Star Wars: 9 Things All Original And Prequel Trilogy Fans Agree On
Hokey religions and ancient weapons might actually be a match for a good blaster.
Before we revisit our favourite far away galaxy on December 18th, we should address a great disturbance. Have you felt it? A war has been waging between original trilogy purists and prequel trilogy defenders.
The prequel trilogy has just celebrated its sixteenth birthday. The Phantom Menace came out in theaters on May 19th, 1999, which means many fans of the prequels are now in their late teens and mid to late twenties. They are so impassioned about defending the prequel trilogy, they’re in fact ticked off about it. Most prequel fans acknowledge directing issues but remain loyal to the writing, the character of Anakin Skywalker as he was presented, and the tone.
This younger generation was too young to be relevant in the immediate aftermath when older fans had a monopoly on the internet and began emphatically rejecting the prequels. But as the prequel fans have grown both in age and number, we’re starting to see a substantial case made as they defend THEIR Star Wars and speak out against the old fogies' original trilogy. They’re doing a good job in spite of insurmountable odds. In fact, prequel defenders have illustrated many issues with the original trilogy older fans were more than willing to overlook as children and, in some cases, even as adults.
For decades, to know Star Wars was to love Star Wars. In hopes to restore balance before the next instalment comes out, here is a list of the most important things from Star Wars we all agree is awesome.
9. John Williams’ Score Is Instrumental In All Six Films
John Williams is one of the greatest composers of our time. In some cases, his music supersedes the movie itself and is critical to dictating the tone of specific scenes as well as the movie as a whole. The importance of music in film and Williams’ ability to convey emotion is never more evident than in both Star Wars trilogies.
From The Force Theme in the original to Across the Stars from the prequel - and of course The Main Theme throughout - one could argue music is paramount in the emotional response to the films, starting with the first. Consider how the original Star Wars movie would have been received without Williams’ score to remind us that this extremely bizarre movie actually had meaningful, archetypal themes. In fact, the actors have all said they had no idea what they were creating before they themselves watched their own performances with the backdrop of an epic score.
The manner in which music provides depth for the story of Star Wars is actually best illustrated when the music is removed, as seen above. (Albeit, the Chewbacca dub is a little unfair.) Regardless of age or trilogy affiliation, Williams’ music transcends the generation gap as only music can. It brings balance to an otherwise inconsistent tone between the movies. This is one area that is undisputedly awesome in every movie from 1-6.