As a filmmaker it’s hard for me to just watch a movie and enjoy it. I’m caught analyzing a scene, studying a shot, looking for continuity errors, trying to figure out if that one little line of dialogue is going to set up something huge in the third act. There are just a million things going off in my head. That’s why when I set out to see a movie I try to watch it twice, once for the filmmaker in me and once for the viewer. However, there are certain movies that I will always watch as a viewer, I just can’t help myself. Those movies take me back to feeling like a kid again. I overlook the stupid mistakes, sometimes cheesy dialogue, some obvious plot holes and I just enjoy the film. On that list of short films is the Star Wars saga. What’s not to love about those films? Yes I include all six; there are moments I enjoy from all the films. I also feel you have to include all of them in order to tell a complete story.
How amazing are these films thought? The originally trilogy still makes me feel like a kid and conjures up memories of awesomeness. The prequel trilogy is not as awesome but still offers up some great moments. Using all six movies to tell one complete story, it does the job of getting the viewer from point A to point B. Here are just some of the scenes that helped shape my childhood and fueled my love for filmmaking.
Opening Sequence (Episode IV: A New Hope)
Like most people I grew up a kid of the VHS era. If you don’t know what a VHS is, then you are missing out on a lot of great movies. Anyways with VHS you didn’t always know what movie you were watching. I got really good at telling what movie I was going to see based on the trailers you would watch before the feature presentation. The opening sequence to Episode IV: A New Hope is unlike any other. When the words “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….” appear and then the Star Wars logo followed by the first notes of John William’s masterful soundtrack you know an epic journey is about to begin. Next to follow is the infamous text scroll, completely unconventional for film at the time; it placed the viewer right in the middle of the action. It’s George Lucas’s homage to Flash Gordon, a series that hugely influenced Star Wars. Lucas was actually fined by the DGA (Director’s Guild of America) for not using a conventional opening sequence and eventually left the DGA altogether. If a producer spends money on a film I guess they want to see their names before everything else. The point is the opening sequence has become an icon in film. The scroll has been used in every theatrically released Star Wars film with the exception of the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It’s been parodied time and time again and easily recognizable to the Star Wars franchise.
Darth Vader’s Entrance (Episode IV: A New Hope)
While the first time the scroll text was seen was revolutionary it’s been duplicated for the other Star Wars films. You only get one shot at introducing one of the greatest villains ever created in film. Darth Vader’s entrance in the opening scene of A New Hope is as epic as the man himself. Starting on a stationary shot of a rebel blockade runner being chasing by star destroyer, hell of a shot to start a movie, we come to a group of rebels spawn camping as their ship is invaded by Stormtroopers. As the smoke clears Darth Vader makes his dramatic entrance. This scene drops the viewer right in the middle of the action. It keeps us intersted and intrgiued right off the bat.
Battle of the Great Pit of Carkoon (Episode VI: Return of the Jedi)
There are so many things going on during this scene, great use of visual effects and plenty of action. It’s the first time that we really see Luke really utilize his Jedi powers to kick some ass. Let’s not forget about Leia in that gold bikini just choking the life out of Jabba. This is definitely an image that haunts the fantasies of many men. If your husband/boyfriend ask you to wear it just be a little understanding of the situation, Rachael did it for Ross.
With all the action in this scene I focus on Leia and throw in a Friends reference, but there is really a lot more going on here. After Luke starts his escape we see Boba Fett recaptures him, if only for a second. Then slowly one by one by see Jabba’s guard fall in to the pit to be devoured by the Sarlacc. Han gets in on the action by accidentally activating Fett’s jetpack and sends him into the pit. There are just so many great things going on in this scene.
Pod Racing (Episode I: The Phantom Menace)
While I’m hesitant to include this in my list, I do feel it might be one of the redeeming qualities of The Phantom Menace. I was barely a teenager when I first saw this film and at that time I knew I was watching something that was ground breaking as far as visual effects in films. The interesting thing is that the pods weren’t completely CGI effects. Lucas actually had the pods built and use them for filming. We have this ten minute race, that’s about as dramatic as a race can be. We all know who was going to win, but it’s still entertaining. This also gave way to one of the best games to come out on the N64.
Duel of Fates ( Episode I: The Phantom Menace)
I’ll just get this one out of the way so we won’t have to come back to The Phantom Menace. The shot where Darth Maul finally reveals himself is one of my favorites in all the films. I absolutely love the art direction, I think he looks like a total bad ass, and the double bladed lightsaber he uses is appropriate for him. Ray Park did an amazing job bringing the action to this scene. While there are those that will break this fight down and really tear it apart frame by frame, it’s still on this list. Anytime there’s the sound of a lightsaber being turned on, every fanboy’s eyes are wide open in anticipation. We love to see these fights, even if it’s just to tear them apart.
Petranaki Arena (Episode II: The Clone Wars)
This scene is just a wet dream for me. In a somewhat boring movie for me, this scene makes up for all of that. A group of Jedi fighting off a droid army, when all hope seems lost Yoda arrives to save the day. The action sequence are everything we imagined a full on Jedi melee would be. This is the start of the Clone Wars; from here the franchise has been able to branch out into several animated shows and movies.
Battle of Hoth (Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back)
Returning back to the original trilogy, sci-fi movies hadn’t seen anything like the battle of Hoth. It’s the perfect buildup of suspense straight to action scene. With the AT-AT walkers coming out of the frost to Luke flying through the legs of the walkers, it’s easy to forget that this is a film from the 1980s. The special effects are timeless and the action keep you glued to your seat. Brings a new meaning to the bigger they are the harder they fall. This scene really captures the excitement that viewers felt during the death star scene at the end of A New Hope.
Death Star Battle (Episode IV: A New Hope)
Speaking of the battle at the end of A New Hope, The Battle of Yavin is the perfect ending to this movie. Everything leads up this for the rebels and their one in a million shot. Lucas drew heavily on WWII aerial dogfights as inspiration for this scene. It shows as the camera is right there as the ships move in and out bombarding each other. There wasn’t a dogfight scene like this on any film at the time.
Making this a great scene outside of the amazing visual effects are the conclusions that we see in the characters. We see Luke for the first time trusting the force, we see Han come back to help save the day. It’s just a great ending to a great movie.
Execute Order 66 (Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)
This has to be one of the most emotional and depressing scenes in all the films. With the words “The time has come… Execute order 66” uttered by Palpatine we see a montage of Stormtroopers turn on the Jedi. To end it all we Anakin and the younglings… we know the horror that those kids went through. It’s really heartbreaking. The music really drives the emotions home and this scene turns the movie to a darker place.
The Last Battle (Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith)
‘Only a Sith deals in absolutes.’ So this wasn’t the last battle overall, but it’s definitely one of the best. Two and half movies lead to this point, Anakin versus his teacher Obi-Wan. There is so much intensity in the action, there’s also sadness involved. We the viewer can see both sides of their stories and what they are fighting for now. We also have the knowledge of what’s to come. To see Obi-Wan have to witness the change in his once student, to have to mutilate him, it’s heartbreaking.
The Birth of Vader (Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith)
This scene is a continuation of the scene before, I could have easy thrown in with it, but I feel it stands on its own. Since Episode I every viewer wanted to know how the transition from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader would occur. We endured two movies to get this point. After the battle with Obi-Wan, Anakin is left there to burn and die. We know he doesn’t, Palpatine has him brought in and the transformation begins. The best shot from this scene is of the mask coming down, being locked into place and that first breathe, that breathe that we can recognize anywhere. Still sends shivers down my spine to this day. When told of Padme death, the rage and emotion shown (I just mute the NOOOO), the evil grin on Palpatine’s face when he sees the monster he created, its powerful stuff.
Cantina (Episode IV: A New Hope)
How could we ever leave this scene off the list? There are way too many goodies to do that. Obi-Wan and Luke walk into a bar, sounds like the beginning of a joke right, it’s not but it is the beginning of one of my favorite scenes. From the music, various alien species, racism towards droids, ruthless outlaws, this five minute scene shows the vastness of Lucas’s universe. In this scene we see Obi-Wan first use a lightsaber, cutting off the hand of a patron who has words with Luke. We also are introduced to Chewbacca and Han Solo. Han describes his ship, the Millennium Falcon, in a way that we know it’s much more than a hunk of junk. After Obi-Wan and Luke book their passage, we also get a little back story on Han setting up so much for the future. The meeting with Greedo, which doesn’t end well for him because Han shot first, gives us information to some future potential roadblocks a head. There is just so much information in this scene to take in.
Yoda’s Introduction (Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back)
Arguably one of the most recognizable characters in the franchises, Yoda’s introduction is one of the funniest. Frank Oz’s voice and puppeteering really bring life to the character. Though not a Yoda in his prime, he comes off as a senile backwater individual, provoking Luke in a very comical way. We later learn this is merely a test of Luke’s patience. This introduction is the start of the wisdom and training that is passed on to Luke.
I am your father (Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back)
This is the movie twist of all movie twist right here. During their first real encounter, Luke has a short yet violent battle with Darth Vader, losing a hand in the process. Left hanging on for dear life he learns the truth of what happened to father. His father Anakin wasn’t killed by Darth Vader, he became Darth Vader.
When this movie was released first released it was a huge shock. The time in between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, people thought that this was a lie used by Vader to lure Luke to the dark side. Had Facebook or the internet been around back then this wouldn’t have stayed a secret for long. The line became such an instant classic embedding itself into pop culture.
Vader’s Redemption (Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi)
It was inevitable that Luke and Vader would face off again, this time however they would face off as father and son. This is easily the best lightsaber battle in the entire saga. This encounter is full of raw emotion, vicious fighting and made even darker with the Emperor encouraging Luke to kill his father. Of course Luke doesn’t turn to the dark side and the Emperor realizes that Luke must die as well. Vader eventually makes the sacrifice bringing balance back to the force. The story comes full circle in a very powerful ending.
I realize that I may have left some of you favorite scenes off this list. Truth is you could spend days, weeks, years, discussing all the scenes from these movies there are way too many good scenes to list. I just wanted to list out the scenes that impacted me as a filmmaker the most, the scenes that will always stick with me and helped shape my view of the cinema masterpiece.