THE JURY
Tom Eydmann: CEO & Star Wars fanatic/guru
Abbey Hollins: Never seen a single Star Wars film. Completely neutral
Cammy Morgan: Star Wars hater. Likes Dr Who & The X Files
Ryan Thomas: Was 11 when A New Hope came out in cinemas (now 46)
Luke Stevens: Was 11 when Revenge of the Sith came out in cinemas (now 18)
'The trick to watching Star Wars if you've never seen it before is to watch it on your own so you can experience the wonder for yourself and not have 5 people in the background making Wookie and light sabre noises the whole time' I tell Abbey as I rummage around in my cupboard trying to find my old X Wing and Millennium Falcon toys. Yes for my first ever debate I have chosen arguably the franchise with the most hardcore fans in the world. Bigger than Twilight, Harry Potter and Batman. The only franchise that can possibly be bigger than Star Wars is Star Trek but that is for a different day. As I wait for the remaining people to arrive I fetch out my Star Wars viewing guide which I received in the post several years ago. It contains lots of information for people watching the film for the 600th time. Then I remember why I am watching the film today. I need to keep an unbiased and clear head. I need to pretend I am seeing A New Hope for the first time and whether it stands up to modern day blockbusters still. I sit on a sofa opposite my lady friend so she can watch the movie in blissful silence and I can observe her movements. I am envious of her. I wish I had never seen the trilogy so I could experience it again as brand new.
Luke arrives with a few of his toys which put my early nineties stuff to shame. My TIE Fighters wings fall of if you press a button. His Naboo fighter has no less than 7 different button and 14 different things to do to it. Little prick. I ask Luke what it felt like to watch a series of six movies where the effects got considerably worse whilst the story got considerably better. He shrugs and says he was so hooked by Attack of the Clones he barely noticed. Ryan arrives with some Star Wars trading cards which he says are worth thousands but I am pretty sure came free in a packet of Frosties. Cammy has outdone herself. As a known Star Wars hater I suspected she would do something to annoy me but she has surpassed all expectations by turning up in a set of Vulcan ears pretending she has 'made the extra effort for me.' I smile, hug her and whisper in her ear to take them off before we have a falling out. We settle down, I dim the lights and feel the tingle as the Fox fanfare starts. PUNCH IT CHEWIE!
Abbey enjoyed the film. She thought the special effects were amazing for the time (I do inform her that we are actually watching the special edition with updated graphics). She likes Han Solo and Chewie and thought the droids were funny. Abbeys main criticism of the movie was that it didn't really explain a lot but also didn't feel like it was the start of a trilogy.I explain that it was originally just called Star Wars and it was only after it did so well that Empire and Jedi were planned. That seems to make sense to Abbey and a lot of the others as well. It is true that apart from Darth Vader surviving, the plot of Star Wars is very nicely wrapped up. The Emperor is not even present during the film and the main bad guy (Moff Tarkin) is blown up with the Death Star. 'And where was Yoda'? Cammy pipes up. He wasn't even mentioned. It is true that the movie does seem a bit standalone with so many characters who are huge in the rest of the series not being mentioned at all.Jabba, Boba Fett, the aforementioned Yoda and The Emperor. The fact that some of these characters were added into the special additions show how A New Hope seems a bit of a loner when looked at as a whole. Abbeys other criticism was that it does seem like a bit of a child's movie. This coming from a girl who loves Harry Potter! She says that the whole winning at the end and the medals was a bit cheesy and felt like the end of a fairy tale. In fact the beginning 'Long Long time ago...' seems like the start of a fairytale to be honest.. We move swiftly on to someone who hopefully has a more positive opinion.
Which brings me on to my part. And I hate to say it but unless you watch Empire Strikes Back straight afterwards I sort of agree with Abbey. Star Wars just isn't what it once was 20 years ago when I first saw it. Whilst the destruction of the Death Star at the end is as climatic a battle as any in other Sci Fi movies the rest of it just seems to be a set up for the rest of the trilogy. I long for the battle of Hoth or Endor to liven things up a bit. Having said that Han Solo is still one of the best characters in any blockbuster ever made and Darth Vader is still the best bad guy in movie history (even if he is about a fifth as scary now I'm in my late twenties). Most of the time during the film I found myself quoting lines along with the characters but this is more nostalgia rather than anything else. Still, even it isn't exactly how I remember it it still shits on most of the Sci-Fi films made today. The end of my argument is summed up by me standing on a chair, waving a can of Fosters in the air and shouting that I would still rather watch Star Wars than any Lord of the Rings or Avatar.
Luke is like a dog on heat. 18, full of beer and having watched a Star wars film with adults for the first ever time he is punching the ceiling with how good it is. All the little bits of knowledge I have are being lapped up by Luke. He is actually impressed by me quoting 70% of the film and spent at least 15 minutes playing with my toy XWing on the floor. In fact I think he is a bit in love with me. I feel I should discount Luke's opinion as it consists of saying that 'Star Wars is fucking dope, period' over and over again. Still it does show one thing. As a child Star Wars is still magical and something to fall in love with and that is what we are debating.
Ryan like me is itching to watch Empire. He concedes that watching the movie he mainly felt nostalgia for his childhood (I almost think I see a tear in his eye at some point.) Ryan has only seen one of the prequels and thought it was shit so has not seen a single other one. He had not seen the original trilogy in over 5 years and although he will now watch Empire and Jedi (you can't start and not finish he reasons) he admits that he will not be watching them again in a hurry. They are part of his past and he wants them left there along with Punk music and hairspray
The biggest surprise is Cammy. Looking at me with her 'Don't you fucking say anything' look she stares at the floor and admits she really enjoyed it. She says that she previously didn't like Star Wars because all her male friends were into it and she just wanted to be different. Now she realises that it isn't just for boys and she was generally excited during the light sabre fights etc. I punch the air in excitement. This proves that Star Wars is still magical to adults. It still carries that special something with people who watch it and simply give it a chance. Luke solemnly hands his toy lightsabre over to Cammy and she stands up swinging it drunkenly at my head for a moment while Ryan makes some very convincing swooshing sounds. No matter how the vote comes out today I am happy that Cammy has been converted and even Abbey says she will watch the rest of the movies now as well (I am still trying to convince her to miss out Phantom menace).
And so we come to the final vote. Remember we are not just deciding whether it is a great film but whether it is as good watching it as an adult as it is as a kid. We go round in a circle and state our decisions.
Abbey: Abbey enjoyed the film but thinks it is probably a lot better for children watching as the whole magical/fairy tale aspect is a huge factor. She will however be watching the rest of the series but her vote is NO
Luke: YES, Yes , Yes. Representing the wonder of youth Luke votes that Star Wars is just fucking awesome no matter how old you are. He them has one beer too many and throws up in my toilet before his mum comes to pick him up.
Ryan: NO. As much as it clearly pains him to say it Ryan says he just doesn't feel the same watching the film 35 years after it was first released. It makes hm sad but he will always remember it as a kid going to see it in the multiplex for which I am eternally jealous.
Me: Although I feel that when I first saw the trilogy it was a lot better than I remembered I also argue that that is the same for everything in the world. The Matrix was better when I first saw it. Life on Mars was better when I first watched it. Sex with my ex was better when we first had it. Some things get better with age and somethings don't. However based on the whole trilogy I still think it stands the test of time. Empire Strikes Back is still one of my favourite movies ever and if you view Star Wars as the Batman Begins to Empires Dark Knight then YES I do think it is still an amazing movie now as it was when we were kids.
Cammy: And so it all rests on the girl who came dressed as a fucking Star Trek character who 'hates' everything about the rebel alliance. Cammy stands up with her wine glass in one hand and light sabre in the other. 'As much as I hated the films in theory before and as much as I hate Tom to be right, all I can think about now is how I really want to watch The Empire Strikes Back; and so I have to vote YES .'
And so at 3-2 it has been decided that Star Wars is still a fucking kickass movie for adults who both have and haven't seen it. To be fair I never thought it would be that close and also we are talking about the trilogy as a whole. We all retire back to the living room to watch Empire (as Han would say it was a boring conversation anyway). As the At-Ats advance on Hoff and get tripped over I smile to myself and high-five Ryan. Abbey and Cammy are both transfixed. A bit later Yoda makes his entrance to cheers and later on Lando becomes the coolest (and only) black guy in the whole Star Wars universe. As the film ends on the down note of Luke losing a hand and Han being frozen in Carbonite Ryan has to leave (he has a kid after all). Me, Abbey and Cammy however stay for the climatic Return of the Jedi. With the opening storm of Jabba the Hutts barge, The destruction of the second death star and Darth Vaders triumphant redemption I can almost forgive George Lucas for the Ewoks. After it finishes I can safely say that Abbey is a changed woman and the score is now a happy 4-1. We retire to bed and as we all fall asleep I know that 5 people in this country tonight will be dreaming of TIE fighters, Obi Wan Kenobis and Jedi mind tricks. Star Wars still fucking rules and if you disagree then well; I find your lack of faith disturbing (if you aren't choking right now then just pretend you are for added realism. My powers are not what they once were).
If you have any ideas about what you think I should argue over next then please let me know via
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