A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Baconsale decided to take on one of the biggest sci-fi/fantasy debates ever: Star Wars versus Lord of the Rings. However, we knew that we couldn’t bear the burden of this geek culture topic alone, so we formed a fellowship with Brandon Mull, New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms book series. Together, we will host a series of mini-battles, such as box office numbers, critical reception, acting, musical scores and even the attractiveness of the cast for both franchises. We will declare a winner for each round, and then, in the end, we will declare an ultimate winner between the science fiction blockbuster and the ambitious adaptations of J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels.
It’s time to press play, leave the Shire, join the rebellion against the Galactic Empire and listen to this latest episode of Baconsale.
Best looking cast? I was going to go with LotR but then Joel mentioned Natalie Portman, and you also have to include Kiera Knightly. Carrie Fischer has never really sparked anything for me except for the slave costume, but any semi attractive woman would be made more attractive by that outfit, at least it doesn’t make it hard to fund the Fantastic Beasts. So, anyway, Carrie Fischer is just meh, but Natalie and Kiera bring the average up, and so does Rey, but maybe I’m giving Natalie too much credit since I saw Episode 1 in my mission in Portugal and so she may hold a special place merely because she was the first hot actress I’d seenb in more than a year, and then grandma Leia brings it down again. Harrison Ford is also not too bad. This is tough cuz I think overall, the females in LotR are better than Star wars, and so are the males, so I think LotR gets my vote, even though I’d say the most attractive cast member in all shows is Natalie Portman.
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How was Arwen not mentioned more in this category? Arwen I’ll say is on par with Portman or the bikini in RoTJ.
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She was mentioned. I said “it’s Carrie Fisher and Natalie Portman vs. Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Miranda Otto and Orlando Bloom.”
Although I will admit that I see too much of Liv Tyler’s father in her to find her attractive.
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I don’t know who her father is… I’ll have to look that up.
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Steven Tyler?! What the?.. Alright, I see it.
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Sorry ’bout that.
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Wait a minute. You never knew she was Steven Tyler’s daughter?! I just……
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Natalie Portman with mission goggles, eh? I can see that.
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Arena Battle Outfit > Golden Bikini
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Star Wars is most family friendly except for the golden bikini.
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Which has better plot and story, all I have to say is, death star, bigger death star, star killer… My vote is for LotR.
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Don’t forget that Rogue One is also about the Death Star.
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That’s my main problem too Drew. Okay, maybe not main, but one of them.
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Kent and Joel, I think you’d like this video, if you haven’t seen it already: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agcRwGDKulw
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I actually almost shared that video when I saw this comment earlier haha
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Don’t get me wrong, I like the movies, even Force Awakens. They’re good, but LotR has way more depth and meaning.
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Besides, I get what Joel is saying about movie villains, sometimes they just need to try the same plan one more time. Also, I would think that the Empire was building the Death Stars simultaneously, and once a project is funded, it is really hard for the bureaucracy to defund it. They really should have invested more in fighters to protect the super weapons and the shield generators.
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The Dark Knight Trilogy is definitely the best Trilogy out there.
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Best trilogy of all time would make a good show idea…
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We know what Kent’s is, what would your pick be Joel? Back to the Future?
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I have to save something for the potential show.
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Joel really likes the Iron Man Trilogy
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I thought Joel really liked the original Madea Trilogy: Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea’s Family Reunion, and Madea goes to Jail.
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Punks.
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I thought P.U.N.K.S. was a stand alone movie not a trilogy. Unless i missed the sequels.
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Star wars had 3 full movies of missed opportunities…. LOTR wins that category. The prequels were AWFUL. So many missed opportunities. The biggest mistake was killing Darth Maul in episode 1. He should have lived and been the main antagonist through episode 2 and 3. They could have had Maul and Palpatine trying, independently, to turn Anakin and get him to help them kill the other one. That’s just one example of a superior plot to Count Dooku and his stupid “fencing lightsaber” and on the nose dialogue…. no dialogue is better than what Lucas did with Dooku.
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I hate the prequels. Don’t know if I’ve said it enough in the comments sections of all the Star Wars episodes you’ve done. Just to be safe, I hate the prequels.
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Wait, I’m confused. “No dialogue is better than what Lucas did with Dooku.”
It sounds like you really enjoy the prequels. Right? I just wanted to double check.
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The Silmarillion is a great read.. it’s heavy, but it’s really great. I actually read it the first time when I was 13 and most of it went over my head but the second time I read it I was a bit older and it was easier to digest. I’m mixed on my feelings for getting rid of the expanded universe in Star Wars and making it the “legends” section of wookiepedia. It was definitely needed, but they got rid of some really cool stuff like the back story of Darth Plagueis, and characters like Mara Jade and Admiral Thrawn.
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Is there a wookiepedia in Star Wars Canon? I remember Obi Wan at the Library in the prequels. Do they call that place the Wookiepedia?
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Another missed opportunity in the prequels. I’m actually surprised George Lucas didn’t call it that.
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BTW, now that I am looking at your site on a computer instead of my phone, I like the Christmas theme going on.
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Jacob will be glad to hear that you noticed.
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I think the Star Wars Prequels are better than the LotR prequels. Mostly because I actually watched them. I tried watching the first Hobbit movie and fell asleep. I tried again, and fell asleep. I have not given the next ones a chance. When you take three really long beautiful books like the LotR trilogy and condense them into three movies (even if they are really long movies) and then take a short novel like the Hobitt and try to stretch it into 3 movies something is lost. I still can’t bring myself to watch the next two Hobbit movies, but I will be watching the Star Wars prequels again.
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I only watched the first and second hobbit movies. They shouldn’t have made it into 3, 2 would have been fine I think. It would have been enough time to add some stuff in, not make the film seemed rushed, and keep it entertaining. As it was, it took way too long to develop and actually have things happen.
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Yes, this.
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I don’t know which I would say is better. They’re kind of mutually exclusive to me because I have to be in a certain mood to watch either of these trilogies. Star Wars is more of a popcorn kind of movie for me where I just want to see things blow up, or people fight with lightsabers. For Lord of the Rings it’s more of a slow burn kind of movie for me and I have to be in more of a contemplative mood. Plus I only have the extended editions so I need like 3 hours of alone time because my wife won’t watch them with me as she finds them boring. There’s only a few movies I can watch at anytime and I wouldn’t put any entry from either of these films in that category, but I’d put them as the best in their categories.
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I watch them with my husband, on the couch with a pillow and blanket and fall asleep to LOTR. My husband also only has the enxtended editions and seems to like to watch them around Christmas.
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It’s funny but Chrismastime just seems like the time to watch them. I think they were released in December if I remember right so that might have something to do with it.
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That’s probably why. My husband also has the week between Christmas and New Years off work, so he has all the time in the world to watch hours and hours of movies.
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Funny you should say this, because we saved this idea for November/December because it felt appropriate for this season.
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Chidwick, it looks like it’s just back to us here at Baconsale.com.
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We probably scared them off… I guess the roost is ours to rule once again.
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I had to wait until I could list n to it with my son. He loves Brandon Mull and all things nerdy, so I knew he’d want to listen to it.
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Glad to have you hear and commenting. Keep coming back. I think they’re getting sick of me.
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Now that I’ve finished it, I have one thing to say. Thanks a lot. Now my 12 year old thinks he needs to watch LOTR. At least Christmas break is coming up soon.
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Let us know what he thinks!
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He’s seen them all before. Actually, funny story. They just got done watching the Hobbit movies and of course we have to have the extended editions. Did you know the 3rd one is rated R? We didn’t the first time we watched it. We sat there watching and thought “wow, this is a lot more violent then I remembered it in theaters.” My 14 year old was so mad at me. I just had no idea, and didn’t think to check before playing it.
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I’m sure you’ve all seen this, but it fits perfectly with this episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g81PoGKO0qA&t=156s
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