Prequel viewings question

[Agent0028]

I watch them all.

PT + OT = SW

I've never been able to watch the Clone Wars on TV, I'd like to buy the DVD's, but can't decide if it is worth the money since I don't know if I would watch them very much. I didn't care for the first clone wars cartoon that Star Wars fans seem to love.

And because Neil's questions are fun... Vader is a better character since he has backstory and several movies, but Maul was awesome. Lucas should have used him through all three movies like he did Vader then it'd prolly be close to a tie with Vader having a slight edge due to a good character story arc. Ewoks don't both me as much as Jar Jar, but I kinda like Jar Jar too, he just needs to be toned down a little. Leia over Padme, but not by a whole lot, she was a great character. And I prefer Windu to Lando.

Truthfully I like the PT everybit as much as the OT, but the movies aren't quite as enjoyable to me.

 

[devilof76]

The only part of the universe that I really find compelling is the fall and redemption of Anakin story.

You don't find Han Solo getting in Leia's pants compelling? You're a frigid man Maglor. Frigid.

 

[Starkiller]

I must say out of all the PT movies I've watched AOTC the most.

The first movie is kind of grating on my nerves with little tike Ani and Jar Jar, and the 3rd film is a bit heavy and depressing.

AOTC fits nicely in the middle with a good action sequence throughout the third act. No matter how bad the acting is at times.

 

[abake]

I enjoy watching the PT more than the OT.
I saw the OT in theaters when they first came out, and I love the universe, but I find the PT more interesting to watch nowadays.

 

[devilof76]

I don't like the prequels. I'm so alone.

 

[Customikey]

Ugh....

Look, if you both fancy the dress you'll just have to wear it one at a time....

 

[risingstar]

Back to the topic of conversation...

We saw AOTC lasts night and we actually enjoyed it. True, it isn't a classic, However, in all fairness, if I compare the PT to numerous films I have seen recently like Bounty Hunter, Extraordinary Measures, and other films of that mediocre ilk, the PT starts to look decent by comparison.

 

[King Darkness]

Hadnt thought about till now, but I havent watched any SW film in a fews years, OT or PT. Huh. Guess I should sit down and watch me some SW soon.

 

[Customikey]

EDITED: Looks like the thread's been sanitized! Thank the Maker!

I'm at a point now where I desperately WANT to like the PT, but I just can't. I own them, I've watched them several times since seeing them in the theater. It's strange. AOTC fell the hardest. When I came out of the theater on that one, I was hard-pressed to choose between it and ESB. Now, I can barely watch it for all the bad acting and Ewan's awful fake beard.

TPM probably got the longest lovefest from me. I saw it in the theater more times than I care to mention because I was trying to soak it all in AND marry it to the movies I grew up with. And I was thrilled when it came out on DVD. There is something charming in it that I can't put my finger on, though I agree with Mr. Plinkett on just about every point he made in his review at www.redlettermedia.com.

ROTS I can still watch without cringing (mostly), as it cleaves a little more to what we all wanted to see when we imagined the prequels before 1999 rolled around.

I spent a LONG time as an apologist, and I still fall into that sometimes. But in the end, as much as I love the designs and what the characters are "meant" to be, the reality of what they are in the films, and the quality of the writing just kill them for me.

So, short answer (too late!), yes I still watch them, but usually with audio commentary on so I can listen to George justify his rotten choices.

Consider the PT bashed.

 

[Darth Mitchell]

Are you from 1992 also?

Am I now the 1992 guy ??

 

[Khev]

For me the biggest disappointment with the prequels were the digital sets and clones. There's no reason things like Palpatine's office, the interior of the Mustafar bunker, and awesome looking clone armor couldn't gave been built. That extra (and very unnecessary) phoniness separates the PT from the OT more than anything else. Otherwise I still get a kick out of both trilogies.

 

[DarthNeil]

For me the biggest disappointment with the prequels were the digital sets and clones. There's no reason things like Palpatine's office, the interior of the Mustafar bunker, and awesome looking clone armor couldn't gave been built. That extra (and very unnecessary) phoniness separates the PT from the OT more than anything else. Otherwise I still get a kick out of both trilogies.

There's something to be said for built sets and guys with thick British accents... The grit of SW was missing from the PT-- but that's true of most released movies nowadays where CGI has replaced hands on construction and creativity. I'm all for using computers to enhance a story-- but directors should do so with moderation, if I wanted to play a video game I'd play a video game.

 

[Starkiller]

EDITED: Looks like the thread's been sanitized! Thank the Maker!

I'm at a point now where I desperately WANT to like the PT, but I just can't. I own them, I've watched them several times since seeing them in the theater. It's strange. AOTC fell the hardest. When I came out of the theater on that one, I was hard-pressed to choose between it and ESB. Now, I can barely watch it for all the bad acting and Ewan's awful fake beard.

TPM probably got the longest lovefest from me. I saw it in the theater more times than I care to mention because I was trying to soak it all in AND marry it to the movies I grew up with. And I was thrilled when it came out on DVD. There is something charming in it that I can't put my finger on, though I agree with Mr. Plinkett on just about every point he made in his review at www.redlettermedia.com.

ROTS I can still watch without cringing (mostly), as it cleaves a little more to what we all wanted to see when we imagined the prequels before 1999 rolled around.

I spent a LONG time as an apologist, and I still fall into that sometimes. But in the end, as much as I love the designs and what the characters are "meant" to be, the reality of what they are in the films, and the quality of the writing just kill them for me.

So, short answer (too late!), yes I still watch them, but usually with audio commentary on so I can listen to George justify his rotten choices.

Consider the PT bashed.

I'm in the same boat. And where I cringe every time he makes an unnecessary change in the OT, I want him to make SE of the PT because it's the trilogy with biggest and most flaws throughout, some changes might actually make some of the films bearable again.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I think I've only seen AOTC 4 times total and ROTS 4 or 5 times. I've seen Ep 1 like 20 times. Love Ep 1 despite its obvious faults.

 

[Customikey]

I'm in the same boat. And where I cringe every time he makes an unnecessary change in the OT, I want him to make SE of the PT because it's the trilogy with biggest and most flaws throughout, some changes might actually make some of the films bearable again.

You know, I actually prefer the SE's? It's strange, but there's just enough different to engage me in the OT in a new way. I don't agree with all the changes, but I really appreciate all the good clean-up, and I think Anakin looks a lot better without eyebrows.

No amount of CGI trickery will improve the PT. The Pt is a classic example to me of why it's not good to be able to do whatever you want.
It is limitation that breeds true creativity. Limitation gave us the OT. Lucas had to limit his vision, and in so doing, he had to find creative ways to overcome those limitations. When he pioneered the advanced CGI for the prequels, I think he found the idea of being able to create these fascinating worlds and creatures more compelling than their overall usefulness in telling his story.

"A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing."

-George Lucas, 1983

 

[jedibear]

Well, I know I'll get ribbed and raspberried for this but...

I like the prequels a lot...especially the much-maligned AOTC. That's not to say it doesn't have a lot of the flaws to it that are repeatedly pointed out here and elsewhere, but for me...the story aspects outweigh them when I'm watching and...there are just so many cool aspects about it that work IMO.

We see the underside of everything here...not just the machinations of Palpatine's rise as a Sith Lord, but how the arrogance and complacence of the Jedi give him fuel for his fire.

I know folks really loath the whole Ani-Padme bits, but I think all of the awkwardness of it plays as it should, right down to the sappy lines. This isn't a mad torrid affair, it's a twisted, tragic coupling of two people not wired for a relationship...the man repressed by an Order he was too old to "join" and channeling the resentment and disappointment in his own feelings of personal failure towards his mother into a desperate grasp at what he thinks is "love" and a woman falling into a familiar pattern of duty and wanting to help him....mistaking her lifelong passion for politics and problem solving for "love"...a relationship they both know and admit is wrong, but they go for it anyway...

Other things that work in AOTC....the origins of the Clones, coming from a notorious bounty hunter (the apartment scene between Kenobi and Fett is among my favorites in the entire saga), seeing a disillusioned Jedi leave the order and embrace the dark side (Lee is really fun to watch here) and those battlefield scenes on Geonosis of the opening salvos of the Clone Wars...

I know I'm not going to convince anybody in here...but I like where Lucas took his saga with the prequels...are there "flaws" You bet...but the entire saga has it s share of 'em...

 

[Agent0028]

I agree with some of your points, especially the one about Dooku. I really wish Lucas had thought of that while doing TPM, it would have been great to see Dooku butting heads with the council and his decision to leave the order at the end of TPM.

Really I think that is part of why people dislike the PT so much, it's not just what isn't good, it's that there are some really great things in it that could have been fleshed out to make it better.

As for the dialogue, there's some really crappy lines in the OT as well.

All this talk of the prequels makes me want to start watching them...

 

[DinoLast]

All this talk of the Prequels makes me want to watch the whole Saga again in BLU-RAY
Hurry up Lucas and bring them out

 

[Darth Mitchell]

All this talk of the Prequels makes me want to watch the whole Saga again in BLU-RAY
Hurry up Lucas and bring them out

I think he is just waiting for a good time to release them. But the question "Is it possible to make the OT look good on blu-ray?" should be Yes... The clips from the OT that where shown durring Star Wars in Concert where verry clear and nice

 

[DinoLast]

I think he is just waiting for a good time to release them. But the question "Is it possible to make the OT look good on blu-ray?" should be Yes... The clips from the OT that where shown durring Star Wars in Concert where verry clear and nice

I even think TPM could use the Blu-Ray treatment as it looks a little washed out compared to AOTC and ROTS, especially the look of the lightsabers.
Plus we need that awful TPM Puppet replaced by CGI. (Please leave OT Yoda alone)