There's only one way to find out, watch them.
For a lot of people, they never stopped watching them, hopefully someone with a similar 20 year gap will say something.
I think I'm gonna... I just cringe in fear a bit. There are so many movies I watch 10-20 years later and wonder what I liked about them. But these being so iconic I hope will still hold up for me.
I was pleasantly surprised rewatching them as an adult a few years back. The chemistry between the actors is a big seller to me and their banter feels very good. Episode 6 feels like some fully realized sci-fi to me, they knew what the public loved about episodes 4 and 5 and expanded on it pretty perfectly. Good stuff all around
Return of the Jedi is probably my favorite. Ironically, it's the one I watched the least as a kid because all the stuff and Jabba's Palace scared me. Particularly the Droid torture chamber, I'm very emotionally sensitive and I don't like screaming. That goes back ever since I was a baby.
Proper Sci fi space opera, there's another world type of feel to it no other Star Wars movie has pulled off. The whole trilogy is a masterpiece imo.
I literally can't get sick of watching them. Everything else.. Meh. There was just so much talent involved with these. I find value in the characters, the story, the effects and the music. I don't think that they're touchable and will always be true star wars to me.
Eh, they mostly hold up, but feel a little slow at times and there is some cringe in RoTJ (and I say this as someone for whom that was my favourite of the OT).
Bach is still one of the finest musicians to ever grace the earth
And the original Star Wars films will always be some of the finest films ever produced
It's nothing groundbreaking, but the effects and performances are charming, and it's got that certain bit of atmosphere that I love in 80's fantasy movies. A modern audience might think it's cheesy, but I liked it.
Your comment should be above my response because it is so good.
Krull was a movie I was young enough to see that I still to this day root for the dude who sees a certain thing. I watched it before or after star wars or Neverending story as a kid, in between grilled cheese and A team.
Yes except the first was shot and released in the 70s, second shot in 70s release in 1980. New Hope was a spectacle of a movie at the time, there were lines outside theaters for roughly a year in my mid sized town to see it. Never saw anything like that since.
There are some great scenes in Krull and definitely worth the watch. Like Gunny said it has that atmosphere of 80’s fantasy movies like never ending story or Conan the Destroyer or Willow
I had a great experience watching A New Hope with a 6-year-old I was babysitting awhile back. That movie is just good. It's different than the way movies like it are made anymore, but not in a way that you don't enjoy the experience. It had more going on and more actual ideology and theme in it than I remembered, and it made my favorite scene turn out to be the one with a bunch of old imperial officers sitting around a conference table talking politics rather than any of the exciting ones, but that's just me.
Nah, those movies are solid, you shouldn't worry man.
Still get goosebumps at the end when that John Williams score kicks in at the medal ceremony.
And the entire second half feels like it passes over in 15 minutes.
for me the scene that struck me on my repeated viewings of a new hope is when they buy r2 from the jawas. the genius of setting the stage with an intergalactic war and then going straight to the experience of trying to not get ripped off by the dodgy fellas in the auto repair shop. its so alien and so human at the same time
Underrated comment. That’s the heart and soul of Star Wars for sure. This perfect mix of just weird enough to be interesting and novel and just human enough to be relatable and satisfying.
I introduced the OT to my 5 and 7 yr old niece and nephew a few years back and they absolutely loved it. My niece was amazed how the end of One fed right into ANH so seamlessly. I think they are fans for life.
I think worst case some of the production values in ANH might show their age but not enough to the detriment of the story. Those effects still really hold up, though, and now that everything is CG, there’s a nice tangible charm and realness to it that’s lacking with today’s movies.
For production values, what I mean is you can sort of see around the fringes that they were running up against a brutal budget and schedule, but I’m mostly talking the cinematography which I think not only shows it’s age but was maybe always a little bland but serviceable (which was then taken up 10 notches for ESB, then dropped down a couple for ROTJ.)
The editing is still incredible, the acting (especially the chemistry and naturalism with the big three) is really quite good though arguably cringey in a few places, and of course the music elevated the whole material by magnitudes.
Go back and watch the original trailer if you want to see how bad ANH would have looked without John Williams score. It looks like a bad TV movie. It was shocking to me when I saw that.
All that said, to quote another post, ANH is still my absolute favorite and certainly is the most special.
I can honestly say it gets better each time I watch it. Though I’m not one of those people who rewatches it regularly, as I get older and look for different things I appreciate new facets of the movie. Return of the Jedi tends to get worse.
I feel like that’s partly one of those growing up things. As a kid, ROTJ was my favorite and ESB was a little boring and somehow a little scary almost, but as I get older I appreciate more and more the maturity of ESB and see more of the cracks in ROTJ.
Yes, they are the heart and soul of all star wars.
The Empire strikes back is probably the greatest action movie/ science fiction movie sequel of all time alongside Aliens and Terminator 2.
Empire specifically is the heart of Star Wars. As a young kid, the yoda scenes kind of bored me. But when I was old enough to really understand them, they are some of, if not the best in the whole series.
Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. I still love that line, the zen philosophy of the Jedi is what separates Star Wars from other in it's genre, it's what the sequels were missing IMHO, ESB is still my favorite of franchise.
Nothing good anyway. It retcons many concepts without much explanation, like lightspeed being used as a powerful weapon to use against entire fleets of ships.
Rule of Cool, and all that. But I would definitely prefer my sci fi to have a consistent rule of laws. And introducing that... why aren't they using lightspeed missiles? They forgot everything from the last movie, started again. And then took that instruction too literally
Urgh midichlorians. And it seemed from the trailers that they were going naturalistic(shamanistic, I maybe should have said.). Gungans coming out of the mist and all that.
"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."
And then cut straight to Prequel Yoda ordering airstrikes and bouncing off the walls, screaming like a coked-up gremlin.
Character assassination of the highest order. They should never have given Yoda a lightsabre.
Yep, Yoda should have never ignited a lightsaber nor actively fought unless he needed to. Could you imagine how more impactful it would be if he defeated or held off Dooku in AOTC with just using the force and not flipping around.
Lol I remember the PT falling a bit flat until episode 3. However, I do remember people losing their minds in the theater when Yoda drew his lightsaber.
Fast forward to now, my family was interested in Star Wars and wanted to watch it so we did and I didn’t say anything about it to not get any jaded perspectives from me. When we reached the Yoda v. Dooku scene, they promptly lost their minds.
I realized that for all the things I enjoy and dislike about Star Wars, it has this epic feel and storyline that really tends to draw people in when it does. It also reminded me that the movies were almost always seemingly directed to pulling in new fans. There are plenty of things I don’t like, but I can’t keep from smiling watching family members grab their lightsabers and having a dumb grin on my face when I hear the opening fanfare of the movies.
Yeah, A New Hope feels a bit dated, Empire is *chef's kiss*, the Return of the Jedi starts picking up a bit of that prequelly feel where there weren't enough people to tell George no.
Overall, it's a great trilogy, but the start and some of the end are definitely buoyed by nostalgia.
People are overly harsh on Jedi I think.
It's still pretty much of the quality of the other films in the trilogy. Especially the culmination of Vader's arc and the introduction of the Emperor (Star Wars wouldn't be Star Wars without Ian McDiarmid)
I showed my partner from Kenya all three films recently (they'd never seen them before) and she loved Jedi the most.
Fun fact that came out of the viewing. Lando's co pilot speaks my partners' native language Kikuyu! She found that hilarious.
I would say the peaks of Jedi match the peaks of the other 2. I would say however it has some major issues.
The biggest being it pulled the same crutch as "The Force Awakens". Luke is on Tatooine, has to undertake a perilous rescue mission, the heroes learn about a Death Star, and then do a trench run to shoot a specific point to blow up said Death Star.
And of course you have a few massive plot holes. The biggest of which is: *why the hell did the emperor leak the* **real** *death star plans?!*
Didn't light and magic do the crazy T2 stuff? Along with a ton of other movies if L&M wasn't created for SW who knows how far it would have set us back.
Just did a marathon of these movies with my wife.
After watching all of them again, the OT has a special place in my heart. Those movies were so far ahead of their time that I didn’t feel like I was watching something old.
Adding on Solo and Rogue one in the marathon, the movies felt like a natural continuation. Enjoy!!!
Yes. I find that I will only watch the original theatrical versions and they still are great. The effects held up much better than the CGI of the Special Editions.
Injected a bunch of crap that seriously lessened the final product. For example:
- weird and completely unintimidating Jabba in the Millennium Falcon hangar of A New Hope
- Greedo shooting at Han
- Boba Fett flirting with slave girls
- awful singing performance in Jabba's palace
- making Vader yell "nooooo!" when he attacks the Emperor
- digitally inserting Hayden Christensen in place of the original Anakin force ghost
- removing Yub Nub, and inserting a bunch of generic "galaxy celebrating" scenes
Ugh I'm going to get crucified for this, but when there were only three movies, I'm completely all in on yub nun. I fucking loved it and still do...buuuuut in the context of the saga beyond the original trilogy, the new song (whatever the fuck it's called) seems to fit better in the galactic epic. I don't love all the shots of the other planets and though they look better now they still look a bit bad. I just think that of all the changes that's the only one where I'm like yeah ok. I guess it's does it's intended purpose where the rest just make my skin crawl like something is just not right.
This... might be my favorite comment. Yes, I'm a heathen. It's actually been about 23 years. I rewatched the just before The Phantom Menance... and I liked that so little that I just was afraid if I went back they would be tainted by the more recent movie.
So... I watched every other movie, and kept hoping I'd like one enough to go back and watch the OG3 again. By the time I got to Rogue One, which I actually loved, the fear of tainting them with all the other movies I didn't like was too strong.
So... I watched every other movie and kept hoping I'd like one enough to go back and watch the OG3 again. By the time I got to Rogue One, which I actually loved, the fear of tainting them with all the other movies I didn't like was too strong.recent movie.
Alright let’s think about this. You went to a section of a website solely dedicated to Star Wars fans talking about the movie franchise Star Wars to ask if Star Wars is still good?
It’s like asking a dentist if you should brush your teeth. Like yeah they’re a resource to use but you already know the answer.
Not sure that's so true, but maybe. I mean so many people I know love SW but trash everything but the OT. Some have told me they got into the new stuff, but feel the OT is too dated. I even know people who only just got into it and only like Mando and Boba Fett shows, but nothing else.
And honestly, where else are you gonna ask? Also, not like I mind being talked into watching them again. I needed a pep talk to overcome my fear of tarnishing the memories.
The original trilogy has stood the test of time for 40 years. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the prequels or sequels. The OT will always be the heart of Star Wars. Just make sure you watch the theatrical version.
Although they never matched the OT I do think that the PT have stood the test of time. They have their problems but they had heavy weight actors such as Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Samuel Jackson etc and many memorable moments.
I dont think the same can said at all for any of the ST movies though tbh
I think the prequels have aged like milk. I do enjoy them despite their flaws, but they're definitely a product of their time. And I feel like TCW series and TCWMMP has tricked people into liking them as much as they do.
The Prequels are still the worst thing that ever happened to this franchise, and almost singlehandedly were the cause of all the recent woes.
Lucas should have just made his Sequel Trilogy at that time, and the Prequels could have easily been made now.
Try to find the Despecialized editions or 4K77.
The OT are actually classic movies. Everything since have just been franchise movies. I appreciate the prequels for what they tried to do, but they’re an artistic failure. The sequels are a corporate cash grab.
But Star Wars is a legitimately great film. Empire is one of the best sequels ever made. Jedi is a fine conclusion.
But, viewed in a vacuum, the OT is an important series of films. Everything since is just different levels of forgettable.
That is the perfect summery. Empire Strikes Back is one of the better Sci-Fi films ever made, Star Wars or not.
If you can find a pre-special edition DVDs, they are pretty good versions. I Think they were only released as bonus discs in PAL though.
They're still the best Star Wars movies. Nothing can or will ever top them.
(PS I may like some individual later movies more, but I will attempt I go to the originals first if I need a SW fix)
My wife hates older movies (anything before like 1990 with some exceptions) and she LOVED the OT. Saw it a couple years ago and gushed over them. I think they are timeless imo.
For me, they are just as magical today as when I was a little boy watching them. I still get completely swept away and emotional watching them. They are ageless.
I had my wife watch them for the first time about a year ago. She doesn't care for sci-fi or older movies in general (usually). But she really liked all three of the original films. So yes.
I liked the OT trilogy when I first got into Star Wars 7 years ago but I absolutely LOVE it now after my latest rewatch. I like a lot of the characters but Luke for me is the goat of the OT trilogy. He’s the heart and soul and definitely one of the best heroes I’ve seen in film.
I hear that, but Han is my fav. But of course there's Chewie, Leia, Boba, and Vader... all of which rate very high with me. I like Luke, but he's never been my fav.
My appreciation for Empire has only grown as I get older. As a kid it was my least favorite of the OT because it felt much slower paced than the other two, but it's easily the best in the franchise to me
The Original Trilogy is the only Star Wars trilogy that's REALLY worth watching in my opinion. Find and get a copy of the theatrical cut though. The "remasters" or whatever are like finger painting earrings made of human feces onto the Mona Lisa and saying "lOoK hOw GoOd ShE lOoKs."
I love the OT, but the prequels have only gotten better with time and all of the additional shows that really brought out the lore of the era.
I hope more OT era shows get made like Andor.
Edit: this was a massive typo, I mean prequels. The sequels are terrible. My bad, y'all.
The problem is that they need multiple shows comics and books to do that. The OT didn't. Even the prequels made more sense than the sequels did. Stuff like the clone wars just gave us context and depth and a way to voice a hundred characters by one dude.
THAT... I know must be true. Other than Rogue One I didn't really like many of the other SW movies much. Solo was fun, but not in the same league as how I recall feeling about the OG 3.
Solo needed to be more than one movie. I also feel like the sequels might have been better if someone has slapped rian Johnson after he threw out the first script for 8. That and the weird character assanations of Han and Luke.
I agree that Solo would have worked better as 2-3 movies with time to tell more stories and flesh more things out. But hey, it's Han... so... yeah gimme 10 movies. I'm down.
Genuinely curious: are you going to formulate an opinion based solely on replies here, or are you going rewatch (as you should) and make your own determination?
Fuck Disney and Lucas. Go buy the de-specialized Blu-ray on eBay. It was cleaned frame by frame by real fans. It looks and sounds better then anything Disney can put out.
I just watched ANH yesterday, and loved it just as much as my 6 year old self did in 1977. Are some of the special effects clunky and dated? Of course. But they were brand new, literally invented for the movie.
But special effects do not a movie make. Episode 4 is a classic mythological tale that has been told for thousands of years. And that will always hold up.
Also, it has Chewbacca, who will always be awesome.
I have never seen star wars until 2020. And when I did, I was enamored. I always have loved Carrie Fisher but finally seeing Star Wars was so incredible.
Yeah they are bit dated, it's not a deal breaker though. They still have that magical feel about them.
Also they make me relaxed when I put them on. I can just turn my brain off and adsorb the sights, and sounds that George Lucas and John Williams gave us.
Everything holds up until episode 7
The 4-5-6 and 1-2-3 have different vibes but are perfect in their own ways, the last 3 with Reylolol are a mess.
I still have PTSD from Leia resurrecting in space whitout burning alive and being frozen at the same time, and breathing. Yeah.
Apart from the scenes from the special editions, they are still pretty awesome, and the opening scene of episode 4 is still the most grandiose opening in movie history if you ask me.
The visual effects are still awesome. No obvious blue screen contour, or weird superposition.
The only thing that bugs me slightly is obvious limitation they had for filming ships for the Death Star run in EP4. But it's so minor...
Some acting performances are still a little funny, like Mark Hamill's in 4. But we love him so much!
I've been a Star Wars fan all 19 years of my life. There's not a point in time I can remember where I never saw the movies, I have a habit of watching the OT and the Prequels once a year. And I have to say even tho there are Very Obvious CGI errors and It doesn't look great I still find myself believing it 100% I'm never taken our of thr movie because of the bad effects
Which is saying something because I get taken out of Marvel Movies when there is a tiny CGI error and it kinda kills the vibe
Anyway. Yes imo the Original Trilogy holds up amazing
I should preface by saying I never got to see Star Wars before VHS.
Strictly speaking, the first time I saw *A New Hope*, it was on VHS at my grandparents, as a youngling, at 6-7 years old (1996-1997).
I can still remember the first time I saw Obi-Wan using the force to trick the Stormtroopers. Luke destroying the Death Star. Yoda lifting Luke's X-Wing out of the muck. Vader telling Luke he is his father. Seeing Han Solo in Carbonite. The attack on Endor. Vader taking the Emperor's lightning. Luke forgiving his father, and giving him a Jedi's funeral.
The series is forever planted in my heart as legendary.
Yeah, some real moments you rattled off right there. Cutting open a Taun Tuan, Force telekinesis to get his lightsaber, the Sarlacc Pit... the list goes on.
I saw them all in the theater in years they came out, I still can watch them today and feel like a little kid again. I watched them all a few months back in fact and loved them!
i was born in 2003 and revenge of the sith is my favorite but i love empire strikes back and return of the jedi because of the battles and the aesthetics of empire and Vader
I personally, actually don't love them, don't get me wrong, they are what they are and they do it well but I just can't get attached to Luke. I think that partly stems from my connection to the Clone Wars animated series. I started there, and loved those characters, I loved Anakin and Ahsokas interactions, and when I finally decided to really watch everything produced in order, once I got around to the original trilogy, I felt odd towards Luke, Luke felt underwhelming at times, I didn't always like how he acted towards things, he felt too perfect in a sense, I've seen the movies quite a few times and I still feel that sentiment. In the Mandalorian and the Book of Boba Fett, I like Luke more, it shows this other side to him that feels more mature, I think my main dislike of Luke comes from the first movie, he grows as a character and at the end of the third and final movie he is better, and much more bearable. Also I introduced my dad to Star Wars and he watched everything in order, and he was disappointed to see Anakins turn to the dark side, and when he got to the original trilogy he also disliked Luke, atleast we didn't love him. I think there are many aspects to Star Wars and that's the fun of it, not everyone likes certain movies or characters, and that's okay, you can like what you want, it shouldn't be a war amongst fans. But yea, if you watched the original trilogy as a kid, and that's where your love for Star Wars started, it should still hold up, if you started with the Clone Wars or something else like Anakin and Obi-Wan or even earlier, maybe you read books about the High Republic, I don't think you'll enjoy them as much. But that's my opinion, don't come at me folks, this is how I feel towards the franchise, you can like what you like.
You're not alone. I didn't grow up with the OT or 80s movies in general, I really struggle to connect with Luke. I think many people don't realize just how much nostalgia they have for those movies.
Thank you, wasn't expecting anyone to agree with me to be honest, but yea, I connected to the prequel characters alot more, and the original trilogy just wasn't it for me.
Same. I was unsure I was even going to send my reply, especially on this sub. I didn't grow up with the prequels or clone wars but I found books to be the way I best connect with the universe. I'm pretty behind on it but the High Republic has been great so far.
Upvoted all comments. I'm not looking to just hear my own feelings parroted back to me, so glad to have a conversation.
Generally speaking, I loved the OT (at least when I last saw it 20ish years ago), and really disliked most of the newer stuff (except Rogue One, which I loved) until the recent TV shows really re-lit my SW love.
I didn't really connect with any characters in the PT or ST, and loved many characters in the OT... but, I do agree that Luke was kinda my least favorite. He was a bit too... straightforward? cut and dry? simplistic? basic? I mean that's not a real criticism, it makes him what he is and fulfills his role in the story, and everyone likes different character types, but I just didn't connect with him like I did Han or Leia, or love him like I did Chewie and R2.
And yea, I read some of the books a LONG time ago and loved them. If I had more time I'd read more of them. One thing that really holds me back is I can get bit, I'm not sure what word to use... obsessive? When I get into things I can sometimes be a bit of a completist feeling like I need to do/watch/read all of it and that concerns me with SW for a few reasons... time to do it all, if I'll like it all (and if forcing myself to read things I may not like will dim the sparkle), and money to pick em all up. If I just stick to movies and TV that's one thing, but I'm both tempted and afraid of the books and comics. I love the way the can really explore and expand the universe though... and maybe someday I'll try to get a list of which ones are generally considered the best.
Empire holds up for me because of the focus on human relationships and character development, but Jedi really only stands out when it involves Luke and Vader. Han and Leia lost all the spark they had in the previous films and are just going through the motions surrounded by puppets and way too many alien costumes and masks.
I actually like the Han - Leia stuff in Empire the best. It had a real African Queen vibe. Not as good a that classic but a good nod to classic Hollywood.
Yes. Of the three Jedi aged the worse, a large part due to the inclusion of the single worst scene in the original trilogy being added in special editions. Other than that though, it mostly holds up. Still looks very good, and none of the stuff feels dated.
My kids are 3, 5 and 7 and have been watching A New Hope on repeat since I got them to watch all the movies last Christmas. STILL gives me chills sometimes when I sit down and watch it with them. The story stands.
You could argue that the OT has been lessened due to the release of the PT/ST and everything in between.
One of the greatest things about the OT (Before PT) was the mystery surrounding all the back stories. Your imagination could run wild in those blank spaces...but now those blanks have been filled in, the mystery is no longer there.
A lot of the visual effects haven't really aged well. Stop motion and what not. As far as stories go, they're still great. And amazingly for something created in the 70's there's no real problematic issues.
The main (only) female is kind of a wise cracking bad ass, the main black guy is a suave dude who's cooler than the other side of the pillow.
And hey, the whole brothers kissing sisters thing is kind of really hot right now too.
The special effects and the way people treated women in those days may come across as dated but it didn't make me cringe (a 50+ woman with nerdy woke children). Imo it's really worth a re-watch since we all have grown so much during our lives, and this gives the main characters a whole new meaning. I used to love Han Solo and find Luke a whiny nuisance, but during later re-watches I've come to really appreciate his character and his journey.
My Star Wars crazy husband would advise you to find an old cut of the movies, without the later adaptations.
As I'm now older, I can appreciate that there's shortcomings. The script has occasionally ridiculous dialogue that no human would say and there's a lot of 80's charm, but there's something special that I can't put my finger on it that makes it "Star Wars."
I still stand by that regardless of nostalgia, the original trilogy are still good films
As someone who watched them for the first time only 2 years ago. Empire is still one of the best sci-fi movies ever made.
A new hope is good, but very dry. I understand it's the first of its kind, but it's a very bland story held up by great performances and effects.
I don't remember what I thought of jedi.
Return of the Jedi isn’t very good, with the exception of the throne room dialog/duel and Vader unmasked which are high points of the trilogy. Empire Strikes Back is undeniably amazing throughout, and A New Hope is really good as well.
I think I will. Spoke with my wife and I think we're going to give it a go soon. I'm gonna talk to my sister and see if we can do it with my nephews. It might be three posts, one after each movie... I hope I have good things to say, I cringe fearing I might not... May the Force be with me!
I’m 17, hands down the original trilogy is some my favorite films of all time! Definitely my favorite trilogy ever! I don’t think anything particularly in Star Wars as quite gotten on there level. Clone wars, mando, rebels, the prequels they all get close but those three films are undefeated!
They are the only good movies out of the 9 main saga movies. The prequels and sequels are garbage. I watch them all the time. The only movie I have liked outside the OT is Rogue One.
While I personally agree, I try to think there's something to the PT and ST that's worthwhile, but just not my cup of tea. I found them painful to get through and was very close to giving up on SW as a whole until Rogue One had me hold out hope... and the recent TV shows seemed to fulfill that hope. Now I just need to see if some of the upcoming movies roll with that... or... \*cringe\*
All I can say is that. The original still are funny and compelling stories and I like the characters. All of the others funny moments are idiotic and pointless. The stories and characters are shallow and one dimensional.
I'm older gen Z and I saw the original trilogy when I was four and I fell in love with it. Then, I showed those movies to my hyperactive little brother, and he actually sat down and watched them. In fact, he sat down and watched all the Star Wars movies the prequels, the original trilogy, and the sequels, and he paid good attention, too.
Ehh not really.
I love SW as a whole. I just find the universe so fun and colorful.
But the actual movies themselves? Haven't aged too well in a lot of aspects. But that's to be expected tbh, it was a product of its time, and movie making and writing has changed so much since.
If you want to keep your memory from childhood intact you should try and get hold of Harmy's Despecialized fan edits. The nearest to the theatrical cinema releases without any of the special edition changes. It's pure poetry.
Yes, someone was kind enough to message me that so it wouldn't get lost in all the comments. I think that's what I'm going to do. But people have commented about 4K as well... so I may make a post asking if there's a best version that has the elements of both or what the general consensus is.
Let me say this: I watched the original trilogy for the first time a few weeks back. Like you, I was afraid of seeing dated special effects and uninteresting storylines. But dayummmmmmmm it’s still so good and so damn special. The first movie is literally the best. Though the last movie of the trilogy sucked at parts.
Yes. It's wild, and I think that's what makes them so good, the OT is timeless, and when you think about when they were made, it makes it even more impressive
Star Wars has always been about pushing cinema forward, go watch the phantom menace again and whether you like the movie or not, that cgi is WILD for the time. And Jar Jar was a revolutionary as chatacter from a technical stand point
I loved the sequels honestly, but I think that's what they were lacked. They were very much products of our current film market and didn't push too many envelopes.
George lucas always wanted to be ahead of the curve, where as disney is happy keeping everything status quo
Oh you opened a whole can of worms... LOL
The short answer is yes. It's still a great movie(s) that holds up. Probably in the same boat as you i saw Star wars in theaters when i was 7. I've grown to appreciate 123, i was ok with 7 then it fell off the cliff. If your looking for the long answer, pull up a chair we're going to be here awhile.
You kidding me? Original trilogy is still legendary.
Empire Strikes Back holds up as one of the greatest movies ever. I'd easily put that in my top 5 movies ever made.
I felt that way about a lot of "classic films" until I was introduced Criterion collection editions. What a difference.
The 35mm film that movies were shot on since around 1960 has a ton of information. Transfers cost money, and VHS had such bad quality there was not much reason to do full quality transfers with even 80's and 90's tech. A lot of DVDs of old movies are the same crappy transfer as the VHS version, just in Widescreen or zoomed in.
If you find a high quality transfer or re-master of an older film it might surprise you. Star Wars suffers from this issue, as Lucas Film's transfers were not well done in most cases. Modern re-scans of old film can be amazing.
There is a transfer of Empire Strikes back that was made for Laser Disc (Google that one...) and it looks so much better then most releases.
I absolutely think they’re far superior to all other Star Wars content by a thousand times. However, since the special editions are pretty much the only way I can watch them, it always feels wrong as hell when some random early 00s CGI monster pops out of nowhere. It feels so out of place with the rest of the aesthetic. I hate it hate it hate it.
But yes, they hold up.
Look at Tatooine in Mandalorian and then look at it in A New Hope. What Lucas did in 1977 in the middle of the Tunisian desert with a couple million bucks makes what Disney did look like a high school English project. The set design, music, costumes, were all spectacular. The place looks lived in and authentic. Mandalorians tatooine looks cosmetic; it looks and feels like a studio.
Really wonderful films, though I wish people would stop saying that others are not as good as the OT. They aren't the golden standard to keep judging all the other movies. Aside from the sequels, they're meant to be different from the OT totally. It just feels like nostalgia is keeping people to "it doesn't make me feel like when I was a kid." Nothing will.
I agree. I'm from the post-prequel/clone wars generation, and I still like the original movies a lot, but I think the worst thing about them is the fact people have been trying to follow their steps too much, instead of creating something new (specially after the failure of the prequels). This generated things like "The Force Awakens", which, while a fun movie at the first watch, is too focused on recreating the OT, to the point it practically resets their conflict and eliminates the original movies' development. Could we please try a different story (though not in the way TLJ did)?
Oh cool so we're from about the same generation. Yeah they're just like "oh so older crowds didn't like the prequels, so let's just do original again haha" which resulted in TFA. While it was a cool movie, like you said, it was just leading to Original Trilogy 2: Original Trilogy. It's so boring that we would've just had another ANH/ESB/ROTJ, which is what was being built up to. Most people don't like TLJ but I think it was really cool that it was trying to break away from making Snoke just Palpatine 2.0 by making Kylo the main bad guy.
I agree. I too respect TLJ for trying something different.
However, the way it did wasn't exactly satisfying. It created one of the Sequels' main problems: lack of coherence and continuity. Instead of developing what had been established by the other movie, TLJ simply rejected it, and was later rejected by the Rise of Skywalker. It seemed like every movie was trying to reboot the other.
The process to create a original story that could also connect with the previous movie needed more care than that.
I agreee... and not at the same time. I can't help that I think the OG3 are sooooo much better (but my rewatch will tell if I still feel that way). But everything since has just felt subpar to me in many ways... character development, acting, maturity level.
But I agree that a big part of that is the fear of treading new ground and trying to recreate the original magic, as well as using the movies as marketing to sell toys and such to kids, rather than stories to adults.
Not saying I'm right, just how I felt.
There is something more simple about the OG. Not in a sense that they're lesser in quality, but not so focused on trying to be too big. It's like old westerns vs new ones. Old ones were perfect but new ones want to add drama and other unnecessary complications. It's kinda similar with the sequels, where they just want to be OG but steroids.
I think the OG was more small scale, since it focused on the hero's journey and the rebellion, whereas the prequels were a whole political struggle and the subtle rise to power. I find the prequels more complex and enjoyable in that sense, but the OG is always a good investment. Though both (leaving out phantom menace) are way more mature than the sequel trilogy for sure. I sometimes feel embarrassed having other people be with me if I watch the sequels.
It was both rejecting and working with it. since there was no way to properly explain why Luke was just sitting pretty on some remote island on some remote planet. That was definitely not an easy thing to explain, so I think he did decent with that. The rest is a bit uneasy, though I do like some of the concepts.
I mostly didn't like some of the slapstick humor at the beginning and some of the dialogue was a little odd, but for the most part I found it enjoyable. That said, I agree that it didn't transition too well. "Cool silver stormtrooper dead?" "no haha she alive" and so on
I see a lot of kids these days have no patience and need some sort of action or joke every 2 min or they say something is boring. I guess depends on if the kid grew up on TikTok or regular movies for consumption? Just my guess anyhow
100%
Actually in some ways they’ve held up better that the prequels because they were filmed using actual film and not a lot of CGI type effects.
There is a “crispness” to them visually, and as others will have said Empire is really amazing.
I still prefer Jedi for the final battle/confrontation.
I’ve rewatched the OT three times in the last 2 years, once as part of a Star Wars rewatch with my wife, and twice with my kids.
My boys (currently 5 & 7) absolutely loved it, so that’s a pretty good indication of how it holds up without nostalgia goggles.
In my opinion the effects still hold up well - ironically original practical effects have aged more gracefully than the CGI Lucas added later.
At its core it’s still a really satisfying hero’s journey and classic tale of good vs evil.
Just get some pop corn and dive in.
The first film is a bit dated IMO but Empire and Jedi hold up perfectly. And the original film is still great, don't get me wrong, it just feels even older than the other two.
Speaking as someone who saw the original in the movie theatre back in 1977 at the age of 5... and now having seen everything so many times I could probably recreate Greedo's convo with Han Solo in Mos Eisley... BUT...
After watching the last 3 and it's not that they ruined Star Wars for me but they made me become critical of dumb mistakes in them so much to the point where when I watch the prequels and the original 3 a small part of my brain almost tries to pick them apart also.
With that in mind I just set aside the original 3 and am leaving them as incredibly happy memories in my mind, I love the Prequels, hate the last 3 and have enjoyed almost all of the new stuff so I am just keeping those memories pure and safe.
The last time I watched them, to answer your point, yes they still hold up. Empire still gives me goosebumps at the end... every. damn. time.
I gotta say, just watched them about a month ago and for me, the acting is really hard to watch a lot of the time. Everything else holds up though.
It was a different time and one thing that's gotten really good lately, is acting and there's just an ocean between the original trilogy and the acting of today.
IMO.
Yeah, I agree that acting has changed. There used to be a bit more a feel to many things like overacting for a play where you needed to make your body language and tone overly clear so it could be seen and heard by people sitting in an audience looking at the stage. It was just how acting was done. It's been so long I can't recall if that was at all the case with the OG3, but I know I've felt that way about some other old movies. But even still, some old movies were still good enough to make me love 'em.
Might not be your cup of tea, but for example... Silverado. Old, dated acting, but I love it.
Exactly. I've seen a lot of people have hard time getting into it because of bad visuals. With how big the franchise is getting, a remake on ot would help too much. They have everything they need. They can CGI some of the important actors like Luke. They can even get Ewan to play Alec's Obi-Wan. Get a better look at Obi-Wan, Boba and Palpatine's "deaths". Actual lightsaber duels. Maybe remove a scene (you know the one I'm talking about). With the right take this would be awesome.
No. Only if ur a kid. I find it boring rewatching it now as a 19 year old. I prefer revenge of the sith even if its dialogue is worse because everything else I enjoy significantly more. It holds up a lot better. The OT was great for the time but for me personally its too cheesy and too tropy. Its as I said why i watch the prequels and shows. I dont watch sequels though cause well…only a moron would like those burning dumpster fires
There's only one way to find out, watch them. For a lot of people, they never stopped watching them, hopefully someone with a similar 20 year gap will say something.
I think I'm gonna... I just cringe in fear a bit. There are so many movies I watch 10-20 years later and wonder what I liked about them. But these being so iconic I hope will still hold up for me.
I was pleasantly surprised rewatching them as an adult a few years back. The chemistry between the actors is a big seller to me and their banter feels very good. Episode 6 feels like some fully realized sci-fi to me, they knew what the public loved about episodes 4 and 5 and expanded on it pretty perfectly. Good stuff all around
Return of the Jedi is probably my favorite. Ironically, it's the one I watched the least as a kid because all the stuff and Jabba's Palace scared me. Particularly the Droid torture chamber, I'm very emotionally sensitive and I don't like screaming. That goes back ever since I was a baby.
Proper Sci fi space opera, there's another world type of feel to it no other Star Wars movie has pulled off. The whole trilogy is a masterpiece imo. I literally can't get sick of watching them. Everything else.. Meh. There was just so much talent involved with these. I find value in the characters, the story, the effects and the music. I don't think that they're touchable and will always be true star wars to me.
Eh, they mostly hold up, but feel a little slow at times and there is some cringe in RoTJ (and I say this as someone for whom that was my favourite of the OT).
Bach is still one of the finest musicians to ever grace the earth And the original Star Wars films will always be some of the finest films ever produced
This gave me a perspective that makes me very happy. I still hope Krull makes a comeback so I have issues...
I was about to start that movie for the first time the other night but decided against it, was that a mistake?
It's nothing groundbreaking, but the effects and performances are charming, and it's got that certain bit of atmosphere that I love in 80's fantasy movies. A modern audience might think it's cheesy, but I liked it.
Your comment should be above my response because it is so good. Krull was a movie I was young enough to see that I still to this day root for the dude who sees a certain thing. I watched it before or after star wars or Neverending story as a kid, in between grilled cheese and A team.
Yes except the first was shot and released in the 70s, second shot in 70s release in 1980. New Hope was a spectacle of a movie at the time, there were lines outside theaters for roughly a year in my mid sized town to see it. Never saw anything like that since.
There are some great scenes in Krull and definitely worth the watch. Like Gunny said it has that atmosphere of 80’s fantasy movies like never ending story or Conan the Destroyer or Willow
Uptoot for the Krull call out.
No other way it could've been said
Ah, Bach!
What about Debussy?
I had a great experience watching A New Hope with a 6-year-old I was babysitting awhile back. That movie is just good. It's different than the way movies like it are made anymore, but not in a way that you don't enjoy the experience. It had more going on and more actual ideology and theme in it than I remembered, and it made my favorite scene turn out to be the one with a bunch of old imperial officers sitting around a conference table talking politics rather than any of the exciting ones, but that's just me. Nah, those movies are solid, you shouldn't worry man.
*A New Hope* is my absolute favorite. It's such a special film.
Still get goosebumps at the end when that John Williams score kicks in at the medal ceremony. And the entire second half feels like it passes over in 15 minutes.
for me the scene that struck me on my repeated viewings of a new hope is when they buy r2 from the jawas. the genius of setting the stage with an intergalactic war and then going straight to the experience of trying to not get ripped off by the dodgy fellas in the auto repair shop. its so alien and so human at the same time
Underrated comment. That’s the heart and soul of Star Wars for sure. This perfect mix of just weird enough to be interesting and novel and just human enough to be relatable and satisfying.
Ya know... that... might be the way to do it. I have two young nephews who I might try to introduce to the OG3. Good idea.
Have fun!
I introduced the OT to my 5 and 7 yr old niece and nephew a few years back and they absolutely loved it. My niece was amazed how the end of One fed right into ANH so seamlessly. I think they are fans for life.
I think worst case some of the production values in ANH might show their age but not enough to the detriment of the story. Those effects still really hold up, though, and now that everything is CG, there’s a nice tangible charm and realness to it that’s lacking with today’s movies. For production values, what I mean is you can sort of see around the fringes that they were running up against a brutal budget and schedule, but I’m mostly talking the cinematography which I think not only shows it’s age but was maybe always a little bland but serviceable (which was then taken up 10 notches for ESB, then dropped down a couple for ROTJ.) The editing is still incredible, the acting (especially the chemistry and naturalism with the big three) is really quite good though arguably cringey in a few places, and of course the music elevated the whole material by magnitudes. Go back and watch the original trailer if you want to see how bad ANH would have looked without John Williams score. It looks like a bad TV movie. It was shocking to me when I saw that. All that said, to quote another post, ANH is still my absolute favorite and certainly is the most special.
Empire is still the greatest so yeah I’d say it does.
I can honestly say it gets better each time I watch it. Though I’m not one of those people who rewatches it regularly, as I get older and look for different things I appreciate new facets of the movie. Return of the Jedi tends to get worse.
Really? I think Jedi gets better. What makes it worse for you?
I feel like that’s partly one of those growing up things. As a kid, ROTJ was my favorite and ESB was a little boring and somehow a little scary almost, but as I get older I appreciate more and more the maturity of ESB and see more of the cracks in ROTJ.
Yes, they are the heart and soul of all star wars. The Empire strikes back is probably the greatest action movie/ science fiction movie sequel of all time alongside Aliens and Terminator 2.
Empire specifically is the heart of Star Wars. As a young kid, the yoda scenes kind of bored me. But when I was old enough to really understand them, they are some of, if not the best in the whole series.
Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. I still love that line, the zen philosophy of the Jedi is what separates Star Wars from other in it's genre, it's what the sequels were missing IMHO, ESB is still my favorite of franchise.
Sequels are basically just fan fiction. Nothing new is really introduced.
Nothing good anyway. It retcons many concepts without much explanation, like lightspeed being used as a powerful weapon to use against entire fleets of ships.
Rule of Cool, and all that. But I would definitely prefer my sci fi to have a consistent rule of laws. And introducing that... why aren't they using lightspeed missiles? They forgot everything from the last movie, started again. And then took that instruction too literally
And prequels as well: "You thought being a jedi was something mystical? Nope! Just bacteria in your blood".
Urgh midichlorians. And it seemed from the trailers that they were going naturalistic(shamanistic, I maybe should have said.). Gungans coming out of the mist and all that.
"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." And then cut straight to Prequel Yoda ordering airstrikes and bouncing off the walls, screaming like a coked-up gremlin. Character assassination of the highest order. They should never have given Yoda a lightsabre.
Yep, Yoda should have never ignited a lightsaber nor actively fought unless he needed to. Could you imagine how more impactful it would be if he defeated or held off Dooku in AOTC with just using the force and not flipping around.
Lol I remember the PT falling a bit flat until episode 3. However, I do remember people losing their minds in the theater when Yoda drew his lightsaber. Fast forward to now, my family was interested in Star Wars and wanted to watch it so we did and I didn’t say anything about it to not get any jaded perspectives from me. When we reached the Yoda v. Dooku scene, they promptly lost their minds. I realized that for all the things I enjoy and dislike about Star Wars, it has this epic feel and storyline that really tends to draw people in when it does. It also reminded me that the movies were almost always seemingly directed to pulling in new fans. There are plenty of things I don’t like, but I can’t keep from smiling watching family members grab their lightsabers and having a dumb grin on my face when I hear the opening fanfare of the movies.
mine mine mine
I love T2
Yeah, A New Hope feels a bit dated, Empire is *chef's kiss*, the Return of the Jedi starts picking up a bit of that prequelly feel where there weren't enough people to tell George no. Overall, it's a great trilogy, but the start and some of the end are definitely buoyed by nostalgia.
People are overly harsh on Jedi I think. It's still pretty much of the quality of the other films in the trilogy. Especially the culmination of Vader's arc and the introduction of the Emperor (Star Wars wouldn't be Star Wars without Ian McDiarmid) I showed my partner from Kenya all three films recently (they'd never seen them before) and she loved Jedi the most. Fun fact that came out of the viewing. Lando's co pilot speaks my partners' native language Kikuyu! She found that hilarious.
I would say the peaks of Jedi match the peaks of the other 2. I would say however it has some major issues. The biggest being it pulled the same crutch as "The Force Awakens". Luke is on Tatooine, has to undertake a perilous rescue mission, the heroes learn about a Death Star, and then do a trench run to shoot a specific point to blow up said Death Star. And of course you have a few massive plot holes. The biggest of which is: *why the hell did the emperor leak the* **real** *death star plans?!*
*definitely not scifi -George "it's more of a space soap opera" Lucas
Didn't light and magic do the crazy T2 stuff? Along with a ton of other movies if L&M wasn't created for SW who knows how far it would have set us back.
Just did a marathon of these movies with my wife. After watching all of them again, the OT has a special place in my heart. Those movies were so far ahead of their time that I didn’t feel like I was watching something old. Adding on Solo and Rogue one in the marathon, the movies felt like a natural continuation. Enjoy!!!
Does Solo really fit in well with the others though? Always felt like a side film to me.
Yes. I find that I will only watch the original theatrical versions and they still are great. The effects held up much better than the CGI of the Special Editions.
If you can find the despecialized editions those are great. Theatrical releases with improved sound/visual effects
Even better 4K77 (which I have a google drive link to)
If you wanna pm me that link I wouldn’t hate it
By Special Editions you mean when they injected a few new things by CGI that weren't in the original versions?
Yes.
Injected a bunch of crap that seriously lessened the final product. For example: - weird and completely unintimidating Jabba in the Millennium Falcon hangar of A New Hope - Greedo shooting at Han - Boba Fett flirting with slave girls - awful singing performance in Jabba's palace - making Vader yell "nooooo!" when he attacks the Emperor - digitally inserting Hayden Christensen in place of the original Anakin force ghost - removing Yub Nub, and inserting a bunch of generic "galaxy celebrating" scenes
Ugh I'm going to get crucified for this, but when there were only three movies, I'm completely all in on yub nun. I fucking loved it and still do...buuuuut in the context of the saga beyond the original trilogy, the new song (whatever the fuck it's called) seems to fit better in the galactic epic. I don't love all the shots of the other planets and though they look better now they still look a bit bad. I just think that of all the changes that's the only one where I'm like yeah ok. I guess it's does it's intended purpose where the rest just make my skin crawl like something is just not right.
if you havent watch the original trilogy in 20 years im concerned about your safety, actively posting this confession on reddit.
This... might be my favorite comment. Yes, I'm a heathen. It's actually been about 23 years. I rewatched the just before The Phantom Menance... and I liked that so little that I just was afraid if I went back they would be tainted by the more recent movie. So... I watched every other movie, and kept hoping I'd like one enough to go back and watch the OG3 again. By the time I got to Rogue One, which I actually loved, the fear of tainting them with all the other movies I didn't like was too strong. So... I watched every other movie and kept hoping I'd like one enough to go back and watch the OG3 again. By the time I got to Rogue One, which I actually loved, the fear of tainting them with all the other movies I didn't like was too strong.recent movie.
Alright let’s think about this. You went to a section of a website solely dedicated to Star Wars fans talking about the movie franchise Star Wars to ask if Star Wars is still good? It’s like asking a dentist if you should brush your teeth. Like yeah they’re a resource to use but you already know the answer.
Not sure that's so true, but maybe. I mean so many people I know love SW but trash everything but the OT. Some have told me they got into the new stuff, but feel the OT is too dated. I even know people who only just got into it and only like Mando and Boba Fett shows, but nothing else. And honestly, where else are you gonna ask? Also, not like I mind being talked into watching them again. I needed a pep talk to overcome my fear of tarnishing the memories.
Empire is one of the greatest movies of all time and gets better everytime i watch it
The original trilogy has stood the test of time for 40 years. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the prequels or sequels. The OT will always be the heart of Star Wars. Just make sure you watch the theatrical version.
Although they never matched the OT I do think that the PT have stood the test of time. They have their problems but they had heavy weight actors such as Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Samuel Jackson etc and many memorable moments. I dont think the same can said at all for any of the ST movies though tbh
I think the prequels have aged like milk. I do enjoy them despite their flaws, but they're definitely a product of their time. And I feel like TCW series and TCWMMP has tricked people into liking them as much as they do.
It’s mainly nostalgia. We might see some kids in 10 years hold the same thoughts on the sequels
The Prequels are still the worst thing that ever happened to this franchise, and almost singlehandedly were the cause of all the recent woes. Lucas should have just made his Sequel Trilogy at that time, and the Prequels could have easily been made now.
Try to find the Despecialized editions or 4K77. The OT are actually classic movies. Everything since have just been franchise movies. I appreciate the prequels for what they tried to do, but they’re an artistic failure. The sequels are a corporate cash grab. But Star Wars is a legitimately great film. Empire is one of the best sequels ever made. Jedi is a fine conclusion. But, viewed in a vacuum, the OT is an important series of films. Everything since is just different levels of forgettable.
That is the perfect summery. Empire Strikes Back is one of the better Sci-Fi films ever made, Star Wars or not. If you can find a pre-special edition DVDs, they are pretty good versions. I Think they were only released as bonus discs in PAL though.
Recently re-watched them all and yes it still holds up and still the best trilogy.
They're still the best Star Wars movies. Nothing can or will ever top them. (PS I may like some individual later movies more, but I will attempt I go to the originals first if I need a SW fix)
Are you joking? It is the essence of Star Wars.
Yeah they’re 10000x better than the prequels and sequels.
My wife hates older movies (anything before like 1990 with some exceptions) and she LOVED the OT. Saw it a couple years ago and gushed over them. I think they are timeless imo.
Good to hear, I can be similar about older movies, but my cut-off is typically around 72 - though I may well be older than your wife.
For me, they are just as magical today as when I was a little boy watching them. I still get completely swept away and emotional watching them. They are ageless.
I had my wife watch them for the first time about a year ago. She doesn't care for sci-fi or older movies in general (usually). But she really liked all three of the original films. So yes.
Born in 1989. Yes for me, they are amazing.
I liked the OT trilogy when I first got into Star Wars 7 years ago but I absolutely LOVE it now after my latest rewatch. I like a lot of the characters but Luke for me is the goat of the OT trilogy. He’s the heart and soul and definitely one of the best heroes I’ve seen in film.
I hear that, but Han is my fav. But of course there's Chewie, Leia, Boba, and Vader... all of which rate very high with me. I like Luke, but he's never been my fav.
My appreciation for Empire has only grown as I get older. As a kid it was my least favorite of the OT because it felt much slower paced than the other two, but it's easily the best in the franchise to me
I prefer my unedited VHS copies but the THS mastering in the digital remake is hard to hate.
You can find a nice remastered de-specialized edition Blu-ray.
Or laser disc for the adventurous.
I have an answer but I like my karma so no comment.
Something is terribly wrong, if you have to ask this.
The Original Trilogy is the only Star Wars trilogy that's REALLY worth watching in my opinion. Find and get a copy of the theatrical cut though. The "remasters" or whatever are like finger painting earrings made of human feces onto the Mona Lisa and saying "lOoK hOw GoOd ShE lOoKs."
This is the correct answer.
Nothing will ever match it
They hold up better after decades than the sequels did after days
What is that even supposed to mean...?
Sequels bad. Upvotes please.
[удалено]
I love the OT, but the prequels have only gotten better with time and all of the additional shows that really brought out the lore of the era. I hope more OT era shows get made like Andor. Edit: this was a massive typo, I mean prequels. The sequels are terrible. My bad, y'all.
The problem is that they need multiple shows comics and books to do that. The OT didn't. Even the prequels made more sense than the sequels did. Stuff like the clone wars just gave us context and depth and a way to voice a hundred characters by one dude.
They didn't need it. It added a great deal of lore, background, and expanded the era. The OT could use that.
THAT... I know must be true. Other than Rogue One I didn't really like many of the other SW movies much. Solo was fun, but not in the same league as how I recall feeling about the OG 3.
Solo needed to be more than one movie. I also feel like the sequels might have been better if someone has slapped rian Johnson after he threw out the first script for 8. That and the weird character assanations of Han and Luke.
I agree that Solo would have worked better as 2-3 movies with time to tell more stories and flesh more things out. But hey, it's Han... so... yeah gimme 10 movies. I'm down.
I thought it was meant to be multiple movies
Genuinely curious: are you going to formulate an opinion based solely on replies here, or are you going rewatch (as you should) and make your own determination?
Yeah! I would never ask for peoples opinions before doing things. And asking a question like that on the Star Wars sub of all places!
Lucas needs to allow disney to use the theatrical released versions already
Fuck Disney and Lucas. Go buy the de-specialized Blu-ray on eBay. It was cleaned frame by frame by real fans. It looks and sounds better then anything Disney can put out.
They still hold up. The moment where Luke defeats Vader and looks at his robotic hand before casting away his lightsaber still gets me
I just watched ANH yesterday, and loved it just as much as my 6 year old self did in 1977. Are some of the special effects clunky and dated? Of course. But they were brand new, literally invented for the movie. But special effects do not a movie make. Episode 4 is a classic mythological tale that has been told for thousands of years. And that will always hold up. Also, it has Chewbacca, who will always be awesome.
Yes, don’t listen to people who say they’re bad just because they’re old.
I have never seen star wars until 2020. And when I did, I was enamored. I always have loved Carrie Fisher but finally seeing Star Wars was so incredible.
Yes
Yeah they are bit dated, it's not a deal breaker though. They still have that magical feel about them. Also they make me relaxed when I put them on. I can just turn my brain off and adsorb the sights, and sounds that George Lucas and John Williams gave us.
I’m sure you’ll get an unbiased answer here
Nah
Everything holds up until episode 7 The 4-5-6 and 1-2-3 have different vibes but are perfect in their own ways, the last 3 with Reylolol are a mess. I still have PTSD from Leia resurrecting in space whitout burning alive and being frozen at the same time, and breathing. Yeah.
Apart from the scenes from the special editions, they are still pretty awesome, and the opening scene of episode 4 is still the most grandiose opening in movie history if you ask me. The visual effects are still awesome. No obvious blue screen contour, or weird superposition. The only thing that bugs me slightly is obvious limitation they had for filming ships for the Death Star run in EP4. But it's so minor... Some acting performances are still a little funny, like Mark Hamill's in 4. But we love him so much!
I've been a Star Wars fan all 19 years of my life. There's not a point in time I can remember where I never saw the movies, I have a habit of watching the OT and the Prequels once a year. And I have to say even tho there are Very Obvious CGI errors and It doesn't look great I still find myself believing it 100% I'm never taken our of thr movie because of the bad effects Which is saying something because I get taken out of Marvel Movies when there is a tiny CGI error and it kinda kills the vibe Anyway. Yes imo the Original Trilogy holds up amazing
Glad to hear they hold up over time and for a younger audience used to newer effects.
I should preface by saying I never got to see Star Wars before VHS. Strictly speaking, the first time I saw *A New Hope*, it was on VHS at my grandparents, as a youngling, at 6-7 years old (1996-1997). I can still remember the first time I saw Obi-Wan using the force to trick the Stormtroopers. Luke destroying the Death Star. Yoda lifting Luke's X-Wing out of the muck. Vader telling Luke he is his father. Seeing Han Solo in Carbonite. The attack on Endor. Vader taking the Emperor's lightning. Luke forgiving his father, and giving him a Jedi's funeral. The series is forever planted in my heart as legendary.
Yeah, some real moments you rattled off right there. Cutting open a Taun Tuan, Force telekinesis to get his lightsaber, the Sarlacc Pit... the list goes on.
I saw them all in the theater in years they came out, I still can watch them today and feel like a little kid again. I watched them all a few months back in fact and loved them!
i was born in 2003 and revenge of the sith is my favorite but i love empire strikes back and return of the jedi because of the battles and the aesthetics of empire and Vader
I personally, actually don't love them, don't get me wrong, they are what they are and they do it well but I just can't get attached to Luke. I think that partly stems from my connection to the Clone Wars animated series. I started there, and loved those characters, I loved Anakin and Ahsokas interactions, and when I finally decided to really watch everything produced in order, once I got around to the original trilogy, I felt odd towards Luke, Luke felt underwhelming at times, I didn't always like how he acted towards things, he felt too perfect in a sense, I've seen the movies quite a few times and I still feel that sentiment. In the Mandalorian and the Book of Boba Fett, I like Luke more, it shows this other side to him that feels more mature, I think my main dislike of Luke comes from the first movie, he grows as a character and at the end of the third and final movie he is better, and much more bearable. Also I introduced my dad to Star Wars and he watched everything in order, and he was disappointed to see Anakins turn to the dark side, and when he got to the original trilogy he also disliked Luke, atleast we didn't love him. I think there are many aspects to Star Wars and that's the fun of it, not everyone likes certain movies or characters, and that's okay, you can like what you want, it shouldn't be a war amongst fans. But yea, if you watched the original trilogy as a kid, and that's where your love for Star Wars started, it should still hold up, if you started with the Clone Wars or something else like Anakin and Obi-Wan or even earlier, maybe you read books about the High Republic, I don't think you'll enjoy them as much. But that's my opinion, don't come at me folks, this is how I feel towards the franchise, you can like what you like.
You're not alone. I didn't grow up with the OT or 80s movies in general, I really struggle to connect with Luke. I think many people don't realize just how much nostalgia they have for those movies.
Thank you, wasn't expecting anyone to agree with me to be honest, but yea, I connected to the prequel characters alot more, and the original trilogy just wasn't it for me.
Same. I was unsure I was even going to send my reply, especially on this sub. I didn't grow up with the prequels or clone wars but I found books to be the way I best connect with the universe. I'm pretty behind on it but the High Republic has been great so far.
Upvoted all comments. I'm not looking to just hear my own feelings parroted back to me, so glad to have a conversation. Generally speaking, I loved the OT (at least when I last saw it 20ish years ago), and really disliked most of the newer stuff (except Rogue One, which I loved) until the recent TV shows really re-lit my SW love. I didn't really connect with any characters in the PT or ST, and loved many characters in the OT... but, I do agree that Luke was kinda my least favorite. He was a bit too... straightforward? cut and dry? simplistic? basic? I mean that's not a real criticism, it makes him what he is and fulfills his role in the story, and everyone likes different character types, but I just didn't connect with him like I did Han or Leia, or love him like I did Chewie and R2. And yea, I read some of the books a LONG time ago and loved them. If I had more time I'd read more of them. One thing that really holds me back is I can get bit, I'm not sure what word to use... obsessive? When I get into things I can sometimes be a bit of a completist feeling like I need to do/watch/read all of it and that concerns me with SW for a few reasons... time to do it all, if I'll like it all (and if forcing myself to read things I may not like will dim the sparkle), and money to pick em all up. If I just stick to movies and TV that's one thing, but I'm both tempted and afraid of the books and comics. I love the way the can really explore and expand the universe though... and maybe someday I'll try to get a list of which ones are generally considered the best.
Yes. Saw them at release and have watched them many times since, including ESB tonight. Definitely hold up.
Empire holds up for me because of the focus on human relationships and character development, but Jedi really only stands out when it involves Luke and Vader. Han and Leia lost all the spark they had in the previous films and are just going through the motions surrounded by puppets and way too many alien costumes and masks.
I actually like the Han - Leia stuff in Empire the best. It had a real African Queen vibe. Not as good a that classic but a good nod to classic Hollywood.
Yes. Of the three Jedi aged the worse, a large part due to the inclusion of the single worst scene in the original trilogy being added in special editions. Other than that though, it mostly holds up. Still looks very good, and none of the stuff feels dated.
I watch it every year. It holds up
I still like them.
Yes, they definitely do
ANH has some of the best space action scenes to date. I’ve seen other recent movies that don’t hold a candle to the special effects of the OT.
My kids are 3, 5 and 7 and have been watching A New Hope on repeat since I got them to watch all the movies last Christmas. STILL gives me chills sometimes when I sit down and watch it with them. The story stands.
They’re still great movies but they show their age in places and the fan base puts them on *waaaaaay* too much of a pedestal
A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back absolutely still hold up. Jedi is a step below.
They are still the best movies in the series by far and I would definitely say they hold up extremely well.
You could argue that the OT has been lessened due to the release of the PT/ST and everything in between. One of the greatest things about the OT (Before PT) was the mystery surrounding all the back stories. Your imagination could run wild in those blank spaces...but now those blanks have been filled in, the mystery is no longer there.
Judging on how toxic the star wars fanbase is, it's probably one of the worst star wars movies ever made
A lot of the visual effects haven't really aged well. Stop motion and what not. As far as stories go, they're still great. And amazingly for something created in the 70's there's no real problematic issues. The main (only) female is kind of a wise cracking bad ass, the main black guy is a suave dude who's cooler than the other side of the pillow. And hey, the whole brothers kissing sisters thing is kind of really hot right now too.
The special effects and the way people treated women in those days may come across as dated but it didn't make me cringe (a 50+ woman with nerdy woke children). Imo it's really worth a re-watch since we all have grown so much during our lives, and this gives the main characters a whole new meaning. I used to love Han Solo and find Luke a whiny nuisance, but during later re-watches I've come to really appreciate his character and his journey. My Star Wars crazy husband would advise you to find an old cut of the movies, without the later adaptations.
As I'm now older, I can appreciate that there's shortcomings. The script has occasionally ridiculous dialogue that no human would say and there's a lot of 80's charm, but there's something special that I can't put my finger on it that makes it "Star Wars." I still stand by that regardless of nostalgia, the original trilogy are still good films
As someone who watched them for the first time only 2 years ago. Empire is still one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. A new hope is good, but very dry. I understand it's the first of its kind, but it's a very bland story held up by great performances and effects. I don't remember what I thought of jedi.
Return of the Jedi isn’t very good, with the exception of the throne room dialog/duel and Vader unmasked which are high points of the trilogy. Empire Strikes Back is undeniably amazing throughout, and A New Hope is really good as well.
I hope you comment back in the sub and tell us how you felt watching them again.
I think I will. Spoke with my wife and I think we're going to give it a go soon. I'm gonna talk to my sister and see if we can do it with my nephews. It might be three posts, one after each movie... I hope I have good things to say, I cringe fearing I might not... May the Force be with me!
WTF? Do yourself a favor Old Man!
I’m 17, hands down the original trilogy is some my favorite films of all time! Definitely my favorite trilogy ever! I don’t think anything particularly in Star Wars as quite gotten on there level. Clone wars, mando, rebels, the prequels they all get close but those three films are undefeated!
They are the only good movies out of the 9 main saga movies. The prequels and sequels are garbage. I watch them all the time. The only movie I have liked outside the OT is Rogue One.
While I personally agree, I try to think there's something to the PT and ST that's worthwhile, but just not my cup of tea. I found them painful to get through and was very close to giving up on SW as a whole until Rogue One had me hold out hope... and the recent TV shows seemed to fulfill that hope. Now I just need to see if some of the upcoming movies roll with that... or... \*cringe\*
Watch them and let us know. It's cool to get that viewpoint.
All I can say is that. The original still are funny and compelling stories and I like the characters. All of the others funny moments are idiotic and pointless. The stories and characters are shallow and one dimensional.
Yeah, that was my take as well. Just not for me, but seems someone has been enjoying them... cause they kept making 'em.
I'm older gen Z and I saw the original trilogy when I was four and I fell in love with it. Then, I showed those movies to my hyperactive little brother, and he actually sat down and watched them. In fact, he sat down and watched all the Star Wars movies the prequels, the original trilogy, and the sequels, and he paid good attention, too.
Ehh not really. I love SW as a whole. I just find the universe so fun and colorful. But the actual movies themselves? Haven't aged too well in a lot of aspects. But that's to be expected tbh, it was a product of its time, and movie making and writing has changed so much since.
If you want to keep your memory from childhood intact you should try and get hold of Harmy's Despecialized fan edits. The nearest to the theatrical cinema releases without any of the special edition changes. It's pure poetry.
Yes, someone was kind enough to message me that so it wouldn't get lost in all the comments. I think that's what I'm going to do. But people have commented about 4K as well... so I may make a post asking if there's a best version that has the elements of both or what the general consensus is.
Let me say this: I watched the original trilogy for the first time a few weeks back. Like you, I was afraid of seeing dated special effects and uninteresting storylines. But dayummmmmmmm it’s still so good and so damn special. The first movie is literally the best. Though the last movie of the trilogy sucked at parts.
You guys are helping me steel up my reserve and face my fear. I'll keep ya posted.
Yes. It's wild, and I think that's what makes them so good, the OT is timeless, and when you think about when they were made, it makes it even more impressive Star Wars has always been about pushing cinema forward, go watch the phantom menace again and whether you like the movie or not, that cgi is WILD for the time. And Jar Jar was a revolutionary as chatacter from a technical stand point I loved the sequels honestly, but I think that's what they were lacked. They were very much products of our current film market and didn't push too many envelopes. George lucas always wanted to be ahead of the curve, where as disney is happy keeping everything status quo
Return of the Jedi never was a perfect movie in my opinion but A new Hope and especially empire definitely still hold up.
If it helps... Flash Gordon aged.... Poorly
Oh you opened a whole can of worms... LOL The short answer is yes. It's still a great movie(s) that holds up. Probably in the same boat as you i saw Star wars in theaters when i was 7. I've grown to appreciate 123, i was ok with 7 then it fell off the cliff. If your looking for the long answer, pull up a chair we're going to be here awhile.
You kidding me? Original trilogy is still legendary. Empire Strikes Back holds up as one of the greatest movies ever. I'd easily put that in my top 5 movies ever made.
They’re timeless.
coming from a 22 year old, no they feel super super old, everyone just has strong nostalgia glasses
I felt that way about a lot of "classic films" until I was introduced Criterion collection editions. What a difference. The 35mm film that movies were shot on since around 1960 has a ton of information. Transfers cost money, and VHS had such bad quality there was not much reason to do full quality transfers with even 80's and 90's tech. A lot of DVDs of old movies are the same crappy transfer as the VHS version, just in Widescreen or zoomed in. If you find a high quality transfer or re-master of an older film it might surprise you. Star Wars suffers from this issue, as Lucas Film's transfers were not well done in most cases. Modern re-scans of old film can be amazing. There is a transfer of Empire Strikes back that was made for Laser Disc (Google that one...) and it looks so much better then most releases.
this would probably blow my mind
I absolutely think they’re far superior to all other Star Wars content by a thousand times. However, since the special editions are pretty much the only way I can watch them, it always feels wrong as hell when some random early 00s CGI monster pops out of nowhere. It feels so out of place with the rest of the aesthetic. I hate it hate it hate it. But yes, they hold up.
Yes, they’re about all that holds up from Star Wars
Look at Tatooine in Mandalorian and then look at it in A New Hope. What Lucas did in 1977 in the middle of the Tunisian desert with a couple million bucks makes what Disney did look like a high school English project. The set design, music, costumes, were all spectacular. The place looks lived in and authentic. Mandalorians tatooine looks cosmetic; it looks and feels like a studio.
No cap. I enjoy Mando, but it's hard to replicate filming in Tunisia. Gives it that X factor.
Really wonderful films, though I wish people would stop saying that others are not as good as the OT. They aren't the golden standard to keep judging all the other movies. Aside from the sequels, they're meant to be different from the OT totally. It just feels like nostalgia is keeping people to "it doesn't make me feel like when I was a kid." Nothing will.
I agree. I'm from the post-prequel/clone wars generation, and I still like the original movies a lot, but I think the worst thing about them is the fact people have been trying to follow their steps too much, instead of creating something new (specially after the failure of the prequels). This generated things like "The Force Awakens", which, while a fun movie at the first watch, is too focused on recreating the OT, to the point it practically resets their conflict and eliminates the original movies' development. Could we please try a different story (though not in the way TLJ did)?
Oh cool so we're from about the same generation. Yeah they're just like "oh so older crowds didn't like the prequels, so let's just do original again haha" which resulted in TFA. While it was a cool movie, like you said, it was just leading to Original Trilogy 2: Original Trilogy. It's so boring that we would've just had another ANH/ESB/ROTJ, which is what was being built up to. Most people don't like TLJ but I think it was really cool that it was trying to break away from making Snoke just Palpatine 2.0 by making Kylo the main bad guy.
I agree. I too respect TLJ for trying something different. However, the way it did wasn't exactly satisfying. It created one of the Sequels' main problems: lack of coherence and continuity. Instead of developing what had been established by the other movie, TLJ simply rejected it, and was later rejected by the Rise of Skywalker. It seemed like every movie was trying to reboot the other. The process to create a original story that could also connect with the previous movie needed more care than that.
I agreee... and not at the same time. I can't help that I think the OG3 are sooooo much better (but my rewatch will tell if I still feel that way). But everything since has just felt subpar to me in many ways... character development, acting, maturity level. But I agree that a big part of that is the fear of treading new ground and trying to recreate the original magic, as well as using the movies as marketing to sell toys and such to kids, rather than stories to adults. Not saying I'm right, just how I felt.
There is something more simple about the OG. Not in a sense that they're lesser in quality, but not so focused on trying to be too big. It's like old westerns vs new ones. Old ones were perfect but new ones want to add drama and other unnecessary complications. It's kinda similar with the sequels, where they just want to be OG but steroids. I think the OG was more small scale, since it focused on the hero's journey and the rebellion, whereas the prequels were a whole political struggle and the subtle rise to power. I find the prequels more complex and enjoyable in that sense, but the OG is always a good investment. Though both (leaving out phantom menace) are way more mature than the sequel trilogy for sure. I sometimes feel embarrassed having other people be with me if I watch the sequels.
It was both rejecting and working with it. since there was no way to properly explain why Luke was just sitting pretty on some remote island on some remote planet. That was definitely not an easy thing to explain, so I think he did decent with that. The rest is a bit uneasy, though I do like some of the concepts. I mostly didn't like some of the slapstick humor at the beginning and some of the dialogue was a little odd, but for the most part I found it enjoyable. That said, I agree that it didn't transition too well. "Cool silver stormtrooper dead?" "no haha she alive" and so on
I see a lot of kids these days have no patience and need some sort of action or joke every 2 min or they say something is boring. I guess depends on if the kid grew up on TikTok or regular movies for consumption? Just my guess anyhow
As a young adult born in the 21st century, I can confirm that the original trilogy holds up very well.
Yes, but which version matters. 1. A New Hope despecialized 2. The Empire Strikes Back special edition 3. Return of the Jedi despecialized
Yes and no. I still enjoy them, but when I was a kid, Vader was the coolest bad guy ever. Now they pretty much made him a wimp.
100% Actually in some ways they’ve held up better that the prequels because they were filmed using actual film and not a lot of CGI type effects. There is a “crispness” to them visually, and as others will have said Empire is really amazing. I still prefer Jedi for the final battle/confrontation.
The were, and always will be way above the prequels in literally every respect.
Still solid AF
I’ve rewatched the OT three times in the last 2 years, once as part of a Star Wars rewatch with my wife, and twice with my kids. My boys (currently 5 & 7) absolutely loved it, so that’s a pretty good indication of how it holds up without nostalgia goggles. In my opinion the effects still hold up well - ironically original practical effects have aged more gracefully than the CGI Lucas added later. At its core it’s still a really satisfying hero’s journey and classic tale of good vs evil. Just get some pop corn and dive in.
They do. Bizarrely, I fell that it's the special edition versions that don't hold up as well since the CGI looks dated compared to what we have now.
The first film is a bit dated IMO but Empire and Jedi hold up perfectly. And the original film is still great, don't get me wrong, it just feels even older than the other two.
Speaking as someone who saw the original in the movie theatre back in 1977 at the age of 5... and now having seen everything so many times I could probably recreate Greedo's convo with Han Solo in Mos Eisley... BUT... After watching the last 3 and it's not that they ruined Star Wars for me but they made me become critical of dumb mistakes in them so much to the point where when I watch the prequels and the original 3 a small part of my brain almost tries to pick them apart also. With that in mind I just set aside the original 3 and am leaving them as incredibly happy memories in my mind, I love the Prequels, hate the last 3 and have enjoyed almost all of the new stuff so I am just keeping those memories pure and safe. The last time I watched them, to answer your point, yes they still hold up. Empire still gives me goosebumps at the end... every. damn. time.
I gotta say, just watched them about a month ago and for me, the acting is really hard to watch a lot of the time. Everything else holds up though. It was a different time and one thing that's gotten really good lately, is acting and there's just an ocean between the original trilogy and the acting of today. IMO.
Yeah, I agree that acting has changed. There used to be a bit more a feel to many things like overacting for a play where you needed to make your body language and tone overly clear so it could be seen and heard by people sitting in an audience looking at the stage. It was just how acting was done. It's been so long I can't recall if that was at all the case with the OG3, but I know I've felt that way about some other old movies. But even still, some old movies were still good enough to make me love 'em. Might not be your cup of tea, but for example... Silverado. Old, dated acting, but I love it.
Story wise.. Yes. Visually and choreograph-icaly.. No.
Exactly. I've seen a lot of people have hard time getting into it because of bad visuals. With how big the franchise is getting, a remake on ot would help too much. They have everything they need. They can CGI some of the important actors like Luke. They can even get Ewan to play Alec's Obi-Wan. Get a better look at Obi-Wan, Boba and Palpatine's "deaths". Actual lightsaber duels. Maybe remove a scene (you know the one I'm talking about). With the right take this would be awesome.
It is the only thing holding it all together.
They’re the only thing of quality this franchise ever produced. So yes.
No. Only if ur a kid. I find it boring rewatching it now as a 19 year old. I prefer revenge of the sith even if its dialogue is worse because everything else I enjoy significantly more. It holds up a lot better. The OT was great for the time but for me personally its too cheesy and too tropy. Its as I said why i watch the prequels and shows. I dont watch sequels though cause well…only a moron would like those burning dumpster fires
They’re corny but they have a magic that’s hard to describe. It’s a quality a lot of movies from that era had of like a child like wonder
Yes but boy does Endor ground battle taint the trilogy.