Star Wars DVDs Marathon Part 1

Alas, finish the 6 discs Star Wars Prequel Trilogy and their Special Feature DVDs. Apparently all the DVDs are ok.

Initially I planned to watch all 6 (Prequel and Original Trilogies) films back to back…, but then I will have to watch all Special Features DVD back to back, and this will be tiring.

So I resolved to watch 1 Special Feature DVD after one movie, chronologically. At the end, I manage to finish all 6 DVDs; 3 on Saturday, the other 3 on Sunday. This weekend, most likely will start on the Original Trilogy and the single disc Special Feature.

The main purpose for this movie marathon is to get a feel how would it like if I watch the entire Star Wars Saga chronologically. Before the release of the prequel, Darth Vader is such a mysterious person. So is Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan and Yoda’s days when the Jedi Order still around, the Clone War etc.

The curiosity of these elements is the main motivation for most of the not so die hard fan to watch the prequels. All wants to know, wants to witness how it was like in the ‘old day’. How good is Anakin as a pilot, or Jedi? How is Obi-Wan in his peak? Did Yoda ever fight? How does other Jedi looks like? How did Anakin falls to the Dark Side?

If we watch the Prequel Trilogy with this mentality in mind, then the Prequel Trilogy is a prequel. But if we watch all 6 films as one long series, the feeling should be different.

Watching Episode 1, 2 & 3 is watching how a hope, a hero would be actually fall from his grace and become one of the most fearsome individual in the universe. It is rather a tragic story. Anakin started in the film as a 9 years old boy, all talented, gifted and pure. We all adore him. When we watch the Pod-race sequence, we can’t help to imagine how it’s gonna be when he pilot a star fighter. But being relatively old to start Jedi training, Anakin is not pure enough to totally embrace the Jedi way. Living with his mother for 9 years, Anakin is very much needs to attach to other person. He can never enjoy the inner peace most Jedi have with such emotion. This is what let to his temptation. The unwillingness to let go led him to do whatever it takes to maintain whatever he possessed.

Yeah, so Anakin doesn’t have the mentality of the ultimate super Jedi. But that is what makes him human. And that is what makes the audience identifies with him. Those are not flaw, but human nature. That is why even at the very end of Episode 3, when Anakin adopted the name Darth Vader, and being ridiculous and stubborn; the audience never hate him, but feel heart ache and sad. Because we all know to well how he will end up being. Not only he will be a half man half machine, but for decades after that he will function under a very heavy delusion. It is until the very end of his life that we finally see it through.

So, the subsequent Episode 4, 5 and 6 will be more to the redemption of Anakin. From this, we know now that Star Wars Saga is all about Anakin Skywalker, not Luke Skywalker. I never really like this sissy. He’s almost nothing compares to Anakin. What actually keep me going for the Original Trilogy is light saber special effect, Darth Vader and Han Solo.

Hmmm…acknowledging that all this 6 films should be watch chronologically means Darth Vader’s line “No, I am you father.” Will kind of lose the impact. Because the fact that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker has been shown in 3 feature length films. But I can live with that. Darth Vader is the coolest character and this fact never changed.

Still considering if I should write some Star Wars reviews. In short, the feeling for Episode 1, 2 & 3 can be summaries as below:

Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace:
The most boring one. Darth Maul is cool, but it is not so cool character to use to introduce the Sith is the first Star Wars films after 20 years. Jar-jar Binks is a failure and disgrace. Gungan VS Droid war is boring. Brighter side, nice light saber fight, nice Queen Amidala’s costume

Episode 2 – Attack of The Clone:
The most wanted to watch in the batch of DVD. Speeder chase in city, coller than the one in The Fith Element. Love the all Jedi out fight. New light saber color – Purple!!! Legendary Clone War is cool. Count Dooku is cool (I prefer elegant Sith, like Vader and Dooku). Yoda fights~ subzero cool!!!!!!(Did imagine what it is like if he fights, but never really thought that they will shoot it). It has Jango and Boba Fett. Downside, the Anakin and Padme courtship is rather corny.

Episode 3 – Revenge of The Sith:
The best in the Prequel Trilogy. Anakin costume is cool. Awesome first act. Obi-Wan VS Anakin fight. Yoda VS Darth Sidious fight (simply legendary). Mace Windu gain a upper hand in fight with Palpatine. High body count. Wookies are there. Reference or bridges to the Episode4. Harry Potter scene at the end. The appearance of Darth Vader on the silver screen in a new film !!!Downside may be, no red light saber for Vader. General Grivieous is so-so only as a villain. Jar-Jar Bink is not killed! Well this is bad.