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Jul 31, 2023Liked by Simon Sweetman

I was 17 when the first one came out so I’m Ground Zero. It’s hard to state how much more exciting and immersive it was visually and thematically than other fantasy of the time. That opening shot of the Imperial Cruiser passing overhead was this giant bolt of electricity in the theatre. Today I’d defend the first two as the only properly good films in the series - they have a wonderful spirit and energy. I actually don’t hate the dialogue; it’s full of famous lines which is more than you can say about Avatar or Harry Potter. The prequels however are just awful and the latest trilogy is a joyless slog. Worst of all George Lucas should be prosecuted for taking his innocent original off the market, vandalising it with crappy noughties CGI and making us refer to it as “Episode IV: A New Hope”. Fuck that guy.

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Jul 30, 2023Liked by Simon Sweetman

As big of a geek as I am about so many things, I just never got Star Wars, not Star Trek, which I have embarrassingly confused on a number of occasions. Couldn't relate to any character, didn't "get" the story lines...I tried to watch a couple of the first trilogy as a child, and later as a teen, but I have never made it all the way through any of them. And the later ones just seemed like beige men running around with glow sticks. Different strokes I guess...

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