Aug. 28th, 2011

dragonfare: (Obi-Wan-The Force)
I have been taking the most lovely nostalgia trip.

Since my friend [livejournal.com profile] zora113 mentioned Star Wars (and gave me a sexy icon), I've been inspired to watch the movies again. All six of them, in sequence. It took me all week, because I watched not only the movies, but also the featurettes and stuff.

Most of you know that Star Wars is my favorite movie. I've seen many movies to love just as much, but Star Wars has a special place in my heart that nothing will ever replace. I think that's true of most people who were old enough to see it when it first came out. I can still remember sitting in a dark theater, the music thrilling me, and having my jaw drop when the Imperial cruiser came onto the screen and began to pass us - and pass us, and pass us.... I was hooked from that moment. I'll admit that the sex appeal of Han Solo had something to do with my love of the movie, but more than anything else, it simply made me feel good. Every time I saw it (and I saw it in theaters at least 20 times), I came away with a spring in my step, hope in my heart, a grin on my face, and glorious music in my mind.

Neither of the sequels measured up to that, and I didn't like them nearly as much. Ditto the three prequels, although Ewan McGregor helped me enjoy those, as did that thrilling moment when Darth Vader rose from the table. I realize that I didn't like them as much because none of them gave me that wonderful high, of course. However, thinking about the original and about how many threads in it were begun in Eps. I-III, I decided to just watch all six like one lonnnng movie (as I do The Lord of the Rings. This time, I loved them all.

Doing this also gave me a better appreciation of the movies as a story. George Lucas has to be the greatest story teller since Tolkien.