英语短文：星球大战重返银幕 2

[5] The extensive special effects, especially of the space vehicles and the amazing fight scenes with laser swords, the range of strange characters from the hairyfaced Chewbacca to the robots R2D2 and CP3O, and above the all the gripping story of the fight between opposing forces, gave the first Star Wars films a compelling look and a huge following among audiences worldwide.

[6] In the US alone, the first three films of the trilogy are in Top Ten box office earners of all time, Star Wars with $ 461 million at No 2, Return of the Jedi at No 8 with $ 309 million and The Empire Strikes Back at No 10 with 290 million.

[7] In total box office earnings worldwide, while unable to top the first billion-dollar earning film Titanic at No 1, the George Lucas science fiction films come in at a respectable No 4 (Star Wars, $ 780 million), No 12 (The Empire Strikes Back, $533 million) and No 2t (Return of the Jedi, $470 million).

[8] When the opening weekend of the prequel movie Star Wars: Episode 1--The Phantom Menace was planned in the US, crazy fans queued up to buy tickets simply to see the preview trailer. Before the opening night, fans camped outside the theatres in sleeping bags, afraid to miss an early screening.

[9] This prequel is set in a time when the Galactic Republic is on the wane and its leaders are being forced to kneel to the brutal market forces of the Trade Federation which has blocked shipping lines to the planet Naboo. The Jedi Knight, Qui-Gon (Liam Neeson cast as a Samurai) and his apprentice, Obi-Wan (new wave star Ewan McGregor with a vocal hint of Alec Guinness), are sent in to sort out the mess.

范围的特技效果，特别是太空飞行器和激光利剑惊人的战斗场面，从毛脸的楚巴卡到机器人R2D2和CP30等各种各样神奇的人物，见其是正反力量之间扣人弦的战半故事，使最初的《甲球大战》系列电影引人注目并在全世界拥有众多追随者。

仅在美同，三部曲的前三部电影的票房收入一直名列前10名，《星球大战》以四亿六千一百万美元的收入位居第2，《杰迪的归来》以三亿九百万美元名列第8，《帝国反击战》位于第10，票房二亿九千万美元。

虽然在全世界的票房收人抵不过位居榜首的影片《泰坦尼克号》率先突破10亿美元的收入，乔治·卢卡斯的科幻电影也令人称道地名列第4(《星球大战》，7亿8千万美元)，第12(《帝国反击战》，5亿3千3百万美元)和第21《杰迪的归来》，4亿7千万美元)。

当前传影片《星球大战：第一集--幽灵的威胁》在美国首映的那个周末被列入计划时，疯狂的影迷排起长队买票就是为了看一眼电影的宣传预告片。首映前夜，影迷们露宿在电影院外，在睡袋里过夜，生怕错过了先睹为快的机会。

这部前传所描述的故事发生在“银河共和国”趋于衰落的时候，它的首脑被胁迫向“贸易联盟”残酷无情的市场军队屈服，这个联盟阻断了所有到达“奈布”星球的航线。杰迪武士奎刚(莱昂·尼森扮演的一个武士)和他的徒弟奥比温(新浪潮运动影里伊万·麦克戈里格饰演，他的声音让人想起艾力克·吉尼斯)被派往“奈布”星球解决这个麻烦。