What are your favorite trilogies?

[Neon Noodle]

Waiting to see The Matrix Revolutions tonight, I wondered what other Trilogies out there have endured for me over the years.

So far I can only think of 4 - Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Back ot the Future and Scream.

However, there seems to be no pattern! Here's how it breaks down:

I loved Raiders of the Lost Ark, but hated Temple of Doom.
I loved Empire Strikes Back, but I liked the original (part IV) the least.
I loved the original Back to the Future but don't really care for either sequel.
I loved the original Scream but I loathe the second one.

I always used to think the originals were the best, now I'm not so sure. Any thoughts? Which are your faves and why?

p.s. I know I left out the Godfather.....

[Scott]

DUSK TILL DAWN  is a good one also.

[raj]

Even though part III isn't out yet, Lord of the Rings is up there with the orignial Star Wars (not the prequel) and Indiana Jones.

Parts 2 & 3 always have a problem; if the first part is bad, the next two don't get made, but if part 1 is really good, then the bar is set so high that the follow ups can't match the "wow" feeling of the first.

[jmc]

I don't consider THE GODFATHER to be a real trilogy....it's obvious the third movie was tacked on and wasn't necessary.  

The only one I guess I've ever really liked has been STAR WARS, but that was more when I was a kid.  I saw the first one when it was re-released in 1997 and it didn't work for me anymore.  

I liked the first two Indiana Jones movies, but the third was too preachy for me.

[The Burgomaster]

How about Sergio Leone's "man with no name" trilogy?

The Indiana Jones trilogy is a good one.

I'm not a big fan of any of the SCREAM movies.

The original BACK TO THE FUTURE is good . . . the others don't quite measure up.

The DIE HARD trilogy is pretty good escapist entertainment.

The first two AMERICAN PIE movies are good . . . but the third one is disappointing.

George Romero's LIVING DEAD trilogy is a "must have" for any movie collection.

I have only seen 2 of the 3 movies in the "Virgil Tibbs" trilogy.  IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT is a classic.  THEY CALL ME MISTER TIBBS! pales in comparison.  I have never seen THE ORGANIZATION, which is probably the least famous of the 3 movies in this series.

SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT is one of the best "good ole boy" car chase movies.  I have never seen the two sequels, but I have heard that they aren't very good.

THE GODFATHER trilogy is my favorite of all time, even though Part III doesn't measure up to the first two.

Has anyone thought of the ILSA trilogy?  It is now available in a DVD boxed set, which I hope to buy eventually.

Then you have the infamous H. G. Lewis trilogy consisting of BLOOD FEAST, 2000 MANIACS, and COLOR ME BLOOD RED (also available as a boxed set).

The COFFIN JOE trilogy (I have the first two . . . never seen the third one)

And, of course, EL MARIACHI, DESPERADO, and ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO

Geez . . . I didn't realize there were so many trilogies . . . and I haven't even scratched the surface yet . . .

[yaddo42]

There's also Leone's loose "Once Upon A Time...." trilogy. "Once Upon A Time In The West", "A Fistful Of Dynamite" (sometimes titled "Once Upon A Time, The Revolution), and "Once Upon A Time In America".

It's unifying themes are supposed to be money, power, and crime in the New World.

[jmc]

The third SMOKEY movie didn't even have Burt Reynolds in it until the very end--it's Jerry Reed driving the Trans-Am for most of the movie.

[George]

Rambo Trilogy.....First Blood the obvious king of these
Evil Dead Trilogy....nuff said
Prophecy....very schlocky

I loved the Godfather Trilogy....even part III
I loved the Indiana Jones Trilogy


The best every IMHO is the first Star Wars Trilogy

[FearlessFreep]

I'll go with "Prophecy" as well.

Also, while not really a trilogy, I'd go with the "Subspecies" series from "Full Moon"

"Star Wars" of course

[Bernie]

How about Star Trek II, III, IV (really one story in 3 parts)?

Lord of the Rings above all, and we haven't even seen part 3 yet!

Ed Wood's "Kelton" trilogy - Bride of the Monster, Plan 9, Night of the Ghouls.

Stars Wars --- yeaaaahh, but..... a case of diminishing returns for me (1 - a classic, 2 - good, 3 - getting tired already).  (Talking about the originals, of course; the less said about the current crop of Star Wars movies, the better.

[raj]

I don't remember Burt in it at all, but then I have seemed to have erased that whole fiasco from my memory, much like some folks don't remember horrifying events.  It was a horrible waste of celluloid.  Don't watch it.

[yaddo42]

Burt turns up in a quick cameo in "Smokey and the Bandit 3", where Jerry Reed's character tries to bluff his way past Jackie Gleason by "channeling" the essence of the real Bandit. It works as Buford T. Justice sees Burt Reynolds instead of Jerry Reed sitting in the Firebird. So Burt turns up in a halucination. Terrible movie.

[tralalog]

shaft
shaft's big score
shaft in africa

[Brock]

Yeah, I guess LOTR and Evil Dead are...okay.  If you're into that sort of thing.

But for my money the trilogy to end all trilogies has got to be the classic "Look who's talking" trilogy.  American cinema that truly withstands the test of time.

[JohnL]

>So Burt turns up in a halucination. Terrible movie.

I've seen this one, but I don't remember it. Was Burt even there or did they use stock footage?