[Jeritron]

Originally Posted by thedamndest I would argue that the reason Empire is ten times better than A New Hope is because A New Hope isn't as meaty. It has to spend so time in exposition and explaining the force and then they blow up the Death Star. Empire is basically a Round Two, only you don't have to spend all the time on exposition; you jump right in with Hoth.

I would argue that it's better because it delves deeper into the characters emotions, and is a more challenging film. The meat that is added comes from the expansion of the mythology, and the freedom of knowing that it won't be their last dance, and loose ends can be left loose.

In ANH, Lucas had to keep the movie self contained, while planting seeds. It's obvious that it starts in the middle of something, and has intentions of a future, but at the same time the property was unproven and it had to work on its own, just in case there weren't sequels.
It follows a more traditional act structure, and ends happily, while still having the baddies live to fight another day.

Once it became the biggest movie of alltime, there was freedom to do what they wanted. Fortunately, that meant go to new places, both literally and thematically. A lesser creation would have fallen on its face.

So, I agree with what you're saying..."from a certain point of view." I think there's more to it than that.
Yes, it benefits from being the second act with no real beginning or end, but its also only that way because it had the balls to be. So I think the greater credit should go to the creation, and not where it falls in the timeline, since that was their decision to make, and one that hadn't been mapped out for them.