some more time until I have figured out how this blog will evolve.
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