If you don’t already follow the brilliant Film School Rejects run twitter account One Perfect Shot, click that title and go rectify that. We’ll wait. The account regularly tweets out a single frame from a single film, showing off the brilliance of movies – even movies that are critically lambasted or not so fondly remembered have their moments, and that’s what this account full of positivity revels in.
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In eight films of the Star Wars franchise, thanks to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story debuting this week, there are hundreds of perfect shots. It’s part of what makes Star Wars such a fan favorite – it doesn’t just excel in things like story and character, but in filmmaking as well.
Well, Film School Rejects is celebrating the release of the latest film with the Fifty Most Beautiful Shots in the Star Wars Franchise, and we thought we’d pick our seven favorites out of the bunch, one from each of the episodic films. There are plenty of beautiful shots in the trailers alone of Rogue One (and they included some), but we’ll wait for release to choose the “best” from it. Make sure you visit the link to see their full list for yourself.
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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits US theaters December 16, 2016. Directed by Gareth Edwards, it’s the first of the new standalone features from Lucasfilm and Disney, which take place outside the core “Skywalker Saga” of films noted by an Episode number. Rogue Onetells the story of the small band of rebels that were tasked with stealing the plans to the first Death Star. The story spins directly off the opening crawl from the original Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. In that crawl, it read: “Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.”
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
dir. George Lucas, DP David Tattersall
There are several shots from The Phantom Menace on the list, with the excitement of the Pod Racing scene, the introduction of Darth Maul, and more included. But we went with this image because it tells such a story. Here we see Darth Maul, pacing like a caged animal, ready to strike. We see the patience of Qui-Gon Jinn, willing to kneel and meditate between battles. And finally we see the anxious nervousness of Obi-Wan Kenobi, desperate to get to his master and help. Just as Star Wars can often tell a story in one line, it can tell a story in one shot like this, too.
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
dir. George Lucas, DP David Tattersall
Another single image that tells a story, Attack of the Clones offered up some silent heartbreak in the midst of the largest action sequence in the film. When Jango Fett is killed, his head removed from his body by the Jedi Mace Windu, his cloned son picks up his helmet, holding it to his head in agony. Want to know why Boba Fett became a hardened killer? Here it is.
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
dir. George Lucas, DP David Tattersall
This is the only one where we depart from Film School Rejects‘ list. While they focused on the Jedi and on Vader’s rise in armor, this is the shot that tells the most story – and the point that Anakin is truly lost forever, Darth Vader standing in his place. Sure, he’d already bowed and been re-christened by Sidious, and he’d killed the younglings at the Jedi temple, but when Vader decided even Obi-Wan, his best friend, his master, his brother, was against him, Anakin was dead.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
dir. George Lucas, DP Gilbert Taylor
Arguably the best and most iconic shot of the entire franchise – heck, you could at least put it in the conversation of tops for film altogether – the “Binary Sunset,” as Luke Skywalker looks out upon the twin suns of Tatooine, about to embark on the adventure that would change him and the galaxy forever, is perfect. It also tells you the beauty of John Williams’ score – dare you not to hear his soaring score in your head.
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
dir. Irvin Kershner, DP Peter Suschitzsky
This movie was tough to choose from – it’s considered the best of the Star Wars films for a reason, and the individual shots, each offering up emotion and story, are no small reason why. Of the shots FSR chose, this is what we went with – it’s an image that shows so much anticipation, so much promise. There’s no way to look at this image and not know that something huge is about to happen.
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
dir. Richard Marquand, DP Alan Hume
Again, many great images in this film, like Darth Vader, helmet removed, dying in Luke’s arms, or the funeral pyre, or even Chewbacca atop the AT-ST. But this image of the second Death Star, incomplete but still a symbol of fear, destruction, and danger, at once shows the desparation of the Empire to keep power, and the desparate need for the Rebellion to end their reign once and for all.
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
dir. J.J. Abrams, DP Dan Mindel
The most recent Star Wars film (you know, until tomorrow), The Force Awakens had iconic shots of Luke Skywalker, removing his hood, of the Millennium Falcon in freefall as Rey cut the engines, of Han Solo and Leia, estranged spouses, seeing each other for the first time in what’s clearly been awhile. But another shot of the horizon takes the cake, as a squadron of TIE fighters crests a hill, the Sun of this particular planet in the background. The silhouettes, the clouds framed, the hills of the endless desert; it’s a display of power but one of beauty, as well. A perfect shot.
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