[Just your average movie goer]

I thought it was time for something a little bit different - a fresh change if you will.

But I just wanted to pay homage to the movie posters that were used to promote the original Star Wars movies and adorned the video cassette cases for years to come.

The new covers, while they are beautiful works of art, don't quite captivate me the way the original ones did - and by no means, do I mean any slight against the artist Drew Struzan, who created these. He is a very talented man and I love all of his art work, including the art for the new covers.

I really haven't seen too much like the original Star Wars covers. In many ways, they are stylised like the covers of B-grade sword and sandle flicks, but they maintain a class and dignity that these other movies do not.

Today the trend seems to be to preserve the mystery of a movie by not revealing too much of what happens through lots of pictures or lengthy previews... but there was something wonderful about seeing all of this on the Star Wars covers.

There was so much stuff on the covers, it was a feast for the eyes and I think in a way, having so much stuff revealed didn't spoil the movie - it made you want to see it with more fervor.

You look at the picture of Luke's X-Wing covered in sludge and vines, the AT-ATs, Cloud City, Han and Leia in an embrace, the new characters of Lando Calrissian and Yoda (who you do not know at this point)... and you're just wondering how it all fits together.

And you know, despite my feelings about this movie, the poster for Return of the Jedi is a wonderfully exciting poster - rich in colours and having our three heroes positioned one above the other, rising into the darkness of space is fantastic.

And of course, I love how the sinister mask of Darth Vader looms over each one.

These posters were magical. I loved them as a little child and I love them now.

If only the movies of today had such beautiful, and interesting DVD boxes.

[CowboyCurtis]

I agree with you on the new posters. They don't quite captivate like the old ones do. I guess part of the problem is that we've seen Struzan artwork EVERYWHERE!! When the Hildebrandt posters came out... You never saw anything like it! It was fantastic! The color and the atmosphere just captured my imagination as a child like nothing else!! I think it's a total and happy accident that Lucas got these posters. I know he approves everything, but have you seen him walk through the creature shops, "Um.. yeah, that looks good. Let's go with it. Who is it again?"

Anyway, yes, I love the original Hildebrandt, and the ESB "romance" poster. Wonderful color there, too, and the energy and atmosphere it generates. Altho, sadly, even though described the ROTJ poster... I can't remember it! This, I think was the turning point in the quality of SW, so I'm not surprised.

[Just your average movie goer]

I guess part of the problem is that we've seen Struzan artwork EVERYWHERE!!

You're right - that could be the reason there.

When the Hildebrandt posters came out... You never saw anything like it! It was fantastic! The color and the atmosphere just captured my imagination as a child like nothing else!!

I think you put it better than me. Those posters really did do that!