Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Star Wars Movie Matrix


Below is the matrix for many of the story, character, and location conventions in the six-strong Star Wars film saga. For my own sanity, and the sanity of my fellow Star Wars fans, I have not included The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) in the matrix.  That established, there are, actually, some overlapping conventions with that crazy production.  But I'll leave it to you, intrepid readers, to tag them...



Convention
Star Wars
(1977)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Return of the Jedi (1983)
The Phantom Menace (1999)
Attack of the  Clones (2002)
Revenge of the Sith (2005)
The Death Star is featured
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Palpatine is featured
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tatooine is featured
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
A Jedi or Sith confronts
 a master, either in battle
 or about a course
of action.
Vader confronts
Obi-Wan
Luke
confronts
Obi-Wan
Vader
Confronts
Palpatine
Qui-Gon Jinn
Confronts
Yoda.
Dooku confronts
Yoda
Anakin
Confronts
Obi-Wan
Comic-relief
R2-D2 and
C3PO
C3PO and Chewie.
R2 and Yoda.
R2-D2 and
C3PO.
Ewoks
Jar-Jar Binks
C3PO
R2-D2
C3PO
R2-D2
C3PO
R2-D2 saves the day
Garbage compactor
MF hyper-
drive repair.
Light saber
On Jabba’s
Barge.
Naboo cruiser
Hyper-drive
Repair.
Droid factory
On Geonosis.
Elevator operation on
damaged Separatist
warship.
Locale for diverse
Aliens is featured prominently.
Mos Eisley cantina
Bespin’s Cloud City
Jabba’s Palace
Mos Espa Grand Arena.
Imperial Senate.
Dex’s Diner,
Coruscant Sports Bar.
Imperial Senate.
Jedi Temple.
Imperial Senate.
Godfather-style battle montage.
One type of  Earth
terrain or environment represents an entire planet ecosphere
Tattooine: Desert.
Hoth: Arctic.
Moon of Endor: Forest
Tatooine: Desert.
Coruscant:
City
Tatooine: Desert.
Coruscant:
City
Mustafar: Volcanic.
Coruscant:
City.
Unexpected or primitive “outsider” fights or wins
 a battle against a technologically or numerically superior foe.
Luke destroys
Death Star.
No.
Ewoks defeat
Imperial troops.
Gungans defeat Federation battle droids.
Anakin blows up droid control ship.
No
Kashyyk vs. Clone Troopers.
Character says:
 “I have a bad
feeling about this.”
Luke, Han
Leia
C3PO, Han
Obi-Wan
Anakin
Obi-Wan
Light saber duel
Obi-Wan vs. Vader.
Luke vs.
Vader.
Luke vs.
Vader.
Qui Gon and
Obi Wan vs.
Darth Maul
Anakin, Obi-Wan and Yoda vs. Dooku
Mace Windu vs. Palpatine.
Obi-Wan vs. Anakin.
Jedi gets cybernetic replacement parts.
No.
Luke.
No.
No
Anakin.
Anakin.
Bounty Hunters
No
Yes
Yes
No.
Yes
No.
Heroes captured.
Capture may or
may not be a ruse.
Leia
Solo, Leia, Chewie, C3PO.
Luke, Han, Leia.
Qui-Gon and  Obi-Wan.
Queen Amidala and her forces.

Obi-Wan, Anakin and Amidala.
Anakin, Obi-Wan, Palpatine.
Message transmitted
or recorded via hologram
Leia
Emperor
Luke
Darth Sidious.
Naboo Governor.
Palpatine.
Viceroy.
Obi Wan
Anakin
Musical number
Cantina
No
Jabba’s Palace.
Endor Celebration

No.
No.
No
Space Battle
Death Star
Asteroid Belt
Death Star
Naboo Blockade
Asteroid Belt
In orbit over Coruscant.






3 comments:

  1. Not only did you omit the Holiday Special, but you also left off the Clone Wars movie (which I still haven't seen), or the two Ewok TV-movies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Hugh,

      I've definitely not seen enough of the (apparently impressive) Clone Wars series to include them in the matrix. And, the Ewok movies are really, really bad.

      Thanks for the feedback!

      best,
      John

      Delete
  2. Don't forget the saber fight with Dooku in Ep. III.

    ReplyDelete

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