Author Topic: Wrath of Film Poll: Quarterfinals 1 (Read 12089 times)

Ocicat · **on:** June 25, 2008, 06:02:42 PM

So back in Group A, Holy Grail defeated Return of the King and Casablanca (and The Shining, which didn't do so well). So it now gets the honor of going up against one of the films that was undefeated in the original poll.

wintermute · **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2008, 06:10:11 PM

That was tough. But in the end, I went with the one with the most songs in it.

Heradel · **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2008, 06:23:06 PM

Well Holy Grail is Holy Grail, but Empire led to some great derivative works (see: Clerks) in addition to being a great film, so Empire.

Russell Nash · **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2008, 06:33:44 PM

Empire was the best Star Wars film. That makes it pretty unbeatable.

stePH · **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2008, 06:34:26 PM

Well here I am voting for the incomplete movie.

DKT · **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2008, 06:37:07 PM

Quote from: stePH on June 25, 2008, 06:34:26 PM

Well here I am voting for the incomplete movie.

Welcome to the dark side

I'm going to be hard-pressed to vote anything over Empire.

Ocicat · **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2008, 06:53:18 PM

Quote from: Russell Nash on June 25, 2008, 06:33:44 PM

Empire was the best Star Wars film. That makes it pretty unbeatable.

Actually, Star Wars is the best Star Wars film. Yes, Empire was darker and more mature, but I'm in it for the sense of wonder and Epic. While I like Empire (and the non-ewok portions of Jedi), it's a movie with several flaws. Not the least of which is that it is, in fact, an incomplete movie. I still vividly remember feeling ripped off leaving the theater, knowing that I'd have to wait 3 years to get any kind of closure. I was also pretty cheezed off that Luke could suddenly go into hyperspace in an X-Wing fighter. And the whole split nature of the narrative, with R2 and Luke off one place and everyone else in their own adventure. If you didn't already love the characters because of the first movie, it really wouldn't work at all on it's own.

Heradel · **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2008, 07:03:26 PM

Quote from: Ocicat on June 25, 2008, 06:53:18 PM

Quote from: Russell Nash on June 25, 2008, 06:33:44 PM
Empire was the best Star Wars film. That makes it pretty unbeatable.

Actually, Star Wars is the best Star Wars film. Yes, Empire was darker and more mature, but I'm in it for the sense of wonder and Epic. While I like Empire (and the non-ewok portions of Jedi), it's a movie with several flaws. Not the least of which is that it is, in fact, an incomplete movie. I still vividly remember feeling ripped off leaving the theater, knowing that I'd have to wait 3 years to get any kind of closure. I was also pretty cheezed off that Luke could suddenly go into hyperspace in an X-Wing fighter. And the whole split nature of the narrative, with R2 and Luke off one place and everyone else in their own adventure. If you didn't already love the characters because of the first movie, it really wouldn't work at all on it's own.

It never struck me as incomplete, but I never had one without the other, so I suppose that's why.

birdless · **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2008, 07:16:31 PM

Quote from: Ocicat on June 25, 2008, 06:53:18 PM

Actually, <edit>A New Hope is the best Star Wars film. Yes, Empire was darker and more mature, but I'm in it for the sense of wonder and Epic. While I like Empire (and the non-ewok portions of Jedi), it's a movie with several flaws. Not the least of which is that it is, in fact, an incomplete movie. I still vividly remember feeling ripped off leaving the theater, knowing that I'd have to wait 3 years to get any kind of closure. I was also pretty cheezed off that Luke could suddenly go into hyperspace in an X-Wing fighter. And the whole split nature of the narrative, with R2 and Luke off one place and everyone else in their own adventure. If you didn't already love the characters because of the first movie, it really wouldn't work at all on it's own.

I had already voted Empire before i read the posts... if i had read this post first, i may have changed my vote... maybe.... It's a compelling argument, partly because i remember that feeling of discontent on leaving the theater knowing i was going to have to wait years before getting to see Han's situation resolved. At age 10, 3 years is forever!

Darwinist · **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2008, 08:00:00 PM

Empire. The best SW had to offer before the ewoks showed up and set off a chain reaction of pukey cuteness and buffoonery which carried forward to the second trilogy.

Alasdair5000 · **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2008, 08:44:44 PM

I have a shameful, shameful secret.

I'm not a Monty Python fan.

(Ducks, runs)

Seriously, I like SOME stuff (The Lumberjack song's brilliant for example) but for me, Holy Grail has a bit too much 'Look! Aren't we clever!' in it.

Plus, well...it IS Empire.

Talia · **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2008, 08:48:07 PM

Hey don't knock the ewoks, they rock.

Had to go with Holy Grail on this one. One of the few movies I can actually quote from, and rarely a day goes by when one friend or another doesnt reference it.

stePH · **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2008, 09:10:55 PM

Quote from: Alasdair5000 on June 25, 2008, 08:44:44 PM

I have a shameful, shameful secret.

I'm not a Monty Python fan.

(Ducks, runs)

Seriously, I like SOME stuff (The Lumberjack song's brilliant for example) but for me, Holy Grail has a bit too much 'Look! Aren't we clever!' in it.

I love Python, and I like ... the Holy Grail, but it's not a patch on the brilliance of Life of Brian.

eytanz · **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2008, 10:02:21 PM

Holy Grail for me. Difficult choice, but at the end of the day, I'm a bigger Monty Python fan than a Star Wars fan.

zZzacha · **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2008, 10:58:00 PM

Big vote for Monty Python!
I love that dry Brittish humor, can't get enough of my Flying Circus DVDs. Life of Brian is definately better than Holy Grail, but Monty Python still beats Star Wars IMHO.

sirana · **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2008, 07:44:00 AM

Empre

CammoBlammo · **Reply #16 on:** June 26, 2008, 11:10:55 AM

I just never got what was so great about TESB. It wasn't a bad movie, but only in its context.

Now, it wasn't a bad movie. The plot wasn't that important, as it was simply the bridge between A New Hope and The Return of the Jedi. Characters needed to be in certain positions for the beginning of RotJ, and this movie got them there. In the meantime, George Lucas set about building the universe, which was awesome. There was room to explore characters, visit different worlds and explain what The Force was about. This is why I think TESB is such a big movie in Star Wars geekdom: it gave the series depth and something for the fanbase to get its teeth into.

The Holy Grail, though, was another thing entirely. It did seem to get a little clever for itself at times, but who cares? Barely a day goes by when I don't drop a quote from that movie, and I've only seen it twice. So it had a huge influence on me. For that reason my vote goes to The Python boys.

Roney · **Reply #17 on:** June 26, 2008, 07:53:47 PM

Tricky. I voted Empire in the end, so I hope my killer rabbit slippers don't find out.

DKT · **Reply #18 on:** June 26, 2008, 08:39:42 PM

Quote from: CammoBlammo on June 26, 2008, 11:10:55 AM

I just never got what was so great about TESB.

Here, let me help you out:

Wampa snow monster capturing Luke, planting his feet in a ceiling of ice, and then getting his arm sliced off by a light saber.

Darth Vader force-choking an Imperial officer.

The battle of Hoth.

Han Solo flying into an asteroid field saying, "Never tell me the odds!"

Han Solo hiding on the back of a Star Destroyer. (Okay, pretty much everything with Han Solo, Princess
Leia, and the Millenium Falcon)

Darth Vader force-choking another Imperial officer.

Vader's scars.

Boba Fett (back when he was cool)

Luke on Dagobah

R2D2 getting swallowed (and regurgitated) by some kind of creature.

Everything Yoda

The Cave where Luke fights "Vader"

The City in the Clouds

Ghost Obi Wan Kenobi

C3P0 in pieces, strapped to Chewie's back, barking "directions"

"I love you."/"I know."

Han Solo frozen in carbonite

Lando Calirissian as a wild card.

Vader vs. Luke

"I am your father."

Implying that Darth Vader would yet again force-choke another Imperial Officer
I can keep going, if you want.

Okay, seriously, I'm not saying you should've voted for this movie. I know the prequels have scarred it (and the other originals) quite a bit. I'm actually still pretty annoyed with some of the "reveals" in this movie that Lucas cheapened with the prequels. But this movie was great. It had lots of little hooks and details, and yes, it was a "bridge" movie (I guess). But nearly 30 years after it came out, I think it's pretty satisfying on its own.

eytanz · **Reply #19 on:** June 26, 2008, 09:17:59 PM

Quote from: DKT on June 26, 2008, 08:39:42 PM

The Cave where Luke fights "Vader"

While I agree that most things on that list were pretty cool - and some certainly qualify as awesome - I don't think this one is justified. The scene in the cave was outright lame.

DKT · **Reply #20 on:** June 26, 2008, 09:26:15 PM

Quote from: eytanz on June 26, 2008, 09:17:59 PM

Quote from: DKT on June 26, 2008, 08:39:42 PM
The Cave where Luke fights "Vader"

While I agree that most things on that list were pretty cool - and some certainly qualify as awesome - I don't think this one is justified. The scene in the cave was outright lame.

No. Way! I loved that scene. I remember before the prequels came out, I was sure that Yoda was going to be on Dagobah toward the end of them, and he was going to have some kind of fantastic duel with a dark Jedi in that cave. That scene really fired up imagination (and creeped the hell out of me as a kid).

Windup · **Reply #21 on:** June 27, 2008, 12:21:09 AM

Tough call, but it's got to be Empire.

Probably more proof that comedy just doesn't get the respect it deserves.

stePH · **Reply #22 on:** June 27, 2008, 01:01:29 AM

Quote from: Windup on June 27, 2008, 12:21:09 AM

Tough call, but it's got to be Empire.

Probably more proof that comedy just doesn't get the respect it deserves.

I'd have voted for Life of Brian over Empire.

Ocicat · **Reply #23 on:** June 27, 2008, 04:57:06 PM

Life of Brian already faced Empire and went down hard.

Ocicat · **Reply #24 on:** June 30, 2008, 05:35:07 PM

Wow, this is the most votes the poll has ever gotten, and there is only a one point difference right now...