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What's your fave sagas?

POSTED BY: LWAVES
UPDATED: Saturday, August 21, 2010 06:11
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 3:03 AM

LWAVES


Straight forward enough question with only ONE RULE.

You must like ALL the films in the series, with a saga being classed as three films or upwards with some kind of continuing story or essentially the same character(s). Genuine reboots or restarts make another set.

Most are fairly obvious but to clarify:
Star Wars is 6 films.
Star Trek is 11 films.
Bond is all the official movies (Nivens Casino Royale or Never Say Never Again don't count).
Aliens is 4 films.
Batman is 4 films (Batman, Returns, Forever and Batman + Robin).
Superman is either the 4 Reeve films or the first 2 and then Returns (I'll let you pick).

My picks:

Lord Of The Rings
The Bourne Trilogy
Harry Potter
Toy Story Trilogy
The Man With No Name Trilogy

The Almost Rans:

Spider-Man Trilogy (don't like no.3)
Indiana Jones (don't like no.4)
Aliens (3 and 4 are poor)
Terminator (3 and 4 are very bad and poor respectively)
Die Hard (4 looks to OTT and silly so I refuse to watch it)
Star Wars (prequels just don't match the originals by a long way)
Batman (Forever and Batman and Robin are a very bad joke)


So what are your choices?



"The greatest invention ever is not the wheel. It's the second wheel." - Rich Hall

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 5:23 AM

CYBERSNARK


Are we limited to films? 'cause at least one of my favourite sagas is novel-only (based on a TV series, admittedly, but the novels go further and deeper). Of course, that also opens up "sub-sagas" ("New Jedi Order" and "Legacy of the Force" are hardly comparable to any of the SW movies) and "alt-sagas" (the Superman comics as opposed to the films, or the Timmverse TV series-of-series).

(I also don't think it's fair to count all eleven Star Trek films together; 1-6 are original crew, but 7-10 are TNG [with TOS guest stars in 7], and 11 is a reboot [with a TOS guest star].)

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 6:03 AM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


I'll go with the Star Trek 1-6. The rest were not the same characters, nor the same story line.

The Doylestown Trilogy (The Commitments, The Snapper, The Van)

Terminator. I'll watch 'em all.

The Man With No Name quartet. The Stranger, The 2 Strangers, The 3 Strangers, and I forget the name of the Prequel. I liked all Clints real westerns, so which one it was doesn't matter. The 3 with Sergio Leone were renamed for the U.S. market Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, Bad, Ugly. The prequel ends with the nameless (they may have called him Joe) man picking up the poncho from a dead man which he wers for the other 3 flicks. Maybe High Plains Drifter, Or Hang 'Em High.

Dirty Harry.

Mad Max.

Die Hard.

LOTR

The first 3 Bourne. Hope they don't make more.

Nat Lampoon's Vacation. I'll take em all.
Same with Santa Clause trilogy.

I also liked all 3 Riddicks, even if Pitch Black was best.

Twilight

Halloween.

I would have included Star Wars, except all that after-market CGI irks me, ruined them.

I don't recall any of Planet of the Apes being bad - have I forgotten?


Too bad Afflack hosed up the Jack Ryan series.

For books:
The Deed of Paksenarrion Trilogy (the spinoff pair of Gird was OK too)
and the Serrano/Suiza saga (7 books, I think). Both by Elizabeth Moon.
The Prey series. By John Sandford (John Camp) The second was weakest, but really critical in the character development, couldn't go on without it.
The Spinoff series with that F'in Flowers, forget all 3, but Heat Lightning is one. Most recent came out a few months ago.
The entire Jack Ryan series and John Clark Spinoff, by Tom Clancy.
The Odd Trilogy (Odd Thomas, Brother Odd, Forever Odd), by Dean Koontz.


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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 7:49 AM

JONGSSTRAW


1. Star Trek
2. Star Wars
3. Terminator
4. Alien
5. Indiana Jones

Of course The Godfather movies too!

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 8:04 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST


Interesting question Lwaves

OK:

Indiana Jones
The Quatermass Trilogy
Star Wars IV, V, VI
Back to the Future
The Bourne Trilogy
The Predator Trilogy
Evil Dead Trilogy




Cartoons - http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 12:54 PM

LWAVES


Quote:

Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
I'll go with the Star Trek 1-6. The rest were not the same characters, nor the same story line.



I put them together for this question to try and make it harder to pick Star Trek (same for Star Wars). And I've seen many posts in various fave threads that say something along the lines of "I like the first two movies but not the others." I'm one of those people so it was kind of an attempt to stop that happening.
And with Star Trek I class them as the same because they are linked by characters from the original series/movies and they are set within the same universe, barring ST-XI which is an alternate version of the main universe but still has original Spock in it to link it. ST-XI is only a reboot from our perspective as regards the franchise, from the Trek universe POV it is a continuation of sorts.
I can understand why folks might differ on that point.

Quote:


The Man With No Name quartet. The Stranger, The 2 Strangers, The 3 Strangers, and I forget the name of the Prequel. I liked all Clints real westerns, so which one it was doesn't matter. The 3 with Sergio Leone were renamed for the U.S. market Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, Bad, Ugly. The prequel ends with the nameless (they may have called him Joe) man picking up the poncho from a dead man which he wers for the other 3 flicks. Maybe High Plains Drifter, Or Hang 'Em High.



I never knew one of Clint other westerns had links to the Leone films. He gets called Joe a couple of times in AFOD but the name is given to him, not stated by him. Much like Tuco calling him Blondie in TGTBATU. I'll have to watch those two movies again to see if the link is there.



"The greatest invention ever is not the wheel. It's the second wheel." - Rich Hall

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 3:13 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


Too many restrictions limits my choices.

I can't even select the original Star Wars Trilogy because I fell out of love with that when the Ewoks hit the screen.

I still haven't seen Bourne Ultimatum, so that one is on hold.

Too many bad Trek and Bond films drag those series off the radar.

The only two I can think of right now that meet the criteria are Lord of the Rings and Back to the Future.

As for books, my choice is simple. Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, Book of the Long Sun and Book of the Short Sun, which I call the "Sun Sagas" - http://templetongate.net/sunsagas.htm - but most everyone else refers to them as the "Solar Cycle."




wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 4:48 PM

GWEK


Star Wars

Indiana Jones

DieHard (DH3 is the worst of the lot, but still
better than most action movies)

Lord of the Rings (although it's soooooo long and slow... Kevin Smith was right; speaking of which:)

The View Askewniverse (aka, the Jay & Silent Bob Saga)

I'm on the fence with Harry Potter; a few of them aren't the greatest.

Can't wait for Aldous Snow to have a third movie, so he qualifies for "saga" material. :P

www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 8:26 PM

HKCAVALIER


I'm kinda obsessed with long-form story telling just now, having caught up on several exceptional tv series with intricate ongoing plots--kinda surprised no one has mentioned any television or video games.

My picks:

The Matrix Trilogy (love all three movies on their own terms--did not expect Neo to become god after #1, so I was never disappointed--second one might actually be my favorite--the script for the first one is kinda A-New-Hope hokey upon multiple viewings).

Lord of the Rings (director's cut is crucial for me--Aragorn is kind of a nobody in the theatrical version).

The Bourne Trilogy (just great).

The Lethal Weapon Trilogy (comparatively light entertainment, but I remember being shocked when the first sequel was actually good--that had never happened before in my young life).

The Blade Trilogy

Toy Story Trilogy

Chinese Ghost Story I, II, and III

tv sagas (shows that have a series-long story arc with a beginning, middle and end):

The David Brent Saga (The Office series 1 and 2 plus the Christmas Show--so satisfying!)

Jericho (best conclusion to a series that was canceled early)

The Wire (Dayum)

Video Game sagas (Story-heavy rpg series):

Suikoden I, II, III (best narrative payoff after 200+ hours of story--dayum!)

Mass Effect 1 & 2 (still waiting on 3, but it's very hard for me to believe that it won't be amazing)

Books:

The Golden Compass (absolutely the best finished fantasy series I've ever read)

A Song of Ice and Fire by G.R.R. Martin (absolutely the best unfinished fantasy series I've ever read)

Things Fall Apart Trilogy by Chinua Achebe (along with No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God)

The Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson (movie series when it's released over here will prolly be great as well).

The Complete Novels of Raymond Chandler (it's a saga, 'cause I say it is! And every one of them is awesome!)

Earth Sea Trilogy + Tehanu by Ursula Leguin

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 11:01 PM

DMAANLILEILTT


Lethal Weapon was a Quadrilogy. Mass Effect I agree with, Bourne I agree with and Lord of The Rings I agree with.

I also agree with Die Hard, Alien, Toy Story, Mad Max and i would add the Old Kingdom series and the Tomorrow series for books (the latter soon to be a movie) and would call Ender an almost-ran.

"I really am ruggedly handsome, aren't I?"

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Thursday, August 19, 2010 3:50 AM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Jeez, I must add:
Matrix
Lethal Weapon
Blade.

I even own them all. Duh.
Quote:

Originally posted by lwaves:
Quote:

Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
I'll go with the Star Trek 1-6. The rest were not the same characters, nor the same story line.



I put them together for this question to try and make it harder to pick Star Trek (same for Star Wars). And I've seen many posts in various fave threads that say something along the lines of "I like the first two movies but not the others." I'm one of those people so it was kind of an attempt to stop that happening.
And with Star Trek I class them as the same because they are linked by characters from the original series/movies and they are set within the same universe, barring ST-XI which is an alternate version of the main universe but still has original Spock in it to link it. ST-XI is only a reboot from our perspective as regards the franchise, from the Trek universe POV it is a continuation of sorts.
I can understand why folks might differ on that point.

Quote:


The Man With No Name quartet. The Stranger, The 2 Strangers, The 3 Strangers, and I forget the name of the Prequel. I liked all Clints real westerns, so which one it was doesn't matter. The 3 with Sergio Leone were renamed for the U.S. market Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, Bad, Ugly. The prequel ends with the nameless (they may have called him Joe) man picking up the poncho from a dead man which he wers for the other 3 flicks. Maybe High Plains Drifter, Or Hang 'Em High.



I never knew one of Clint other westerns had links to the Leone films. He gets called Joe a couple of times in AFOD but the name is given to him, not stated by him. Much like Tuco calling him Blondie in TGTBATU. I'll have to watch those two movies again to see if the link is there.



It's the end of the movie. I think the last scene. I keep remembering when I see them, but forget when I'm not watching.

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Thursday, August 19, 2010 10:39 PM

PACHELBEL


Serenity.

Serenity II.

Serenity III.


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Friday, August 20, 2010 1:37 AM

PENGUIN


Quote:

Originally posted by pachelbel:
Serenity.

Serenity II.

Serenity III.




I love a person with vision!





King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

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Friday, August 20, 2010 5:37 AM

CYBERSNARK


Goin' my own way here and breaking rules:

Films:
*Lord of the Rings
*Harry Potter
*Back to the Future
*Indiana Jones
*The Chronicles of Narnia
*Toy Story
*Shrek

TV:
*The DCAU/Timmverse (Batman: TAS, Superman: TAS, Batman Beyond, The Zeta Project, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited)
*Stargate (SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, Ark of Truth, Continuum)
*Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex (Stand-Alone Complex, 2nd Gig, Solid-State Society)
*Banner of the Stars (Banner of the Stars, Banner of the Stars II, Crest of the Stars)
*Gundam: Cosmic Era (Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny, Gundam SEED Astray, C.E. 74 Stargazer)
And, as a complete technicality because it damn well deserves to be here:
*Avatar: The Last Airbender (Book One: Water, Book Two: Earth, Book Three: Fire, The Legend of Korra)


Novels:
*The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, Talking to Dragons)
*Sir Apropos (Sir Apropos of Nothing, The Woad to Wuin, Tongue Lashing, Gypsies, Vamps, and Thieves)
*Robotech/Sentinels (Genesis, Battle Cry, Homecoming, Battle Hymn, Force of Arms, Doomsday, The Zentraedi Rebellion, The Masters' Gambit, Southern Cross, Metal Fire, The Final Nightmare, Before the Invid Storm, Invid Invasion, Metamorphosis, Symphony of Light, Sentinels: The Devil's Hand, Sentinels: Dark Powers, Sentinels: Death Dance, Sentinels: World Killers, Sentinels: Rubicon, The End of the Circle)

Honourable mentions go to Star Wars and Star Trek, both of which I would normally divide into sub-sagas of varying quality, and Doctor Who, which certainly should qualify as a Saga, but which is technically only one (absurdly long-running) series.

(I'm something of a continuity pornographer, so my definition of "saga" includes a large amount of complex backstory and ongoing plot and character development --regardless of series length.)

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Friday, August 20, 2010 9:42 AM

HKCAVALIER


How could I have forgotten Avatar: the Last Airbender???

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Friday, August 20, 2010 2:25 PM

CLJOHNSTON108


I can only think of one "saga" I really loved, and that's Babylon 5, except it doesn't count.

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Saturday, August 21, 2010 1:56 AM

CORNCOBB


Mine are:

The Man With No Name (leoni/eastwood)
Star Trek 7-10
X-men
Lord of the Rings
Matrix
Aliens
The '...of the Dead' films (Romero's)

Also, not my favourites really, but I liked every film in each saga:
Shrek
Austin Powers
Die Hard
Back to the Future


"Gorramit Mal... I've forgotten my line."

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Saturday, August 21, 2010 2:56 AM

CORNCOBB


Hi, Jewelstaitefan. big Clint Eastwood fan here, so I can solve this mystery for ya.

The poncho scene is towards the end of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. This scene has led many to believe that TG, TB & TU is a prequel to the first two films. I agree with this interpretation because the characterisation of the Man With No Name makes more sense this way - in TG, TB & TU he starts out as a common crook and acquires a sense of nobility and justice by the end, whereas in A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, the character already shows noble qualities.

The other film that features The Man With No Name is High Plains Drifter. It was directed by Clint Eastwood and he intended it to be a homage to Leoni's films. There are some continuity issues, however, and Clint Eastwood's interpretation of the central character is quite different to Leoni's.

"Gorramit Mal... I've forgotten my line."

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Saturday, August 21, 2010 6:11 AM

LWAVES


Quote:

Originally posted by Corncobb:
Hi, Jewelstaitefan. big Clint Eastwood fan here, so I can solve this mystery for ya.

The poncho scene is towards the end of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. This scene has led many to believe that TG, TB & TU is a prequel to the first two films. I agree with this interpretation because the characterisation of the Man With No Name makes more sense this way - in TG, TB & TU he starts out as a common crook and acquires a sense of nobility and justice by the end, whereas in A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, the character already shows noble qualities.

The other film that features The Man With No Name is High Plains Drifter. It was directed by Clint Eastwood and he intended it to be a homage to Leoni's films. There are some continuity issues, however, and Clint Eastwood's interpretation of the central character is quite different to Leoni's.



Thanks for clearing it up, I knew it wasn't Hang Em High coz Clint goes by the name of Cooper (or something like it) in that one so I was going to try High Plains Drifter but knowing that it hints at his character being a spirit or something/one connected to a dead man it didn't really fit properly with TMWNN.



"The greatest invention ever is not the wheel. It's the second wheel." - Rich Hall

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