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Best Star Wars lightsaber duel

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My answer.
 
I remember walking out of the theaters for Episode 1. All people could talk about was how there wasn't enough emotion and feeling in that final lightsaber fight.

Oh no, wait, people only said that after Plinkett.
 
I remember walking out of the theaters for Episode 1. All people could talk about was how there wasn't enough emotion and feeling in that final lightsaber fight.

Oh no, wait, people only said that after Plinkett.

Not sure if you're defending the episode 1 duel or not. I'll say that the duel ultimately wasn't that great because there really wasn't a whole lot of tension between Darth Maul and the Jedi. Yeah, Darth Maul attacked Qui-Gon once before in the movie but there was hardly any buildup or reason for them to hate each other. Darth Maul was really just a boring, mute character who looked ridiculous. His appeal was basically limited to 8 year olds (and apparently some GAFers).
 
I love the acrobatic fights of the prequel trilogy, because there's literally nothing else like it in cinema.

My favorites are Darth Maul and Obi v Anakin.
 

This is the correct answer. It was awesome, and was handled by the master of film swordplay.

I remember walking out of the theaters for Episode 1. All people could talk about was how there wasn't enough emotion and feeling in that final lightsaber fight.

Oh no, wait, people only said that after Plinkett.

Plinkett being right is reason to discredit the statement?

Lucas completely missed the point in the prequels. Horrible, emotionless ballerina crap.

That's what happens when you get a martial arts expert to choreograph your fights and not a sword fighting expert.
 
Episode 1 duel is pretty cool but I think it's too short. It feels cut up because too many other things are happening. I would have preferred to see it all at once.

But Empire's duel is the best.
 

This. I've enjoyed a number of the fights in the films but this is my favorite. Vader is controlling that entire fight and there is no doubt at all about that. Then he pushes just an inch to far and sets Luke off, the music changes and that really seals the deal for me. I've never rewound my VHS copy of ROTJ so much as a kid to rewatch that scene. Even easier now with dvd.

Second would have to be the Darth Maul fight against Obi-won and Qui-gon in Episode 1.

This would have to be my third.

Edit:

As suggested there are number of fights in the Clone Wars shows that shouldn't be overlooked. Which brings me to my third pick.

This would have to be my third.

Does expanded universe count?
http://youtu.be/y3k45xlAXYU


With an honorable mention for the following.

General Grievous vs Jedi (including Aayla Secura, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Shaak Ti along with some padawans) in the Clone Wars cartoon (Genndy Tartakovsky)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIj7gIDFDe4

1:18 is the Grievous I wanted in Episode 3.
 
he taught viggo mortensen in lord of the rings and apparently said he was "the best swordsman I've ever trained"

i liked the fight choreography in there much more than the star wars prequels. RIP to the homie, they should hire somebody similar rather than the prequel choreographer. i did not enjoy that as much.

and also....Viggo for a new sith lord
 
he taught viggo mortensen in lord of the rings and apparently said he was "the best swordsman I've ever trained"

i liked the fight choreography in there much more than the star wars prequels. RIP to the homie, they should hire somebody similar rather than the prequel choreographer. i did not enjoy that as much.

and also....Viggo for a new sith lord

LotR films definitely had good fights. I usually find medieval fantasy action to usually be trite and bland, yet I found the action had good flow in these movies.
 
Speaking of lightsaber duels, I wonder which style will they adapt for the sequels. The ballerina silliness of the PT or the kendo-inspired fencing of the OT. Will they retcon a retcon?
 
Darrrrrrrth!

RoTJ and Empire duels with Luke and Darth are the best. Though we got more memorable quotes from Empire.
 
Speaking of lightsaber duels, I wonder which style will they adapt for the sequels. The ballerina silliness of the PT or the kendo-inspired fencing of the OT. Will they retcon a retcon?

Oh no you don't, that wasn't kendo Bob Anderson was a fencing master and he used european sword fighting styles in OT.
 
Speaking of lightsaber duels, I wonder which style will they adapt for the sequels. The ballerina silliness of the PT or the kendo-inspired fencing of the OT. Will they retcon a retcon?

It will be prequel "hey look this flip looks cool and flashy, now twirl that saber" crap which is damn shame. I'm one of few with faith in new films be solid films but I suspect lightsaber conflicts be weakest part
 
I remember thinking the fight between Mace Windu and Palpatine in the novel version of Revenge of the Sith to be great. It's completely different compared to what is on screen. It's one of the reasons I prefer the novel version of the film over the actual film itself.
 
RotJ Luke/Vader duel narrowly edges out the ESB Luke/Vader duel for me, but it's close. They're both amazingly cinematic set-pieces with different emotional undercurrents. The ESB duel remains the most aesthetically beautiful and iconic with those oranges and blues; whereas the comparatively utilitarian lack of visual flair in the RotJ duel serves to highlight the bleakness and finality of the situation.

If we're even going to acknowledge the prequels for shits and giggles, the final fight in TPM is probably the best of those films.
 
I can't take anyone seriously who even rates the prequel fights. Like the movies themselves, just empty garbage. Over-choreographed and zero emotional weight. The only moment Lucas may have gotten right in TPM is when Maul is trapped behind that door, pacing like a bull.
 
It's Luke vs. Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi, followed by Luke vs. Vader at the end of The Empire Strikes Back.

All the lightsaber duels in the prequels are terrible.
 
Two characters who shouldn't have to use lightsabers in a lighsaber duel.

Yoda and Palpatine should have been a purely force power battle.
 
Speaking of lightsaber duels, I wonder which style will they adapt for the sequels. The ballerina silliness of the PT or the kendo-inspired fencing of the OT. Will they retcon a retcon?

That's an interesting question for Abrams. My guess is he'll go back to a more kendo style.
 
"Sister ... So ... You have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. But now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will ... "

"Noooooooo .... "

/fucking thread
 
Two characters who shouldn't have to use lightsabers in a lighsaber duel.

Yoda and Palpatine should have been a purely force power battle.
I definitely agree. Would have liked to see Yoda portrayed as a bulwark of living force, like a torrential wave without sound or sight.
 
The prequel fights were terrible. They weren't even trying to hit each other. They were aiming for each others swords. It's like it threw all pretense out.

The cinematography in Empire Strikes Back's duel is some of the most beautiful, iconic scenes in movie history. Not Star Wars history. Movie history. The obvious difference in skill levels as Vader's just like 'fuck this kid' and Luke's trying his hardest, thinking he's the hero, he's going to win and not realizing he's never faced anything close to Vader's level
Then ROTJ seeing the pure emotion in the fight. Luke snapping and not swinging like a skilled swordsman, even like the sith did. Swinging like a maniac, just wanting to kill him.
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I remember walking out of the theaters for Episode 1. All people could talk about was how there wasn't enough emotion and feeling in that final lightsaber fight.

Oh no, wait, people only said that after Plinkett.

I remember making up arguments too. I certainly don't remember people laughing when Yoda was hopping around. Oh wait, no, I exactly remember that because of how goofy all the action scenes were. Sure, maybe the DBZ crowd liked it.
 
Grievous vs some Jedis
in the cartoon Clone Wars is pretty amazing choreography wise. Love Grievous completely unnatural fighting style.

Of course is there zero emotional connection to anything which is why it can't compete with rotj
 
I gotta go Luke VS Vader in ESB. I saw it opening weekend at age 10 and was blown away. Vader was so evil and powerful; Luke was so brave and foolish to confront him. Even to this day, I love watching that silhouetted duel.

The Episode 1 battle was great too.
 
Speaking of lightsaber duels, I wonder which style will they adapt for the sequels. The ballerina silliness of the PT or the kendo-inspired fencing of the OT. Will they retcon a retcon?

Mixture of both. I'd like seeing some of the more agile type of lightsaber users be taken down by brute force of the kendo/samurai styles, and vice versa. There's room for both.
 
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