The Original 'Star Wars' Trilogy: Revisited

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   After all the excitement that was Star Wars Celebration this past weekend, I decided to rewatch the original Star Wars trilogy. So, over the past week, I did exactly that, and I’m glad I did. For today’s blog post, I thought I would share with you guys my thoughts on the original Star Wars trilogy. Keep in mind, this isn’t a review per se, more so just a general thoughts and reflections.
   So, like most people out there, I absolutely love Star Wars! I own the original trilogy (as well as the new films) on Blu-Ray, the prequels (and the Clone Wars animated film) on DVD, and yes, I even watched all six seasons of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In addition to that, I’ve read several of the Star Wars novels and comics out there. So, in general, I like to think that I am a pretty big Star Wars geek. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten around to watching Star Wars: Rebels yet, but I’m planning to this summer to get ready for season four.
   So first I want to start with our very first introduction to this universe, 1977’s Star Wars, now titled A New Hope. When I was a kid, this film was one of my least favorite Star Wars films, now it’s definitely in the top two. Right from the get-go, you’re sucked into this film. You immediately grasp what kind of film this is going to be. Also, how great is Darth Vader? From the moment he walks on the screen you’re intimidated and afraid of him, and that only increases when you actually see what he’s capable of. Watching this film through another time really gave me an appreciation for just how great some of the performances in the film are. Obviously, the main trio of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford is fantastic, but don’t forget about Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing. In my opinion, they gave the best performances of the film and sold all of their dialogue. In summary, the original Star Wars was a lot of fun, it had great performances, and it really paved the way for this massive Star Wars universe that we have today.
   The Empire Strikes Back, in my opinion, is a perfect sequel to A New Hope. It takes the franchise in a more serious and intellectual direction, yet it keeps everything we loved about the original. The characters are as lovable as ever, the new additions of Yoda and Lando fit in perfectly, and it has one of the biggest and most iconic movie plot twists of all time. The performances from the three leads were even better in this one than the last, and that’s saying a lot. Just like its predecessor, Empire sucks you in right away with a massive battle scene on the ice planet of Hoth. Also, over the course of this movie, there are major character arcs. Our heroes are not the same people at the end of this movie that they are at the beginning. We see them changing, and it’s a beauty to watch. Many people consider The Empire Strikes Back to be the best Star Wars film, and I would certainly agree.
   My opinion on Return of the Jedi probably changed the most of the three on this viewing. A couple years ago, I would’ve told you that the Return of the Jedi was my favorite of all of the Star Wars films, well now it’s probably gone down a couple spots. Keep in mind though, that I still love the movie! It was a great conclusion to the original trilogy, however, it does have a few minor flaws in it, more so than the other two. The biggest gripe I had with it was that I thought the pacing was a little off, and some of the humor didn’t hit super well. Again, I still loved it though, and the entire last act was nothing short of magnificent. Return of the Jedi was a fantastic conclusion to that trilogy, and it’s definitely in the top half of the Star Wars films quality-wise.

​   So what are your objective thoughts on the original Star Wars trilogy? Does it still hold up really well for you? Which one is your favorite? Let me know by commenting on this post! Also, if you enjoyed this article, share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! Don’t forget, I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check out then for more movie reviews and miscellaneous movie thoughts!
​
Thanks for stopping by!