What is your favorite movie?

the greatest story ever told by mankind

Never but never did I go to a movie and was so totally blown away from the start, with the Tantive 4 to the medal ceremony at the end. I was 16 and spent the summer of 1977 in the theater, day after day seeing this masterpiece over and over. No other movie holds that distinction with it’s fans other than Star Wars. *P.S. this movie may be 30 but it is timeless. Robin Foustner Reading, PA

The movie that started it all.

A long time ago

In a galaxy far far away….

Hard to believe that it was exactly 30 years ago when these words appeared on movie screens and changed the world we live in.

Star Wars was the very first movie that I remember seeing. It was at the drive-in theater with my mother, my father and my sister. We were all sitting in the front seat, I was munching on popcorn waiting for the coming attractions to end. Finally, the drum roll and fanfare of 20th Century Fox, silence, and then the trumpet blare with the “STAR WARS” logo as large as life right before my eyes. The music swelled in my ears and my mother read to me the rolling text, I was not prepared for what would happen next. Once the text evaporated into oblivion, I stared at a serene and quiet looking planet in space. Suddenly, a spaceship races by, followed closely behind by an even larger ship that kept going and going. By this time, I was hooked and became a life long Star Wars fan.

As the years went by I eagerly awaited each new Star Wars installment. I was shocked to hear Darth Vader say he was Luke’s father, and I waited three long years to know if it was true. When I was in my 20’s I felt the child in me awake when the prequel trilogy was released. I turned my youngest cousin into a Star Wars fanatic, and I can see how it has driven and influenced him. Like so many other people, Star Wars changed my life

For better or worse, Star Wars changed how we look at movies, how movies are made, and became the most influential movie ever since. Even today, any movie and especially the blockbusters have to stand up to the level that Star Wars set.

The first Star Wars redefined movie story telling, music, special effects, and merchandizing. Star Wars also made us more creative, made our minds stretch out into new possibilities, and triggered unprecedented creativity. Even though it was people just trying to cash in on the success of a hit movie, nonetheless it changed the world around us. Ponder that thought for a while and you will discover that it is true. I could go on to prove my point, but there is not enough time to write that.

Star Wars is a timeless movie and franchise. Our children’s, children’s, children will remember the story of the Skywalker’s and The Force. We will have great, great, great grandchildren who will not share a memory of us, but will know exactly what it means to say “May the Force be with you.” In a strange but touching way, we are all linked together by one simple 120 minute movie.

I WAS A TEENAGER WHEN MY BROTHER AND I HAD GONE TO THE LATE SHOW BECAUSE WE SAW A COMMERCIAL ON TV AND WE BOTH LOVE SCIENCE FICTION. UNBELIEVABLE, THE LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE BUILDING 3 TIMES, FINALLY GETTING IN BUT HAD TO SIT ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE THE MOVIE MANAGER WANTED TO GET EVERYONE IN. THE FIRST SCENE WITH THE VISUAL EFFECTS WAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE CHARACTERS WITH THE GOOD GUYS AND BAD GUYS, THE COSTUMES AND GOOD STORY LINE AND THE DEATH STAR BEING DESTROYED AT THE END AND THE HERO’S WELCOME COMPLETED THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER. YOU SAW NOTHING LIKE IT (EVER) BEFORE 1977 AND EVERY VISUAL EFFECT MOVIE AFTER 1977 OWES IT’S BEGINNINGS FROM STAR WARS. IT WAS A JAW DROPPING EXPERIENCE I WILL NEVER FORGET AND NO OTHER MOVIE WILL EVER MATCH STAR WARS.

For my generation I think this moved the bar up on telling a story and the way the movie industry currently uses special effects. I love all the characters in this movie. Especially Darth Vader. Who is my all time favorite villian.

Without a doubt the single greatest vision in movie making history.

As with most Star Wars was an impact on modern cinema and today reigns top box office. But it’s the everlasting story that continues to get better with age. I was only 5 years old when Star Wars debuted in 1977, however with the invention of VHS and cable, I fell in love with it once it was avalible at home viewings. In 1980 when The Empire Strikes Back came out, my Mother bought me my first Star Wars toys for Christmas that year, and I would get lost in the Galaxy, Far Far away… Empire is the best of the Original three. Then in 1983, Return of the Jedi marked my first Star Wars experience on the big screen. The audience reacted with applause when Vader walked down the shuttle ramp, I never looked back.
I was totally psyched with the Special Edition versions released in 1997.
As with the prequel trilogy, well I loved them to, but the originals are the classics they have become. I really do hope that Uncle George will allow some establised director to give us Episodes VII - IX one day….

May The Force be with you……….

Star Wars

I watched this film on my 20th birthday, and have never felt so excited at the cinema. I’m now 50. Behind me was a small boy, perhaps no more than 10 who had to tell me to be queit in the final scenes. Have never felt so involved, before or since with a film, than that night. Simply, the best.

The original Star Wars trilogy was a major catalyst in my life when I was growing up, and when I was young I liked Return Of The Jedi the best. Even now when I watch it I still get that beautiful feeling of nostalgia. The great final space battle, the intense action on Endor and the poignant battle between Luke, Vader and The Emperor. And when the final credits begin rolling the feeling of true gratitude at the greatness of the trilogy and this film comes over me.

Walter Kronkite once said of Star Wars: “It was released at just the right time to lift America out of the post-Vietnam depression.” This is just one of many quotes that praises George Lucas’s third feature-length film. Star Wars made Lucas and 20th Centruy Fox famous, and its revolutionary (for the time) special effects and innovative sound editing make it one of the best movies of the 20th century.

A great reflection of an epic battle between good and evil as the galaxy’s greatest heroes guided by the light side of the Force challenge the most vile villians in the galaxy who are consumed by the influence of the Dark Side of the Force.

These movies are meaningful to be as they are deep in story with a lot of heart and imagination that was never seen before and will probably never be seen again. The characters in these movies whether good or evil relate to mankind’s greatest desires for peace, power, friendship, and freedom. Ultimately I have always been interested in stories that involve all the things that are dear to me and without a doubt these movies take the cake. Thank you George Lucas for such an epic saga that changed the face of cinema for years to come.
By: Brad Chapman

At first glance as a kid these movies are incredibly fun and moving. But analyzing them at an older age and after lectures in college, I know for sure that they are my favorite movies of all time. When dissected, Lucas used components of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s cycle and meticulously placed certain colors and deeper meanings any many scenes and moments throughout the trilogy. Not only is it revolutionizing in the special effects aspect, but these three movies embody what good movies are about…sharp storytelling with universal traits while providing us an amazing escape.

It’s a horse opera in space. What could be better.

It’s incredibly difficult to pick ONE favorite movie, but If I can choose one I’d have to say it’s the Empire Strikes Back.

Why? It’s the medular piece of the entire Star Wars saga. It has everything in it: Adventure, Romance, Hate, Darkness, Treachery, Philosophy, Mystery, Technology , Comedy andTragedy.

Luke Skywalker may very well be one of the greatest heroes ever to be captured on film. His classic mythological “Heroe’s journey” takes us along with him, makes us feel what he feels, his inner conflict. Classic storytelling.

Of course there are the Battles, of different shapes and sizes: the Epic battle of Hoth, with the behemoths of the empire on one side and and sheer ingenuity and bravery on the other. And of course the immortal lightsaber duel (The best of all the Star Wars duels) not just between Jedi and Sith, Good and Evil, but Father and Son Ying and Yang.

Within every Character there’s something interesting to discover: Han’s ego getting in the way of his duty, Lando being forced to betray friends, Darth Vader inner struggle about what to do with his son, heck even Chewbacca shows the strains of being loyal to Han and having to take care of a princess he doesn’t really get along with, because his buddy tells him to.

The romantic subplot of Leia and Han is unconventional, as is their way of expressing it. Han loves Leia, but he’s too cocky and womanizing to admit it (”I love you” “I know”) and the droids bring some sarcastic comedy relief.

This movie is timeless, and of course generations will always treasure the great memories this movie and the other episodes have brought.

Star Wars is definitly my favorite movie because a lot of reasons:
Because of the wonderful simplicity of the story; because of the perfectly developed characters; because of the brilliant music score of John Williams; because of the adventure of the the space ships, the lightsabers, the blasters, the aliens and the droids; because, as a child, made me dream in a thrilling universe were I could be happy while I grow up; and as an adult, make me feel as a child!

Star Wars revolves around a teenage Luke Skywalker bored with his lackluster, uninteresting life, and he longs for adventure and something more important than his moisture farm. A chance encounter with two droids leads Luke into a world of adventure.

This movie resonates loud for me. I wasn’t born when it came out in 1977, however growing up it was the first movie i wrapped my arms around and embraced as my favorite. It was an adventure story at its core and it was the kind of movie I liked and my parents could enjoy as well. Now things have changed in my view of the world and films in general. Being a film major in college, my eyes were opened to the vast amount of motion pictures made and how one can view films very differently. I’ve found Star Wars to be even more significant in this regard. When it came out in 1977, American Cineam was in a drought and many people weren’t excited about movies. Star Wars brought back the excitement and wonder of going to the movie theater. It reinvigorated a dying culture and brought a whole new audience to the theaters. It also changed the way movies were made. The technologies Lucas and his crew created are still in many cases the standard used today, and its lasting effect can be seen in the film industry today. A final note about Star Wars concerns the film score and sound structure overall. This score and sfx made this movie come alive. It was one of the first movies in which the score and the sfx were as important as the characters on the screen. The music resonates deep with each theme, and going to the theater to hear the large explosions and lasers was an amazing experience, not just a casual movie outing. It may not have been the best directed or acted film in the history of Cinema, but it is one of the most influential and important films of the post-code era.

BY: James Burke

It just might be the most exciting movie I have ever seen.

It just might be the most exciting movie I have ever seen, and it is also one of the few that truly drew me out out of the real world. It also has an unbeatable score and reminds me of my childhood.
By: Chasen Schneider

The best Star Wars film period. And one of the greatest movies ever made.

Star Wars (1977) was such a breakthrough for cinema. However, those in the know always refer to Empire as the key movie. It has better special effects, better dialogue and acting, and has greater depth than the original blockbuster film. It is the first movie to leave viewers with a real cliffhanger ending. It has no real beginning or ending, yet it manages to stand on it’s own.
By: Mark Voisin

Not many movies leave you like this.

This movie left you feeling like the Dark Side really had the upper hand and won this particular battle. Not many movies leave you like that.
By: JEREMY PACE

A SCI-FI NOIR CLASSIC

There is nothing like Empire with its lovable heroes and dark story. The cinematography is crystal, the locations are beautifully dangerous, the acting is underrated, it has one of the great cinema suprise moments ever, and has an unhappy ending that has the audience anticipating the next film like no other. Empire inspired more imagination in me than any other film.
By: Alex Smith

SECOND INSTALLMENT IN THE STAR WARS TRILOGY. PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT!!

I FEEL THE THAT GREAT MOVIES SHOULD TAKE US SOMEPLACE WE CANNOT GO, WELL EMPIRE DOES THAT IN A WAY NO MOVIE HAS EVER DONE AND EVER WILL.
By: George Kambolis

Flawless storytelling.

Flawless storytelling. Awesome character development.
By: Mike Lydon

This movie came out a year before I was born. From my birth my parents had me watching Star Wars.

This movie came out a year before I was born. From my birth my parents had me watching Star Wars. I loved it, the music, the characters, the action, the stories. I have to admit, then when I was very little I was a little afraid of Yoda, but after my mother explained that he was just a Muppet like Kermit and Miss Piggy, I was fine. If I’m sitting near a fan, I still feel the urge to talk into it and repeat one of the best lines ever in film history. “Luke, I AM your Father.” Empire had something special.
By: Elizabeth Gilbert

Not as revolutionary as the original, but I think surpasses its predecessor in every way.

When people talk about their favorite Star Wars films they always say: A New Hope, Return of the Jedi, and more recently Revenge of the Sith. However, I am one of the few who will say The Empire Strikes Back. The Empire Strikes Back for me is the greatest Star Wars film ever made. It takes the Ideas of the first movie and multiplies them to the inth degree.

Visually the movie is simply stunning. Better than the original, and even better than 2001. At least in my opinion. The cast seem to be getting more comfortable in their roles and their characters are becoming far more dynamic. Especially the character of Darth Vader. Who in the first movie was just seen as this big dark scary guy. In the second he seems to become more of a person, and more accessable as a character. Also the scene in which Vader reveals his true identity to Luke has to be one of the most shocking moments in film history.

All in all I feel that The Empire Strikes Back is a hugely underrated picture. True it is not as influential or revolutionary as the first Star Wars movie, but it is just as good or perhaps even better. In my opinion at least. That is why The Empire Strikes Back is ranked #2 on my list of my favorite films of all time.
By: robert wilson

I went in the theater to see a movie, and left a changed boy.

I saw Star Wars when I was 8 years old (1977). It quickly became a part of my life (and a part of my family’s life). We had all the toys, we went back again and again for repeated showings. Viewing Star Wars (and the 2 sequels) is among the most meaningful experiences of my life. I still get starry-eyed whenever anything pertaining to it comes on TV. When I first saw the commercial announcing the 1997 re-release (the one that starts “For an entire generation, the only way people could see Star Wars was like this…” while a clip ran on an old TV, I stood there, slack-jawed, and actually started to drool. I know, it’s sad. My little sister was born in 1981. Her first words were “Star Wars”. The story, the characters, the effects, are almost secondary to me. Of course I think those elements are all great. Of greatest importance to me, and why it’s my favorite film, is just the experience of seeing it. It’s when I saw it, how I saw it, how old I was when I saw it. The only thing in my life that is as powerful an event to me is when I fell in love with my wife. Star Wars is so important to me that I usually claim GoodFellas (1990) and The Warriors (1979) as my favorite movies, because Star Wars (the 3 original movies) means so much to me that it’s unfair to compare other movies to them. But for the American Film Institute, I can make an exception, in the interest of complete honesty.
By: Eric Adams

I was ten when I first saw the original Star Wars trilogy.

I was ten when I first saw the original Star Wars trilogy. I was blown away by Episode IV- A New Hope, but when I watched Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back, something happened to me that changed the way I watch movies. It was a sci-fi action-adventure movie, yet it was extremely dark and packed with emotion. What was great was that it expanded the already enormous Star Wars universe with some of the most original and interesting worlds ever created, each one beautifully shot by director Irvin Kershner and cinematographer Peter Suschitzky. You felt cold on Hoth. You felt dirty and isolated on Dagobah. You felt a sense of simplicity and beauty in the clouds of Bespin, but a sense of dread and fear through the buttery-golden lights of the carbon freezing chamber. Not only did I get to see new worlds, but I was introduced to some of the most important and memorable characters of the SW universe as well. There was another smooth-talking smuggler, Lando Calrissian, who made you unsure of his alliances until he proves his worth. There were two new bad guys, the mysterious bounty hunter Boba Fett and the fearsome, cloaked Emperor, who had to be pure evil if Darth Vader called him Master. However, it was the two-foot high puppet Yoda that made the biggest impact. He was entirely convincing and real to me, and with his quirky attitude and immense strength in the Force, he became my favorite character in the trilogy. What I remember the most, however, was that it was the tensest movie I had ever seen; my eyes never left the screen. From the very beginning, when the Star Destroyer launches the probe droid towards the remote ice planet that houses our heroes, to the Battle of Hoth, to the flight through the asteroid field, to the freezing of Han Solo in carbonite, to the lightsaber fight between Luke Skywalker and Vader, I was pinned to my seat. I still get chills when Vader extends his clutched hand towards a wounded Skywalker and says, “I am your father.” Throughout the film, I never felt at ease. The mise-en-scène was filled with a subtle sense of foreboding that was only released at the climax when the Millenium Falcon launched into light speed, narrowly avoiding capture at the hands of the Empire. The film finishes with so many questions, I thank God that I didn’t have to wait three years for the answers. All I had to do was change tapes to watch Episode VI- Return of the Jedi, which I did immediately.
By: James Sandlin

A fairy tale for a generation without heroes.

Sure the writing and acting is bad, but this movie is filled with magic. It showed audiences in 1977 that fairy tales still exist and good can overcome evil. This movie is for every boy, who like Luke Skywalker, dreams of bigger and better things.
By: Matthew Garrett

Changed everything about cinema.

I think the very first Star Wars film inspired me in so many ways. The effects, the storytelling, the music…none of which had been done before to the degree it was done on a science fiction film. It helped create the blockbuster. It opened doors for people to create entire worlds and universes on film beyond what they had ever been able to do before. It raised the bar on special effects, sound, and is the first true trilogy. Star Wars transcended screen and was the first true marketable movie brand with toys and so on. It featured the greatest villain ever to grace the screen. The language of Star Wars transcended the screen and into everyday culture. By doing all those things, I was shown that one man can create an entire galaxy and it made me realize the endless possibilities that come through the power of film.
By: Dimitrios Denaxas