A Fistful of Toys

  

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the original dorks http://www.inthemouthofdorkness.com/ 

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt, along with fellow dorks, Darren, Lisa, and Bryan, choose to walk a different path, and amended that to “A Fistful…” with their blog and podcast, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  Topics range from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I have regularly pilfered for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

In the Dorks’ latest fistful they offered up their top 5 toys.  Being a film-centric podcast, the choices leaned heavily toward toys utilized in movies, though there were also toys from their childhoods interspersed among the various fistfuls.  It was, no surprise, a great episode, with all dorks on point—great choices, great one-liners, great off-color jokes that kept a smile on my face throughout the whole thing.  Check it out here:  http://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-4nggg-6791e4   

For my own fistful of toys, though, it’s all about the toys I had as a kid.  This list could easily—like so many reminiscences of my childhood—end up being filled with Star Wars toys, but that wouldn’t be all that fun (maybe I’ll save that for a later Fistful).  Variety is the spice of life (1 point for hoary cliché), and I try, if nothing else, to make these lists interesting.  But, enough preamble, let’s get to it. 

5. Matchbox cars

Matchbox cars hold a special place in my memories.  My first collection (followed by Star Wars, comic books, Tolkien books, Sandman by Gaiman, etc. etc.), it all began when Granddad would take me downtown to Newberry’s or across the river to Hyslop’s (in Canada) to buy me a Matchbox car.  The collection quickly grew, and once he passed away, I didn’t stop, amassing dozens of these little metal cars and trucks, most of which I still have today. 

One of the favorite things to do with my Matchboxes was to play smash-up derby.  My friends would come over, and each of us would choose 20 cars for our respective teams.  The point was to take one car each and, from across the room, whip them toward the center where they would hopefully smash into each other, toppling one or both—the streamlined race cars with front ends low to the ground were good for getting under the other vehicles, but some of the dump trucks were more stable, making them difficult to topple; there was a lot of strategy involved in the choosing of one’s cars.  Whichever vehicle ended up on its side or top, as long as the other car remained on its wheels, went to the other player.  Working through our teams, a winner was declared when the other person lost all their Matchbox cars.  It was a blast!

4. Wild West Fort

This thing was low-tech, and I loved it.  You had to put it all together, clipping the fence pieces in place without busting off the points where they attached, then set out the soldiers and the American Indians—some of which were bow-legged with little nubs on the insides of their ankles so they could sit atop the horses that came with it—and then… attack!  Hours of fun ensued—months’ worth of hours, and it was always magical.  Unless you had one of these (and are old enough not to have so many electronics at your disposal), you are probably looking at this picture and wondering what is wrong with me.  Ah, well, that’s your loss.  Sorry. 

3. Evel Knievel

I was born in ’72.  Evel Knievel was huge in the 70s, and early 80s, a real-life superhero who challenged death and lived to tell about it—launching his rocket cycle across the Snake River Canyon, jumping 13 buses at Wembley Stadium, going fast enough to reach escape velocity of the Earth (that last one…not real, but it was probably something that crossed children’s minds).  I expect I saw Knievel on ABC’s Wide World of Sports (another nostalgic throwback to my youth, which includes features on Muhammad Ali and the Harlem Globetrotters), and like many children, I was enamored.  So, with the advent of the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle, I had to have that.  Spinning the big white wheel would rev up the engine, then you’d hit the switch and release Knievel, to race across the floor, or stumble through your backyard.  I’m sure it did not live up to the commercials, but that didn’t matter.  It was still a blast.

2. Six Million Dollar Man

The Six Million Dollar Man was a favorite TV show, and the best Lee Majors television role, period (and, yes, I’m including Fall Guy and Big Valley in the discussion [insert smile emoji]).  So, of course, I wanted to have the doll (*ahem*, I mean action figure).  With bionic limbs and a bionic eye—which you could look through by putting your own eye to the hole in the back of Steve Austin’s skull—this toy was…amazingly simple.  Like all the other toys on this list, it was very low-tech, which meant your imagination had to do the heavy lifting when you were playing.  No problem.  “We have the technology” was the prime directive when running around the back yard with the Six Million Dollar Man. 

1. Death Star

It all comes back to Star Wars.  And the Death Star playset was the pinnacle of all Star Wars toys (one could argue that the U.S.S. Flagg from G.I. Joe may be the mother of all playsets, but I was in that limbo between being a kid buying toys and being an adult buying toys—the point, as a teenager, where one is “too cool” for toys—during the Yo Joe craze and missed out…though I did have a handful of the figures).  With four levels, an elevator that could take you to each floor, a trash compactor (accessed through a trap door in the floor) with “trash” and a dianoga (now we knew what it sort of looked like), the cannon at the top (which popped out of its housing when the rebels stuffed a proton torpedo down the nearest exhaust port), a precipice where Obi-Wan could deactivate the tractor beam, and a retractable bridge that revealed a chasm over which Luke and Leia had to swing, this set had it all.  Simply add action figures, preferably Star Wars but any roughly 4-inch figures would suffice, and you had a wealth of fun possibilities before you.  The Death Star—the best Star Wars toy they made. 

And, for bonus points, if you lived in Canada—or right on the border, as my best friend and I did—you could get the Canadian version of the Death Star, a completely different setup that offered just as much fun.  Check it out below. 

So, the top 5 toys of my youth.  There are plenty of others deserving of honorable mentions.  But I think I’ll share that in a different post, soonish.  Now, what are yours?  Drop them into the comments and tell me why I might be wrong, or maybe not as right as I believed.  And thanks for reading. 

-chris

A Fistful of Alan Moore’s lesser-known works

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the original dorks.

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt, along with fellow dorks, Darren, Lisa, and Bryan, choose to walk a different path, and amended that to “A Fistful…” with their blog and podcast, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  Topics range from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I have regularly pilfered for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

Alan Moore is lauded as the greatest writer ever to work in the comic book medium.  Known for his use of literary techniques, such as foreshadowing and symbolism, meticulous plotting, and a facility of language rarely matched by other writers, regardless of medium, Moore is best-known as the author—in collaboration with a host of phenomenal artistic talents—of such books as V for Vendetta, Watchmen, Saga of the Swamp Thing, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Halo Jones, Tom Strong, Promethea, Lost Girls, and From Hell.  But he’s also crafted many stories that have not received as much attention as these hallmarks.  Here, for your consideration, are a fistful of lesser-known Alan Moore comics that you may wish to check out, in no particular order.  Because, generally speaking, if Moore is involved, they’re going to be good, and most likely will end up being great…but I may be biased.

SECRET ORIGINS #10 [DC Comics, 1986]

“Footsteps,” a Phantom Stranger Origin, with artist Joe Orlando—

In “Footsteps,” Moore, along with artist Joe Orlando, share one of four origin stories of the Phantom Stranger.  In 10 pages, Moore and Orlando relate the story of an angel who was called to join the rebellion of Lucifer.  But this unnamed angel found it difficult to decide upon which side he should ally himself, uncertain of the righteousness of Lucifer, while also wavering as to the great Yahweh’s leadership.  But deep down, it is his fear of choosing wrongly that drives this angel.  And, in the end, he fails to choose either side, leading to exile from both the worlds of Heaven and of Hell.  Owing to this, he must walk alone, traveling the Earth, doing what he can to right wrongs and succor the oppressed—a Phantom Stranger, there for those in need. 

Moore & Orlando interweave this narrative with a complementary tale of a present-day gang member being courted by one among their ranks who wishes to overthrow their leader.  In the end, this young man (or, boy, really) fails to choose sides.  When he tries to find allies with the rebels—who were handily thrown out of the gang by the leader and his loyalists—he is greeted with scorn, subjected to pain.  Thankfully, the Phantom Stranger is there, at the end, offering his hand, as well as his very personal understanding for what this young man now faces. 

HATE! #30 [Fantagraphics Books, 1998]

“The Hasty Smear of my Smile,” featuring Kool-Aid Man, with artist Peter Bagge—

Moore, along with Peter Bagge, tell the life story of the Kool-Aid Man, who was just a little different than the rest of his family.  Thank goodness his father finally drew a face on his glass-jar head, otherwise who knows what might have been. 

Over the course of just 4 pages, Moore & Bagge reveal how being misunderstood by his family leads to the Kool-Aid Man’s life as a struggling writer and his experiments with the counter-culture scene, where he met the likes of Ken Kesey, Tom Wolfe, and Hunter S. Thompson.  His off-color activities lead to a breach of contract suit put forth by the soft drink company employing him, which only makes things worse for the Kool-Aid Man. 

Bagge’s overly cartoonish style works perfectly for this satire.  His characters all look as if they walked out of a distorted funhouse mirror, and within this milieu—which is all Bagge—Kool-Aid Man fits in perfectly.  It’s a tragicomedy, full of the trademark wit and sly humor expected from the likes of Moore and Bagge, which feels like a far longer tale than the four pages given over to it.  Another surprising treat for any Moore aficionados. 

ANYTHINGS GOES! #2 [Fantagraphics Books, 1986]

“In Pictopia,” with artist Don Simpson—

When Fantagraphics was in the middle of a costly litigation, in the mid-1980s, they produced a benefit comic book, titled Anything Goes!, which they sold to offset legal costs.  A who’s who of comic talent contributed to this series, and in issue #2, Moore teamed with Don Simpson for “In Pictopia.”  Originally an 8-page script, Simpson expanded it to 13 pages and it’s one of the best things Moore has ever collaborated on. 

Through this baker’s dozen of pages we follow Nocturno the Necromancer as he makes his way through the city of Pictopia, home to all the comic characters (both comic book and comic strip characters) you’ve ever known (even if they go unnamed, due to copyright).  We see the slums, where “funny animals” live and allow people to beat them for fun (since they regenerate afterwards), in order to make money.  In the bars are the superheroic types, including characters like the Phantom and Popeye.  And an analogue of Dagwood’s bride, Blondie, is seen, very early, taking an old sailor up to her apartment, forced to prostitute herself out for money, now that the popularity of her classic comic strip is no longer in vogue.  In the end, Nocturno’s old friend, Flexible Flynn (a Plastic Man analogue), is rejuvenated (or rebooted) into a muscular, testosterone-laden caricature of the character he once was, sending Nocturno into the streets, in search of some kind of solace, only to find that the funny animal slums have been bulldozed. 

This short story benefits, tremendously, from Simpson’s art.  Known mainly—or, mainly to me, at least—as a comedy cartoonist, from his work on Megaton Man.  “In Pictopia” reveals his versatility.  Adept in multiple styles, Simpson not only delineates the funny animals in a manner reminiscent of those classic comic strips, particularly Disney comics, but he also masterfully creates superheroes in the mode of Marvel and DC Comics of the 1980s, with muscle-laden supermen and lithe, curvaceous superwomen.  His ability to skillfully work within these varied styles is what sells this story, and makes it as lasting and important a comic as it is. 

For Moore’s part—this is as smartly written a critique of the comic medium as you will find, and it’s all told through the very same medium it critiques.  As with any Moore-penned tale, the dialogue and descriptions roll smoothly across your tongue, while both entertaining and enlightening readers—in this instance, providing a visual metaphor of how the “grim & gritty” approach, fostered by simplistic, surface readings of the comic work of Moore (particularly Watchmen) and Frank Miller, led to a more violent and more “relevant” storytelling approach in comics, which lacked the characterization and depth of narrative these two creators and their collaborators were aspiring to.  Certainly, one might see some of the metaphor as lacking in nuance, but maybe that was what was called for, because nobody (or very few) artists and writers seemed to get the message. 

“Shadowplay: The Secret Team” in Brought to Light, with artist Bill Sienkiewicz

[Eclipse Books, 1989]—

Alan Moore & Bill Sienkiewicz—two legends of the comic book industry.  With Shadowplay, Moore & Sienkiewicz relate the thirty year war the CIA has perpetrated upon the United States Constitution, through its machinations across the globe.  Utilizing a lawsuit brought by the Christic Institute, along with other primary sources, these two artists distill into 32 pages the drug smuggling, assassinations, coups, double dealings, and myriad other illegal activities the CIA have condoned and enacted, from the 1950s to then-present 1988, in order to steer international sociopolitical actions, while expanding their power across the globe.  It is a terrifying and overwhelming narrative, one that feels ripped from a bad spy thriller.  And yet, for all that, it also feels far too real. 

Moore & Sienkiewicz choose to tell their narrative through the eyes of America (the real America, the strong America, not the whiny, liberal, Commie-loving pansies who would constrict our nation’s influence abroad), in the embodiment of a bald eagle who enjoys Cuban cigars, hard liquor, and loose women.  The narrative is told as if you, the reader, just stumbled into a bar and found the Eagle already going on to the barman, as he enjoys his whiskey.  Seeing you, the Eagle starts to spill his guts, going on about all the CIA has done to achieve its foothold on the international scene, much of it done behind a curtain of secrecy.  We learn of people such as Oliver North and Richard Secord, and of the CIA involvement in the Vietnam War and the Iran-Contra affair.  It’s chilling, thanks in no small part to the subject matter, a feeling that is heightened by the artistry of Sienkiewicz, whose mastery of staging, cartooning, and symbolism wonderfully complement Moore’s writing. 

This is a must-read, especially now.   And, if you prefer something less visual and can find it, Moore produced a spoken word CD, with musician Gary Lloyd, of this same story, and his thick, melancholic voice only accentuates the horror revealed within this narrative. 

A Small Killing, with artist Oscar Zarate

[VG Graphics, 1991; reprinted by Avatar Press, 2003]—

It’s 1989, and Timothy Hole (pronounced “holly”) is on the cusp of a career-changing, and possibly career-defining, enterprise.  He is to create the advertising campaign for Flite, an American soda, as they introduce their product to a newly opened Russia.  But Hole is awash with anxiety, unsure of how to approach this new challenge, unsure if he really wants this assignment, unsure of how his life has brought him to this place, so far away from what his aspirations once were.  And, even as his mind races with questions, Hole spies a young boy in the crowded streets of New York City who unnerves him. 

The next morning Hole embarks on a jet for England, a layover to visit his parents before continuing to Russia.  He spends a short time in London before moving on to Sheffield, where his parents live, which leads him to visiting the “Old Buildings” where he grew up.  All the while, the strange boy follows Hole, flitting among crowds and down alleys while the older man pursues him—a futile enterprise.  As Hole moves backward through his life—through the places he’s lived—he revisits, in his mind, the most important aspects of his life in those places:  his marriage, the subsequent divorce, a contentious break-up with the woman who followed, and a childhood memory of burying insects alive, the guilt of that act having trailed him ever since.  In the end, Hole is forced to come to grips with the life he has lived, how far short he fell of his youthful ideals, and how culpable he is for all the failings and faults that have overshadowed this life.  In the end, Hole must make a decision, come to grips with his life, and find a way to move forward. 

Zarate’s artwork in this book is just beautiful.  He has a loose style that borders on caricature without falling too heavily into that mode, with a sense of color and shading that highlights pertinent aspects of a panel while imbuing the whole narrative with a lushness found in too few comics.  The coloring seems to be achieved through watercolors, allowing for a wider range of hues.  I’m unsure if it’s actually paint on the boards or a different technique, but the results are masterful.  Most of all, though, I love how distinct Zarate’s art style is.  It could not be mistaken for anyone else’s, and that makes all the difference in this, one of Moore’s most literary collaborations. 

 

There are plenty more lesser-known works from the Wizard of Northampton, including stories about Batman’s rogue, Clayface, DC characters Vigilante and Omega Men, Marvel’s Captain Britain, Image titles WildC.A.T.S and Spawn, as well as work with Dame Darcy and his collaboration with Ian Gibson, Halo Jones.  Any of these would sit well on this list.  What ones would you include?

-chris

A Fistful of Costumes -- Fistful Friday

The latest ITMODcast episode is a Fistful Friday ep, looking at a fistful of great costumes.  As usual, they are discussing their topic within the context of film, and I do my best to hold to that but did manage to slip in a comic book reference, because it was the first thing that came to mind when I started listening to the podcast. 

NEEDLESS DISCLAIMER:

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the original dorks http://www.inthemouthofdorkness.com/ .

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt & Darren & Lisa & Bryan choose to walk a different path, amended that to “A Fistful…” over at their blog, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  A film-centric blog where they also discuss comics and books and TV, these two regularly share their top 5, ranging from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I hope to regularly pilfer for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

#5:
Constantine, the world’s most dangerous frog, trading places with Kermit, in Muppets Most Wanted

It’s simple.  It’s funny.  And I love the Muppets.  ‘Nuff said.

#4:
E.T. in his Charlie Brown ghost costume

I hate to do this, but you need to listen to the ITMODcast episode linked in the opening bit of this post, because I chose this one for all the reasons Lisa Gullickson (@sidewalksiren) said on the show.  Trust me.

#3:
Floronic Man from Alan Moore’s first issues of Swamp Thing

                       

My only comic book entry.  Alan Moore’s work on Swamp Thing, in the early 1980s, was revolutionary, and his characterization of Jason Woodrue, the Floronic Man, was horrifying while also heartbreaking.  Throughout the initial Moore, Bissette, Totleben storyline, Woodrue had been spraying a compound he’d devised over his wooded & leaved exterior that offered the appearance of human skin to make him look human.  But, when his mind finally snaps under the pressure of not being human, along with everything else that has occurred with this “new” Swamp Thing, his inability to utilize the spray well enough to conceal his grotesque visage stands as a striking metaphor of his fractured psyche.  Brilliant stuff.

#2:
Yoda, as the foolish scamp, when Luke first meets him in Empire Strikes Back

If you were a kid, or an adult, who entered the movie theater in 1980 for Empire, it’s very possible you had no idea who Yoda was.  So, when we are introduced to this little green fella, on this swampy marsh of a planet, and he makes some vague comments about the Jedi Master, Yoda, while acting like a prankster, there is no indication that this imp will be revealed as the most powerful Jedi in the universe.  That introductory scene is fun, and when we get the reveal, shortly after, it’s amazing.  A great turn, in a great film. 

#1: 
Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent

The joke has always been, how can Clark Kent disguise his alter-ego of Superman with just a pair of eyeglasses and slicked back hair?  With the first Superman film, as well as in subsequent entries (regardless of quality), Christopher Reeve showed us how that could be achieved.  His demeanor and his posture are starkly contrasted between his life as Clark and his life as Superman.  It really was an amazing bit of acting, on his part, and sold this dichotomy like it never had been sold before.  I love that first film, and much of the second one, and his performance in these films is why Christopher Reeve will always embody “my” Superman.

So, what are your favorite costumes?  Define it how you like, and let me know.  I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

-chris

A FISTFUL OF FAVORITE CHRISTMAS STORIES

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the original dorks.

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt, choosing to walk a different path, amended that to “A Fistful…” over at their blog, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  A film-centric blog where they also discuss comics and books and TV, these two regularly share their top 5, ranging from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I hope to regularly pilfer for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  I love the decorations, the packages, the treats, the general good cheer, but most of all I love the fantasy that surrounds the whole endeavor.  I love the idea of Santa Claus, of one person traversing the Earth in order to bring joy to little girls and boys.  It’s magical, and that hits me right where it counts.  And a big part of the joy comes from all the stories that have been crafted around this time of year—whether those are television specials, films, books, or theatrical dramas.  Here are five of my favorites:

5. The Father Christmas Letters by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien was the first author I actively collected, and I collected everything.  I have three different editions of these letters to his children, written by Tolkien with accompanying drawings, which recount adventures in the North Pole with Santa, his elves, and the North Polar Bear, among other characters.  They’re lively and fanciful and a whole lot of fun to read.  They made such an impression on me that I’ve taken it upon myself to do something similar, writing letters to my own boys, from Santa, for quite a long time now.  It’s one of my favorite things to do at Christmas time.

4. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by L. Frank Baum, adapted by Michael Ploog

This is one of my favorite comics, all time.  A tale recounting the early life of Santa, how he came to be the “man in the red suit,” and the adventures and challenges he faced in becoming the immortal and benevolent saint that he is.  Based on L. Frank Baum’s novel—yes, the man behind The Wizard of Oz—with breathtaking art from Mike Ploog, who had been working in film for a number of years before returning to comics with this and a few other projects, at the time, it is a masterful lesson in adaptation and the craft of comics.  For the art alone, this book is worth it, but the narrative holds its own, as well, and provides an exciting tale for sharing during this holiday season.

3. Miracle on 34^th Street (the original, black-and-white version, please)

My favorite Christmas movie, by far.  The story of the real Santa Claus, living among us without our knowledge, who returns the holiday to its joyous and charitable roots through taking a position as the Santa Claus at Macy’s Department Store.  Put on trial, through the machinations of a relentlessly horrific “psychologist” at Macy's, a lawyer Kris Kringle has befriended must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that this man is, indeed, the one, true Santa Claus. And he does that, while Kringle’s generous nature also helps to instill in the young woman who hired him, as well as her daughter, a faith in humanity and life they had both set aside.  It's smart and funny and fantastic.  I Love it!

2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

There’s a reason (or many reasons) why this is considered a classic.  Dickens crafts a wonderfully imaginative and magical narrative that deftly gets across the aspirational core of the holiday season without shoving it down readers’ throats.  If you’ve only ever seen the television or film adaptations, do yourself a favor and read the original.  The writing is beautiful, and any questions of internal logic you might have from those adaptations, as I did, will be answered through this definitive text. 

1. Christmas Eve on Sesame Street

Nothing even comes close to this Christmas special, for me.  I love every single thing about this special—Oscar teasing Big Bird with questions of how Santa gets presents to everyone, the kids surprising Bob with their use of sign language when singing the holiday song he taught them, the tomfoolery (yeah, I used “tomfoolery”) at the ice skate rink to open the show, and the final revelation of the magic of Santa, as Big Bird awakes, icicle dangling from his beak, to find himself alone on the roof of the apartment building—and I never miss a chance to watch it every year.  On Christmas Eve, natch.

Happy Holidays! 

-chris

A FISTFUL OF STAR WARS MOMENTS

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the original dorks.

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt, choosing to walk a different path, amended that to “A Fistful…” over at their blog, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  A film-centric blog where they also discuss comics and books and TV, these two regularly share their top 5, ranging from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I hope to regularly pilfer for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

I was five when Star Wars was released.  Saw it in the theater, and I was hooked.  I had the toys, the books, the comics, posters, the soundtracks, the collector glasses, the pajamas, the bedsheets, coloring books, the official fan club magazines (plus membership card), the movies (and behind-the-scenes specials) on Laser Disc then on VHS then on special edition, letterboxed VHS, and finally DVD.  Star Wars is the alpha and omega of my collecting.  As I stated in this Thanksgiving reminiscence:  It was always about Star Wars.  So, spurred by the arrival of “The Force Awakens” and the IMTODcast’s impending episode featuring their own Fistful of Star Wars moments, here are my top 5 moments from this seminal film series. 

5. 

“It’s a trap!” 

 

It took ILM, Lucafilm’s special effects division, three movies to ramp up to a fully-pitched space battle, and it was so worth it.  Hundreds of ships, all different shapes and sizes, racing in myriad directions, firing, swerving, arcing out of (or into) harm’s way.  The complexity of this shot is astounding, and it not only works but manages to suck you in, emotionally, as the Rebels discover it’s a trap and have to decide whether to break it off, or just go for it, because when will they get another chance like this?

4.

“I, am your father.” 

  

Sure, we had Obi-Wan battle Vader, with their lightsabers, on the Death Star in the first movie, but this one took it up a notch.  Luke, inexperienced and brash, takes on the Dark Lord of the Sith in the bowels of Cloud City.  The setting, the disadvantage we realize Luke has (overcome by his youthful energy and naivete), and the stakes involved all coalesce to craft a poignant lightsaber battle that is engaging and electrifying.  Then, after relieving young Skywalker of one of his hands, Vader drops the bomb:  “I am your father.”  Star Wars went next-level with that declaration. 

3.

“ . . . “

This scene perfectly encapsulates Luke’s despondency at being stranded on Tattooine.  From the beautiful scene of the two suns setting to the musical cue from John Williams, it is a scene I look forward to and one that never fails to give me chills. 

2.

“Never tell me the odds.” 

Star Wars has a collection of great space ships, but the Millennium Falcon is, by far, the best.  And the asteroid belt perfectly exhibits why.  From Han Solo’s brash decision to dive into the asteroids to the way the Falcon deftly twists and turns around all the flying rocks in an almost balletic manner, this is the scene that cemented the Falcon and its two-man (two-being?) crew as the coolest ship in that galaxy far, far away.

1.

“There’ll be no escape for the princess this time.”

This is it.  The opening shot of Star Wars.  The blockade runner coming across the movie screen in close-up, a space ship that feels big, and then . . .

That Star Destroyer in hot pursuit.  It went on forever, then we came to the docking area and you thought it was the rear of the ship…and it wasn’t, and it kept going on, pushing the Tantive IV ahead of it until that first ship was just a speck on the edge of the screen…and the damn Star Destroyer continued to roll across your vision, until finally, it’s propulsion system revealed itself.  That was the point where I was all-in.  It was spectacle like I hadn’t seen up to that point in my life (I was only five).  It’s the scene that made the biggest impression on me the first dozen or so times (dozens?) I watched Star Wars.  And it’s stayed with me ever since. 

-chris