What is the better Trilogy, The "Original Star Wars" or the "Lord of the Rings?"

[Ghost of]

979

Harry Potter is nothing but a rip of LotR and Star Wars, dude.

How can the older story and much more epic and serious one be "another Harry Potter" chapter. Those uttering such comments must have their intellect called into question. Or their understanding, take your pick.

As for 45 percent--this is a poll of which is better. The extreme minority is composed of those who hate one of the two trilogies.

[Jethrodsp]

Good poll. Just looked at the resulta (LOTR for me) and its 30-24 in favor of LOTR.

Star Wars is great, but Peter Jackson took the art of the trilogy to new levels with LOTR. The better question IMHO is which one of each trilogy is the best of the three.

Im goin with:

Return of the Jedi (hands down)

Return of the King (close with 2 towers)

PS-the Matrix trilogy was VERY dissapointing after the 1st installment. Other than the special effects, I felt cheated out of $8 by #3 and #2 wasnt nearly as good as ANY of the Star Wars movies (except the Jar-Jar debacle) or LOTR movies.

[Jethrodsp]

I've never really understood the furor among so many Star Wars fans over the Ewoks. I don't even recall them being onscreen that much in Jedi. Moreover, they've never struck me as patently irritating. Now, Jar-Jar Binks? That's an irritating motherf*cker! Meesa wish you'd get stomped to death by a platoon of Storm Troopers, Jar-Jar! Hell, at least the Ewoks kept their mouths shut. And, hey, they ran around with bows & arrows and attacked the bad guys. So what's to complain about? The fact that they looked like teddy bears? Sh*t, I'd rather have them look like that than, say, giant spiders.

Amen brother. Jar Jar Binks is keeping the new star wars trilogy down. Hopefully Lucas will diminish his role to extra in the 3rd installment.

BTW, when is Star Wars Episode 3 coming out? Its been a while. LucasFilms is doing it right by making it the last of the 3rd installments to come out...Star Wars has much more staying power than LOTR.

The Matrix only had one great installment so its not included in this opinion...)

Oh Yeah..

Hail Skins.

[Jay Master Jay]

If you name five characters from Lord of the Rings and Star Wars who are the most popular and Feared? I still will have to go with Star in a big way. Lord of the Rings couldn't touch Star Wars if it had the same techonology as today. Were talking about Star War, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. Not the last two either movies made.

[Guest 979guy]

Originally posted by Ghost of Nibbs McPimpin

How can the older story and much more epic and serious one be "another Harry Potter" chapter. Those uttering such comments must have their intellect called into question. Or their understanding, take your pick.

Yup. I'm stupid. You're smart. How could I not have seen things your way?

Simply to reiterate for smart people who don't get morons like me - LOTR and HP just seem to me the same film, same plots, same kind of characters who's names end with R's. Please assume I know J.R.R's books preceded J.K. by quite a while, yet both movie series seem to me equally infantile (LOT was just longer, more boring and beautifully shot).

And yes, before you jump out with your hammers in hand, Star Wars isn't all that 'grown-up' either. But it was just there first (THE MOVIE!, Ghost) and it wasn't so pretentious as to it's prize-worthy "quality". Nor was its ending more tiresome than "The Old Man and the Sea"... etc.(see GlenX's eloquent post).

[codeorama]

Originally posted by Jethrodsp

BTW, when is Star Wars Episode 3 coming out? Its been a while. LucasFilms is doing it right by making it the last of the 3rd installments to come out...Star Wars has much more staying power than LOTR.

May 25th 2005!!!

[Muskrat]

45% HERE, on these forums. When you look at the 'big' picture, LotR is having the same 'mass' appeal that Star Wars had....possibly more in some circles due to the Book being around for 50+ years.

The 'Holy Trilogy' was/is great, no doubt about it...Vader, Solo, etc. Fantastic characters with very good character arcs. Star Wars was something no one had ever seen, it broke so much new ground in the area of special effects that it boggles the mind. I still maintain that Star Wars is pure escapism, a movie that sweeps you away in the wonder of it all..and that's what a film SHOULD do.

Lord of the Rings is more than that...it's escapism, but with a commitment. The character arcs for many of the LotR characters are equally as moving (if not more) as those in Star Wars (with the exception of Vader...). Yes, the movie is long, and that definitely turns some people off. There's a lot of 'expositionary' scenes showing scenery, but this was necessary to give the film scope. Star Wars needed none of that since you KNEW when the locations changed (ie: another planet).

I understand that Star Wars (the FILMS) were here first..and for that reason alone, many are going to choose those first 3 films. It makes sense in much the same way that the game 'Goldeneye' is viewed by gamers who like 'first person shooters'. It was first, and it did it's job VERY well. Some still view Goldeneye as the 'best', although several games have surpassed it in almost every area. That 'first' time holds a very special place in our hearts.

LotR, for me, has much more substance and depth on more levels (at least with regards to the 'good guys'). From a technological and acting level, Gollum was amazing. Something Lucas tried, but failed with Jar Jar (I know, it's the newer movies, but still..).

[codeorama]

Muscrat...

IMO, the two movie series are really not all that comparable.

SW is a series that young kids and adults love. LOTR is not something that young kids get into nearly as much. The movies are too long and the language is over the head of younguns.

Young kids are the difference.

I have no doubt that more adults probably like LOTR more. Maybe I'm just a kid myself. But while I loved the LOTR Books, I played D&D as a 12 year old, the LOTR movies are just too long for me and way too boring. When there is action, the movies are great, no doubt about it. The fighting scenes are excellent. But there is just too many instances where the dialog bogs down etc... for my taste.

But again, there really is no comparison between the two series. take a 5-8 year old to see both movies and see which they like better.

SW is quick and to the point. It keeps a kids attention, but also has a ton of depth that adults can get into. Lucas created his own mythology and backstories that have geeks reading novel after novel and creating fan website after fan website.

[Henry]

I think to really have a fair poll, you'd have to wait a few years. LOTR is still fresh in everyone's mind right now. SW is old news. It's like asking people to compare the Beatles to Creed or Eminem or something.

Like I said, I love LOTR, but I'd give it some time and see how it holds up before declaring it the Greatest Trilogy of All Time.

[codeorama]

Originally posted by Henry

I think to really have a fair poll, you'd have to wait a few years. LOTR is still fresh in everyone's mind right now. SW is old news. It's like asking people to compare the Beatles to Creed or Eminem or something.

Like I said, I love LOTR, but I'd give it some time and see how it holds up before declaring it the Greatest Trilogy of All Time.

Well said.

[jbooma]

Originally posted by Henry

I think to really have a fair poll, you'd have to wait a few years. LOTR is still fresh in everyone's mind right now. SW is old news. It's like asking people to compare the Beatles to Creed or Eminem or something.

Good point but the LOTR movies were just better movies, down the road I think the LOTR movies would stand out more because it had a much bigger audience then SW.

[SkinInsite]

Come on it's gotta be Starwars. I mean what other movie spawned the Ewoks Adventure with Wicket and friends. Also who can forget the memorable Starwars christmas where you had a coked up Carrie Fisher singing and had to be held up by Chewie.

[Guest 979guy]

Originally posted by SkinInsite

Come on it's gotta be Starwars. I mean what other movie spawned the Ewoks Adventure with Wicket and friends. Also who can forget the memorable Starwars christmas where you had a coked up Carrie Fisher singing and had to be held up by Chewie.

That's another thing about StarWars: the diversity of its characters is much wider (and don't tell me those giant mammoth's in ROTK weren't a rip-off from the 4-legged Imperial Walkers in Empire!). Just think how many spin offs and parodies have been made with the Star Wars characters. Indeed, it remains to be seen if LOTR will come even close to having such a cultural impact.

VS.

[codeorama]

Originally posted by jbooma

Good point but the LOTR movies were just better movies, down the road I think the LOTR movies would stand out more because it had a much bigger audience then SW.

They were better in YOUR opinion.

How did LOTR have a bigger audience?

Read some of the posts here, young kids for the most part are not into LOTR, it's way over their head, too long for them etc...

SW is more for the kids, but has adults that are fans as well.

Why are a bunh of late 20's and 30 something guys here arguing about SWs? Because we were kids when we first saw it and it's still, over all these years on of the best stories told.

The LOTR story has been around longer than SW, the game D&D was probably based more on LOTR and the Hobbit than anything else. But the movies have just come to the forefront in the past 3 years. 20 years from now, we don't know what series will still be more relevant.

But I know this, I saw the first showing of all 3 LOTR movies and of the first 2 SW PT movies. At least in my area, there is no comparison in crowds. The SW movies has way more geeks dressed up, way more filled up theaters, way more fan fare. And this is for the Prequels, which are NOWHERE near as popular as the original Trilogy.

Yes, LOTR did more money over time at the box office, but lets wait till EP III comes out.

LOTR has been released in December, which was a brilliant move because of the lack of competition.

EP I was released and went head to head with the Matrix and still did crazy numbers.

EP II went head to head with Spiderman and still put up crazy numbers as well considering some of us have waited a lifetime for a spiderman movie.

[Jethrodsp]

That's another thing about StarWars: the diversity of its characters is much wider (and don't tell me those giant mammoth's in ROTK weren't a rip-off from the 4-legged Imperial Walkers in Empire!).

Thats where youre wrong. Lucas ripped his walkers off from Tolkeins mamoths. LOTR is not only a great trilogy of movies...it was also a landmark literary achievement that spawned the fantasy genre.

[codeorama]

Originally posted by Jethrodsp

Thats where youre wrong. Lucas ripped his walkers off from Tolkeins mamoths. LOTR is not only a great trilogy of movies...it was also a landmark literary achievement that spawned the fantasy genre.

Yeah, I'm sure Lucas had LOTR in mind when he came up with the AT AT walkers. :laugh:

[CTaylor42]

Lord of the Rings is the best IMO. I love the rivalry between Gimli and Legolas.

I never did really get into the Star Wars trilogy.

[Ghost of]

Code you laugh but you ignore the fact that the AT-AT walkers have an elephantine appearance and are mammoth JUST LIKE the Mumakil of Tolkien's books.

You also ignore how closely Gollum and Vader resemble each other in their paths, except Vader redeems himself deliberately at the end, where Gollum serves as the agent of Providence.

Gollum takes the ring(source of evil) down with him into the fire. Vader casts the Emperor into the "fire" of the reactor core but still dies as a result.

Sorry, dude, there's nothing wrong with it, but Lucas definitely got some stuff from LotR.

[codeorama]

Originally posted by Ghost of Nibbs McPimpin

Code you laugh but you ignore the fact that the AT-AT walkers have an elephantine appearance and are mammoth JUST LIKE the Mumakil of Tolkien's books.

You also ignore how closely Gollum and Vader resemble each other in their paths, except Vader redeems himself deliberately at the end, where Gollum serves as the agent of Providence.

Gollum takes the ring(source of evil) down with him into the fire. Vader casts the Emperor into the "fire" of the reactor core but still dies as a result.

Sorry, dude, there's nothing wrong with it, but Lucas definitely got some stuff from LotR.

I've said before, of course Lucas used LOTR as an inspiration. No doubt about it. Lucas used many different sources to create his universe.

However, I just don't see Lucas reading LOTR and saying "ah, here's what I will do, I'll make some mechanical elephants to transport troops, just like LOTR".

[Muskrat]

Code, you're right. I'm sure Lucas didn't think that, but these things effect us subliminally...like you get an idea, then later realize that you may have gotten it from 'wherever' (not that this is what happened with the AT-AT).

LOL---the Mumakil of LotR a rip-off of the AT-AT? ROFL!! Ok, enough of that.

One point to address: You do not have to wait 'several years' to compare these films... Star Wars (as a film series) was cemented in modern day lore by the time the first showing of Empire was over. It was a movie event unlike any seen before (at the time), Jedi was even more so. In this way, LotR is VERY similar. One difference, however, is that 'Fellowship' had a TON of PRESSURE on it from the get-go...it HAD to be good, otherwise the faithful would simply no watch it (or at least not 3, 5, 10 times). Star Wars had the luxury of being 'new'...there was no real plan to make 3 Star Wars films, initially, until 'A New Hope' proved that it would be profitable.

I do agree that it IS difficult to compare the two, simply because of the subject matter, length, and the way the two films were made by their directors. As I said earlier, SW is the perfect 'saturday afternoon film'....pure escapism...while LotR requires an investment of time and mind. 2 different types of films that have touched a cord not seen in the time between their makings. In the @20 years in between Jedi and RotK, what other movie series has been so successful on such a grand scale?

Here's to a 'Han shoots first' Original Trilogy, and the LotR:

[codeorama]

Originally posted by Muskrat

As I said earlier, SW is the perfect 'saturday afternoon film'....pure escapism...while LotR requires an investment of time and mind. 2 different types of films that have touched a cord not seen in the time between their makings. In the @20 years in between Jedi and RotK, what other movie series has been so successful on such a grand scale?

Here's to a 'Han shoots first' Original Trilogy, and the LotR:

I agree with this.

However, the movies, (I understand that the books have already been around that long, IMO, that's what makes totally different.... LOTR was a hugely successful series of books, there was no question that the story was solid, Jackson would have had to really screw up to make the films flop, however, SW was written by Lucas and didn't have the luxury of any books and previous fan base. You have to admit, there were already LOTR fans before these movies ever came out, that was no the case with SW.) LOTR still has a while to go before it has the staying power that SW has.

If we are still talking about the LOTR movies in 20 years, then there is a point.

[a_good_brotha]

It doesn't matter to me. I like the Godfather trilogy the best.

[Ghost of]

Saw Godfather on cable. Good movie, watched it all the way through.

However, don't see why it's rated as #1 or near #1 by so many people.

And even Godfather fans typically rate the third installment as junk.

[jbooma]

11 of 11 in oscars I think it is official, LOTR is the best fantasy film of all time.

[codeorama]

Originally posted by jbooma

11 of 11 in oscars I think it is official, LOTR is the best fantasy film of all time.

SW is Sci Fi, not fantasy. So again, comparing the two is not really valid.

I would definately agree that LOTR is the best fantasy movies out there. No question IMO.

But also in my opinion, awards shows don't mean a thing. LOTR is proven not because of any awards, it's proven because of the box office sales. There are tons of movies that win awards that people don't go and see.