A deep hatred for Disney, the steady realization The Force Awakens was crap
Leaked picture of OP:
Reading R + L ≠ J theories
A deep hatred for Disney, the steady realization The Force Awakens was crap
Leaked picture of OP:
lol
It took me a second or two, but the subtlety is what made it work.
My “Star Wars” was me as a kid constantly watching the '97 SE VHS set; I probably played A New Hope the least cause I thought, “ah, desert stuff and boring space battle.” Return of the Jedi got played the most because I really enjoyed the space battle and the duel between Luke and Vader. Empire Strikes Back got played the second most (“Hoth? HELL YEAH! Yoda stuff? Borringgg skip Luke vs Vader? Weeeee!”)
I did get the Prequel Theater experience, but I barely remember TPM, and even when my parents got it on VHS at the time, I hardly watched it and instead went back to all my time favorite, Return of the Jedi. By the time AotC came out, that was my first Star Wars DVD and watched it a fair amount, but still rather dull. Then my parents get the 2004 DVD set, and oh boy, I still remember how pissed my dad was when Hayden’s ghost appeared, but hey, at least I get to watch Star Wars again since the VHS tapes are worn out and essentially trash (we still have those 2004 DVD’s and in pretty decent shape aside from the box). Alongside the films, I drew countless drawings that were Star Wars related and even made a homemade X-Wing, Falcon, Star Destroyer, AT-AT, and an AT-ST head (was meant to be a full walker, but never finished ha).
To be honest, those 2004 DVD’s have been the definitive Star Wars Trilogy for me, as for years, and even now, I have no memory of actually hearing Boba Fett’s original voice nor can I remember Shaw’s Force Ghost in Jedi, nor Yub Nub. Due to how much longer the 2004 version lasted throughout my childhood, Yub Nub can be a little jarring to me and still prefer Victory Celebration.
Expanded universe wise, Knights of the Old Republic is my “extra” Star Wars experience. Star Wars Clone Wars remains my all time favorite Star Wars cartoon, the one from 2003-2004. I felt “George Lucas’d” when they stopped that cartoon in favor of that blocky CGI “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” version, which still makes me scratch my head why so many like it despite adding weird continuity between AotC and RotS (how the hell does Anakin have an apprentice and still count as canon, when no hints of this are evident in RotS??).
Now though, I’ve grown more appreciation for A New Hope or “Star Wars” for most of you all. Empire Strikes Back remains my all time favorite Star Wars film, and Return of the Jedi, I believe it’s only redeeming aspects are the space battles and the conflict between Luke/Vader/Emperor. Not even Rogue One’s space battle compares; it’s really boring to me actually and feels like someone having too much fun throwing a ton of ships together in one scene for the sake of explosions and lasers.
I’m still quite content with TFA, and it’s mainly due to me really liking the new characters and interested in how their stories will develop. Plot stuff is lacking, sure, but if both the characters and the plot fell, I wouldn’t like it as much as I do currently.
The Rise of Failures
Heh. Where to begin. My Star Wars starting from the beginning…
1978-1980. The novel, the toys, and the old Marvel comics. Ralph McQuarrie’s SW art portfolio. The original 12 action figures (including the vinyl caped Jawa- we didn’t collect toys in those days; we played with them! That Jawa was the first of many as they were worn out, broken, and/or lost- I remember thinking ‘huh; cool!’ when they got rid of that crappy vinyl cape) My first toy vehicle was the landspeeder, my second was the TIE Fighter. Every playground was Tatooine, every fort was the Death Star, and every bike was an X-Wing or TIE Fighter. The MECO Galactic Funk disco version of the main theme. The faded T-shirts. Endless schoolyard debate over whether Luke or Han was better, and which one would win the princess. That 3-year period where the original movie and the above mentioned stuff was all there was, so the sky was the limit and our imaginations were the sole source of the EU.
Post ROTJ: Zahn’s novels. My first PC SW video game: Rebel Assault. (Shoot the icy asteroids; dodge the rocky ones… !) DARK FORCES!!! Kyle Katarn and that whole corner of the EU. The Rogue Squadron novels and comics. The X-Wing video game series. The Legacy comics.
That’s enough to give you the idea: lifelong obsession with one ‘dead’ period between about 1985-1993…
Anyone ever hear the Keith Urban song ‘John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16’? I’ll have to translate that into Star Wars.
R2 in the canyon with the jawas with only sound FX and no music.
Luke turning on his Dad’s light saber.
Running around my house listening to “Mouse Robot and Blasting Off” shouting “Chewie get us out of here!”
Watching Star Wars clips that were part of the '78 People’s Choice Awards on a Quasar video tape recorder (screw your betamax AND vhs!). R2 and 3P0 arguing in the desert, escaping Tatooine, and the TIE Fighter Attack.
Pronouncing the ship “Mil-e-NEE-um Falcon”.
The Early Bird Kenner Set!!!
X! WINGS!
Star Wars Marvel Comics #17.
The Empire Strikes Back novel.
The Phoenix, Arizona Cine Capri at 24th street and Camelback.
The Story of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back: The Adventures Of Luke Skywalker LPs.
John Freaking Williams on a double LP set goddamn it!
Luke and Leia from the Jedi soundtrack.
YUB NUB!
THAT, Sir, is MY Star Wars.
– Bill
Never tell me the odds.
Star Wars Marvel Comics #17.
Crucible!
(Or was it the untold Tale of Obi-Wan? Either way, it was right before The Wheel arc with Senator Greyshade…)
Star Wars Marvel Comics #17.
Crucible!
(Or was it the untold Tale of Obi-Wan? Either way, it was right before The Wheel arc with Senator Greyshade…)
It was indeed Crucible and right before the Wheel (and right after Water World). T-16s! Biggs! I wanted a T-16 SO bad. They wouldn’t make a toy for what, another 20 years?
Oh my Force! Chris Claremont co-wrote that?
Senator Greyshade. VERY subtle.
– Bill
Never tell me the odds.
My Star Wars was riding my bike to the pharmacy every month to pick up each new issue of the Marvel Star Wars comic , sitting by the tv with my tape recorder to try and catch any star wars content like commercials , sneak previews etc . It was a long three year wait between movies back then . clipping newspapers and magazines and making scrap books . the Kenner action figures , the Topps trading cards. so glad to see a return to the aesthetic of the originals .
I think it would have to be the Faces and 97 SE tapes, the Power of the Force action figures, the Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight and Rogue Squadron video games, the Decipher Star Wars CCG cards, and whatever Bantam EU books I could snag at the grocery store. A very 90s Star Wars.
I think it would have to be the Faces and 97 SE tapes, the Power of the Force action figures, the Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight and Rogue Squadron video games, the Decipher Star Wars CCG cards, and whatever Bantam EU books I could snag at the grocery store. A very 90s Star Wars.
Pretty much me too! Twas a totally 90s experience. (A part of me would almost pay a stupid amount of money for a set of those CCG cards for pure nostalgia’s sake alone.) Though I’d add on to my list the first Dark Forces game, the WEG RPG, and the old “Essential Guides” which my little brother and I read like quasi-religious texts…
And I’ll never ever forget the first time I sat and watched the OT at a sleepover at my buddy Jordan’s house on his dad’s “Faces” tapes. Wide-eyed and mesmerized.
My Star Wars is a pan-n-scan 1997 Special Edition (of ANH and ESB) and original (of ROTJ) VHS rented from Blockbuster.
During the intro to the special edition VHS, the Darth Vader statue behind Lucas had a bent lightsaber.
But I do miss the announcer inviting me to sit back and enjoy the ___ installment of the Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition.
Even as a kid, I had a strong preference for the original version of ROTJ.
I saw them in the theaters when I was young, so my Star Wars is the original trilogy as it appeared in the theaters. Later on the versions I would watch all the time were the Widescreen Collector’s Edition VHS release. Wore those tapes out. Now of course I’m obsessed with 35mm preservation projects to get Star Wars as close to the original as possible, while presenting amazing detail we come to demand on blu-ray and the like.